A brief Introduction to Zoroastrianism and Zarathustra/Zoroaster-part 2..

If  Cyrus the Great, founder of the first Iranian empire (546 B.C.), the
Achaemenid Empire, is the first to 'enter' history, as begun to be recorded by Herodotus and other Greeks, recent archaeological digs, in the vast regions north and north east of present Iran, give ample evidence of large kingdoms, highly organised, and wealthy enough to build temples and other religious structures much before the Achaemenids.

(This LINK is very interesting, for the first time we have a given a panoramic view of the regions which flourished as Iranian/Zoroastrian cultures before the better known Median/Achaemenid periods-see Early Avestan Aryan nations.)  http://www.avesta.org/vendidad/vd1sbe.htm

(Here, a closer sampling of Zoroastrian religion and culture LINK
gives ample evidence that Iranians, and Zoroastrianism, flourished well before the first world empire of the Achaemenids.)

In one of the sacred books of the Zoroastrian scriptures, the Vendidad (Vi-daevadat, meaning opposed to Devas-Devils) Ahura Mazda, the Lord Wisdom, God, created sixteen lands and gave each one of them an unique quality, then, the devil, Angra Mainyu (Ignorant Mind-the Zoroastrian satan) smote these good lands with some affliction, a clear vindication of the Zoroastrian principle of the fierce opposition by satan of all the good things created by God.

These sixteen lands enumerated in the Vendidad are clearly identifiable with regions north and north east of Iran, where ample archaeological evidences have been unearthed, clear evidence that the Zoroastrian scriptures can be corroborated by archaeology finds, and are not all legend and myth. The time frame of these sixteen lands, from the language used in the Vendidad, late Avestan, has been estimated as before 1000 B.C.

Very briefly, the Zoroastrian sacred books, the Avesta, are compilation/collection of several books, with the Gathic dialect used in the Gathas (Zoroaster's own words, still surviving) the oldest.The Yasnas, the second group, in Old Avestan, then the Yashts and Niyaesh sections, then the Vendidad, described above.....so we are moving back in time to at least 1500 B.C. when the Gathas, the oldest portion, in dialect form, being the compositions by Zoroaster himself.

Whilst the world of the Vendidad is a settled world of cities and forts dated to at least 1000 B.C., the world described in the Gathas, by Zarathustra, is far older, with simple folk, still in the process of settling down, and marauding tribes bent on robbing these good people of their cattle and few possessions, possibly dateable even earlier than 1500 B.C.

Zarathustra's family from the class of priests, were also, from several generations, connected with the breeding and use of horses. Names of his father, and older generations, carried the suffix asp, meaning 'of horse'- his father's name was Pourushasp (Upright Man of the horse), and other ancestors were Paitertasp, Urvadasp, Haichatasp, all names ending with asp. It is possible that the suffix 'asp' was indication of some form of status, association with the horse, already considered a noble animal amongst peoples of the steppes.

The name of one distant ancestor Spitaman, roughly meaning 'Fair Person/personage,' is chosen as the family name, thus the great prophet is addressed as Asho (the Holy) Zarathustra Spitaman.

During his time, and since the past, roughly, 1000 years before him, the proto-Iranians, considered themselves Mazdayasnis, worshipers of Mazda, the ancient god of wisdom (their counterparts the Indian Aryans worshiped Varuna, then Para-Brahma as the principal deity); but the very complex layers of religious beliefs include several other deities, mainly related to human relationships and traits, like Mithra, Iranian god that accompanies the sun, and is ever watchful of all human dealings. There is the god Atar, god of fire, a very sacred element for the Iranians, goddess of the waters is Haravaity, Mah is the moon god, Vayu, god of the winds. (All this had parallels in the Indian Aryans 'next door.')

Animal sacrifices and the drinking of Haoma (Soma to the Indian Aryans) was the basis of religious ritual; and one noteworthy trait, noticed later by Herodotus and others, was, these Aryans had no temples, they worshiped under the open skies, the curved skyline considered the 'stone body' of the gods. http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/ancient/herodotus-persians.asp

Legend has it that Zarathustra laughed when his mother, Dughdova (Giver of Milk, meaning, a very generous soul) gave him birth, in very extraordinary circumstances- a strange divine light shone from her womb throughout the time she was pregnant. At the time of birth, this divine light shone through the whole village and the midwives were terrified thereby. All the good creation rejoiced, but the demons fled! As with other such great men of God, Zarathustra's life is embellished with such miracles. To the orthodox these are articles of faith and belief. Here is a very interesting LINK on his life story.

When a child, the evil men of the clan, recognizing the divine nature of Zarathustra, planned to kill him. But all attempts failed, miraculously, by divine intervention.

But Zarathustra was a very extraordinary person. Very early, he realized his people practiced rituals like blood sacrifice and riotous drinking of the plant freely found in the steppes, called haoma by them (and called Soma by the Indian Aryans.). In no uncertain terms, Zarathustra, abhorred these practices, and called for their ban, forming enemies in the priestly class.

He would wander from home, with no possessions, alone, and reflect upon the the sense of all things around him.

In one verse of the Gathas, his own compositions, he laments:

To what land shall I flee, whither shall I go,
they hold me (back) from the good people and friends,
there is no satisfaction for me from my people,
nor from the rulers of the land, they follow untruth,
how shall I satisfy Thee? O Ahura Mazda.

I know the reason, O Mazda, why I am helpless,
I have few possessions and a small following,
To Thee I appeal about this,
I am aspiring to bliss, like a beloved who seeks his love,
teach me through Righteousness the greatness of a Pure Mind.

In all these self search, introspection and hunger for the truth, and carefully observing the nature of all things, Zarathustra came to have a very extraordinary vision of One God, who he called Ahura Mazda, the Lord Wisdom; and seeing the wide opposing attitudes between good and evil, he came to realize that God is opposed by a malevolent evil Angra mainyu, the Ignorant Mind.

Again, as legend to some, but an article of faith to the faithful, the story goes, Zarathustra was wading through the waters of the holy river Daitya, where he got immersed up to the top of his head in water, baptized by this holy element, he came out of the water and was apprehended by a mighty Divine Being.

The light that shone from this Divine Being was so awesome and powerful, Zarathustra noted his shadow disappeared, and his face shone with a dazzling aura.

The Divine Being was Vohu Manah, Pure Mind, the great archangel Amesha Spenta (Divine Eternal Immortal-Amesha Spenta, one of the seven attributes of Ahura Mazda-Lord Wisdom,) who led Zarathustra into the presence of Ahura Mazda. Present with Ahura Mazda and Vohu Manah were the other five Divine Immortals, who together form a divine Heptad (God and His six Divine Beings)- Best Righteousness-Asa Vahista, Xshathra Vairya- Victorious Omnipotence, Spenta Armaity- Holy Devotion, Haurvatat-Divine Well being and Amretat-Divine- Eternal!

Thus began Zarathustra's enlightenment and the first message to humanity of One God and the prophecy that all evil will be eventually destroyed.

His own people were very hostile to Zarathustra's preachings, and he had to flee. Wandering the vast expanse of the then home of the Iranian peoples, he finally came to the eastern kingdom of Vishtaspa, where this king gave him a hearing.

The priests and courtiers at this good king's court were stunned and amazed at this new teaching of belief in One God, they felt this threatened their ancient beliefs. Zarathustra was framed, by their placing sorcerer's materials in his room, and the prophet was thrown in jail.

A little later, the king's favorite horse fell gravely ill and it's legs gave way and remained stiff under the horse's fallen body. None could cure the hapless animal. Zarathustra was finally summoned from jail, and he cured the horse, and got it standing upright to the utter amazement of all.

Vishtaspa and his wife Hutoasa become disciples, so does the court minister Jamasp.
Zarathustra preaches to both royals and the common folk, and his fame spreads far.

Zarathustra marries and has sons and daughters, all would become the new faith's missionaries!

Ancient enemies of these Aryans, the Turanians, hearing of this great enlightenment in their rival's kingdom, invade and lay seige to Vishtasp's capital of Balkh. After the city walls collapse the invaders enter the city's main temple and find Zarathustra there immersed in prayer.

A man aptly called Tur-baratur (the "Worst Turanian") slays the prophet, whose tongue does not cease to take God's name. The aged prophet, now 77, dies by the hands of this assassin, but before his last breath, he flings his prayer beads at Tur-baratur, who falls dead!

Thus, even in death the prophet fulfills his prophecy that evil always comes to the end it deserves, its utter destruction.

These stories, based on legends in some instances, some incidents zealously added by his followers, embellish the life of this great soul; but to the great fortune of all humanity, his very own words, his compositions, the Gathas, survive to this day.

His followers were quick to realize the timeless message in his words, and committed these to memory, father to son, for hundreds of generations, 'thought-provoking manthras '(messages), and these, the Gathas, form the core of Zoroastrian teachings.

When a script was invented and the Avesta committed to writing, in the 4th century A.D., the Gathas were placed within the Yasnas, the first book/portion of this Zoroastrian sacred literature -the other portions are Yashts-great hymns addressed to Ahura Mazda and  the Amesha Spentas (Benevolent holy Eternals) and angels- and the Niyashes-prayers to various divinities, and the Vendidad-a set of laws to govern society (but also used by the orthodox as a great ritual of prayer by priests.)

The Orthodox and faithful believe the entire Avesta was revealed to Zarathustra by Ahura Mazda. All portions of the Avesta are treated with the greatest reverence and various portions used for recitation during varied rituals and ceremonies.

This LINK gives details of various sources that attempt dating Zarathustra's era.

This LINK gives details of various sources that attempt to place Zarathustra in locations indicated in those many sources.