§ Zaraθuštra is thirty years old when he enters upon the well-made path of good thought, along which the conscience (or, intellect) of those who shall revitalize the world stride with truth. He is āθravan, i.e. a priest by profession, an ordained priest (Ved. átharvan-).
Yt 13.94
ušta.nō zātō āθrava yō spitamō zaraθuštrō frā.nō yazāite zaoθrābyō stǝrǝtō.barǝsma zaraθuštrō iδa apąm vījasāiti vaŋvhi daēna māzdayasniš vīspāiš avi karšvąn yāiš hapta.
‘Lucky for us! A priest has been born, Spitama Zaraθuštra. He will sacrifice (the words) to us with libations, Zaraθuštra, having spread out the altar twigs. Here, from now on, will go afar the good Mazdā worshipping religion to all the seven continents.’
§ Zaraθuštra refers to himself as zaotar, ‘libator, a chief officiating priest at a sacrifice’ (Ved. hótṛ-) and ǝrǝši ‘an inspired poet or sage, seer’ (Ved. ṛṣi-).
Y 31.5
tat̰ mōi vīcidyāi vaocā hyat̰ mōi aṣā dātā vahyō vīduyē vohū manaŋhā mǝṇcā daidyāi yehyā mā ǝrǝšiš tācīt̰ mazdā ahurā yā nōit̰ vā aŋhat̰ aŋhaitī vā
‘ Tell me about that more excellent (thing) which you have assigned to me through truth, in order for me to discern, to know with good thought, and to bear in mind, of which (I am to be) the ǝrǝši, even those things, O Ahura Mazdā, which either shall not be or shall be.’
The seventh chapter of the (lost) Stūdegar nask is an Avesta commentary on the Gāθā Y 31, Tā-və̄-urvātā: That more excellent thing is indeed “the omniscient intellect”, by which the ǝrǝši knows about the four periods of the millennium, “about the things which are coming and shall come”.
Y 33.6
yǝt̰ zaotā aṣā ǝrǝzuš hvō mainyǝuš ā vahištāt̰ kavā ahmāt̰ avā manaŋhā yā vǝrǝzyeidyāi maṇtā vāstryā tā tōi izyā ahurā mazadā darštōišcā hǝm.parštōišcā
‘I, the zaotar who is straight through truth, the poet (who is) in accord with the best spirit, henceforth with that thought with which the realization of pastoral works is thought, with that (thought), I desire, O Ahura Mazdā, Thy sight and consultation.’
§ The Magi combine stray allusions about Zaraθuštra found in the early texts, the Gāθā, the Yasna Haptaŋhāiti, etc., into a connected legendary narrative. The crucial moment of this story is “the acceptance of the daēnā” by Zaraθuštra. He is thirty years of age at the time of his (spiritual) journey. He goes at dawn to the bank of the water of the Dāityā to fetch water for the haoma-ceremony when an Amǝṣa Spǝṇta, viz. Vohu Manah ‘good thoght’ reveals himself to Zaraθuštra, who leads away him into the presence of Ahura Mazdā and the Amǝṣa Spǝṇta. He comes to the Consultation with Ahura Mazdā.
Y 12.5
aθā aθā cōit̰ ahurō mazdå zaraθuštrǝm aδaxšayaētā vīspaēšū fǝrašnaēšū vīspaēšū haṇjamanaēšū yāiš apǝrǝsayatǝm mazdåscā zaraθuštrascā.
6 aθā aθā cōit̰ zaraθuštrō daēvāiš sarǝm vyāmrvītā …
‘Just and just so might Ahura Mazdā have taught Zaraθuštra, in all the questionings, in all the meetings, in which they conversed, Mazdā and Zaraθuštra.
6 Just and just so might Zaraθuštra have abjured the association with the Daēva …’
§ Zaraθuštra receives the daēnā ‘conscience; religion; Avesta’, and, in his return, he prepares the canon of the religion. Thus begins the first year of the religion (A.R.: anno religionis).
From the Dēnkird vii, 3, M 624-25
u-š ped bavandagīh ī sīh sāl az zāyišn frāz Vahman amehrspend ped aštagīh ī Ohrmazd abar mad ka-š az rōd ī nāydāg āb ī hōmīgān burd.
cōn ēd ī dēn gōbed kū: “ka ō hān ī sidīgar bē-tazišnīh frāz mad ī hān ī Veh Dāitī frāz ped hān franaft. ud ka az hān ul raft Zardušt, ā-š mard dīd ka raft az rabihbindar nēmag. hān būd Vahman. ud hān ōy sahist Vahman pēš-kerb [kū: ped tan cašm<ag>dar baved] ud pēš-nēk [kū ped harv tis pēš būd]. hān ōy sahist Vahman cand hān ī sē mard nēzag bālāy. ud hān ōy sahist Vahman kū-š hān ī /ārōy-ē/ tāg ped dast burd kē-š ped hān urvar bē burrīd u-š nē urvar bē rēšēnīd.” hān mēnōg tāg ī dēn būd, u-š ēd nimūd kū ped dēn ēdōn arēšīdārīhā abāyed raft<an>. ast kē ēdōn gōbed kū mēnōg āštīh būd, u-š ēd nimūd kū andar gēhān ēdōn arēšīdārīhā abāyed raftan kū abāg harv kas āštīh baved.
“ka ō hān ī tasum bē-tazišnīh frāz mad ī hān ī Veh Dāitī [rōd ī hān nām būd] <frāz ped hān franaft> ud andar hān Zardušt, ā-š az meyān āb ī hōmīgān burd, ud ped ulīh Zardušt ā-š hān ī dašn pedištān az ʾwšʾn/w rōd ī burd, u-š abarvarr nihuft, ud andar hān ōy pēšnēmag Vahman pedīrag āyuxt.
u-š az ōy pursīd ōy mard kū: kē hē, <az> keyān hē?
– Zardušt hum Spitāmān.
soxan ī Vahman: Zardušt ī Spitāmān, ped cē tō frāz-ranzagīh [kū-t ped cē abāyed ka ranzag bē bavē]? ped cē tō frāz-toxšāgīh, ud ō cē tō kāmag-dahišnīh?
pāsox ī Zardušt kū: ped ahlāyīh frāz-ranzagīh, ud ped ahlāyīh frāztoxšāgīh, ud ō ahlāyīh /an/ kāmag-dahišnīh [kū-m abāyist ō hān tis] ud ahlāyīh /an cand/ (ranz ī?) xvāstār hum menem.
ud gōbišn ī Vahman: Zardušt ī Spitāmān, /astīg/ hān kē ahlāyīh [kū tis-ē ī astīg cōn?]. hān kē ahlāyīh dā kē hān kē ahlāyīh [kū kē xvēš?].
u-š guft Zardušt kū: ast(īg) hān kē ahlāyīh, ud hān rāy rōšn bavandag āgāh hum kū cōn. hān: /rāy/ kē hān kē ōy rasišn ped Vahman.
u-š ō ōy guft Vahman kū: Zardušt ī Spitāmān, bē ēd jāmag ī day kē barē, cōn ōy ō ham pursem kē tū dād hē, kē an dād hem, kē az mēnōgān abzōnīgdum, kē (az) astān hudāgdum, kē ōy gōbāg hum kē Vahman hum [kū aštag ī ōy hum].
ēgiš ēdōn menīd Zardušt kū: veh hān kē dādār kē az ēd aštag veh.
ēg avēšān bē raft hend ped abāgīh, Vahman ud Zardušt-iz, Vahman Zardušt pēš pas.
‘On the completion of thirty years beyond his birth, the Amǝṣa Spǝṇta Vohu Manah was sent by Ahura Mazdā and came to him as he was carrying water pertaining to the haoma from the “navigable” river.
As the daēnā says: “When he came to the third flow of the Vaŋvhī Dāityā, he advanced into it. When Zaraθuštra came out of it, he saw a man who was walking from the southern quarter. That was Vohu Manah. And Vohu Manah seemed to him of outstanding form (*parō.kǝhrpa-), –i.e., with a more considerably body –, and more beautiful (*parō.srīra-, or pēšēnag?) –i.e., he was well ahead in everything. Vohu Manah seemed to him as tall as three spears of a man. Vohu Manah seemed to him to be carrying a branch of a plant in his hand, which he had cut from that tree without harming the tree.” That branch was the spirit of the daēnā (/ religion), and it indicated that one should behave thus, without harming anything according to the daēnā. There is someone who says thus: [That branch] was the spirit of the peace, and it indicated that one should behave, in the world, thus without harming anything, so that peace may be upon every one.
“When he came to the fourth flow of the Vaŋvhī Dāityā –the name of which was ʾwšʾn/w–, he advanced into it. When Zaraθuštra was in it, he took water pertaining to haoma from the middle of it. And when Zaraθuštra (intended to) come out (of it), he put his right foot of the ʾwšʾn/w river, and put his cloak, at that (time), in front of (Av. paurva.naēmā) him, Vohu Manah (came to) meet and join him.
And that man enquired of him: “Who are you, from whom are you?”
– “I am Zaraθuštra, of the Spitāma.”
The word of Vohu Manah: “O Zaraθuštra Spitāma, what are you taking the trouble for? –i.e. for what do you need to be (so) troubled? What are you striving for, and what does tend your will to?”
The reply of Zaraθuštra: “I toil for truth, and for truth do I strive, and my will tends to truth –i.e., my desire is for that thing –, and truth I am thinking about as much as I seek it.”
The word of Vohu Manah: “O Zaraθuštra Spitāma, does he who has truth exist? –i.e., how is something existent? –; (what is the relation) of him who has truth to him who has truth? –i.e. who is his relative?”
Zaraθuštra said: “Indeed there is someone who has truth. And I am perfectly clear and aware that how (he is); to him (truthful) is connected he (who is truthful), through Vohu Manah.”
And Vohu Manah said to him: “O Zaraθuštra Spitāma, deposit this receptacle (for libation) which you are carrying, as we shall confer with him who created you, who created me, who is the most beneficent of the spiritual beings, who is the most munificent of those who exist, whose speaker I, Vohu Manah, am –i.e., I am his messenger.
Then Zaraθuštra thought thus: “Good is he, the creator, who is better than this messenger.”
Then they went together, Vohu Manah and Zaraθuštra, Vohu Manah in front and Zaraθuštra behind.’
From the Vizīdagīhā ī zādspram 20
abar madan ī-š ō sīh sālag
1. ōn pēdāg kū: uzīd ī sīh sālag az bavišn frāz, māh spendarmed ud rōz anērān ped hān kustag az nōgrōz frāz 45 rōz jašn ī vahārbūd(ag) xvand gyāg-ē ped nāmcišt pēdāg būd kū mardōmān az vas kustag bē ō hān jašnezār šud.
2. Zardušt cōn ped šud<an> ī ō jašnezār rāy ped raft<an> ēstād andar rāh ped dašt-ē ēvtāg be xvaft.
3. u-š ped xvamn dīd kū mardōm ī gētīg vas-ārāyišn bē ō abāxtar dāšt dā hamāg mardōm ī ped zamīg ped abāxtar pēdāg būd hend. u-š ped X ī avēšān Maiδyōi.måŋha…, cōn Ārāstya Purušasp brād būd. pēšobāy az hamāg mardōm bē ō pēš ī Zardušt šud hend.
4. ud nimūdār būd kū fradum Maiδyōi.måŋha pas harvisp ox ī astumand hāxtend.
‘About his coming to thirty years of age
1. It is thus revealed that: after the passing of the thirtieth year from his birth, on the day Anaγranąm of the month Spǝṇtā Ārmaiti, he proceeded to that district in which (there occurred) forty-five days after new year’s day, a festival called Vahār-būd (*vaŋha-būta-, the period ‘which has become spring’), (at) a place become especially noted, where people went, from many districts, out to the festival place.
2. When Zaraθuštra set about for going to the place of festival, on the way, he slept, in a plain.
3. And he saw, in a dream, that the people of the world, in many rows, directed (their steps) to the north, until all the people in the earth appeared in the north. And at the head of them was Maiδyōi.måŋha son of Ārāstya, as Ārāstya was brother of Pourušaspa. Of all mankind first Maiδyōi.måŋha went to the presence of Zaraθuštra.
4. And [this dream] showed that first Maiδyōi.måŋha will be converted, and afterwards the whole osseous existence (viz., humanity).’
From the Vizīdagīhā ī zādspram 21
abar madan ī-š bē ō hampursagīh
1. uzīd ī-š panz rōz ī jašnezār māh urdvahišt rōz day-ped-mihr bāmdād Zardušt hōm hunīd<an> rāy frāz ō bār ī Dāitī āb šud, cōn hampursagīh ī Zardušt pediš rāy rad ast ī ābān.
2. āb ped cahār xānag būd ēstād, u-š Zardušt pediš bē vidurd. u-š fradum dā <ō> zang būd, didīgar dā ō šnūg, ud sidīgar dā ō vizārišn ī do rān, ud cahārum dā ō gardan.
3. ēn nimūdār būd kū-š dēn ped cahār bār ō bālistīh rased kē-š pēdāgīh ped Zardušt ud Ušīdar ud Ušīdarmāh ud Sōšyāns.
4. ka-š az āb abar āmad, u-š jāmag pōšīd, ēg-iš dīd Vahman amehrspend ped mard ēvēnag ī huzihr ī rōšn ī brāzāg kē-š vars vizīmag dāšt cōn vizīmag nišān ī doīh, peymōzan-ē abrēšum humānāg būd peymuxt dāšt kē-š nē būd ēc brīn ud darz pediš, cē xvad rōšn, u-š būd bālāy nō andcand Zardušt.
5. u-š pursīd az Zardušt kū: kē hē, ud az keyān hē? u-t cē kāmagdum, u-t ped <cē kāmag> ast toxšišn?
6. u-š pāsoxēnīd kū: Zardušt hum Spitāmān, andar oxān ahlāyīh-kāmagdar, u-m kāmag kū āgāh bavem hān ī yazdān kām, ud hān and ahlāyīh varzum cand-um nimāyend ped ox ī abēzag.
7. u-š framūd Vahman bē ō Zardušt kū: abar rav ō hanzaman ī mēnōgān.
8. and-cand Vahman ped 9 gām bē raft, Zardušt ped 90 gām ud ka 90 gām šud būd, u-š frāz dīd hanzaman ī haftān amehrspendān.
9. ka bē ō 24 pay ī amehrspendān mad vazurg-rōšnīh ī amehrspendān rāy ēg-iš sāyag ī xvēš ped zamīg nē dīd.
10. hanzaman gāh būd andar Ērānvēz ud kustag ī Moγān ped bār ī āb ī Dāitī.
11. Zardušt namāz burd, u-š guft kū: namāz ō Ohrmazd, namāz ō amehrspendān! ud frāz šud ped gāh ī pursišnīgān bē nišast.
‘About his coming to the conference
1. After his passing of those five days at the place of festival, Zaraθuštra went, on the day Daθuš (day-ped-mihr, the 15th day of the month) of the month of Aṣa Vahišta, at dawn to the bank of the water of the Dāityā <Vaŋvhī>, for the sake of pressing the haoma –because of the conference of Zaraθuštra in this (spot), Dāityā is the (religious) model of the waters.
2. The water consisted of four arms. Zaraθuštra passed on through it; its first (arm) was up to the ankle, the second up to the knee, the third up to the parting of the two thighs, and the fourth up to the neck.
3. This indicated that, the daēnā comes four times to its apogee, manifested by Zaraθuštra, Uxšyat̰.ǝrǝta, Uxšyat̰.nǝmah, Saošyaṇt (Astvat̰.ǝrǝta).
4. When he came up from the water, and put on his clothes, he then saw Vohu Manah, the Amǝṣa Spǝṇta, in the shape of a man, handsome, brilliant, and shining, whose hair was parted in the middle –because the parting (of the hair) is an indication of duality –, who wore a garment like silk, on which there was no section and no seam, which was endowed with its own light (Av. xvā.raoxšna-), and his height was nine times as much as that of Zaraθuštra.
5. And He enquired of Zaraθuštra: “Who are you? From whom are you (descended)? What is your best wish? For what (purpose) are you (so) diligent?”
6. He replied thus: “I am Zaraθuštra Spităma. My best desire among (the things of) the world is truth. And my wish is to become aware of the will of the deities. And I may practice as much truth as they exhibit to my pure heart.”
7. Vohu Manah bade Zaraθuštra: “Go forward to the assembly of divine spirits!”
8. To the nine steps of Vohu Manah, Zaraθuštra took ninety steps, and saw the assembly of the seven Amǝṣa Spǝṇta.
9. When he came to within twenty-four feet of the Amǝṣa Spǝṇta, he no longer saw his own shadow on the ground, because of the great light of the Amǝṣa Spǝṇta.
10. The place of the Assembly was in Airyana (Vaējah), and in the districts of Moγān (< *Moγunąm), on the bank of the water of the Dāityā.
11. Zaraθuštra paid homage, and he said: “Homage to Ahura Mazdā! Homage to Amǝṣa Spǝṇta!” And he went forward, and sat in the place of enquirers.’