Song 9.18 (Yasna 44.18)
Transliterated Text:
tat thwâ peresâ eresh-môi vaocâ ahurâ kathâ ashâ tat mîzhdem hanânî dasâ aspå arshnavaitîsh ushtremcâ hyat môi mazdâ apivaitî haurvâtâ ameretâtâ ýathâ hî taêibyô dånghâ.
Translated Text:
This I ask You, tell me truly, Lord. How shall I earn through righteousness the reward of ten *mares with their stallions and a camel, which would make me know, Wise One, how to give them both -- wholeness and immortality.
Summary Substance:
Well-determined and well-prepared to spread his message to mankind, Zarathushtra takes a bold step. He entrusts ten couples—wives and their spouses and another person—to lead this mission. They are the ones who have *aspa* (horse) and *ushtra* (camel) as a part of their names, and here the Master Poet, himself with *ushtra* a part of his name, masterly presents them, in one stroke, all in half a line! King Vishtaspa, Jamaspa, Ferashaoshtra, and their wives are included here. With them as pioneer missionaries, we know the Message spread far and wide. Converts were well on the path to wholeness and immortality. Note: They were most probably certain prominent men and women with their names ending in aspa (horse) and ushtra (camel) whom Zarathushtra was trying to win over to the new religion. Vishtaspa, Jamaspa, and Ferashaoshtra were among the topmost patrons of the Zarathushtrian mission. The Farvardin Yasht, the record of veteran men and women missionaries of the early period, has many names with aspa and ushtra as their second part.
Pondering Point:
“Accepting Zarathushtra’s teachings means actively promoting righteousness and life.”