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On March 25 -- day of
Khordad, month of Farvardin -- Zoroastrians celebrate the Birthday of Asho
Zarathushtra, the Divine Founder of the Good Religion. I greet our
companions on Z-Lists on this auspicious occasion and turn to the Avesta
to see what it has to say for the day.
The oldest eulogy for a human being on record in the Indo-lranian
scriptures is in honor of Asho Zarathushtra. Prior to this, there were
praises only for gods, goddesses and deified personalities. It consists of
seven stanzas, 88 to 94 in the Farvardin Yasht. The eulogy's wordings show
that it was composed centuries after Zarathushtra when, instead of the
geographical units of humanity on house, settlement, district, land, and
the earth divisions, we find the society again divided on the professional
basis of priests, warriors and the settled producers. The composer is a
priest who owes no alliance to the pre-Zarathushtrian cult, and fully
believes that Zarathushtra is the first and foremost in ushering in a
completely new era.
The eulogy, although short, throws quite a good light on Zarathushtra. It
shows that:
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Zarathushtra was
born in spring when snow thawed, rains came, waters flowed, trees
blossomed and plants grew.
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He was led to good
words and good deeds through his good intuition.
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He realized the
truth and recognized and comprehended the Wise God in an age when the
world around him was completely engrossed in superstitions.
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He preached to
others what he learned through his inspirations.
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He is FOREMOST
in every phase of life. He revolutionizes the social structure and bases
it on thoughtful thoughts, words and deeds. Leaders, both spiritual and
physical, are to be elected and their election is to be based on their
competency and sincerity. Modern democracy has yet to catch up with what
Zarathushtra advises, advocates, recommends and presents in his
ever-fresh teachings.
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Men and women enjoy
freedom as equals. People can choose Asho Zarathushtra as their
spiritual and physical leader only after understanding his divine
message.
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At a time when every
race considered itself to be the chosen people of gods/God, Zarathushtra
did not discriminate between race, cast and creed. The Good Religion is
universal and for all the peoples of the world. It is the best
religious among the existing ones. It advocates preaching and
propagation on sound basis of education aimed at spreading all over the
earth. It is the first universal missionary religion.
He is constantly
referred to as 'the foremost' because he is the first and foremost in
giving an entirely fresh outlook to every walk of life -- spiritual,
mental, ethical, spcial, material and physical. His 'Good Religion' is
all-embracing.
All the above points and many more are well documented in other parts of
the Avesta as well as the Pahlavi writings. He is UNIQUE.
Here is a free abridged rendering of the eulogy in English:
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Stanza 88.
We venerate the Reward and the Religious Choice of
the Righteous Zarathushtra Spitama,
who is the foremost
to think, speak and do good;
Who is the foremost
priest, warrior and settled industrious,
who is the foremost
to learn for himself and teach others,
who is the foremost
to understand for himself and for others,
[the following facts] --
the living world, the Universal Law of Asha,
the Divine Message and the need to listen to it,
the Divine Dominion, and all the good things
created by the Wise One
as of Righteousness.
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Stanza 89.
Who is the foremost
to reject false gods and ignoble persons,
who is the foremost
in the material existence
to uphold Righteousness, denounce false gods,
choose to worship the Wise God
and be a Zoroastrian denying false gods
and adhering to the Divine Doctrine.
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Stanza 90.
Who is the foremost
in the material existence
to declare that none of the imaginary deities
is worthy of worship and adoration.
He stands as an ideal for a noble life,
because he is the foremost bearer
of the Divine Doctrine in all the lands.
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Stanza 91.
His thought-provoking songs of Righteousness
are heard everywhere.
He is the lord and the leader of the world.
He praised Righteousness
as the best, sublimest and greatest.
and he gave the doctrine of the Religion
which is the best among all the religions that are.
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Stanza 92.
The immortals progressives,
who are all of one accord,
chose him and accepted him,
after a thorough consideration,
as the lord and the leader of the world.
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Stanza 93.
In whose birth and growth
the waters and plants flourished,
in whose birth and growth
the waters and the plants increased,
and in whose birth and growth
the entire progressing creation shouted:
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Stanza 94.
Hail to us, for a spiritual leader
is born - Zarathushtra Spitama!
Henceforth the Good Religion
of Mazda-worship will spread
all over the seven climes of the earth.
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