International Journal Of Literature And Languages
53
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijll
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue05 2025
PAGE NO.
53-57
10.37547/ijll/Volume05Issue05-15
Interpretation of Ancient Imaginations in The Song
"Adirasman"
Khamza Allambergenov
Nukus State Pedagogical Institute, Associate Professor of the Department of Uzbek Literature, Doctor of Philosophy in Philological
Sciences, Uzbekistan
Received:
17 March 2025;
Accepted:
13 April 2025;
Published:
15 May 2025
Abstract:
This article provides a comparative analysis of the peculiarities, formation, history, and typological
features of the folk song "Adirasman," performed during the incubation of wormwood.
Keywords:
Adirasman, folk song, Umar, Uthman, Khazar, ancient belief, legend.
Introduction:
Since ancient times, folk songs have
reflected our ancestors' way of understanding the
world, their attitude towards natural phenomena
occurring around them, their pain and anxieties, joys
and delights, their social worldview, and the
development of their artistic thinking. That is why the
lines that arise as a result of the subtle creations of the
human spiritual world contain his emotional
experiences.
In the 20th century, Uzbek folklore studies achieved
great success in the field of recording, collecting, and
studying folk songs. Therefore, the results of the
valuable research of B.Sarimsakov, M.Alaviya,
O.Safarov, M.Zhuraev, A.Musaqulov, and H.Razzakov
continue to serve as an important source for young
scientists and researchers today. However, among our
creative people, there are still many examples of
folklore that need to be recorded and await their
monographic research. In particular, the folk song
"Adirasman," which is actively used in the territory of
the Republic of Karakalpakstan, is one of such examples
of oral creativity. This term, which is used in the Uzbek
language in the meaning of wormwood, is expressed
among
the
Kipchak-speaking
population
of
Karakalpakstan by the terms adirasman, isvant in the
Oghuz dialect, and in the Karakalpak language it is used
in the form әdiraspan (а'diraspan).
The song "Adirasman," performed in a peculiar way
with a calm tone, based on a certain rhythm, arose as a
result of the ancient beliefs of our ancestors - their
magical relationship to fire and plants. In particular, this
aspect becomes clearer in the following lines, recorded
from Aisha Ismailova, born in 1942 (78 years old) and
residing in the Amudarya district (recorder:
H.Allambergenov), which are assumed to be relatively
more complete:
Адирасман деган сенмисан?
Минг
-
да бир балога эммисан?
Адирасман, Адирасман,
Сени жибарди Ўмар, Ўсман.
Кўзи тийганнинг кўзи чиқсин!
Қўли тийганнинг қўли синсин!
Адирасман деган сенмисан?
Минг
-
да бир балога эммисан?
According to the lyrics of the song, wormwood is
imagined as a living object. That's why the person
holding it says, "Are you the one who said 'I am
Adiras'?" Are you worried about a thousand troubles?"
This process seems to be connected with ancient
shamanistic beliefs. Indeed, as A. Musakulov notes,
"the songs that have reached us show that shamanistic
relics are stronger and more preserved in traditional
folk lyrics than the rudiments of totemism, and that
shamanism has been the leading religious ideology in
the history of our people for many centuries" [3:77]. In
the third and fourth verses, it can be said that
adirasman is interpreted as a divine plant sent by the
Chaharyars, widespread among the peoples of the East.
International Journal Of Literature And Languages
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International Journal Of Literature And Languages (ISSN: 2771-2834)
The next stanza of the song expresses views reflecting
the plea to protect the person being lit from evil eyes
and hands. In this case, the animistic belief of our
ancestors in the presence of a divine power in words,
connected with the realization of human goals,
intentions, and desires, is emphasized. According to our
folklorist scholars, particularly Olimjon Qayumov, the
tradition of reciting magical sayings to heal patients
through word magic, find lost items, and ease difficult
tasks is widespread not only among Turkic tribes living
in Central Asia but also among the Turkic peoples of
Siberia and the Caucasus [8:6].
Thus, in the process of feeling the presence of
supernatural power in the word, feeling helpless before
this divine state, similar views appeared in examples of
oral creativity. As B. Sarimsakov noted, "in the distant
past, people understood the influence of words on the
human psyche not directly from the content of the
word, but from the influence of some supernatural
power within it. Therefore, in their imagination, words
are divided into good and bad types. Good words bring
health and happiness to people, while bad words bring
them misfortune" [1: 109].
In the following sample, recorded from Gulzhan
Matyakubova, born in 1954, residing in the village of
Akbashli, Turtkul district, Republic of Karakalpakstan,
we see that the term isiriq is expressed by the term
"isvant." In the lyrics of the song, it is emphasized that
if isvant is not lit for the healing of a sick person, the
performer becomes guilty, and if isiriq is lit, but the sick
person does not find a cure, then the object appealing
to this situation as a product of a worldview preserved
since ancient times is guilty:
Хазарс исвант санмисан?
Дурли балоға эммисан?
Эм бўлмасанг сан зомин,
Тутатмасам ман зомин.
Исириқ
-
жимириқ санмисан?
Дурли балоға эммисан?
Гўз атганнинг гўззи чиққай,
Қаст атганнинг бели чиққай.
The same situation can be observed in a Karakalpak
passage recorded from Ulbike Uteniyazova, born in
1952, who lives in the village of Kara-oy, Takhtakupyr
district, Karakalpakstan. Interestingly, this example,
unlike other versions, begins with a greeting to the
wormwood:
Ассалаўма алейкум, әдираспан,
Бизди сизге жиберди Омар, Оспан.
Жазылмасам маған шәрт,
Жазылдырмасаң саған шәрт!
The text of the next song, recorded from Sapargul
Masharipova, born in 1953, living in the Khazarasp
district of the Khorezm region, differs from other Turkic
songs on the same theme by its relatively large volume.
It is also expressed that if someone gets sick, or if others
cannot accept it due to envy for some achievements in
life, the damage will go to them:
Исвант даян бу санмисан?
Дурли балоға эммисан?
Гўз атганни гўззи чиққай,
Гўтаролмағани бели синғай,
Атлағай, чатлағай, партлағай.
Бар қарни катта бойлара,
Нердан гирган бўлсанг шўра,
Чиқ, чиқ, чиқ.
Ҳазор исвант, ҳазор исвант,
Тутмасам манда гуно,
Эм бўмасанг санда гуно.
It is also worth noting that the words "hazor,"
"khazars," used in folk songs on this topic, are
understood by ordinary people in relation to the
Khazarasp district of the Khorezm region. But this is
completely wrong. Originally hazor is a Persian word
meaning "thousand." The "Explanatory Dictionary of
the Uzbek Language" also states that as an obsolete
bookish word, it is used in the Uzbek language not to
express counting numbers, but to express the concepts
of countless, very many, extremely, infinite, and infinite
[7:480]. In addition, we must not forget that the name
of the district originated from the combination of
words meaning "hazor" - thousand, "asp" - noun.
Consequently, hazor served as an adjective expressing
the meanings of "many," "infinite," as well as
"powerful."
In an excerpt recorded from Sayyora Abdirimova, born
in 1982, who lives in Mirishkor village of Bogot district,
Khorezm region, it is emphasized that diseases and
harm go far from humans - to lakes and deserts, not
among ordinary people, because treating a patient (as
described in Abdulla Qahhor's story) is not easy:
Кўллар(г)а бор, чўллар(г)а бор,
Бизардий ғарибларда не бор?
The song "Adirasman" is often performed by older
women when a family member catches a cold or
another illness occurs, as well as in wedding
ceremonies and in rituals related to traditions, such as
the first cradle of a child, and usually performed by
elderly women with incense. As the renowned folklorist
Muzayana Alaviya aptly noted, "the main creators and
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International Journal Of Literature And Languages (ISSN: 2771-2834)
performers of ritual songs are women" [4:5]. Since
ancient times, mothers, elderly aunts, and elderly
women have played a significant role in preparing small
details related to family and household rituals and
conveying their attitudes towards various events in
relation to human psychology. According to master
folklorist Omonulla Madayev, after the child was
swaddled in the cradle, sprinkles were scattered over
him, incense was lit, and the following saying was said:
Исириқ, исириқ,
Чатнасин, исириқ,
Тутасин исириқ,
Боламга кўз тегмасин.
Ким қўзимга кўз қилса,
Кўзлари оқиб тушсин. [10:221]
After this process, the baby in the cradle was taken to
another room, pilaf was distributed to the guests, and
women and girls were invited with various fabrics and
clothes.
And in the version recorded from Sayyora Bekchanova,
born in 1974, originally from the Ellikkala district, there
is an attempt to drive away "evil forces," to "push
away" evil spirits:
Исфант даган санмисан?
Турли балоға эммисан?
Кўз атганнинг кўзи чиқсин,
Суқ атганнинг суқи чиқсин.
Нердан кеган бўсанг шўрдан чиқ,
Чиқ
-
чиқ
-
чиқ, киш
-
киш
-
киш!
Today, it's true that many people don't fully know the
lyrics of this song. Perhaps that's why in most cases, for
example, in Karakalpakstan, there are only two or four
(often "Are you the one who said 'I am Adiras'?" What
a pity for you? Let the eye of the one who touched it
come out, Let the hand of the one who touched it
break!") are performed.
Similar concepts related to incense have led to the
formation of small paremiological units about it among
the people. In particular, the proverb cited in the book
"Hikmatnoma" by Sh. Shomaqsudov and Sh.
Shorahmedov: "A jinn runs from wormwood, a jinn
from wormwood" (wormwood - fist) is proof of our
opinion. In this same source, it is said that in folk
medicine, it was used to treat itching, rheumatism, and
skin diseases with a liquid made from wormwood, and
people who did not know its beneficial properties gave
it a divine appearance, for example, if you smoke
wormwood in the house, it will drive out all jinns and
demons and will be a cure for a thousand and one
ailments of a person, and therefore, when children
have measles, when a newborn is born, and sometimes
in such ceremonies as the wedding of a son, the birth
of a child, when performing the ko'chirik ritual.
However, it is stated that there is no divine secret in
wormwood, that all its secrets are due to the
disinfecting properties of the smoke released when
burned, and indeed, wormwood smoke cleanses the air
from various harmful microbes and eliminates
unpleasant odors with its characteristic pleasant smell.
[5:162]
In the book of Uzbek folk ritual songs "Oy oldida bir
yulduz," compiled and prepared for publication by
folklorist M.Juraev, the sayings performed when
burning incense for a baby are collected. In particular,
the following incident related to the performance of a
recitation recorded in 1981 from Jumakhol Mavlonova,
a resident of the village of Zhigachi, Karakul district,
Bukhara region, is also cited: "When putting incense on
a baby, they bring embers in a container and throw
incense on top of it. The child is lifted and circled
several times over the incense-burning vessel, then the
head covering is removed, held in incense smoke, and
placed on the head. When incense is lit, the following is
said:
Ҳазорисванд ҳазор дори,
Минг дардларга сан дори,
Кўлларга бор,
Чўлларга бор,
Қорни катта бойларга бор,
Суви қуриган сойларга бор,
Бу норасидада нима гуноҳ бор!»
This circumstance once again proves that the examples
of oral creativity of the Turkic peoples living in different
regions have common features, as well as some
peculiarities.
In the medicine of the peoples of Central Asia,
wormwood smoke is used as a natural medicinal
remedy for colds, as a hygienic remedy for cleaning the
house or room. At the same time, the derivative of
ancient magical concepts - insu - also serves as a
protector from evil spirits, evil eyes, and gazes. In
Guljahon Mardonova's treatise "The House Full of
Light," the following legend is cited: "It is said that a
plague spread in a village. Along with the animals,
people began to die out. In short, there was no one left
in the village except an old man and an old woman.
When people came and asked about the reason, he
replied: 'We lit incense every day, every minute'"
[2:30].
Based on our observations, it can be said that it is
appropriate to interpret the periods of formation of
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International Journal Of Literature And Languages (ISSN: 2771-2834)
this folk song in connection with the periods of
emergence of Zoroastrian traditions in our country.
Because it was during these times that our ancestors'
beliefs related to fire, their worship of it, and treating it
as if it were alive became their daily way of life. As
folklorist J. Eshonqulov noted, "Our ancestors were a
hundred times more poetic than we are at the time
when we consider them primitive... in today's terms,
thousands of years ago, their way of thinking was in the
form of 'poetic contemplation': they perceived
everything in their lives and nature as a symbol of
imagined concepts.
It is a natural process for folklore samples to undergo
changes over time, to be polished, to be enriched with
new images, images, and motifs. In this sense, it can be
said that the images of Umar and Usman in the lyrics of
the song were also formed in the post-Islamic period,
after the 8th century. Because the names of these
caliphs, who played a key role in the widespread
dissemination of Islam, their good deeds and actions,
conversations and events between them and
Muhammad (peace be upon him) were widely spread
in religious and educational sources and among the
people, which led to the inclusion of these sacred
names in the lyrics of the song. In particular, in
Abdusodiq Irisov's treatise "Chahoryorlar" - about the
famous four caliphs, the following hadith of the
Prophet Muhammad is cited: "The Almighty created my
friends virtuous to all people. Among these friends,
four people - Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali - had
high virtues. He made them my best friends." Or it is
stated that Umar always accompanied the Prophet
(peace be upon him), was a close companion with him,
and in this regard, he was aware of all the events that
happened with the Prophet, participated shoulder to
shoulder with the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the
battles that took place in all cities, and his attitude
towards him: "The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: -
I swear by Allah, O Umar, Satan will never come to you,
whichever way you go, he will certainly go by another
way!" [9:12] Or in a narration from Bibi Aisha, one day
when Abu Bakr and Umar entered the presence of our
Prophet (peace be upon him), who had lightened his
clothes and rolled up his soles to his knees due to the
hot weather, they found him in this state. However,
shortly after, when Uthman ibn Affan came here, he
straightened his clothes and shoes, got up from his side
position, sat upright, and later discussed this matter
with Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her): "You did
not change your position when my father Abu Bakr
came, nor when Umar came. But when Osman came,
you sat up straight, why did you do this? Then our
Prophet (peace be upon him) looked at our mother
Aisha and replied: - Should I not be ashamed of a
person whom the angels are ashamed of?" [9:21-22].
In general, due to the events related to the life and
activities of saints in such oral and written sources,
their blessed names are included in the song
"Adirasman." In addition, the song sung among the
Kazakh people, the content of which is given below, in
which the same names are also mentioned, is indicated
as a condition that must be sung before cutting off this
plant:
Ассалаумағалейкум адыраспан,
Мені саған жіберді Омар Оспан,
Жанға дəру, дертке шипа болғай,
Жамандықтан сақтай гөр, сабылыстан. [11]
Content:
Ассалому алайкум, адирасман,
Мени сенга юборди Умар, Усмон.
Жонга дармон, дардга шифо бўлгай,
Сақлагин ёмонликдан, курашлардан.
In the content of this legend, which is expressed as a
commentary on the song that must be performed
before plucking the Adirasman, the origin of the song's
name is described:
When Hazrat Uthman was setting out for battle with his
troops, he decided to spend the night at a location
along the way. Hearing that he was approaching with a
large army, the enemy secretly came and untied the
horses of the sleeping soldiers. And without a saddled
horse, you won't get far. Unexpectedly, from among
the horses that had fled in panic, Hazrat Usmon's horse
got tangled in a bush of adirasman with its rope and
couldn't leave. The other herds of horses had also
gathered completely in that spot where the horse was
circling.
Osman put the adirasman, wrapped in a string, in his
bag. After defeating the enemy and returning, he told
the prophet what had happened, saying that he named
this plant "adirasman." The Prophet, pleased with
Adirasman's "service," blessed him saying, "May the
Adirasman who saved my armies serve my ummah
from now on."
That's why you can't pluck a plant that the Prophet
himself infused without specifying its condition. [11]
In general, the songs "Adirasman" are examples of oral
creativity, which arose as a product of the artistic
thinking of our ancestors, belonging to the ancient
shamanistic period. Religious and magical concepts
were also formed on the basis of the signs of incense
smoke related to folk medicine. In the post-Islamic
period, based on legends and narratives related to
miraculous saints, the images of Umar and Uthman
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International Journal Of Literature And Languages (ISSN: 2771-2834)
emerged. Through signs of folk medicine, customs,
traditions, and rituals, as well as everyday life, are
firmly established.
Today, among the Turkic peoples living in different
regions, sharing a common language, religion,
worldview, customs, and traditions, it continues to
exist as an example of folklore possessing divine power,
healing properties, and the ability to expel evil eyes and
forces.
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https://informburo.kz/pikir/saya-kasymbek/atasynan-
adastyrmaan-adyraspan.html
