حماسۀ ايراني و كتابِ غولانِ مانوي

Iranian epic and the Manichean Book of Giants

در اين جستار به بررسيِ پيوند ميانِ سنّتِ حماسيِ كهنِ ايراني و كتابِ غولانِ ماني پرداخته­ ام: روايتِ حماسي­ اسطوره­­اي و داستان­ هايِ پُرآوازۀ گذشته دربارۀ سرچشمۀ جهان و انسان، تا اندازه­اي در اسطورۀ ماني و مبلّغانِ مانوي گنجانده شده و با سنّت­ هايِ اسطوره­اي و در پيوند با كتابِ مقدّس دربارۀ غولان و طوفان برآميخته است. مانيْ اسطوره­ هايِ ايراني را دگرگون كرده است تا با روايتِ خويش از پيدايشِ گيتي هم­آهنگي يابد. همۀ قطعه­ هايِ ادبيِ بازمانده از ماني كه دربردارندۀ اشاره­ هايي به سنّتِ حماسيِ ايران است، برايِ آسانيِ كار در اين­جا گرد آمده است.

This research deals with the study of the relationship between the ancient Persian epic tradition and Mani’s Book of Giants. The epic mythological narrative and the well known stories of the past regarding the origin of the world and man’s origin to a certain extent is incorporated in Mani’s myth and those myths propagated by Manichean missionaries were also intertwined with mythological traditions in connection with biblical accounts regarding Giants and flood. Mani had transformed Iranian mythologies in such a way to create harmony between the old mythological traditions and his own narrative version of origin of the world. All literary pieces come down to us from Mani encompass references to Persian epic tradition and for easy access they are presented in this paper.