Overview

In the Sixteenth Discourse of Farid al-Din Attar's Elahi Nameh, the son confesses his deep-seated desire for worldly kingship (mulk or pādshāhī). He argues that the ambition for dominion is an intrinsic, universal human drive, claiming he has never seen anyone free of this desire.

Key Themes

• Universality of Ambition: The son asserts that from the moon to the fish (a traditional Persian idiom meaning the entire cosmos), every human harbors a desire for kingship.
• The Value of Sovereignty: He claims that worldly power is of such supreme value that individuals are willing to sacrifice their lives and physical well-being to attain and protect it.