In Persian literature, Sarosh is variously
understood to be the “voice of conscience”
and the angel of poetic inspiration. Hence Rumi is made
to say in Javid Nama,
“This silver portrait of beauty was born in God’s
mind; he ranks with Gabriel and his name is Sarosh.”
The entity is originally based on
the Sraosha, a sacred figure in Zoroastrian mythology
without any equivalent in the Vedic system (and hence
he is seen by Iqbal after meeting Vishvamitra, the representative
of Vedic wisdom).
In Javid Nama, he is depicted
with two long tresses reaching down to the small of his
back from either side of his shoulder. This could be symbolic
of the two hemispheres of brain, as he is shown to be
engaged simultaneously in music and verbal arts (respectively
assigned to the right and the left hemispheres of brain).
Special
thanks to Iqbal Academy Pakistan
