TEHRAN- The 17th edition of the Persian translation of German-Swiss novelist Hermann Hesse’s “Siddhartha” has recently been published.

Mahi Publications in Tehran is the publisher of the book translated by Soroush Habibi.

Published in 1922, “Siddhartha” is a lyrical exploration of the human spirit's quest for enlightenment. Set in ancient India during the era of Gautama Buddha, the narrative follows Siddhartha—whose name in Sanskrit signifies "one who has found meaning"—on a lifelong odyssey to discover the truth of existence.

Siddhartha begins his journey as the privileged son of a Brahmin, possessing intellect and beauty but lacking inner peace. Driven by a spiritual hunger, he renounces his home to join the Samanas, ascetic monks who embrace extreme deprivation. However, he eventually discovers that asceticism is merely a temporary escape from the self. This realization leads him to the Buddha, referred to in the text as Gotama. While his friend Govinda joins the Buddha's monastic order, Siddhartha departs alone, concluding that enlightenment cannot be taught through doctrine; it must be experienced individually.

Siddhartha’s path then shifts from the spiritual to the material. In the city, he meets Kamala and enters the world of commerce under the businessman Kamaswami. Utilizing the discipline of his past, he quickly amasses wealth. Yet, the luxury of the city becomes a gilded cage. Entangled in gambling and indulgence, Siddhartha reaches a breaking point and contemplates suicide by the river. It is here that he experiences a spiritual rebirth, hearing the holy sound "Om," which reconnects him to the universe.

Siddhartha decides to remain by the water, apprenticing himself to Vasudeva, a humble ferryman. Under Vasudeva’s guidance, he learns to "listen" to the river, realizing that it contains all the voices of time—past, present, and future. This peace is tested when he reunites with Kamala and discovers he has a son. After Kamala’s death, the boy becomes rebellious and eventually flees. Though Siddhartha is desperate to follow him, Vasudeva urges him to let the boy find his own path, just as Siddhartha did in his youth. Through this loss, Siddhartha realizes that time is an illusion and that suffering is an integral part of the jubilant fellowship of all connected things. Having passed his wisdom to Siddhartha, Vasudeva departs into the woods, leaving Siddhartha peacefully fulfilled.

The novel reaches its resolution when Govinda, now an elderly monk, seeks out the legendary enlightened ferryman. He does not initially recognize the man as his childhood companion. When Govinda asks for the secret of wisdom, Siddhartha explains that language is too limited to capture the fullness of truth; for every true statement, there is an opposite that is also true. He urges Govinda to love the world in its completeness, recognizing that nature works in a self-sustaining cycle. 

In a final, transcendent moment, Siddhartha asks Govinda to kiss his forehead. Through this touch, Govinda experiences the same visions of timelessness and unity that Siddhartha found by the river. Bowing to his radiantly smiling friend, Govinda finally understands that the journey to enlightenment is not a destination, but a continuous flow of becoming.

SAB/