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The
Life & Times of Zarathushtra:
Zoroastrianism
is a very ancient religion. The founder of this religion was
Zarathushtra. He was born in a princely family in the ancient city of
Rae or Ragha in ancient Persia. Pourushaspa was his father's name and
Dugdhova was his mother's. When he was born, he was named Spitama,
after one of his great heroic ancestors.
At
the age of fifteen, young Spitama, instead of taking up household
duties, retired into solitude, renouncing the worldly life. He spent
fifteen strenuous years in the contemplation of God, facing numerous
difficulties and innumerable temptations. The evil spirit Ahirman
tried his best in various wicked ways to wean him away from his
chosen path. But Spitama was steadfast in his determination to seek
God and find answers to his perplexing questions. Finally, at the end
of fifteen years he got enlightenment.
After
returning home, he started preaching his new religion. Many were
reluctant to accept his teachings, because they had fallen into
wicked ways. For several years he had only one disciple, his cousin,
Maidyoimaongha. He wandered from place to place teaching men what he
believed in. But it was in vain. In Iran, people were not yet ready
to accept him as a prophet and follow his teachings.
But
Vishtaspa, ruler of the neighboring Bakhdi ( Bactria), welcomed him
with open arms. He embraced the new religion and also inspired two of
his ministers and two of his brothers to become his disciples. With
their support the new religion became popular. Vishtaspa waged
several wars in the defense of the new creed. Finally all opposition
to the new religion was overcome and Zorastrianism was firmly
established in Bactria as well as ancient Persia and also some of the
neighboring countries. Zarathushtra continued to preach the new
religion to the people of his times till he reached an advanced age.
There
is a controversy as to the date of his birth. Historians believe
that he lived some time around 1000 B.C. According to another opinion
he might have lived some time around 600 B.C. While it is not
possible to arrive at an exact date, we can safely assume that he
might have lived during the early Rig Vedic period, when the Rigvedic
people were busy consolidating their gains in the northwestern parts
of the subcontinent. |
