Simurgh

Etymology

The name derives from the Avestique mərəγô saênô “the Saêna bird”, at the origin a bird of prey, eagle or Faucon, such as one can deduce it from the Sanscrit śyena . Saêna also can also be a proper name which is derived from the name of the bird.

The first element which was connected to the popular etymology is the Persan sī thirty , but that does not have a historical report/ratio.

Mythology

Of big size, since it could tranporter a camel or an elephant, the mythical bird Simurgh makes watch of a great animosity towards the snakes. Its natural habitat is a place where water is in abundance. In an ancient Iranian account, it is known as that Simurgh saw 1700 years before plunging itself in the flames, and other later accounts, it is known as that it is immortal and has a nest in the Tree of the Knowledge.

According to the Iranian legend, it is known as that this bird is so old that it already saw three times the destruction of the world. During all this time, Simurgh learned so much that it is thought that it has the knowledge of all the ages.

The Perses Sassanides believed that Simurgh would bring the fertility on the ground and would seal the union of the ground and the sky. It nested in the Tree of life, Gaokerena, and lived in the ground of the crowned plant Haoma, whose seeds could cure of any evil. In the Iranian beliefs utltérieures, Simurgh became a symbol of divinity. SEN-Murv/Simurgh is also identified in the Littérature Persian by the name of Homa and is presented in Arabic under the name of Rukh.

When Simurgh flew away, the sheets of the tree of the knowledge trembled, causing the fall of seeds of all the plants. These seeds spread in the world, fascinating root to become each species of plant having ever lived, and curing all the sufferings of humanity. It is said that its feathers were copper color, and although it is initially described like a dog-bird, it was then known either with a head of man or with a head of dog. It is naturally good and the contact with its wings can cure any disease or wound.

Representation

The representation of Simurgh varies much during time. On works sassanides, one gives this name to an animal with protomé of dog, claws of lion and tail of peacock, but the specialists doubt that it is really about a representation of this creature. From the Mongolian invasions and arrival of the Chinese influences in the Iranian art, it takes the shape of a phoenix.

Simurgh in Shahnamah

Simurgh made its most famous appearance in the fable of Ferdowsi, the Shahnameh (Book of the Kings), where its engagement with Prince Zal is described. According to Shahnamah, Zal, wire of King Siyam had been born albino. When King Siyam saw his son Albinos, he thought that he had the mark of the demons, and gave up the child in the mountain. The tears of the child arrived at the ears of Simurgh in the middle tending, which lived in top of this mountain, and the bird recovered the child and itself raised it. Zal acquired much wisdom by liking Simurgh, which had all the knowledge, but when it arrived at the age of man, it wanted to join to them his. Although Simurgh became terribly sad, it made him gift of only one gilded feather that it should burn if it needed assistance.

After its return in its kingdom, Zal fell in love and married beautiful the Rudaba. When came time from the birth of their son, the labor was long and terrible. Zal was certain that his wife would die in layers. Rudaba close to had died when Zal decided to call upon Simurgh. Simurgh appeared and learned how to him to make a Césarienne, thus saving Rudaba and the child, who would become later the largest Persan hero, Rostam.

Islamic period

The Iranian poet Been enough Farid ud-DIN Attar, wrote the history of a band of 30 Oiseau X pilgrims leaving under control the crested to research Simurgh in the book the conference the Birds (Arab manTiq At-Tuyûr ). At the end of their search, they discover them to me deep (word game on Simurgh = 30 birds).

Other cultures

In the Russian traditions, bird resembling the Phoenix. Its take-off carried happiness to that which assisted to with it.

In the modern media

Simurgh appeared in Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy XI of Public garden as an enemy.

Sources

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