Hushang

Older sources interpreted the second part of the name as -šyaŋh, composed of ši- 'dwelling' and -aŋh 'giving rise to', thus meaning 'he who produces good dwellings' or 'promoter of culture and sedentary living'.

According to another interpretation, the second part of the name is -šiiah- a variant of čiia- 'selecting, deciding', giving the whole name *hu-šiiah- the meaning 'good (religious) choice'.

Hushang's epithet Paradhāta/Pishdad (Pēšdād) was interpreted in Sasanian times as meaning 'he who first set the law of sovereignty', which has been accepted by some modern scholars.

The 10th-century Middle Persian Denkard summarizes Chihrdad, a lost book (nask) of the Avesta, which mentions Hushang.

Arabic-language sources such as al-Tabari's chronicle, al-Tha'alibi's Ghurar akhbār mulūk al-Furs wa-siyarihim, and al-Biruni's The Remaining Signs of Past Centuries give information about Hushang.

In the older Yashts, the lists of heroes or kings who received divine favor always begin with Hushang.

[3] In the summary of the lost book of the Avesta Chihrdad in the Denkard, he is made a son of Mashya and grandson of Gayomard.

The Bundahishn calls him the son of Fravak, grandson of Siamak, great-grandson of Mashya, and great-great-grandson of Gayomard.

Siamak was killed by demons, but was avenged by Hushang, who acquired the divine glory, subdued the forces of Ahriman, and succeeded his grandfather Gayomard, reigning for forty years.

A later addition to the Shahnameh, believed to be a popular story,[1] also credits Hushang with the accidental discovery of fire, which happened after he hurled a flint rock to kill a venomous black serpent.