MYTHOLOGICAL ELEMENTS IN BEDĀYİÜ'L BİDĀYE (ʿANKĀ-KĀF-SMŪRG AND DRAGON)

Abstract

Mythology, a Greek word, is formed by the combination of the words mythos, i.e. "spoken, heard word" and logos, i.e. "speech". The myths, narratives and the heroes created in the legends, narratives and legends they have created with their beliefs, fears and dreams from the first emergence of human beings to this day draw attention as the main elements of mythology. Although mythologies vary according to cultures, intercultural transmission of some concepts, heroes and images between bilateral relations and close communities is also common. The beings in mythology can be human, animal or supernatural creatures, as well as mythologically created places. For example, in ancient Greek mythology, Mount Olympus is the place of the Greek gods. In Eastern mythologies, this concept is Mount Kâf. It is not clear where this mountain, which is imagined as a high mountain that is difficult to reach, is located.  The bird believed to live on this mountain is ʿAnkā or Simûrg, which is actually the same being in different cultures. One of the mythological beings is the Dragon. This animal, which is referred to as Yil Büke, Celbegen or Evren in Turkish mythology, is called Dragon in Iranian mythology. In this study, these mythological elements of Ali Shir Nawâyî were tried to be identified in his work Bedâyiü'l Bidâye, in which he collected his selected poems, and it was revealed how he evaluated these mythological beings in his own world of feelings and thoughts.