Page:History of Zoroastrianism.djvu/350

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
ZARATUSHT IN THE PAHLAVI WORKS
317

him a long reign and a long life of one hundred and fifty years and an immortal son. They warned him at the same time of the evil that would fall upon him if he did not embrace the faith. In pious obedience to the divine behest, Vishtasp adopts the religion of Zaratusht. Ormazd thereupon commands Neryosang to hasten to the court of Vishtasp with the elixir of life and asks Artavahisht to hand it to the king. The archangel puts the elixir in a beautiful saucer and asks the king to quaff it. On drinking the lifegiving potion, the king falls in a trance and sees marvellous things of the celestial world. He now asks his royal consort to accept the faith, which she readily does. The triumph of the new religion is achieved.[1] Faithful to his undertaking, Vishtasp lives and works and fights for the religion. His brother and sons go to India and other distant places to propagate the new faith.[2]

The passing away of the prophet. Zaratusht lives for forty-seven years after he receives the revelation. He spreads righteousness, puts down witchcraft, and fights wickedness.[3] The texts say he possessed the knowledge of medicine, law, and all kinds of earthly and heavenly wisdom.[4] He visualizes the future of his religion in a trance.[5] He had children by holy wedlock. Of these three will be miraculously born in the future as millennial prophets.[6] Bratraresh, the Turanian foe of Zaratusht and his religion, killed him when he was seventy-seven years of age.[7]

  1. ↑ Bd 17 8; Zsp 23 7; Dk, SBE, vol 47, bk. 7 74–86, p. 67–71; 5. 12, p 77, 6 13, p 81; vol. 37, bk 8. 11. 2, 3, p. 24; Jackson, ib., p. 65–67.
  2. ↑ Sg 10. 67, 68.
  3. ↑ Dk, SBE, vol. 47, bk 7. 4 72, p. 66.
  4. ↑ Dk, SBE, vol 47, bk 7. 5. 8, 9, p. 75, 76.
  5. ↑ BYt 2 6–9.
  6. ↑ Jackson, ib., p. 20, 21.
  7. ↑ Zsp. 23 9, Dd 72 8; Sd. 9 5; BYt. 2. 3–5; Dk, SBE, vol 47, bk. 5. 3. 2, 7. 5. 1; 7 6. 1, p 73, 74, 77, 126, 165; Jackson, ib., p. 127–129.
This article is issued from Wikisource. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.