Eros and the Pearl is the first monograph devoted to the Yezidi cosmogonic myth. It is based on the author's field research among the Yezidi people in Iraq, Turkey, Georgia, and Armenia. The author focuses on the analysis of the cosmogonic motif of Pearl and Love and, referring to various source materials, traces the presence of analogous threads in other religious traditions, esp. Yarsanism, Mandaeism, Manichaeism, Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, as well as the Greek philosophical concepts of Eros and the primordial One that influenced Gnosticism, Hermeticism, Early Christianity, and Sufism. Demonstrating the complexity of the Yezidi tradition, the author also points to Harranian 'Sabians' as those who may have contributed to its beliefs at the beginning of the formation of the Yezidi religion.
Author(s): Artur Rodziewicz
Publisher: Peter Lang
Year: 2022
Language: English
Pages: 698
City: Berlin
Cover
Copyright Information
Contents
Prologue and acknowledgements
List of abbreviations
Note on transliteration, names, punctuation, quotations and dates
1. Introduction. Research problems and methodology
1.1. Problems with Yezidism
1.2. Problems with comparatism
1.3. The method
2. The Yezidis and their religion
3. Sources for research on the Yezidi cosmogony
3.1. Oral tradition and taboo on literature
3.2. Qewls, the Yezidi sacred hymns
3.3. The language of the Qewls and difficulties with its understanding
4. Yezidi cosmogony in oral tradition and ritual
4.1. Reconstruction of the Yezidi cosmogony
4.2. The Yezidi holy day, Wednesday, and its cosmogonic meaning
4.2.1. Wednesday in the Yezidi tradition and Hermes-Mercury
4.2.2. Cosmogonic myth and the festival of the Wednesday
4.2.3. The Yezidi musical instruments and cosmogony
5. The motif of the Pearl in the Yezidi cosmogony and its parallels in other traditions
5.1. The Pearl in the Yezidi cosmogony
5.2. The Pearl and berat
5.3. The Pearl theme in other traditions
5.3.1. The Christian pearl and the Parable of the Merchant
5.3.2. The Hymn of the Pearl
5.3.3. The Manichaean pearl
5.3.4. The Mandaean pearl
5.3.5. The Pearl in the Yaresan tradition
5.3.6. The Zoroastrian Sky
5.3.7. Islam and the pearl of the Sufis
5.3.8. The One of the Greeks
5.3.9. The Orphic Egg and some other eggs
6. The Yezidi motif of cosmogonic Love and its analogies in other traditions
6.1. Two aspects of mystical Love in Yezidism
6.1.1. Cosmogonic Love
6.2. The branch of Love and Sheikh Sin
6.3. Cosmogonic Love in other traditions
6.3.1. God’s Love in Yaresan and Mandaean traditions
6.3.2. Love and the mystical branch of Islam
6.3.2.1. Sufism and Yezidism
6.3.2.2. Muslim mysticism and the Greeks
6.3.2.3. Love as a way to unity with the One
6.3.2.4. Love, Quran and heresy
6.3.2.5. Two names of love – ‘ishq and mahabba – and God’s Love for Himself
6.3.2.6. The Love loving Love – Hallaj and the Greek fire
6.3.2.7. Plant metaphors of love in Sufism and the Yezidi ‘branch of Love’
6.3.2.8. Fallen lover, fire and Adam
6.3.2.8.1. Iblis, Azazil and Tawusi Melek
6.3.2.8.2. Iblis and love to God
6.3.3. Cosmogonic Love in Ancient Greek sources and the Orphic Eros
6.3.3.1. Eros of poets and Love of philosophers
6.3.3.2. Firstborn Love in the Orphic tradition
6.3.4. God and Love at the beginning of the Christian tradition
6.3.5. The divine name of Eros: the neo-Platonic Christian tradition
6.3.6. Love, Logos and the Alexandrian melting pot
6.3.7. Eros and the religious syncretism of Late Antiquity: Platonists and Gnostics
6.3.8. Love, Logos and the winged serpent
6.3.9. Eros and the Serpent from the bowl
7. Parallels to the motif of Eros and Pearl in the oldest cosmogonies
7.1. Egg, Love and Hermes. Phoenician cosmogony
7.2. Prajapati, Love and the Golden Egg in Hindu tradition
7.2.1. Hindu elements in the Yezidi tradition and the sanjak
8. Crossroads of traditions – from Harran to Lalish
8.1. Orphic traces in Northern Mesopotamia
8.2. Greek traces in Northern Mesopotamia
8.3. Harranian ‘Sabians’ at the crossroads of traditions
8.4. Harranians and the Yezidis
8.5. The Sun-worshippers in Kurdistan
8.6. The Shamsis and the Shamsanis
9. Epilogue
10. Appendix: Kurmanji text of Qewlê Zebûnî Meksûr
11. Bibliography
12. Index
