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COMPARATIVE AND CONCEPTUAL ANALYSIS OF "TENGRÍ" IN
"BABURNAMA" AND ITS’ ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS
Ziyodakhon Teshaboeva
Associate professor of “Foreign languages”
department of Alfraganus university in Tashkent
Annotation:
Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur is a world-known emperor, king and poet, scientist,
and the Timurid ruler who established the foundation for the Babur dynasty in India. Among
the works created by him, “Baburnama” is a work that is famous all over the world and has
experienced the history of translations. This article reveals the concept of “Tengri” used by the
author in “Baburnama”. English translations related to the phraseological units and word
combinations by J.Leyden-W.Erskine (1826), A.S.Beveridge (1921) and W.Thackston (1996)
are analyzed in this article.
Key words:
“Baburnama”, interpretation, God, phraseological units, originality, English
translations, Russian translation.
“Baburnama” is a work written in the spirit of faith in God, from the sentence "By the grace of
God..." after Bismillah (Basmala) [15] to the end, and uses religious sources and terms so
extensively that the author's thoughts and feelings encompass a variety of emotional characters:
«Менинг кўнглумга келдики, Муҳаммад Ҳумоюннинг мендин ўзга яхшироқ нимарсаси
йўқ. Ўзум тасаддуқ бўлайин,
Худой
қабул қилсун» [4: 266]. This experience reflects the
blessing that God gave him the way that Zahiriddin Babur worried about his son, surrendered
his life to Humayun and the intense paternal love of any father towards his child.
When we recall this incident of Babur, we are reminded of the preface of Salman Rushdie, in
the English translation of “Baburnama” by Wh. Thacston, in his 1996 edition. In this preface,
we can see that Salman Rushdie's interest in the life and biography of the King Babur grew as
he listened to it in his childhood and that over the years he developed a desire to study the work
seriously. Recalling the influence of the life of Zahiriddin Babur on him, in that case Salman
Rushdie writes:
I first heard the legend of Babur’s death when I was still a boy. His son and heir, Humayun,
was ill, the story went. His fever rose and the court’s doctors despaired of saving him. Then
Babur, after consulting a mystic, walked three times round Humayun’s bed and offered
himself to God in his son’s place. Whereupon Humayun strenthened and recovered, and
Babur weakened and -on December 21, 1530-died.This story struck me with an almost
mythic force. I remember having been horrified by Abraham’s unnatural readiness to
sacrifice his allegedly beloved son-Isaac according to the Old Testament, but Ismail in the
Muslim version. Was that what the love of God made fathers willing to do? It was enough
to make one regard one’s own parent with a somewhat worried eye. Babur’s story served as
an antidote. Here the love of God was used to make possible the opposite and somehow
more “natural” sacrifice: the father dying that the child might live. Babur and Humayun’s
story lodged deep within me as the paradigmatic tale of fatherly love.[13: 6]. Such thoughts
and reflections have been expressed in international literary relations (religious debates), where
Babur's courage, love for his son, sacrifice his life and willingness to leave have been equated
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with the love of God - “Tengri”. In "Baburnama", we often encounter the frequent mention of
God and his accompanying the author in various situations during his experiences.
According to the Sunni school of thought and the teachings of Maturidiyya, it is forbidden
to liken Allah to any thing or being, to liken other things to Him, and even to argue about
His essence and attributes. Some other schools of thought and Sufism deviate from these
prohibitions, while in the works of Alisher Navoi and Babur, these requirements are strictly
observed: “The evidence of your unbelief is “laysa kamislihi shay’un” and the evidence of
your infidelity is “lam yalid wa lam yulad.” Whatever is likened to you, you are not likened
to, if you look closely, it is You and You are not that” (Alisher Navo’i. Munajot) [1; 31].
Thus, the translator is well aware of the religions and beliefs of the peoples of the world, even
analyzing and interpreting events related to religion, expressing his own attitude, and defining
his own worldview. Also, in "Baburnama", along with conducting research in the lexical field
of Allah Tengri, we see that religious terms are also used through phraseological units:
Тенгри таоло фазл ва карами била- by the God’s grace, Тенгри инояти била- By the God’s
favour, Тенгри еткурса- If God bestower, Тенгри рост келтурса-If God brings it right,
Тенгри ҳукмини буткармоқ- pay the debt of mortality, Тенгри раҳматиға бормоқ-has gone
to the God’s Mercy, Тенгрининг хостидин ўзга бўлмас- nothing will come out without God’s
will, Тенгрининг қошида осий бўлмоқ- to be sinfull before God, Тенгри таоло рўзи қилди-
God granted him are the English translations of the following religious terms:
Тенгрига
таваккул қилиб
relying upon
God
Тенгри таоло
рўзи қилди 155
God will grant
p.
Тенгрининг
қошида осий
бўлмоқ
to be sinful in
the sight of God
Тенгрининг
хостидин ўзга
бўлмас
If God will
Тенгри
раҳматиға
бормоқ
to go to God's
mercy
Тенгри
ҳукмини
буткармоқ
to go to God's
mercy
Тенгри рост
келтурса
If God brings it
right
Тенгри еткурса
If God willing!
Тенгри инояти
била
by the God's
grace
Тенгри таоло
фазл ва карами
била
by blessing of
the Almighty
ТЕНГРИ
GOD
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1-picture. Semantic field of “Tenri”
English and Uzbek in the image above: Тенгри таоло фазл ва карами била – by blessing of
the Almighty God, Тенгри инояти била – by the God's grace, Тенгри еткурса – If God
willing!, Тенгри рост келтурса – If God brings it right, Тенгри ҳукмини буткармоқ – to go to
God's mercy, Тенгри раҳматиға бормоқ – to go to God's mercy Тенгрининг хостидин ўзга
бўлмас – If God will, Тенгрининг қошида осий бўлмоқ – to be sinful in the sight of God,
Тенгри таоло рўзи қилди – God will grant, Тенгрига таваккул қилиб – relying upon all of
the examples like God are FB. If we tabulate them, we can clearly see that they are reflected in
each language:
1-Table
2-Comparative representation of the translation of phraseological units “Tengri” and
their lexical semantic meaning.
№
ТЕНГРИ
Lexical
and
semantic
field
(original)
Interpretaio
n
Russian
translation
John
Leyden
(1826)
Susannah
Beveridge
(1921)
Wheeler
Thackston
(1996)
1.
Тенгри
таоло
фазл
ва
карами
била
[107].
Тангри
таолонинг
фазл карами
билан
[105].
Аллах
великий по
своей
милости
[80].
by
the
blessing of
Almighty
God
[136].
by Almighty
of
God’s
bounty and
mercy
[199].
through
God’s grace
and favor
[151].
2.
Тенгри
инояти
била
[81].
Тангри
инояти
билан
[79].
С
божьей
помощью
[57].
By
the
divine favor
[89].
By
God's
grace
[(202) 235.].
Through
God’s favor
[101].
3.
Тенгри
еткурса
[249].
Тангри
насиб қилса
[264].
с
волей
божьей,
[207].
in Almighty
God
[401].
God willing!
[645].
from
God
Almighty
[434].
4.
Тенгри
рост
келтурса
[241].
Худо
хоҳласа
[255].
если
бог
поможет
[200].
God willing
[388].
God
bringing
it
aright
[617, 618].
God willing
[419].
5.
Тенгри
ҳукмини
буткармоқ
[130].
Тангри
ҳукмини
битказибди
[130, 132].
исполнился
божий
приговор
[102].
expired
at
Nilab
[181].
went
to
God’s mercy
at Nilab
[265].
died at Nilab
[199].
6.
Тенгри
ҳукмини
буткарми
ш [131].
Тангри
раҳматига
борибди
[132].
исполнился
божий
приговор
[Р.В. 102].
she
had
departed to
the mercy of
God [183].
had fulfilled
God’s will
[268, 269].
had departed
to the mercy
of God
[183].
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7.
Тенгри
раҳматиға
борди
[38].
вафот этди
[33].
отправился к
милости
Аллаха [15].
was received
into
the
mercy
of God
[10].
he went to
God’s mercy
[18].
passed away
[11].
8.
Тенгри
раҳматиға
борибтур
[38].
тангри
раҳматига
борибди
[33].
отправилась
к
милости
Аллаха
[16].
she has gone
to the mercy
of God
[10].
she' has gone
to
God's
mercy
[74, 75].
had gone to
God’s mercy
[12].
9.
Тенгрини
нг хости
бўлса, ул
бўлғусиду
р [79].
Тангрининг
хоҳиши
бўлса, ўша
бўлгусидир
[77].
будет
так,
как захочет
бог [55].
whatever
God’s will
might be, be
it done [86].
whatever
was God’s
will, would
happen
[131].
what would
be would be
[98].
10.
Тенгрини
нг қошида
осий
бўлди
[49, 50].
Тангри
қошида
осий бўлди.
[45].
Перед богом
он
был
ослушником
[26].
accursed of
God
[31].
A
sinner
before God
[50].
to be sinful
in the sight
of God
[34].
11.
Тенгри
таоло рўзи
қилди
[155, 156].
Тангри
таоло катта
катта
фойдани
насиб
қилгусидир
[157].
великий
Аллах
в
воздаяние
пошлет нам
эту добычу
целиком
[122].
Almighty
God
bestowed
[225].
the
Most
High
God
apportioned
[331].
God
will
grant
us
great
benefits
[250].
12.
Тенгрига
таваккул
қилиб
[158].
Тангрига
таваккал
қилиб
[160].
возложив
упование на
Аллаха
[124].
who was a
man
of
judgement
[231].
putting out
trust in God
[337].
relying upon
God
[255].
13.
Тенгри
берди
[80].
яна Тангри
қайтариб
берди [78].
Бог
снова
отдал
нам
владения
[56].
Almighty
God
now
restored it to
me
[88].
God gave it
again!
[134].
our
hands
had
been
retored
by
God
[100].
The table above mentioned shows that more than ten religious concepts, both FB and non-FB,
circulating in the “Tengri” lexicon, have been reflected in Russian and English translations,
creating a unique translation style. They can only be seen in the table, but if they are analyzed
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in the full text in all three languages, the FBs and religious associations will lead to a further
enrichment of the picture and will be more understandable.
Рабиулаввал ойининг авохирида
Тенгри таоло фазл ва карами била
Кобул ва Ғазни
мулк ва вилоятини бежанг ва жидол муяссар ва мусаххар қилди [4; 107]. In this sample
Тенгри таоло фазл ва карами била
are fully described in “Baburnam”s interpretaion and
Russian translation as: Раби ул-аввал ойининг охирида
Тангри таолонинг фазлу карами
билан
Кобул ва Ғазни мулк ҳамда вилоятлари жанг жадалсиз менга муяссар бўлди ва
фатҳ этилди [5; 105]. This version is given in the Russian form as В конце месяца раби’
первого
Аллах великий по своей милости
и великодушию без боя и сражения
подчинил и отдал мне царство и область Кабула и Газни [6; 80]. The original
phraseological unit
Тенгри таоло фазлу ва карами била,
and in the interpretation into
Uzbek as Тангри таолонинг фазлу карами билан, and the Russian form Аллах великий по
своей милости.
The author mentions God Almighty with boundless gratitude in the description of the times
when he survived the calamities. God twice bestowed upon him a political kingdom without
any struggle or battle: for the first time, the Andijan region, when he was 12 years old, and the
second time, the Kabul and Ghazni regions when he was 21 years old. He bestowed this
blessing on him because he did not despair of defeats, was not afraid of dangers, and
understood that God had not yet called him to this field, but asked God for help, trusted in Him,
and bravely entered the field of new demands [9: 9].
In the original text phraseological unit
Тенгри таоло фазл ва карами била
translated into
English made by John Leyden and William Erskine: In the latter end of the month of the latter
Rabia,
by the blessing of Almighty God
, I gained possession of Kabul and Ghazni, with the
country and provinces dependent on them, without battle or contest [8; 136]. – Ой охирлари,
Робия ойининг иккинчи ярмида
Қодир Тангримнинг марҳамати билан
мен Кобул ва
Ғазни ва уларга қарам бўлган мамлакат ва вилоятларни жангсиз ва рақобатсиз эгаллаб
олишга эришдим.
In the translation by J. Leyden and W. Erskine, the sentence is reflected in a very
comprehensive manner. When translated back into the native language, the conjunction is used
four times, an increase is observed compared to the original, and the translator had to repeatedly
refer to the original when comparing the concentration of attention and content.
Tengri ta'ala
fazlu va karami bila
is reflected in their translation as by the blessing of Almighty God– Qadir
Tangri'ning marhamati bila.
And the second translator of “Baburnama” Annete Susannah Beveridge translated this version
in this way: It was in the last ten days of the second Rabi that without a fight, without an effort,
by Almighty of God’s bounty and mercy
, I obtained and made subject to me Kabul and
Ghazni and their dependent districts [2; 199].
The original text Тенгри таоло фазлу ва карами била in English version by Almighty of
God’s bounty and mercy and Қодир Тангрининг меҳрибонлиги ва марҳамати билан
translated into Russian
It was given in Thackston’s translation this way: Toward the end of Rabi’i [September],
through God’s grace and favor
, I regained once more the kingdom of Kabul and Ghazni
without blododshed [13; 151]. –
In W. Thackston’s translation, the conjunction is used less often and the translation is clarified
by adding the month of Rabi'ul-Awwal to the end of Rabi'I [September]. The double phrase
Тенгри таоло фазл ва карами била
н is reflected in the modern English form through God's
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grace and favor - Xудонинг инояти ва марҳамати билан . J. Leyden and W. Erskine
translated the original
Тенгри таоло фазл ва карами била
н as by the blessing of Almighty
God Қодир Тангрининг марҳамати билан, while S. Beveridge translated it as by Almighty of
God's bounty and mercy. W. Thackston, however, translates it as through God's grace and favor
- Худонинг инояти ва марҳамати билан.
According to the original text, there are four word units: 1) Tengri; 2) ta'ala; 3) grace;
4) grace and two and, conjunctions J. Leyden and W. Erskine's translation uses 3 definite
articles 1) blessing of 2) Almighty 3) God and prepositions by, of, the. S. Beveridge uses 4
lexical units by 1) Almighty of, 2) God’s,
3) bounty and, 4) mercy, and uses the preposition by; of and conjunction. W. Thackston uses 3
lexical units through 1) God’s, 2) grace and, 3) favor and 2 through, and conjunctions.
The translations show that the original text was translated several times, the words were
sometimes increased and sometimes decreased compared to the original, but the ambiguous
phrase retained its’ meaning and expression and in each translation there was a phenomenon of
equivalence, so the translators presented their own versions, paying attention to the integrity of
the content.
In conclusion, it should be said that the classic work “Baburnama” contains a huge source for
translation studies and linguistics. Although years and centuries pass, its’ vocabulary never
becomes obsolete. It may be considered archaic, but as a source of information it becomes even
more valuable. The English translations made over the years are considered a solution to
translation problems.
Adabiyotlar:
1. Алишер навоий. 2000. Муҳокаматул луғатайн // Муламмал асарлар тўплами. XVI том.
– Тошкент: Фан.
2. Beveridge, Anette Susannah. The Babur-nama in English. Emperor of Hindustan Babur. –
London, 1921. – 880 р.
3. Маҳмуд Кошғарий. Девону луғотит-турк. I-III. – Т.: 1960 – 1963. I–500 б, Б.369
4. Заҳириддин Муҳаммад Бобур. Бобурнома. 2002. Тошкент: Шарқ НМАК, 336
5. Заҳириддин Муҳаммад Бобур. Бобурнома. Т.: “Шарқ” НМАК, 2008, 336 б.
6. Заxириддин Муxаммад Бaбур. Бaбурнaмe. Т.: “Шарқ” НМАК, 2008, 336 б.
7. Заҳириддин Муҳаммад Бобур хазиналари. Мубайян ва насрий баёни. «Шарқ»,
Тошкент – 2014. Ҳамд баёни. Б. 373.
8. Заҳириддин Муҳаммад
Бобур
энциклопедияси.
«Шарқ»нашриёти матбаа
акциядорлик компанияси бош таҳририяти. – Тошкент 2017 688 б.: Б. 31.
9. Leyden John. Memoirs of Zehir-Ed-Din Muhammed Baber: Babur Emperor of Hindustan.
– London., 1826. – 432 р.
10. Раҳматуллаев Ш. Ўзбек тилининг этимологик луғати (туркий сўзлар). Т.:
“Университет”, I т. 200-600 б. Б. 371.
11. Thackston Wh. The Baburname. Memoirs of Babur, Prince and Emperor. The modern
library. New York. – 2002. P. 267.
12. Thackston Wh. M. The Baburnama. Memoirs of Babur, Prince and Emperor. – “New
York”, 1996. – 554 р.
13. Ўзбек тилининг изоҳли луғати. М.: Рус тили, 1981. Икки томли. II–715-б, Б.224.
14.
