BARBARISM AND HERITAGE

BARBARISM AND HERITAGE

Some of the best literature were destroyed by barbarians in both civilised garb and in tribal civilisational pretension. Alexander of Macedonia, pupil if Plato destroyed the ancient Imperial Library of Persepolis, wiping out the grand literary heritage of ancient Persia with its sophisticated religion founded by Zarathrustra. Later the Arab hordes invaded Persia and in their mad zealotry of Islam destroyed the remnants of the ancient Persian culture that had been saved by the Parthuans and the Sasanians. What survives of Zoroastrianism owes itself to rock inscriptions and oral transmission through the generational link. This aspect of political, ideological and theological fanaticism Swami Vivekananda spoke of in his inaugural address at the Chicago Parliament of Religions on 11 September, 1893. Much of civilisation has been destroyed. What remains we must assiduously preserve and protect. Peace is the primary necessity for it, not blind proselytism that can destroy the Bamiyan Buddhas without turning a hair, burn down Nalanda out of massive religious ignorance and bigotry, and attempt the wiping out if an entire race by way of the barbaric Final Solution. 🕉 Shanti! Shanti! Shanti!

Written by Sugata Bose

Photo: top to bottom---entry of Alexander into Babylon; thd ruins of Persepolis; Alexander cutting the Gordian Knot; Alexander being tutored by Aristotle.