Under the Acheamenid dynasty of Persia, Zorastrianism was adopted as the religion of the Persian State. And, the oral transmission of the Prophet Zarathrushtra grew into a substantial body of work, which encompassed books on medicine, religion and statecraft. Alexander the Great and his Macedonian troops vandalised much of the work. The remnants were virtually wiped out by the Arabs in the 7th century.

Today, only one fifth of this invaluable corpus survives in fragmentary form.

The Gathas are a collection of seventeen hymns that embody the core of the Zorastrianism faith.

They are mostly devotional in nature, rather than accounts of the religion as such. Thus, there is very little that we can get to know about Zorastrianism, as a whole. The Gathas have progressive features that touch upon modern day concerns like protection of the environment and equality of the sexes.

Environment

Zorastrianism has its roots among the pacific agrarian communities of ancient Persia. These agrarian communities lived in a time when nomadic horsemen offered animal sacrifice and practised a polytheistic animism. In contrast, the Zoroastrians cherished their domestic animals and did not indulge in animal sacrifice. Thus, their sensitivity to the environment anticipated modern trends.

Their regard for the surrounding environment extended to water and plants. The Gathas enjoin people to be 'merciful' and 'compassionate' and have 'reverence and care for everything that lives'. This included keeping water clean and flowing, and nurturing plants.

Individualism

The concept of individualism appears to be very modern and western. It was unknown in Europe until the Renaissance. Later, the concept of individualism found its chief expression in Victorian England and the 20th century America. However, the principle of choice and individualism is thousands of years old in Zorastrianism.

Zorastrianism emphasises the principle of individual choice. Choice is seen as the prime force behind one's destiny. In this aspect, it is different from Hinduism wherein Karma is seen as the mover of one's destiny. This individualism is a unique concept in religions. And, it probably goes a long way in explaining why Parsis are among India's most independent minded communities.

Feminism

Much like the pre-vedic times in ancient India, the Gathas constantly stressed the equality of men and women. Thus, Zorastrianism also anticipated modern day feminism which has struggled for gender equality.

In their emphasis on individualism, environmentalism and feminism, the Gathas are truly progressive.

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