Page:History of Zoroastrianism.djvu/58

Rh faith. They were Frashaoshtra and Jamaspa. Zarathushtra beseeches Ahura Mazda to grant the gift of Good Thought to Frashaoshtra and his other followers. He implores him further to bestow the most gladsome chieftainship in righteousness upon Frashaoshtra, whose daughter he later takes to wife. Jamaspa, called the wise, owing to his great talents, occupied the most influential position at the royal court. Zarathushtra gave him his daughter Pouruchisti in marriage. The prophet of Iran had made his spiritual conquest even among the Turanians, the traditional foes of Iran, and brought over the influential chieftain Fryana and his family to his faith.

Zarathushtra had begun his prophetic propaganda in the west of Iran. He had now crossed the entire breadth of the country and was now in the extreme east. Bactria was the seat of the Kavi kings. For a long time he had been preaching in the great city, which was the meeting place of travellers and merchants from distant lands. He stirred up religious enthusiasm among his hearers. He spoke with flaming enthusiasm and animation and his discourses warmed their imaginations and enthused their hearts. They thought that the new teacher taught as man had never taught. They bowed their knees to him, strewed his path with flowers and worshipped the very ground he walked on. Success now attended upon him and day after day he found himself surrounded by new converts. His victory was complete when ultimately he triumphed in winning as a convert Kavi Vishtaspa, the ruler of the land, together with his royal consort Hutaosa. This was the crowning event in the establishment of Zoroastrianism. Conversions to the new religion followed rapidly as a natural sequel, when it became known that the ruling house of Iran had embraced Zarathushtra's faith. Zarathushtra now declares with supreme satisfaction to his divine teacher Ahura Mazda that the king had befriended his religion and was eager to cooperate with him in his great mission of proclaiming his faith to all. He now beseeches Ahura Mazda to give him and the royal patron of his religion the blessings and gifts of good