The Gathas, A Reanalysis

By Daryoush Jahanian, M.D.*
(This article is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Ali A. Jafarey)
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I have studied various translations of the Gathas in English and Persian, I have taught them in religious classes. Throughout my dedicated study, I have always struggled with one mind-boggling issue. The thoughts and concepts reflected in the Gathas were far beyond the farming and herding society of their era. How could these advanced notions develop during that time period? I noticed that, from the beginning, various translators of the Gathas have similarly struggled with this contrast. Earlier, some of them tried to adjust their translations to the environment and time. These translations contained a lot of issues regarding pasturelands and domestic animals. But these translations still did not answer the question of how, in that society and time, the advanced concepts of liberty and freedom of choice could develop. Then, some scholars took a more drastic approach by trying to move the date of the Gathas. 

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