J. Appl. Environ. Biol. Sci., 3(10)111-115, 2013
© 2013, TextRoad Publication
ISSN: 2090-4274
Journal of Applied Environmental
and Biological Sciences
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Corresponding Author: Seyedeh Saeedeh Sanjari, Department of Persian Language, Roudsar and Amlash branch, Islamic
Azad University, Roudsar, Iran. Saidehsanjari@yahoo.com Tel: +989112346902
Farreh, the Forgotten Force
Seyedeh Saeedeh Sanjari
1
, Fatemeh Karimi
2
1
Department of Persian Language, Roudsar and Amlash branch, Islamic Azad University, Roudsar, Iran
2
Department of English Language Teaching, Roudsar and Amlash branch, Islamic Azad University,
Roudsar, Iran
Received: May 26 2013
Accepted: July 23 2013
ABSTRACT
Farreh is a remnant of the Madilanguagewords. In Achaemenian's manuscripts there is no talk about Farreh, but
it has been used in the combinations of the names belonging to those eras.
Artafarnah is the holder of the righteous Farreh and Vindafarnah is the receiver of Farreh. This word signifies
Hvarenahin ancient Iran. It appears in Avestan language as Xvarenah, in Pahlavi language as Farr/Xwarrah,
mostly as Hozwaresh, andinPersian and party as Farreh, and in Buddhist Soghdi language as prn and in
ManeviSoghdi as farn, in Christian Soghdi as fn and in modern Persian as Far, Farreh, Khoreh, Khareh meaning
good luck and splendor. Its derivations are: Farrahi, Ferahat, Farahmand, Frohideh, and Farhmand. This symbol
is a divine gift which brings for their owners a long, powerful life together with wealth. Farreh in Avestan
language and in Pahlavi texts and Shahname is a prerequisite for an ideal king. In Avestan language, it has been
mentioned three kinds of Farreh: Zoroaster, Aryan and Kiani (kingdom)Farreh. In this article, the writers try to
investigate the etymology of the word Farrehand also consider the morphology and transformation of the word
in ancient literary texts.
KEYWORDS: Farreh, Kiani, kingdom, Aryan, Shahname
INTRODUCTION
Etymology of the word Farreh and its interpretations
In ancient texts, there has been a wide range of meaning for the word Farreh, from "symbol" to
"supernatural power". In Ferdowsi'sShahname, Farreh means splendor and magnificence[1].
In Arabic language, it means divine light and beam, and in Greece, it means splendor, magnificence, and
greatness [2].
Some believe that Farreh has the similar root with the word hvar (meaning the sun), and some others
interpret it as the root of xvar meaning obtaining and acquiring. Also, it has been interpreted as glow, wealth,
progress and good luck[3].
Sometimes, it is claimed that Farreh is not the progress itself; rather it causes motivation and progress or
is a representative of all the blessings from the heaven [4].
Sohrevardi in his book "HekmatAleshragh" considers Farreh as a beam radiated from the source of light
and believes that the ancient Iranian called it as Khareh[5].
According to Bailey's viewpoint, the meaning of Farreh in Avesta has turned from the primary meaning
of "discovered and desired" to the good luck and as such, it has developed to "fortune" which is a heavenly gem
and is a power which brings prosperity and guarantees victory and success [6].
Bahar believes that Farreh is Mesopotamian and its origin is from Ilam, not from India or Iran. He
provides the probability that Farreh in Iranian works is the result of cultural interaction with Ilam and
Mesopotamia[7].
In texts related to Islamic Period, Farreh meant splendor, magnificence, beauty, and even triumphant, and
is also cited as "light". But in Shahname, the old words such as "divine Farreh, King Farreh and
Kiani(kingdom)Farreh still exist[8].
In ancient languages, Farreh has been used in different forms. It appears in ancient Persian as hvarenah,
in Avestan language as xvarenah[9], in Pahlavi language as Farr/ Xwarrah mostly as Hozwaresh[10], in middle
Persian and Party as Farreh[11], in Buddhist Soghdi as Prn[12], in ManeviSoghdi as Farn, and in Christian
Soghdi as Fn[13], The proper noun of Artafarnahhas also been used in manuscripts [14].
In Avesta, there are three names of Farreh, Zoroastrian Farreh, Aryan, or Iranian Farreh, and Kiani
(kingdom) Farreh. In Pahlavi texts and Shahname, in addition to these, there are Divine, Religion, Iranshahr,
Rohanian (clerics), Homay, and Mahan Farreh[6].
Farreh has also been used as the proper nouns of the people in noun combination for example
RostamFarrokhzad, the famous general who was killed in Ghadesiye warand three sons of Keykhosro (an
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