Readers' Forum
“The sagacious scholar”
"The sagacious scholar” (Parsiana, January 21, 2018) causes readers to despair over the sad and unfortunate death of Farrokh Vajifdar (pictured). Whatever Zoroastrians could gather of the mind of this profound thinker must be traced to his writings that regularly appeared in Parsiana over so many years.
Many of our pseudo-Zoroastrians have never understood the Gathas at a practical level nor shared the understanding to apply Zarathushtra’s teachings to their life. As declared Ervad Jimmy Madon, based in UK, Vajifdar’s approach to interpreting the Gathas "have shaped my own understanding of the religion.”
As an admirer of the deceased, I have penned a poem on reading that "an SOS to Farrokh (from Parsiana) never went unanswered. And he always answered in depth, with references, giving his time unstintingly”:
Till recently, a remarkable Parsi, a brilliant star/Shone upon the Zoroastrian firmament and wore/ The mantle of religious scholarship but Farrokh Vajifdar/ Will regrettably no more be a beacon to guide us anymore.
Deep dedication by him to Avestan studies meant/ His readiness at all times to be a willing guide/
But this brightest light on the Zoroastrian firmament/ Is gone forever, as he has unfortunately died.
"Weep for Adonais,” wrote the poet Shelly for Keats/ On the latter’s death, and likewise the understandably sane/ Sensible, rational Parsi who knows he rarely meets/ such a truthful scholar, will surely feel the pain.
One would have desired that such an iconoclast/ Would have lived longer and relentlessly tackled/ untruths of "dhongis” and "messiahs” who saw him blast/ Their orthodoxy to which the gullible were shackled.
There is a reason for all rationalists to lament/ The loss of a titanic scholar so very well-read/ The memories of every opinion, view and comment/ Bring dismay on knowing that a giant is dead.
The path has opened for "dhongis” of every type/ After the sad demise of Farrokh Vajifdar,/ Who has left us bereft, and with tears to wipe/ On joining the eternals, wherever they are.
Many of our pseudo-Zoroastrians have never understood the Gathas at a practical level nor shared the understanding to apply Zarathushtra’s teachings to their life. As declared Ervad Jimmy Madon, based in UK, Vajifdar’s approach to interpreting the Gathas "have shaped my own understanding of the religion.”As an admirer of the deceased, I have penned a poem on reading that "an SOS to Farrokh (from Parsiana) never went unanswered. And he always answered in depth, with references, giving his time unstintingly”:
Till recently, a remarkable Parsi, a brilliant star/Shone upon the Zoroastrian firmament and wore/ The mantle of religious scholarship but Farrokh Vajifdar/ Will regrettably no more be a beacon to guide us anymore.
Deep dedication by him to Avestan studies meant/ His readiness at all times to be a willing guide/
But this brightest light on the Zoroastrian firmament/ Is gone forever, as he has unfortunately died.
"Weep for Adonais,” wrote the poet Shelly for Keats/ On the latter’s death, and likewise the understandably sane/ Sensible, rational Parsi who knows he rarely meets/ such a truthful scholar, will surely feel the pain.
One would have desired that such an iconoclast/ Would have lived longer and relentlessly tackled/ untruths of "dhongis” and "messiahs” who saw him blast/ Their orthodoxy to which the gullible were shackled.
There is a reason for all rationalists to lament/ The loss of a titanic scholar so very well-read/ The memories of every opinion, view and comment/ Bring dismay on knowing that a giant is dead.
The path has opened for "dhongis” of every type/ After the sad demise of Farrokh Vajifdar,/ Who has left us bereft, and with tears to wipe/ On joining the eternals, wherever they are.
RASHID KHOSRAVI
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