spangled girdle and the good Mazda-worshipping religion.[1] He asked Yima to be the bearer of his religion to mankind, but the illustrious king pleaded his inability to undertake such a mighty task.[2] Zarathushtra then became the prophet of Ahura Mazda, and brought his religion to the world. The Kingly Glory clave unto king Vishtaspa and he thought and spoke and acted according to the religion.[3] He became the arm and support of the Ahurian Zoroastrian religion.[4] He found her fettered in chains and made her widely known.[5]
The Ahurian Zoroastrian religion, we are told, is the greatest, best, and fairest of all religions that are and that will be.[6] She is as much higher in greatness, goodness, and fairness than others as the Vourukasha is above all waters, or a great river, flowing swifter than a rivulet, or as a great tree overshadowing small plants, or as the heaven compassing the earth.[7] She is beautiful and spread far and wide.[8] As dissensions-dispelling, she causes weapons to be laid down.[9] She rejoices, protects, and guards the righteous man.[10] She takes away the sins of those who confess their wrongs and removes their evil thoughts, evil words, and evil deeds, as the powerfully blowing wind cleanses the plain.[11] The Mazdayasnian religion gives all good things of life.[12] She gives purification to him who cleanses his self with good thoughts, good words, and good deeds.[13] The place where the faithful pray and sacrifice according to religion is happy.[14] Hard work and industry are prime Zoroastrian virtues. Agriculture is the staple industry of the people and the texts say that sowing corn again and again feeds the Mazda-worshipping religion, it makes her walk with a hundred men's feet and suckles her with a thousand women's breasts.[15] The householder prays for the long-enduring excellence of the religion in his house.[16] Priests going afar for the propagation of religion, pray for a good memory and the soundness of the body.[17] He is not an athravan who has not girded his loins for religion.[18] The white colour, it is said, is symbolic of the Mazda-worshipping religion.[19]
