By Dr. Darius Homi Umrigar
State of affairs before Zoroaster’s birth
Till the advent of Zarathustra, there were only two groups of people inhabiting the earth. One belonged to the White Side of Nature and were known as the Yazdan Parast Mazdayasnis. The other belonged to the Dark Side of Nature and were called the Daevayasnis, that is, those who worshiped the Dark and Evil Forces of Nature. These were the pagans and heathens. There was no organised religion before the coming of Zarathustra.
There were, therefore, constant fierce feuds between these two camps. The White Side of Nature was represented by the Peshdadiyan and Kyanian Kings and paladins, who fought relentlessly and bravely against the Daevas and their followers. This struggle went on for a long time between these two forces.
After some time, however, it was realized that the forces of the Dark Side were gaining an upper hand. A great fall seemed imminent. It was then that Geush Urva that is literally, the Soul of the Earth implored Lord Ahura Mazda, to send a Saviour. Ahura Mazda showed Geush Urva, the subtle invisible body of Zarathushtra and assured him that he would create him who would show to the mankind the path of purity. This appeased Geush rva. (The true meaning of Geush Urva, is not the “soul of the Ox’ as rendered by Professor Zaehner and others, but the sub-angelic potentiality. It is allegorically called Geush, because it possesses the blissful characteristics in common with the cow-kind).
At last when the proper time arrived, preparations were made in the heavens for the descent of Zarathushtra.
THE BIRTH OF ZARATHUSHTRA :
For three days before Zarathushtra was actually born, the surrounding place became illuminated. Yet another marvel, which is recorded, is that Zarathushtra laughed outright at his birth. According to Professor Jackson, “The tradition is recorded by Pliny, who observes in his “Natural History”, that “Zoroaster was the only person who ever laughed on the same day on which he was born. We hear, too, that his brain pulsated so strongly that it repelled the hand when laid upon it, as presage of his Wisdom”. This was, because the holy Prophet’s soul was FARROKHTUM that is MOS AUSPICIOUS, being sin-free, and was not subject to the vicissitudes of life, for he took birth as a Saviour.
According to the Farvardin Yasht, in the birth and progress of Zarathushtra, the waters and plants rejoiced, in his birth and growth, all the creatures of the good creations cried out, “Hail, Hail, to us!! For He is born, the Athravan Spitama Zarathushtra”. As Zarathushtra grew up, the demons tried all sorts of tricks and artifices in their stock to destroy him, but failed miserably. Besides possessing great Wisdom and other Spiritual Powers, Zarathushtra also possessed AOJ, which is the special divine power or potentiality possessed by Ameshaspands (Archangels). He also possessed the Kyan glory.
In short, Zarathushtra was an angelic being among man. He was a YAZATA in the garb of a man. His body was not made of the earthly element like us mortals, but was of the fiery element.
He was a scion of the Ameshaspands in human form, whose mode of life radically differed from the rut of humanity. Zarahushtra’s birth took place under exceptional circumstances and the law applicable to him for birth was a unique, exceptional one (Aves, aevodatahe).
He was the only one who listened to the revelations and commandments of Ahura Mazda. Zarathushtra is the only being one earth for whom there is a glorifying formula (Khshnooman – we have already seen earlier stated above). Otherwise, such Khshnoomans are reserved only for the blissful divine forces. Yazatas and Ameshaspands. Zarathushtra, is therefore, the only true “superman” in a long epoch.
In many pictures/paintings, purported to be those of the Vakhshoor-e-Vakhshooran that is Prophet of Prophets, Holy Zarathushtra is shown with a ball of fire in his hand. In reality, this indicated that the Prophet’s body was composed of the most subtle element of fire, it was transparent and had no shadow. The current of the fire-energy in him flowed as aura through his right hand, which gave the appearance of the Prophet holding a ball of fire in his hand.
In the Ahunavad Gatha (Yasna Ha 28) in the very first strophe, it is said, “Yaanim Mano, Yaanim Vacho, Yaanim Shothnai...”, “The thoughts, words and deeds of Holy Zarathushtra contain the benedictions of Ahura”.
In Yasna Ha 51:12 – (Gatha Vohukhshthra), the Prophet is called Ururaosta Asto “the most advanced messenger in the evolution towards perfection”.
The Pahlavi Writers have called our Prophet, “RAMZ-GU” one who speaks in cryptic terms. In the Gathas, Zarathushtra is depicted as the only one (aevo) who has been sent to the earth for the guidance of Ahura Mazda’s creations. He is the exceptional one who has heard the advices and admonitions of Ahura Mazda (Yasna 29-8).
It was Zarathushtra who laid the foundation for the growth and development of all the major religion of the world.
As Zarathushtra was not an ordinary mortal, he did not die like one. The Pahlavi writers have used the word, Vikhiz to indicate his passing away. It means that after the Prophet destroyed Tur-bara-tur, the phantom form of the Zenith of grossness, he took the brunt of the reaction of such a violent destruction on himself, thereby dispatching the elements in his “body” to their respective regions.