Examining the Relationship between Wisdom and Politics in the Gathas; The Idea of the “Political-Civic Human” in the Sacred Text

Kushki, Basir; Fallahi Seifoddin, Ali; Fallahnejad, Ali

doi:10.30497/ipt.2026.250564.1077

Examining the Relationship between Wisdom and Politics in the Gathas; The Idea of the “Political-Civic Human” in the Sacred Text

Document Type : Conceptual paper (Political Thought)

Authors

Basir Kushki ¹

Ali Fallahi Seifoddin ²

Ali Fallahnejad ²

¹ PhD Student, Department of Political Science, Khorramabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Khorramabad, Iran

² Professor, Department of Political Science, Khorramabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Khorramabad, Iran

10.30497/ipt.2026.250564.1077

Abstract

Examining the relationship between reason and its relationship with politics in ancient Iranian political thought opens a window to understanding the nature of politics in its Iranian sense. For this purpose, one must inevitably turn to authentic Iranian texts. The Gathas are the oldest and most authentic ritual text of the Iranians. Wisdom, in authentic Iranian texts, is expressed by the term 'Kherad' (Wisdom/Intellect). Examining the relationship between wisdom and politics in the Gathas raises a fundamental question: Is politics in the Gathas founded upon wisdom? If so, what kind of politics emerges from the heart of Zoroastrian wisdom? In the Gathas, wisdom is not merely an individual virtue but a cosmic and guiding force. The ideal and wise sovereign (Shahryar) is one who chooses consciously and accepts responsibility for his actions. Employing an interpretive approach, specifically Schleiermacher's hermeneutic circle, this research seeks to achieve a text-based understanding of the relationship between these two concepts in the Gathas.

Keywords

Wisdom (Kherad)

Politics (Siyasat)

Gathas

Ahura Mazda

Spenta Mainyu

Vohu Manah

Asha

Khshathra

Spenta Armaiti

Haurvatat

Ameretat