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Harmlessness and the Transience of Power in Sanai's Tale of Alexander
In Section 65 of Sanai's Hadiqat al-Haqiqah, an instructor's admonishment of Alexander the Great highlights the vanity of worldly conquest and the supreme virtue of harmlessness (kam-azari). The poem uses the metaphor of the vulture—which achieves longevity because it refrains from harming living creatures and feeds only on carrion—to illustrate how non-violence preserves life. Conversely, Sanai warns that rulers who initiate bloodshed and seek absolute dominance are spiritually blind to death and ultimately hasten their own demise. This moral allegory teaches that true spiritual security and peace are found in harmlessness rather than aggressive worldly ambition.
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Humanities
Literature
Persian Literature Prerequisite Course