Talk:Zahhak

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This page very possibly should be merged with Azhi Dahaka. They cover the same subject.

Contents 1 Removed quote 2 Image 3 re: (purported) Indo-Iranian tradition 4 proposed addition in the popular culture 5 Excellent article

[edit] Removed quote

In the Shahnameh of Ferdowsi, the figures in this myth become historical characters: "It is apparent, therefore, that by Zohak is meant the Assyrian dynasty, whose symbol was the purpureum signum draconis -- the purple sign of the dragon. From a very remote antiquity (Genesis 14) this dynasty ruled Asia, Armenia, Syria, Arabia, Babylonia, Media and Persia.It was finally overthrown by Cyrus the great and Darius the great Hystaspes, after '1,000 years' rule. "

This quote was unsourced. It is also, I think, complete nonsense; I know of no modern scholarship that associates Azhi Dahaka with Assyria, and I don't think that Assyria is even mentioned in the Shahnama. Also, I suspect that this "purple sign of the dragon" is pure fiction. Searches on "purpureum signum draconis" indicate that it refers to a Roman standard -- nothing to do with Zahak. RandomCritic 15:39, 7 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Image

We need an image.

I saw a Persian miniature of Zahak and the serpents in one of Batmanglij's cook books. I think it was a shot of a Ferdowsi manuscript. If anyone has a copy of Batmanglij's books, it's worth the scan. I think it was this one: [1] --Zereshk 04:12, 28 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] re: (purported) Indo-Iranian tradition

I've removed the whole pseudo-comparison of Verethragna vis-a-vis Indra because
a) even the *adjectives* verethragnan (Avestan) and vtrahan (Sanskrit) are not equivalents even if they are cognate - i.e. the effective meanings are not the same. The two terms originally meant the same thing (smiter of resistance/obstacles), but in Vedic tradition, Vtrahan (note capitalization) has come to be an appelative title of Indra, 'smiter of (the dragon) Vṛtra'.
b) a comparison of Indra/Verethragna has absolutely nothing to do with an article on Aži Dahāka, nor does it have a place in a section titled "The Ahi / Aži in Indo-Iranian tradition".
For the sake of reference, here is what the paragraph would read if the comparison were accurately represented:

..., the slaying of Vedic Vṛtra, which is a characteristic feature of Vedic Indra who thus receives the appelative title Vṛtrahan, 'smiter of Vṛtra', and also 'victorious'. This latter meaning however appears to have been lost in Vedic lore, but because 'victorious' in Avestan is vərəθraγan and an attribute of the Zoroastrian Yazata Vərəθraγna, Vedic scholars concluded that the Yazata Vərəθraγna (modern Persian: Vahrām/Bahrām) was the Iranian equivalent of Vedic Indra. This theory has however been repeatedly rejected for many reasons (See also Vahrām).

As I noted above, this is not relevant to the article on Aži Dahāka. "There is no Iranian tradition of a dragon such as Indian Vrtra, who guards the cosmic waters and is defeated by the gods themselves." (Boyce, 1975:91-92, cf. 63-64) -- Fullstop 10:19, 8 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] proposed addition in the popular culture

in the anime heroic legend of arslan, there is a mention of zahak, the snake king, same goes with the manga. --ParthianPrince (talk) 06:44, 10 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Excellent article

Thanks to all those who worked on this article. --alidoostzadeh (talk) 02:42, 13 March 2008 (UTC)