Philosophical terms of “periodic theory” in the works by the 14th century Azerbaijani poet Nasimi

The problem of cyclical cosmology in Imadaddin Nasimi’s poetry has not yet been examined in sufficient detail in modern Nasimi studies, particularly with regard to the lexical differentiation between the cosmic circulation of the heavens and the inner return of the human soul. A clearer description of this distinction may contribute to a more accurate reading of Sufi poetic language in medieval Azerbaijani Turkish literature. The purpose of this article was to identify, classify, and interpret the lexical units through which Nasimi conveyed the exoteric and esoteric dimensions of cyclical cosmology. To achieve this aim, the study applied close reading, semantic and etymological analysis, and descriptive, comparative, and classificatory methods, with selected references to classical Sufi thought. The analysis indicated that the exoteric dimension is represented by a relatively stable group of cosmological terms connected with celestial movement, the layered structure of the heavens, and planetary order. Lexical units such as “dawr”, “dawrān”, “falak”, “dawr-i falak”, and “charkh-i aflāk” appear in Nasimi’s poetry not simply as astronomical designations, but as components of a poetic model of universal order. The esoteric dimension, in turn, is expressed through a distinct lexical sequence associated with descent into material existence and ascent toward the divine source. Terms such as “maʿdan”, “nabāt”, “tuʿma-yi ḥaywān”, “ins u jān”, “marjaʿ”, “ṣuʿūd”, “ʿurūj”, and “rujūʿ” form a semantic pattern that can be understood as describing ontological and spiritual progression rather than reincarnation in its doctrinal sense. The results may be used in Nasimi studies, historical lexicology, the interpretation of Sufi poetic discourse, and university courses on medieval Turkic literature