Concept

Cosmic Humility and the Mourning Sun in Attar's Mokhtar Nameh (Poem 3)

Summary of Themes

In Poem 3 of Farid al-Din Attar's Mokhtar Nameh, the poet employs cosmic personification to illustrate the absolute transcendence of God and the utter humility of the created universe. Attar depicts the eight heavens (hasht behesht) and seven celestial spheres (haft sepehr) as mere offerings and humble curtain-keepers at the divine threshold.

Symbolic Meaning of the Sun

Attar uses two classic Persian poetic motifs to describe the luminous sun (khorshid-e monir):

  • The Pale/Yellow Face (rokh-e zard): A traditional symbol of longing, love-sickness, and humility.
  • The Blue/Indigo Garment (kabood-jameh): Symbolizes mourning, asceticism, and submission, matching the blue background of the sky.

Through these metaphors, the sun is personified as a mourning and bewildered devotee, spinning in space like a helpless speck of dust (zarreh) in the presence of divine majesty. This imagery reinforces the central Sufi concept of cosmic bewildermen...

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Updated 2026-07-03

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Humanities

Literature

Persian Literature Prerequisite Course