vators will finish the work of bringing salvation to all human beings. The texts speak of certain great souls, three in number, including the saviour paramount, that will usher in this period. These are called Saoshyants in the Zoroastrian terminology. The Fravardin Yasht[1] mentions Ukhshyatereta, Ukhshyatnemah, and Astvatereta as the chief renovators. Zarathushtra's own kith and kin, a superman of miraculous powers, born in supernatural manner, will finally descend upon earth to renovate the world. Astvatereta, or the Saoshyant proper, will be immaculately conceived through a virgin called Vispataurvi, or 'the all-triumphant.'[2] He is called Saoshyant because he will salvage the bodily world, and Astvatereta because he will save the bodily creatures from destruction at the hands of the two-footed wicked ones.[3] Astvatereta is reflected in the Gathic expression astvat ashem, ashem being cognate with areta.[4] This Saoshyant par excellence is the most eminent restorer, he is called the friend of Ahura Mazda, the meritorious one, who will bring the mighty work to completion.[5] This particular Yasht,[6] as just stated, incidentally mentions Zarathushtra's seed as watched over by ninety-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine Fravashis. Passages such as these in the Avesta contain in embryo the doctrine of the immaculate birth which is later elaborated by the Pahlavists.
This final Saoshyant will be helped in his great undertaking by pious comrades or attendants, who will be, as the description says, fiend-smiting, of good thoughts, good words, and good deeds, and who are such as have never known falsehood.[7] The Kingly Glory will cleave unto them,[8] and the great Saoshyant will profit the whole bodily world and withstand the Druj.[9]
The final reconciliation of the entire creation to its creator. The world will henceforth neither grow old nor die, decay nor rot, but will be ever fresh and ever living; death will be no more,
- ↑ Yt. 13. 128.
- ↑ Yt. 13. 142; 19. 92; Vd. 19. 5.
- ↑ Yt. 13. 129.
- ↑ See Bartholomae, Air. Wb. p. 215.
- ↑ See Casartelli, Salvation (Iranian), in ERE. 11. 137, 138; Pertold, The Origin of the Idea of a Universal Saviour in Modi Memorial Volume, p. 464-474.
- ↑ Yt. 13. 62.
- ↑ Yt. 19. 95.
- ↑ Yt. 19. 89.
- ↑ Yt. 13. 129.
