Zahhak the Snake Shoulder and Nahusha; A Comparative Analysis

Due to their common roots, the epics and myths of Iran and India are very similar. Zahhak the snake shoulder is one of the characters of Iranian epics, whose functions are also seen among the epic characters of India. Vishvarupa because of having three heads and Vritra because of his connection to drought are epic characters that scholars consider them to be the Indian counterpart of Zahhak. Also, the story of Indra's sin and the transfer of his power to Nahusha has many similarities with the story of Jamshid's sin and accession of Zahhak to the kingdom. In Indo₋Iranian narratives, Indra and Jamshid are examples of sinners who lose their Farr (glory and splendor). But Zahhak and Nahusha, as their successors, after committing similar crimes such as trying to seize the former king's wives, humiliating the clergy and supporting heresy in religion and society, are deposed and taken captive in places like the underworld. In the present article, the commonalities of these stories in Shāhnāmeh, Mahabharat and other Indo-Iranian narratives are compared and analyzed. The findings show that, contrary to the opinion of many scholars who compare Zahhak with Vishvarupa and Vritra, in Indian narratives, Nahusha is more consistent with Zahhak.