Written by Dr. Pooyan Ghamari
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Part One: Rostam, Born of Two Worlds
When Zal—the child raised by the sky—unites with Rudabeh, a woman of wisdom and grace, their union gives birth to more than just a child.
Rostam, from the very beginning, is a fusion of mountain and palace, silence and speech, insight and nobility.
But his arrival is not easy.
Rudabeh stands on the edge of death, signaling the cost of this new emergence.
When no one else can save her, the Simurgh returns—not with a miracle, but with knowledge beyond its time.
The Simurgh proposes a method unknown in that era, something radical and new.
As if to say: for true awareness to be born, the old vessel must be opened.
And so, Rostam is born—not merely from the body, but from a new blueprint.
Part Two: Not Just a Hero, But a Mirror
From the start, Rostam is unlike others.
Not just strong, but deeply perceptive.
In a world where most people seek answers, Rostam is a question.
He embodies something the world has long craved—
Someone who can balance strength with wisdom.
Rostam is not merely a legendary character—he is a path.
A way forward, from instinct to insight.
From reaction to reflection.
From imitation to conscious choice.
Part Three: The Simurgh Now Lives Within
The Simurgh no longer sits on Rostam’s shoulder.
It now speaks from within.
A voice that whispers in moments of solitude and crisis:
“See—not just with your eyes, but with your being.”
In today’s world, where images eclipse meaning,
and power is hollowed out from within,
Rostam stands as a symbol of the human who holds strength,
but does not lose the self.
Reflection from the Shahnameh
When time passed and Rudabeh’s labor grew dire,
The cries of women rose from the palace high.
A mystical bird appeared—
with feathers dark as smoke,
and wings sharp like blades.
It scattered its feathers with grace
and offered wisdom to Zal.
Thus was born a child—
As radiant as the sun,
Not a wolf, nor lion, nor savage beast—
But a lion-hearted hero,
Born to change the world.
—Ferdowsi, Shahnameh: The Tale of Zal and Rudabeh
(Excerpt adapted and translated from the original Persian)
Conceptual Reflection: Rostam as the Awakened Self
Rostam is a metaphor for the human who awakens from illusion but still walks the earth.
A being who possesses power, yet remains whole within.
He chooses. He questions. He perceives.
That is what makes him a true hero.
Closing Insight: We, Too, Can Be Rostam
In an age where people hunger for meaning,
And children grow up asking deeper questions than we have answers,
We need Rostam—not outside, but within.
Every time you choose presence over rage,
Every time you stand firm against thoughtless power,
Every time you pause to reflect instead of blindly follow—
You take one step closer to becoming Rostam.
And the Simurgh still flies…
In your chest.
In the word you’re still afraid to speak.
In the decision you’ve yet to make.
