Namaeh Farhangistan

Namaeh Farhangistan

Reconsidering Khaqani’s Ascendant: A Study on Some Astrological Imagery in His Poetry

Document Type : Original Article

Author
Leili Varahram
Assistant Professor of Ancient Languages ​​and Iranology, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/nf.2026.553997.1474
Abstract
Khāqāni refers to his ascendant sign nine times throughout his poetry, yet he inconsistently identifies it as either Cancer or Leo. Most commentators have regarded Leo as his true ascendant, interpreting his references to Cancer as purely metaphorical: since the crab (Cancer) moves backward and obliquely, they suggest that Khāqāni invoked it symbolically rather than astrologically, without any connection to his actual horoscope. This article challenges that assumption and argues that a poet such as Khāqāni, renowned for his extensive and precise knowledge of astronomy and astrology, could not have erred on a matter as fundamental as the ascendant, which forms the basis of numerous calculations in classical astrology. By dating several of the poems in which he mentions his ascendant, we demonstrate that Khāqāni initially believed his ascendant to be Cancer, but later discovered that it was in fact Leo. In tracing this intellectual and poetic transformation, we further analyze his opposition to the astrological predictions surrounding the great conjunction (qirān) of 582 AH. This analysis reveals the central role of the concept of qirān-i mustarqa (“concealed conjunction”) in shaping Khāqāni’s rejection of those forecasts. Overall, the study highlights the poet’s sophisticated engagement with astrological discourse and his evolving interpretation of celestial signs within the broader context of medieval Persian intellectual culture.
Keywords
Khāqāni
ascendant sign
dating poems
qirān of 582 AH
qirān-i mustarqa
Subjects
References
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Namaeh Farhangistan
Volume 25, Issue 5 - Serial Number 105
Nameh Farhangestan (Khaghani Studies)
November and December 2026
Pages 101-118

  • Receive Date 18 October 2025
  • Revise Date 26 October 2025
  • Accept Date 03 November 2025