Zoroaster
From ArticleWorld
Founder of the religion called Zoroastrianism, Zoroaster was an ancient Iranian prophet. His name originally was Zarathushter. The Greek version was Zoroastres and it was adapted as Zoroaster, in English. In Persian, he is known is Zartosht.
Life
Zoraoster’s life estimates vary widely in the absence of any conclusive evidence. Scholars place his existence in 1700 B.C. whereas sssome others estimate him to be of the 6th Century B.C. which would be around the rise of Achaemanids. Most of his life’s details have been obtained from the Greek texts, the Avesta, the Gathas and oral history.
Zoroaster came from the north eastern Persian region, his father (Pourushaspa Spitāma) from Atharpatan and mother (Dughdova) from Ragai. He had an active family life with wife (Hvōvi). They had six children – three daughters (Freni, Pourucista and Triti) and three sons (Isat Vastar, Uruvat-Nara and Hvare Ciθra).
Zoroaster received the divine message or ‘illumination’ at Ahura Mazda, when he became 30 years old. The first to convert were his wife and children.
Teachings
Zoroaster’s teachers have been inscribed in the yasna (in groups called Gāthās) and in seventeen “hymns” (liturgical texts). He philosophised about the divorce between truth and lies, good and evil, darkness and light. He refers to these as “the Better and the Bad” in the yasnas. His key maxim was Humata, Hukhta, Huvarshta (Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds).
The Ahura Mazda was described as a series of rhetorical questions, “Who established the course of the sun and stars? ... who feeds and waters the plants? ... what builder created light and darkness? Through whom does exist dawn, noon and night?” (Yasna 44, 4-6).
The impotant features of his teachings were :
- The Good Mind
- Truth
- “Best Rule” – The power of Ahura Mazda
- Holy Thought – The immortal female
- Perfection
- Immortality
- Obedience
Contemporary Views
Emomali Rahmonov, the President of Tajikstan stated, “Many principles of the Zarathushtrian religion have left a deep imprint on the [Tajik] people's mind… Let us hope in the new millennium, the Tajik people will continue to live under the spiritual guidance of Zarathushtra, the prophet of truth and light.”
On a list of the most influential people in history compiled by Michael M. Hart, Zoroaster was ranked number 93.