Representation of the Concept of Shulyk ‘Health / Vitality / Well-Being / Happiness’ in the Discourse of the Mari Ethnic Religion

In the religious concept sphere, shulyk ‘health / vitality / well-being / happiness’ refers to one of the multi-valued, multi-layered, significant concepts that require deep research. The purpose of the article is to identify the content of the concept of shulyk , to describe the features of its functioning in the discourse of the Mari ethnic religion. The conceptual content of the concept, interpretation in the works of religious scholars and clergy of the Mari ethnic religion, ways of representing the concept in the texts of Mari prayers, its figurative component and semantic connections with other key concepts of the Mari ethnic religion are analyzed. In the ethno-religious concept of shulyk , such semantic features as rise, fullness, growth, joy, vitality, energy, longevity, and happiness are actualized. It has been established that, along with other basic concepts, shulyk embodies the spiritual and moral values of the people, the fundamentals of the doctrine of the Mari ethnic religion and reflects the cultural and historical ties of the ethnos.