(1) Avesta mentions of a great halo of light round about the house where he was born, (2) Pahalavi mentions of a voice of jubilation from the sky, and (3) Pliny speaks of Zarathustra's laughing immediately on birth instead of the usual crying and further, the head was pulsating so strongly that a hand would move out of position when placed on the head.

CHAPTER II

Murderous Attempts

In Iran, at that time, Maghavassor Maghoos were a small community whose religion was Mazdyasnam (the religion of Mazda) and to this community belonged Zarathustra, while the majority of people together with those of the neighbouring countries, prominent among which was the powerful country of Turan, followed a kind of pagan, idolatrous religion of corrupted thoughts and practices. The religious leaders, who held sway over that part of the world, were a lot of corrupt and evil-minded people and have been called in the Gathas and Avesta as Kavi and Karpan (also known as Kik and Karp.) These Kavis and Karpans became frightened of this remarkable child and believed that he would bring about their destruction. One such was Durastrobo (also known as Durasrun in later books), a Turanian and a cruel leader. On seeing the child he, determined to kill him, sought the help of another cruel man, called Bratrok-resh-tur, also known as Brater-Vax, or more popularly known in later books as Tur-bura-tur. Both of them tried unsuccessfully to kill the child in various ways. Durastrobo tried to stab the child with a dagger, but at the time of stabbing, his hand got twisted. Then he threw him into the fire, but the child was miraculously saved and remained unharmed. Next, Zarathustra was thrown before a herd of running cattle, but a big cow stood over him and saved him from being crushed. He was also saved in the same way when he was thrown before a herd of running horses. Thus they could not kill the Divine Messenger, but when he was seven years old, similar attempts were again made, and this time Durastrobo met a horrible death during a murderous attempt.

There has been no record of Zarathustra’s childhood except that he was placed under the care of an able Guru, an old wise man of Maghava sect, Burjin-kurus by name. From the very young age, Zarathustra was noble, kind-hearted and ever helpful, particularly to the weak and the poor and he grew up as such. When he was fifteen years old, his brothers asked their father, Pouroshasp, for their shares of their family wealth and when Zarathustra was asked as what he wanted as his share, he chose Kusti, the sacred thread. This incident tells us that wearing of Kusti was not introduced by Zarathustra, but was an old Aryan practice of pre-Zarathustrian era.

CHAPTER III

God-Realization

As he grew, he became more and more religious-minded but from the age of fifteen, he clearly evinced greater leaning towards God, towards search for Truth, towards religion, and these went on increasing till he was twenty, when according to Zad-Sparam, (to speak of Zad-Sparam, he was a learned priest and was the son of Yudan-Yim, and the brother of Manushcheher, head priest of Pars and Kerman of 10th century A.D. Of his writings which are still existing the first part dealt with Zarathustra and his family.) He left his home, family and all that belonged to him to seek solitude for meditation, contemplation, and spiritual practices. He fervently sought Ahura Mazda and realization of Truth from within himself.

Of Zarathustra’s years of solitude, Plato mentioned his having observed complete silence for seven years and during this period, he did not speak to anyone at all. Pliny