Gathas & Translation
Gathas - a Glance
Song 1
Song 2
Song 3
Song 4
Song 5
Song 6
Song 7
Song 8
Song 9
Song 10
Song 11
Song 12
Song 13
Song 14
Song 15
Song 16
Song 17
Supplements I
Supplements II

Summary Substance: The leader, chosen by people, shall be impartial. He shall base his justice on the Primal Principles of Life and then deal with the wrongful, the righteous, and the person who is both. It is this impartiality that brings true justice and wins all over to righteousness.

Pondering Points: Justice, based on sound principles, is impartial and ... wins.

Summary Substance: Wrong must not succeed and survive. One should correct it through thinking over the problem, and speaking to and dealing with the wrongful, especially if approached by a visiting person. One should be teacher and preacher. Such a person would, at the same time, promote his/her conviction and faith, and also please God.

Pondering Points: Good thoughts, words and deeds turn wrongful into righteous.

Summary Substance: He/she lives a life of righteousness and good mind who sincerely serves another righteous whoever he/she be -- a relative, a community member, a fellowship member or a world citizen.

Pondering Points: Discard discrimination, serve the righteous, and enjoy a well-thought righteous life.

Summary Substance: Zarathushtra vows to revolutionize society by eliminating all evil and superstitious conceptions of the Wise One, improper thinking among family members, wrong practice within the community, abuse and hatred among kindred human beings, and very harmful recommendations ruling high in the world -- a thorough ethical cleansing.

Pondering Points: Remove evil at all levels, establish a fresh, sound and healthy society.

Summary Substance: To remove social ills and reach his final goal, Zarathushtra listens to the Divine Voice, the greatest of all inspirations, for guidance. The result -- a long life of good wisdom in peace and order, and a straight, unwavering walk on the righteous path to reach Mazda, God Wise.

Pondering Points: Inspiration guides good to God.

Summary Substance: As against the mumbling ritualistic priests, Zarathushtra is simple and sincere in invoking and perceiving God through righteousness and his best mind. This gives him mental satisfaction that stimulates him to guide the people who are settled with positive and productive activities. That makes him more desirous of perceiving Mazda for further inspiration.

Pondering Points: Sincere prayer gives mental satisfaction, stimulates to serve mankind.

Summary Substance: Zarathushtra is now invoking Mazda, his best support, to come in his vision through righteousness and good mind -- a true mental perception. The reason: He wants clear guidance to spread his Message beyond the then small circle of his companions. And he wants his prayers answered in shape of his success in propagating his divine mission.

Pondering Points: A short prayer to begin a long journey, a great mission.

Summary Substance: Having defined his mission, Zarathushtra continues his invocation. He has his intentions which he pursues through good mind. All he intends is to properly venerate and praise the Wise. He prays for stable immortality and true perfection.

Pondering Points: Immortality and perfection come when the mission is accomplished.

Translated Text:

Summary Substance: Wholeness and immortality, as twin goals, promote righteousness. They are the wonderful objects which can be achieved by using our best of thoughts. It is these twin goals which unite our souls to achieve them. And this is what God wishes us to attain.

Pondering Points: Good common goals unite souls.

Summary Substance: Persons of past, present, and future who enjoy a good productive life are, in fact, sharing divine pleasure, because their physical illumination is promoted through good mind, self-reliance, and righteousness. And Zarathushtra prays to Mazda for this very favor for all of us.

Pondering Points: Enjoy good life, share God's love.

Summary Substance: The Wise God, the most-powerful, awards (wholeness and immortality) through the Principles of Life -- serenity, world-promoting righteousness, good mind and dominion. Still praying with poetical fervor, Zarathushtra addresses all and prays for grace and blessing.

Pondering Points: Good deeds have awards. Prayer adds bliss.

Summary Substance: Zarathushtra is meditating. He wants to feel Mazda filling his *self* by granting him courage through peace of mind and body, inspiration to move forward through his best thinking faculty, full strength through proper and precise acts, and the joy at the resulting success through good mind. A sincere prayer to succeed in his mission and enjoy the result -- a wish Zarathushtra, the last Gatha Vahishta Ishti shows, happily experienced at the end of his divine duty.

Pondering Points: Success comes through inspiration, serenity, clear understanding, and planned precision. Result: utmost mental happiness.

Summary Substance: The meditation continues: God who watch all, show me your dominion that would bless and enlighten my good mind with vision, and feeling calm and serene, I gain right conceptions.

Pondering Points: Dominion and serenity help enlighten mind with true conceptions.

Summary Substance: At the end of his meditating prayers, Zarathushtra makes an offering to Mazda: His very life; fruits of his thoughts, words and deeds based on wise righteousness; listening to divine guidance; and all the power he has -- to serve his divine mission.

Pondering Points: Devoted life, the best offering to Mazda.