The Divine Songs of Zarathushtra : By Irach J. S. Taraporewala Download link : fezana.org/files/drupalfiles/Taraporewala_Divine_Songs_Of_Zarathushtra_FEZANA.pdf The only documents of proved authenticity on the teachings of Zarathushtra—the prophet of Ancient Iran—are the Gathas, which embody his beliefs and basic religious experiences and his Message to humanity. The Romanized text of this work follows the standard text of Geldner. For each verse is given first the Text, with a word for word translation, in which each word is numbered to correspond with the Text. After this literal translation is given a “Free English Rendering”, in blank verse, which strives to reach the thought and spirit underlying each verse. The variant readings differing from Geldner’s text are fully discussed in the notes. The author has also dealt with the grammar and derivations of words, and has quoted parallel passages conveying the same or similar ideas from other scriptures. Scholars will be interested in the Appendix on Gatha meter. There is also a special metrical index giving the scansion of every line. Another useful feature is the glossary which is not only very complete, but which is in fact a Gathic dictionary giving the grammar and derivation of all the words. This will prove very valuable to students of the Gathas. This fine work is the result of over twenty years’ labor. In the past, the Gathas have often been translated by foreign scholars, but as the author says elsewhere, “I have always felt that these renderings have somehow lacked theinspiration that should form their chief characteristic.” He feels that only a Zoroastrian can supply that inspiration, based upon that deep reverence for the sublimity of the teachings of the Gathas. And there could not have been a better person to have undertaken this difficult task than Dr. Taraporewala, a noted student, Oriental scholar, and linguist. “So far Parsi scholars have been content to be led by our western gurus and to accept all that they have taught us. A few of us have been privileged to sit at their feet and to learn their methods of painstaking and accurate scholarship and research. And we possess what our gurus never had—a living, ardent faith in the Message of Zarathushtra. To us the Gathas are not mere interesting documents of Ancient Iran, but the eternal foundations of Spiritual Life.” This is a work for every true student of this ancient religion. Here is the perfect union of meticulous scholarship and deep faith. Not only has the author given the literal meaning of the words, but has tried to catch the spirit of the Gathas, giving to the world a masterpiece worthy of a true devotee. Here we can feel the beauty, the power and the sublimity of the original. “Read the things of the flesh with the eyes of the Spirit, not the things of the Spirit with the eyes of the flesh.” How well these few words express the spirit in which the author has carried out his task, filled with the sublimity of the Message that Zarathushtra preached, far above all earthly knowledge, a Message for all humanity and for all time. ****************************** “DR. IRACH J. S. TARAPOREWALA is well-known as a profound scholar of Oriental and other languages. He has had a brilliant academic career and passed the Cambridge Tripos in Oriental Languages. He received his Ph. D. from the University of Wurzburg in 1913. While he was in Germany, he took the opportunity of studying under famous scholars of Avesta-Pahlavi and of the religion of Zarathushtra and of learning their methods of painstaking and accurate scholarship and research. The many testimonials of these savants bear ample evidence of Dr. Taraporewala’s erudition. On his return to his own country he has been professor and principal of various colleges and Universities. He is also a Barrister-at-Law. Besides Oriental languages. Dr. Taraporewala is also acquainted with other Eastern and European languages. He has a sound grasp of Gujarati, Marathi, Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, English, French, German, Sanskrit, Pali-Prakrit, Greek, Avesta, Pahlavi and Persian—surely a very impressive list. Further, he is the author of many scholarly books and articles on various subjects, which have been acclaimed as brilliant in many parts of the world. He is also the author of authoritative books on Zoroastrian religion and on the Science of Language. His writings bear the stamp of versatility and patient scholarship, qualities which are to be expected from one of Dr. Taraporewala’s qualifications.”
Posted on: Tue, 03 Dec 2013 20:53:02 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015