A Mythic- Philosophic Analysis of the First Line of Ferdowsi’s Shāhnāma as Compared with Ancient Beliefs and “Khosravāni” Wisdom

جستارهای نوین ادبی

Article 1, Volume 46, Issue 1 - Serial Number 180, June 2013, Pages 1-26   

Document Type: Research Article

DOI: 10.22067/jls.v46i1.24022

Author

Farzad Ghaemi^*

Abstract

Ferdowsi’s Shāhnāma has a monotheistic context and its narrative deep structure has been demythologized throughout history at religious, ritual and mythic levels. However, an analytical approach can spot traces of the ancient beliefs reflected in the symbolic implications of the narratives as well as the language and imagery of the Shāhnāma. The first line in the Preface of the Shāhnāma, “In the name of God of wisdom and spirit”, best advances a divine ontology. Drawing on historical studies in language (especially etymological analyses) and a mythic-philosophic approach, this paper aims to delineate that the first line of the Preface symbolizes an ancient philosophical belief about the creation of “logos” and “total soul” by God. This line can be a symbolic interpretation of the name of the unique God in Zoroastrianism (Ahurā Mazdā). This interpretation corresponds to the philosophic thought of Zoroaster and “Khosravāni” wisdom and is reflected in the etymology of the word of Ahurā Mazdā. The compound word symbolizes the creation of wisdom and spirit by God in its two parts (i.e. Ahurā=the creator of spirit and Mazdā= the creator of wisdom).

Keywords

: Ferdowsi’s Shāhnāma; Ahurā Mazdā; spirit; wisdom; Minovi; Fravahar