When Lohrasp surrendered the crown and throne of kingship to his son Goshtasp, he stepped down from his royal seat and bound up his traveling gear. He made his way to chosen Balkh and the magnificent sanctuary of Nubehar—a holy place revered by the worshippers of God in those days just as the Arabs reverence Mecca in later ages. The worshipping king entered that house of praise, locked its doors to both kinsmen and strangers, donned the coarse wool of devotion, cast off his armlets, and let down his hair to face the radiant Creator. For thirty continuous years he stood in prayer, praising the sun in accordance with the ancient path set down in the days of Jamshid.
Meanwhile, Goshtasp ascended his father's throne, endowed with both his father's royal glory and fortune. Placing upon his head the crown handed down by his progenitor, he declared before the nobles: "I am a God-worshipping king, and the pure Almighty granted me this crown so that we may drive the wolf away from the flock of sheep, reach out toward the path of God, and make not the world narrow for noble souls. We shall uphold the tradition of the ancient kings and bring the evil-minded unto the divine faith." So boundless was the justice he established that the wolf and the sheep drank from the very same stream.
During this era, Katayoun, the renowned daughter of Caesar—whom the noble king called Nahid—bore Goshtasp two sons bright as the shining moon: one was the famed and glorious Esfandiyar, an unconquered warrior of battle, and the other was Peshotan, a sword-wielding hero and legendary breaker of armies.
As the realm became securely ordered under the new king, he sought to emulate the majestic rule of Fereydun. All the monarchs of the earth yielded tribute and gifts to him, bringing peace to the hearts of well-wishers—save for King Arjasp, the ruler of Touran, before whom demons stood in readiness. Arjasp refused the tribute and heeded no counsel; for Goshtasp would no longer pay homage to his equal, but demanded tribute himself, setting the stage for bitter conflict.
#1
چو گشتاسپ را داد لهراسپ تخت
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فرود آمد از تخت و بربست رخت
“When Lohrasp bestowed the throne upon Goshtasp, he descended from the seat of power and bound up his robes for departure.”
#2
به بلخ گزین شد بران نوبهار
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که یزدان پرستان بدان روزگار
“He departed for the chosen city of Balkh, unto the temple of Nubehar, which the worshippers of God held sacred in those times,”
#3
مران جای را داشتندی چنان
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که مر مکه را تازیان این زمان
“Holding that holy site in such deep reverence as the Arabs in this present age hold Mecca.”
#4
بدان خانه شد شاه یزدان پرست
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فرود آمد از جایگاه نشست
“Unto that house went the God-worshipping king, stepping down from his royal seat to enter its hall.”
#5
ببست آن در آفرین خانه را
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نماند اندرو خویش و بیگانه را
“He barred the door of that house of praise, leaving neither kin nor stranger within its walls.”
#6
بپوشید جامهٔ پرستش پلاس
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خرد را چنان کرد باید سپاس
“He clothed himself in the coarse wool of worship; for thus must wisdom render thanks to the Almighty.”
#7
بیفگند یاره فرو هشت موی
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سوی روشن دادگر کرد روی
“He cast away his royal armlets, let down his hair, and turned his face toward the luminous Creator of justice.”
#8
همی بود سی سال پیشش به پای
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برینسان پرستید باید خدای
“For thirty full years he stood before Him; in such wise ought one to worship God.”
#9
نیایش همی کرد خورشید را
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چنان بوده بد راه جمشید را
“He offered prayer unto the sun, for such had been the tradition in the days of Jamshid.”
#10
چو گشتاسپ بر شد به تخت پدر
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که هم فر او داشت و بخت پدر
“When Goshtasp ascended the throne of his father, possessing both the royal glory and the fortune of his sire,”
#11
به سر بر نهاد آن پدر داده تاج
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که زیبنده باشد بر آزاده تاج
“He placed upon his head that father-given crown, a crown fitting for a noble monarch.”
#12
منم گفت یزدان پرستنده شاه
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مرا ایزد پاک داد این کلاه
“He proclaimed: "I am a king who worshippeth God, and the pure Lord hath bestowed upon me this crown,”
#13
بدان داد ما را کلاه بزرگ
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که بیرون کنیم از رم میش گرگ
“He granted us this great crown that we may drive the wolf away from the flock of sheep,”
#14
سوی راه یزدان بیازیم چنگ
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بر آزاده گیتی نداریم تنگ
“To stretch forth our hands toward the path of God, and make not the world narrow for the noble-born.”
#15
چو آیین شاهان بجای آوریم
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بدان را به دین خدای آوریم
“As we fulfill the traditions of ancient kings, we shall bring the wicked unto the faith of God."”
#16
یکی داد گسترد کز داد اوی
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ابا گرگ میش آب خوردی به جوی
“He spread such justice across the world that through his righteousness, the wolf and the sheep drank from the same stream.”
#17
پس آن دختر نامور قیصرا
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که ناهید بد نام آن دخترا
“Then that renowned daughter of Caesar, whom they called Nahid,”
#18
کتایونش خواندی گرانمایه شاه
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دو فرزندش آمد چو تابنده ماه
“Whom the noble king addressed as Katayoun, bore him two sons radiant like the shining moon:”
#19
یکی نامور فرخ اسفندیار
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شه کارزاری نبرده سوار
“One was the famous and glorious Esfandiyar, a battle-tested king and invincible warrior,”
#20
پشوتن دگر گرد شمشیر زن
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شه نامبردار لشکرشکن
“The other was Peshotan, a warrior and wielder of the sword, a renowned prince and breaker of armies.”
#21
چو گیتی بران شاه نو راست شد
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فریدون دیگر همی خواست شد
“When the world became orderly under this new king, he sought to become like unto another Fereydun.”
#22
گزیدش بدادند شاهان همه
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نشستن دل نیک‌خواهان همه
“All the kings willingly rendered him tribute, and the hearts of all well-wishers found peace.”
#23
مگر شاه ارجاسپ توران خدای
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که دیوان بدندی به پیشش به پای
“Save King Arjasp, the ruler of Touran, before whom the demons stood in waiting.”
#24
گزیتش نپذرفت و نشنید پند
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اگر پند نشنید زو دید بند
“He accepted not the tribute and paid no heed to counsel; and since he heeded no advice, he was bound to see bondage.”
#25
وزو بستدی نیز هر سال باژ
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چرا داد باید به هامال باژ
“Furthermore, Goshtasp demanded tribute from him every year; why indeed should one yield tribute to a peer?”