Good sense

An eager Parsi lad asked me for a gist of the salient features of our Zarathushti deen that are practical for success in life. His grievance was that at present everything is instant and he hardly had time to study and digest the wisdom of our religion. He aspired to live the Zarathushtrian way of good life, if he could get guidance in brief.

I suggested a few salient principles to build a successful career, befitting a true Zarathushti, as under:

•Avoid controversies, keep an open mind to accept moral universal truths without bias and logic, with faith only;

•Refer to the extracts of the holy Gathas by the learned Dr Jimmy Sidhwa.

•Try to be in the good books of the public by having a spotless character;

•Get happiness by giving joy to others;

•Have faith in the justice of Ahura Mazda;

•Have courage. Cultivate self-confidence and positive thinking;

•‘Simple living and high thinking,’ can give satisfaction;

•Act according to the inner voice of conscience (Spenta Armaity);

•Service in His name is one way of prayer that gives joy to God;

•Think only of today, entrusting the future in the hands of Zarathushtra;

•Protect yourself against evil;

•Failures are the stepping stones to success;

•Never cry but try till the goal is achieved.

The lad was determined to follow the guidelines and try to be a true Zarathush­trian. These golden keys for a successful life may be useful to other youngsters as well.

NOSHIR DABOO

Ahmedabad