King Goshtasp sat upon his imperial throne, holding high audience for the realm's foremost nobles and commanders. Prince Esfandiyar entered the hall, bearing an ox-headed mace, his Kiani helmet reflecting the light, standing before his sovereign like a valiant lion with his hands folded in respect. Filled with pride, King Goshtasp bestowed upon him the royal banner, vast treasuries, and command of the entire Iranian host, charging him to ride forth and bring the holy Zoroastrian faith to every realm.
Taking up the divine crusade, Esfandiyar marched across the seas and through dark wildernesses, traversing Rome, India, and Yemen. Everywhere he rode, kings bowed to his supreme might, burning their ancient mountain idols and lighting the sacred, holy fires in their stead. Messages flooded Goshtasp's court from foreign rulers, begging for the holy texts of the Zend and Avesta. Goshtasp dispatched the sacred scriptures to every corner of the world.
Seeing the Earth cleansed of wickedness and filled with righteousness, Esfandiyar unbuckled his golden belt to rest. King Goshtasp then dispatched his son Farshidvard with a mighty army to govern Khorasan. Esfandiyar sent word back to his royal father: the realm had transformed into a paradise on Earth, fear had vanished, crops flourished in abundance under the shadow of the mythical Homa bird, and peace reigned supreme over all mankind.
#1
کی نامبردار زان روزگار
✦
نشست از بر گاه آن شهریار
“When that famed sovereign of the age sat upon his imperial throne,”
#2
گزینان لشکرش را بار داد
✦
بزرگان و شاهان مهترنژاد
“He granted audience to the elite of his host, the nobles and high-born kings.”
#3
ز پیش اندر آمد گو اسفندیار
✦
به دست اندرون گُرزهٔ گاوسار
“Then stepped forward the hero Esfandiyar, clutching the ox-headed mace in his hand.”
#4
نهاده به سر بر کیانی کلاه
✦
به زیر کلاهش همی تافت ماه
“Upon his head rested the Kiani crown, beneath which his radiant face shone like the full moon.”
#5
به استاد در پیش او شیرفش
✦
سرافگنده و دست کرده به کش
“He stood before the King lion-like, with bowed head and arms folded in reverent respect.”
#6
چو شاه جهان روی او را بدید
✦
ز جان و جهانش به دل برگزید
“When the King of the world beheld his countenance, he cherished him in his heart above life and the world itself.”
#7
بدو گفت شاه ای یل اسفندیار
✦
همی آرزو بایدت کارزار
“The King said to him: "O hero Esfandiyar, thou must surely long for glorious battle!"”
#8
یل تیغ‌زن گفت فرمان تراست
✦
که تو شهریاری و گیهان تراست
“The sword-wielding hero replied: "Thy command is paramount, for thou art the King and the cosmos is thine."”
#9
کی نامور تاج زرینش داد
✦
در گنجها را برو برگشاد
“The famed monarch bestowed upon him a golden crown and unlocked the doors of his vast treasuries.”
#10
همه کار ایران مر او را سپرد
✦
که او را بدی پهلوی دستبرد
“He entrusted all the affairs of Iran to his hands, for he possessed supreme heroic prowess.”
#11
درفشان بدو داد و گنج و سپاه
✦
هنوزت نبد گفت هنگام گاه
“He granted him the royal banner, treasures, and army, saying: "The time for the throne is not yet come for thee."”
#12
برو گفت و پا را به زین اندر آر
✦
همه کشورت را به دین اندر آر
“"Go," he commanded, "put thy foot in the stirrup, and bring every realm into the Good Faith."”
#13
بشد تیغ زن گردکش پور شاه
✦
بگردید بر کشورش با سپاه
“The sword-striking, warrior prince rode forth and traversed all lands with his mighty army.”
#14
به روم و به هندوستان برگذشت
✦
ز دریا و تاریکی اندر گذشت
“He marched through Rome and Hindustan, crossing tempestuous seas and regions of pitch darkness.”
#15
شه روم و هندوستان و یمن
✦
همه نام کردند بر تهمتن
“The kings of Rome, India, and Yemen all sang praises of the mighty paladin.”
#16
وزو دین گزارش همی خواستند
✦
مرین دین به را بیاراستند
“They requested instruction from him in the divine faith and adorned their realms with the Good Religion.”
#17
گزارش همی کرد اسفندیار
✦
به فرمان یزدان همی بست کار
“Esfandiyar expounded the holy doctrines to them, acting entirely under the command of God.”
#18
چو آگه شدند از نکو دین اوی
✦
گرفتند آن راه و آیین اوی
“When they became enlightened of his benevolent faith, they embraced his path and holy ordinances.”
#19
بتان از سر کوه میسوختند
✦
بجای بت آذر برافروختند
“They burned the idols atop the mountains and kindled the sacred fire in place of shrines of stone.”
#20
همه نامه کردند زی شهریار
✦
که ما دین گرفتیم ز اسفندیار
“They all dispatched missives to King Goshtasp, writing: "We have accepted the faith from Esfandiyar."”
#21
ببستیم کشتی و بگرفت باژ
✦
کنونت نشاید ز ما خاست باژ
“"We have bound the sacred girdle (kusti) and submitted; no longer shouldst thou demand tribute in anger from us."”
#22
که ما راست گشتیم و ایزدپرست
✦
کنون زند و استا سوی ما فرست
“"For we have become righteous God-worshippers; now send unto us the holy Zend and Avesta."”
#23
چو شه نامهٔ شهریاران بخواند
✦
نشست از برگاه و یاران بخواند
“When the King read the letters of foreign sovereigns, he sat upon his throne and summoned his council of lords.”
#24
فرستاد زندی به هر کشوری
✦
به هر نامداری و هر مهتری
“He dispatched volumes of the Zend scriptures to every country, to every chieftain and noble ruler.”
#25
بفرمود تا نامور پهلوان
✦
همی گشت هر سو به گرد جهان
“He commanded that the renowned paladin continue his progression throughout the quarters of the world.”
#26
به هرجا که آن شاه بنهاد روی
✦
بیامد پذیره کسی پیش اوی
“Wherever that prince set his face, people came forth to welcome his triumphant approach.”
#27
همه کس مر او را به فرمان شدند
✦
بدان در جهان پاک پنهان شدند
“All mankind submitted to his authority, and evil deeds vanished completely from the earth.”
#28
چو گیتی همه راست شد بر پدرش
✦
گشاد از میان باز زرین کمرش
“When the entire world was aligned in righteousness for his father, he unbuckled his golden belt from his waist.”
#29
به شادی نشست از بر تخت و گاه
✦
بیاسود یک چند گه با سپاه
“In joy he sat upon the seat of honor, resting for a space together with his valiant army.”
#30
برادرش را خواند فرشیدورد
✦
سپاهی برون کرد مردان مرد
“King Goshtasp then summoned Esfandiyar's brother Farshidvard, marshaling a force of lion-hearted warriors.”
#31
بدو داد و دینار دادش بسی
✦
خراسان بدو داد و کردش گسی
“He granted him vast treasures of gold dinars, conferred Khorasan upon him, and dispatched him thither.”
#32
چو یک چند گاهی برآمد برین
✦
جهان ویژه گشت از بد و پاک دین
“When some time had passed after this, the earth became purified of evil and radiant in righteous faith.”
#33
فرسته فرستاد سوی پدر
✦
که ای نامور شاه پیروزگر
“Esfandiyar dispatched an envoy to his royal father, writing: "O renowned and victorious Sovereign!"”
#34
جهان ویژه کردم به دین خدای
✦
به کشور برافگنده سایهٔ همای
“"I have cleansed the world through God's holy faith; the shadow of the Homa bird now covers all realms."”
#35
کسی را بنیز از کسی بیم نه
✦
به گیتی کسی بی‌زر و سیم نه
“"No man harbors fear of another any longer, nor does anyone in the world remain destitute of gold and silver."”
#36
فروزنده گیتی بسان بهشت
✦
جهان گشته آباد و هر جای کشت
“"The earth shines bright like Paradise; the world is rendered prosperous, with crops tilled in every field."”
#37
سواران جهان را همی داشتند
✦
چو برزیگران تخم می‌کاشتند
“"Mounted warriors guard the peace of the realm, while husbandmen sow their grain in safety."”
#38
بدین سان ببوده سراسر جهان
✦
به گیتی شده گم بد بدگمان
“"In such wise did the entire world abide, and the malevolence of the evil-minded vanished from the earth."”