New Year is more than just the beginning of another calendar cycle. It’s an opportunity for inner renewal and a fresh commitment to the values that strengthen our families, friendships, communities, and the world at large. As we welcome the New Year, let us renew our resolve to promote harmony over needless divisions, care over indifference, and compassion over prejudice. Every act of kindness, every word of encouragement, and every gesture of understanding will help create a more peaceful, cheerful and just society.

Zoroastrian Values

Living a righteous, purposeful and productive life armed with the values of good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is the surest way to foster harmony and contribute to the triumph of Asha, the divine order of truth, righteousness, and balance. In Zoroastrianism, values are not merely personal preferences, but expressions of Asha or the Divine Principle of Truth, Order and Righteousness. They are qualities that help human beings become co-workers with Ahura Mazda in perfecting creation.

We must also learn to distinguish between ‘belief ‘and ‘values.’ Beliefs are what we hold to be true (e.g., belief in Ahura Mazda or in the ultimate triumph of good over evil.) However, values are ideas or ideals which we must strive to exemplify (e.g., care, compassion or charity.) A person may profess certain beliefs, but it is the person’s value as reflected in his or her actions that truly reveals character. Belief in prayers is good. But, putting into action what one prays is more important.

The Zoroastrian perception of Care, Compassion and Harmony is deeply rooted in the cosmic conflict between Asha (Truth, Order, Harmony) and Druj (Falsehood, Disorder, Chaos). We are expected to become active partners with Ahura Mazda in preserving and advancing the world toward perfection (Frashokereti).

Care

Care is expressed through the Zoroastrian ideal of Spenta which is life-enhancing, generous, and progressive. A Zoroastrian is expected to care for his or her family first, followed by friends and the community at large. There is no point being caring towards friends or the community at the cost of neglecting family.

According to Zoroastrian tenets care should also be extended towards birds, animals, flora fauna and all other good creations of Ahura Mazda. Zoroastrianism views poverty, hunger, illiteracy, illness and social injustices as affliction of evil and it is every Zoroastrian’s duty to care for those who are in distress.

Being a caregiver is one of the most important and personally rewarding roles a person can play in his or her lifetime. Caregiving, be it to a loved one or as a volunteer to a stranger does not just have a positive impact on those who receive care, but on the caregiver as well. It gives one a sense of purpose and brings joy. Care and compassion bring cheer to both, the care giver and receiver. It is the very essence of living in harmony!

Compassion

Being compassionate is a responsibility. However, most people equate ‘being responsible for something’ with ‘being at fault for something’ and so they end up taking responsibility for nothing in their lives. What is important is to see responsibility as a Boon rather than a Bane.

A good Zoroastrian takes nothing for granted and considers nothing as entitlement. Yes, do love your own self first but never at the cost of hurting or harming others. According to Zoroastrian texts, Ahura Mazda did not create human beings because He was lonely or needed something to do. Human beings were created in order to bring about perfection (Khordad or Avesta Havratat) to our perfecting material world. Being Ahura Mazda’s final and best creation also implies that human beings were created to build harmonious relationship with all other good creations.

What defines compassion? The difference between kindness and compassion is that kindness is an action while compassion is a feeling for another living being that leads to action. An act of kindness can be performed without any emotional connection to the recipient. Compassion, however, goes much deeper. It is rooted in empathy, in genuinely understanding another person’s pain and responding to it.

From a Zoroastrian perspective, wealth is viewed positively when earned honestly and used for righteous purposes. Yet compassion is never measured by the size of one’s bank balance. Time, knowledge, encouragement, a listening ear, practical help and genuine care are often far more valuable than money.

Most importantly, compassion should never be postponed. Do not wait until you are wealthier, older or less busy. If your heart urges you to do good, act upon it today. Feeling sorry for those in distress is only the beginning. True compassion transforms empathy into action. It is the beautiful alignment of good thoughts, kind words and meaningful deeds, perfectly reflecting the timeless Zoroastrian ideal of Humata, Hukhta and Hvarshta.

Kindness and compassion enrich both the giver and the receiver. Every small act of kindness makes life better, for others and for ourselves. Rightly it is said that, there is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up!

Harmony

Harmony is the deep sense of peace that comes from accepting ourselves, others, our circumstances and our past. It forms the foundation of happiness, personal growth and meaningful progress, while fostering stronger relationships and peaceful communities. Harmony enables people to rise above differences, reducing conflict, hostility and division. Most importantly, it is a conscious choice that each of us can make every day.

Thousands of years ago, Asho Zarathushtra taught the importance of living in harmony with all of creation. Centuries later, Albert Einstein echoed this wisdom, observing that our greatest illusion is believing we are separate from the rest of the universe. He urged humanity, “Our task must be, to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.”

When we recognise our interconnectedness, our perspective changes profoundly. Compassion replaces division, understanding overcomes prejudice, and harmony becomes the guiding force that transforms both individual lives and society as a whole.

In the Ushtavaiti Gatha Ha 43, Asho Zarathushtra sings: “Ushta ahmai yahmai ushta kahmaichit” which means “Happiness to those who makes others happy.” However, if we apply the Principle of Asha to this verse, one could infer that happiness comes to those who live in harmony!

This New year let us try to be more caring and compassionate towards everyone. One may be having ones own troubles and battles at home or at the workplace.

But, always remember there are many who may be fighting a harder battle than yours. When we help row their boat ashore, we also find a shore for ourselves!

May this New Year inspire us to become instruments of peace, to care for one another and for creation, and to extend compassion to all, regardless of differences. Here’s to collecting more smiles instead of frowns; being more understanding and less judgemental; feeling more blessed than stressed and being more loving rather than hateful! Saal Mubarak!