History of Zoroastrianism/Chapter 48

The birth and childhood and youth of Zartusht. The Persian and Arabic writers use Zartusht, and similar variations for the prophet's name. Following the Pahlavi tradition, they place the date of his birth at about three hundred years before Alexander. His mother's family, they say, came from Rai. He arose somewhere in Azarbaijan and passed the active life of his ministry at Balkh.^[1] Several Arabic and Persian works have allusions to Zartusht. The one work, however, which exclusively treats of the life of the prophet is the Persian Zartusht Namah, composed in verse by Zartusht Bahram in the thirteenth century. The author derives his information from the Pahlavi sources.^[2] The writers of this period relate that when Ormazd created the spirit of Zartusht, he attached it to a tree. In later ages, a cow belonging to the person destined to be the fortunate father of the coming prophet happened to eat the dry leaves of the tree. The owner of the cow partook of her milk and the consequence was that his wife conceived the child Zartusht. The creator had thus ordained that the couple might shelter the child as two shells would cover a pearl. When five months had elapsed Doghduyah, for that was the name of the mother, saw in a dream that a dark cloud had enveloped her house and noxious creatures fell from it They tore out the child from the womb and were ready to destroy it and the mother was going to scream in terror. But Zartusht at once consoled her that nothing untoward would happen because the almighty befriended him. A brilliant mountain, thereupon, descended and rent asunder the black cloud and the noxious creatures disappeared. A radiant youthful form holding a luminous branch, representing Farrah-i Izad or the Glory of God, and a book sent by God in his hand, emerged from the mountain. He restored the child to the mother and comforted ​her that no harm would befall the child, for God himself guarded it. He added, while departing, that the auspicious child would grow to be the prophet of Ormazd.^[3]

At the moment of his birth, Zartusht laughed aloud.^[4] The story reached the ears of the magician Durasarun, who hastened to the house of Purshasp and raised his sword to cut off the child's head but that instant his hand withered away. He then ordered the child to be thrown into a pile of kindled wood, naphtha, and sulphur, but the devouring flame became as cool as water and the child was saved by Ormazd. Then the wizard threw the child into a thoroughfare for the passage of oxen but a leading cow took the child between her fore-feet and drove off all that came near, with her horns. Then Zartusht is exposed in a narrow defile through which horses passed. A mare at once stood at the child's head and saved it from being trampled to death. In the fourth attempt to destroy the child, it is put in a den of ravening wolves. When a wolf rushed to devour Zartusht, his mouth was sewn up. The wolves were alarmed and sat near the head of Zartusht like nurses. Two sheep came to the spot and applied their teats to the lips of Zartusht. The sheep and the wolves all remained peacefully near him.^[5]

Zartusht is placed under the care of a sage for instruction.^[6] At the age of seven, Zartusht fell ill and the magicians went to his house with medicine. Zartusht was asked to swallow the medicine, and was told that it would deliver him from pain. Through divine aid Zartusht knew that it was poison. He poured it on the ground and rebuked them.^[7]

The magicians were held in high honour in those days and Purshasp, the Persian writers say, was also under their influence. One day he invited them to a feast at his house and when the feast was over spoke in praise of their work. Zartusht, thereupon, told his father that he should abandon the erroneous path of the wizards and turn to God for inspiration. The magicians, he added, would find their abode in hell when they died. Pur​shasp was much incensed at these words and heated discussions ensued between him and Zartusht. Purshasp and the magicians were vanquished by the future prophet. The magicians left the house in confusion and disgrace. They fell ill and soon hurried along to the abode of retribution.^[8]

When Zartusht reached the age of fifteen he gave up attachment to worldly things and engaged himself in holy meditation in seclusion. Day and night he laboured in the service of the Almighty. He fed the hungry, clothed the naked, and helped the needy. A glory shone round him owing to his pious life of austerity and his fame spread among all people.^[9]

Zartusht receives revelation. At the age of thirty, one day Zartusht was returning with his relations and companions towards Iran. They came to a large expanse of water and there was no boat. He invoked God's help and crossed over the water in such a way that the water moistened only the soles of their feet. He then met the archangel Bahman to whom he expressed his heart's desire. Bahman asked him to close his eyes. On opening the eyes, Zartusht found himself in the midst of the heavenly beings waited on by celestial virgins. The angels greeted him and he conversed with God, who taught him all sciences and everything from the beginning of creation to the end of time. Upon Zartusht's request Ormazd showed him Ahriman in his gloomy abode. When the Prince of Darkness beheld Zartusht, he asked him to turn away from the religion of Ormazd and promised to grant all his earthly desires. Zartusht was then made to pass successfully through the ordeals. On Zartusht's asking him about the symbol of religion, Ormazd said that the most excellent emblem was light, from which he had created the entire good creation. Wherever there was any luminous object it was the effulgence of his divine light. He instructed Zartusht in the Avesta and asked him to recite the texts of the book to king Gushtasp. Each of the other archangels then asked Zartusht to exhort mankind to preserve the material creation under his special charge.^[10]

Zartusht at the court of king Gushtasp. Zartusht now turned his steps towards the court of Gushtasp, when the Prince ​of Darkness accosted him on the way with his evil associates. He asked the prophet of Ormazd to conceal the Avesta and turn away from preaching the new faith. Zartusht, in reply, recited a chapter of the Avesta, which confounded the evil brood. Some fled, some dropped dead, and some pleaded for mercy. On his way further, Zartusht met two tyrant chiefs and he asked them to embrace his religion. They heeded not his words. Thereupon Zartusht invoked Ormazd for help and a mighty wind began to blow. The stormy wind lifted up the two infidels on high and kept them suspended in the air, where the birds tore off their flesh with beaks and talons until their bones fell to the ground.

The fame of Zartusht had circulated abroad and it reached the ears of king Gushtasp. The king became anxious to see the new prophet of Ormazd and when he heard that the beloved of Ormazd was coming, he set out from Balkh with a numerous retinue to receive him. The king invited the sages and philosophers to his court and no less than sixty obeyed the royal command. When Zartusht entered the council hall he had a blazing fire in his hand which did not hurt him. He passed the fire to the king and courtiers who held it by turn in their hands and were, likewise, not hurt. On being asked to produce a miracle to testify his statements, Zartusht asked molten brass to be poured on his bosom. This was done four times and there was no trace of burning left. The king ordered the wise men to enter into discussion with Zartusht. The sages questioned and Zartusht answered. They argued and he replied. For three days these sages, who had not their equals in the seven zones of the earth, put subtle questions both theoretical and practical, pertaining to this world and the next, and Zartusht gave convincing replies, supported by a hundred irrefutable arguments and a hundred demonstrative proofs. When he had thus silenced the sages, Zartusht loosed his holy tongue and told the king that he was the envoy of Ormazd who had sent him with a special mission to the king. The Avesta, the sacred book, was given to him by Ormazd for the benefit of mankind. It contained the mysteries of both worlds and everything worth knowing was to be found out from that matchless book. Zartusht concluded by asking the king to embrace his religion. The king was impressed with what Zartusht said but he said that, as precipitancy in such ​an important affair was not proper, he would take some time in thinking over the question. Meanwhile he treated Zartusht with great respect and assigned to him a house adjacent to his palace. The sages who saw themselves defeated conspired to wreak vengeance upon Zartusht. They bribed the porter of the house in which the prophet lived and contrived to place blood and hair, heads of a cat and a dog, and dead men's bones under the pillow of Zartusht. They found Zartusht sitting by the side of the king and reading the Avesta to him. They boldly approached the king and said that the new-comer was a magician and had deluded the king by the force of charms, and added that if the king required to ascertain the truth let him send his men to his house and see what foul things generally used in magic were stored there. The king ordered the soldiers to repair to the house of Zartusht and examine its contents. They soon returned with the impure things and exposed them to the royal view. The king was enraged, he threw away the Avesta, and sent Zartusht to prison in chains. A loaf of bread and a pitcher of water were carried to him daily by a porter and Zartusht remained in chains both day and night A week thus passed and it was discovered that the fore and hind feet of a favourite royal steed were drawn up into his belly. The king was in great affliction and summoned the skilled surgeons to cure the horse. All possible remedies were applied but they failed to produce any benefit. The king was so grieved that he did not partake of any food. General mourning prevailed at the royal court. When Zartusht learnt from the porter about the malady of the horse, he sent a message to the king that he could restore the health of the royal horse The king ordered Zartusht to be brought into his presence. He seated him by his side and said that if he could restore the steed to perfect health, he would believe him to be a true prophet, sent by Ormazd. Zartusht demanded that if the king engaged to perform four things he would behold again the fore and hind legs of the charger. The king readily accepted Zartusht's conditions. The first condition made by Zartusht was that the king should make his heart and tongue of one accord and, without doubt and equivocation, speak with the tongue and repeat with the heart that Zartusht was the prophet and messenger sent by God. The king agreed and Zartusht addressed his prayer to Ormazd and rubbed the right foot of the ​horse with his hand and to the great joy of the king and courtiers and soldiers, it straight away came out. Zartusht then demanded that the king should command prince Isfendiar to gird up his loins to propagate the faith of Ormazd. This being accepted, Zartusht invoked Ormazd and the right hind leg came out. The prophet's third demand was that the queen should embrace his faith. The queen accepted the faith with heart and soul and in all sincerity and Zartusht prayed and the other hind leg came out. Then the prophet asked the king to call the porter and inquire of him how the things for magical preparations entered his house. The king told the chamberlain that he would save his life if he confessed the truth. The unfortunate chamberlain did save his life by giving out the truth. Zartusht recited the sacred formula and the other fore-foot came out and the swift charger once again stood on his legs. The king kissed the head and face of Zartusht, begged his pardon and seated him on the throne near himself.

Zartusht then cured the father and brother of king Gushtasp of the serious maladies for which the physicians had declared their helplessness. The king now asked Zartusht to secure for him four boons from Ormazd. The first was that he should behold his own state in the next world, the second was that his body should be invulnerable, the third that he might learn all mysteries of life, and the fourth that his soul might remain united to his body until the day of judgment. Bahman, Ardibahisht, Azar Khurdad, and Azar Gushasp dressed in green, and fully armed, came on horseback to the court of Gushtasp. They declared that they were the envoys of God, who had commissioned them to give the king the divine message that Zartusht was the prophet of God and the king should acknowledge him as such. The king bowed his head and said that he was the Lord's servant and had girt up his loins to execute his commands. The divine messengers then departed. The king then told Zartusht that he devoted his body and soul and wealth to him. The prophet blessed him and invoked Ormazd to grant the boons that the king desired. He performed the ceremony and gave the consecrated wine to the king. When the king drank it, he became insensible and rose not for three days. During this period his soul ascended to the heaven, traversed the heavenly regions, and saw his own place in paradise. Zartusht then gave the consecrated milk to ​Peshotan who became deathless to the day of judgment. To Jamasp he gave the hallowed perfume, which gave him the universal knowledge of existence from the beginning of the world to its end. A grain of the consecrated pomegranate was given to Isfendiar. He ate it and instantly became brazen-bodied. The prophet thus divided the four boons between Gushtasp and three of his near and dear ones, because, as he told the king, it was not proper to confer all the four incomparable boons on one individual.^[11]

Zartusht, the writers tell us, planted a marvellous cypress-tree in the fire-temple at Kishmar in commemoration of the acceptance of his religion by king Gushtasp.^[12] Gushtasp ordered twelve thousand cow-hides to be tanned and made as fine as the skin of the gazelle. He had the sacred texts inscribed upon these in gold and silver and deposited them at Istakhar.^[13]

Zartusht's fabled religious debate with Indian and Greek sages. It is said that there lived a great sage named Changranghacha in India at this time. He claimed many foreign pupils of distinction and Jamasp was one of them. When the news of the conversion of king Gushtasp reached him he wrote an epistle to the king and dissuaded him from embracing the new faith. On the invitation of the king, the great philosopher came to Balkh with his disciples to hold a disputation with Zartusht and refute his doctrines. Learned men from various parts of the country attended the great debate. Before the sage propounded his questions, Zartusht ordered one of his disciples to read a Nask. Herein were already recorded all the questions that the Indian sage was to ask as well as the answers to them. The sage was utterly confused and he saw that the new prophet had premonition and he knew beforehand what particular questions would be put to him. He acknowledged his defeat and accepted Zartusht as the prophet of God. He embraced the new religion, took a copy of the Avesta with him to India and converted in a short time eighty thousand people to the religion of the Iranian Prophet.

When the news that Changranghacha was defeated by Zar​tusht reached abroad, another Indian controversialist, Bias by name, came to the court of Gushtasp. The king organized a great assemblage to which the learned men came from distant lands. Bias opened the debate and addressing Zartusht said that he had heard that the wise Changranghacha had adopted the new faith. He had heard in his country, of the many miracles performed by the new prophet, therefore he challenged him to disclose the secret thoughts he had kept pent up in his bosom and had not transferred from his heart to his lips. Zartusht, thereupon, took out a book that God sent to him before the coming of Bias to Iran. He then read out all that was concealed in the heart of Bias, with the appropriate explanations. Bias was at once convinced of the superhuman wisdom of Zartusht and became an ardent follower of his religion.

Tutianush or Niyatus was the other philosopher who was sent by the eminent sages of Greece to interrogate the prophet about the tenets of his faith. The distinguished Greek seer was at once convinced of the divine insight of Zartusht when he beheld his face. Zartusht asked him to keep in his heart whatever he desired to inquire, for God had already acquainted him with it. One of his disciples then read out aloud all that was in the mind of Tutianush. The Greek sage adopted the faith and king Gushtasp appointed him the head of the priests in his country, where he propagated Zartusht's religion.^[14]

Zartusht's death. When Arjasp invaded Balkh for the second time, king Gushtasp, as the Persian writers record, was partaking of the hospitality of Zal in Seistan. A Turk named Turbaratur entered Zartusht's oratory and the prophet received his martyrdom by his sword. Zartusht, however, threw the rosary that was in his hand at the assailant. An effulgent splendor proceeded from it and its fire at once consumed him.^[15]