Who’s who in the Gathas?
Here are the names of Prophet Zarathushtra’s friends and family mentioned in the Gathas.
King Vishtaspa: The famous king who helped Zarathushtra spread his Message.
Jamaspa Hvogva: A minister in King Vishtaspa’s Court.
Ferashaushtra Hvogva: Jamaspa’s brother who was a sage and helped Zarathushtra in spreading his Message.
Maidhyoi-Maha: Zarathushtra’s cousin who was the first person to accept his Message.
Pouruchista Hachataspa: Zarathushtra’s youngest daughter who married Jamaspa.
Look at the above names again. Can you find the names that end with "aspa" or "ushtra"? "Aspa" means horse and "ushtra" means camel. For example, Vishtaspa means "having ready horses" or Zarathushtra means "having yellow camels." Horses, cows, and camels were very important for the ancient Iranians, so people use them in their names.
