Zoroaster

Zoroaster, or Zarathustra, was one of the great prophets of the ancient world. He lived in northeastern Iran, probably late in the second millennium BCE. His concern as a Mazdian (see Mazdaism) priest was the reinterpretation of the ancient Iranian religion and a reestablishment of “good religion” as opposed to the corruption he saw around him. The result of his having “seen God” or Ahura Mazda (see Ahura Mazda) and having interpreted the old teachings was the religious system we now call Zoroastrianism (see Zoroastrianism), based on Zoroaster's preaching in the books called the Gāthās.(see Gāthās). Central to Zoroaster's work is the belief in an essential dualism in the universe, represented by the Wise Lord Ahura Mazda and the evil Angra Mainyu (see Angra Mainyu). Eventually many myths developed around the life of the prophet. It was said that his mother Dughda dreamt that good and evil spirits were fighting for the baby in her womb. At birth the baby laughed. Wise men warned the king, Duransarun, that the baby Zoroaster was a threat to his realm, and the king set off to kill the child. Miraculously the would-be murderer's hand was paralyzed. Demons who stole the child also failed to kill him; his mother found him peacefully sleeping in the wilderness. Later, the king sent a herd of oxen to trample his enemy, but the cattle took care not to hurt Zoroaster. The same thing happened when horses were sent to trample him. And when the king had two wolf cubs killed and the baby Zoroaster put in their place in the den, the mother wolf's anger was quieted by God, and sacred cows were sent to suckle the child. In adulthood, Zoroaster was resented by followers of the old tradition, but he convinced many with his miraculous cures. Zoroaster was killed at an old age by soldiers while he was carrying out a ritual sacrifice, but it is said that he will one day return as a final prophet or saoshyant (see Saoshyant).