“Happiness belongs...”

Excerpts from a talk on "Zoroastrian Renaissance in Iran Explained to (the) Parsi community in India” by Dr Khosro Khazai Pardis, delivered under the auspices of the Delhi Parsi Anjuman last December.

Until the beginning of the 19th century no Iranian had ever heard the name of Cyrus the Great (Kourosh), or that of his successors Dariush, Khashayar (Xerxes), Arta Khashayar… who had built the first world empire, unifying the east and west for the first time, for over 200 years, and that too on the basis of justice and human rights.
European scholars from the 18th century were interested in Persian history and with painstaking efforts deciphered the language of the Gathas and translated the sacred hymns, decoded cuneiform writings engraved on Achemenid bas-reliefs and tablets, discovered the language, or rather the languages — Old Persian, new Elamite and Acadian — and finally uncovered the history of Persia before the Arab invasion.
With this newly found consciousness, we are on the way of getting rid of 14 centuries of a defensive mentality of defeat and weakness.
We are now at the beginning of the rise of Zoroastrianism in Iran and the discovery of the Gathas. The best and the shortest road is to go directly to the heart of Zarathushtra’s existential philosophy, which is in the Gathas, the most powerful tool for social and spiritual transformation. These 17 sacred songs represent the highest and most noble ideals that humanity has ever had and will ever have at its disposal.
What thought, what philosophy can provide a better definition of the purpose of existence and life than Zarathushtra in the Gathas, when he says: "The purpose of our life is to lead a happy and joyful existence on this earth and the purpose of our creation is to take part actively in the improvement of the world, in order that all living beings, humans, animals and plants live in peace and fullness.”
This golden concept, so astonishingly modern, was developed more than 3,700 years ago. Not only is it modern today but it will remain relevant as long as this world exists. All the precepts contained in the Gathas are meant to achieve this goal. In this way Zarathushtra reminds us that "happiness belongs to those who make others happy.”
In the Gathas there are neither orders nor commandments. Freedom of choice is fundamental in Gathic culture. Everyone is personally responsible for his or her thoughts, words and actions.
"Good” means all the forces that help us to have a happy and joyful life and "bad” refers to the forces that prevent us from doing so.
It is our mission to restore Gathic Zoroastrianism in Iran. That would be the beginning of the Zoroastrian Renaissance. We are going to shake ourselves out of stagnation in order to progress towards perfection. And we will always keep in mind the golden words of Zarathushtra who said: "Let us be among those who revive and refresh the world.” If we wanted to phrase this in today’s language we would say, "Let us be among those who bring this world up-to-date and modernize it.” In fact, it should be the goal of every Zoroastrian to work for the betterment of the world.
We are convinced that the future of Zoroastrianism depends on a better understanding of the universalism of the Gathas. Everywhere in the Gathas Ahura Mazda refers to all women and all men of the world, whether just or unjust. He never refers to a particular people or nation, whether Aryans or Iranians.
Zarathushtra’s message is universal. Ahura Mazda is the God of all creation and all living beings, including animals and plants. The country which Zarathushtra speaks of encompasses all the countries of the world; the people he refers to are all the peoples of the world; and the life he mentions includes all creation, not just humans.
As far as Parsis are concerned, I am sure that sooner or later this sensitive problem of conversion and marriage outside the community will be solved. When that happens, the community will be much stronger and more radiant.
Zarathushtra’s culture, transmitted through the Gathas, is a universal one and belongs to every human being who seeks a happy and wisdom oriented life on this earth. Being a Zoroastrian is nothing but a way of thinking, speaking and acting, based on righteousness, joyfulness and wisdom.
Two famous 19th century scholars of Zoroastrianism — the German Friedrich Spiegel, and Frenchman James Darmesteter, found the Gathas so modern that they doubted the authenticity of the hymns. But very soon archeological and linguistic research proved their authenticity beyond any shadow of doubt. These two scholars were the first to offer their apologies for their mistake. Darmesteter was so embarrassed that he spent a good part of his life translating the Gathas into French.
Yes, the Gathas are timeless.
Ahura Mazda has created righteousness so all human beings can build a happy society on this basis. He has given freedom of choice so that people can choose their own way of life. He has created serenity, armaity; good thought, vohu mana, to guide women and men towards the bright part of existence; self dominance khashtra, to prevent people from falling into error; evolution, haurvatat, so that people can progress towards perfection by taking part in the betterment of the world with a purified consciousness. And, finally, He has created immortality, ameretat, so that the purified consciousness which has reached perfection can exist happily forever.

Dr Khosro Khazai (Pardis) is the director of the European Centre for Zoroastrian Studies, "a cultura, secular and free-thinking institution” with its main office in Brussels, Belgium. A reseacher and teacher in Iranian Middle Eastern and Central Asian archeology, history of civilization and linguistics with his main interest in Zoroastrian Studies, he received his PhD from the Universities of Brussels and Ghent. He is the author of nine books including The Gathas, the Sublime Book of Zarathustra in English, Persian and French.