Place:

North Eastern ancient Iran

Date:

2^nd millennium BCE, probably around 17^th Century BCE

Father:

Pourushaspa

Mother:

Dughdova

Grandfather:

Haechadaspa of the Spitama family.

Personal details

Teens and youth:

Not much is known about his youth except that he was very curious and wanted to find out about things. He spend a long time outdoors, contemplating nature and the questions of life.

Age:

30

First converts (in order of acceptance of his philosophy):

His cousin, Maidhyoimangha
His wife, Hvovi
His 6 children
And 14 others over the next few years.

Challenges:

Zarathushtra encountered many difficulties and challenges imposed on him through the opposition of the established priests and local ruling princes. He tries to promulgate his teachings, but every time, the established traditions, what people were used to, manage to stop him. Eventually he and his followers leave their homeland for other lands. Still anywhere they go, they meet similar opposition from both rulers and priests.

Breakthrough:

Finally, in the land of King (Kavi) Vishtaspa, he manages to get an audience with the king. During this encounter, many of the leading priests and wise men were present, to quiz Zarathushtra and test his new philosophy.

Zarathushtra manages to answer all questions to the satisfaction of the King, who after a few days of pondering the situation, embraces this new religion and urges his subjects to do the same. This was the major breakthrough in Zarathushtra’s propagation of his message.

Two of the noted disciples of Zarathushtra, as mentioned in the Gathas, are Frashaoshtra and Jamaspa of the Hvogva family.

Later on, Zarathushtra’s daughter, Pouruchista gets married. In the Gathas, Zarathushtra advises his daughter as well as all brides and grooms-to-be, but does not name the bridegroom. However, later tradition says that she marries Jamaspa.

Death:

Zarathushtra lived a healthy life to old age. According to later tradition, Zarathushtra passes away at the age of 77, of natural causes.