In ancient times, a monarch named Kaid ruled over the realm of India—a sovereign whose sole quest was the acquisition of wisdom and enlightened judgment. Possessing the mind of a philosopher and the imperial stature of high priests, King Kaid beheld ten astonishing and cryptic visions in his sleep over ten consecutive nights. Waking in deep turmoil, he summoned the most illustrious astrologers, sages, and counsellors across India to his royal court. He laid bare every secret of his nocturnal visions, yet even the most learned scholars were struck dumb, their faces paling as they failed to unravel the mysteries.
Among the gathered assembly, a wise counsellor stepped forward and spoke of a renowned hermit named Mehran. This holy man had renounced all human companionship and worldly grandeur, retreating to the solitude of high mountain crags where he lived peacefully among wild gazelles and mountain goats, subsisting solely on wild herbs. The counsellor advised the king that only this devout, elevated soul possessed the divine insight required to interpret such visions.
Without delay, King Kaid swung into the saddle and rode out into the wilderness accompanied by his retinue of sages. Reaching the remote mountain realm of Mehran, the king hailed the ascetic with profound reverence and poured out his account of the ten dreams: first, a monstrous war-elephant passing effortlessly through a microscopic opening, only for its trunk to remain inexplicably trapped behind; second, his royal throne left vacant, whereupon a strange monarch assumed the imperial crown; third, a sheet of fine silk pulled violently from four corners by four men whose faces turned lapis-blue, yet the cloth never tore; fourth, a parched man standing by a running stream fleeing in terror as a fish splashed water upon him; fifth, a thriving city filled entirely with blind citizens engaged in prosperous commerce without discontent; sixth, a city of terminally ill citizens nursing and offering medicine to the healthy; seventh, a swift steed with two heads and four legs that grazed from both ends simultaneously while lacking any excretory outlet; and eighth, three earthenware vessels placed side by side—two filled to the brim, endlessly splashing water into one another while the bone-dry jar in the middle received not a single drop.
Thus did King Kaid lay his mysterious dreams before Mehran, awaiting the hermit's divine wisdom to unveil the shadowed destiny of his kingdom and the world to come.
#1
چنین گفت گویندهٔ پهلوی
✦
شگفت آیدت کاین سخن بشنوی
“Thus spoke the narrator of Pahlavi lore: wondrous it shall seem to thee when thou nearest this tale.”
#2
یکی شاه بد هند را نام کید
✦
نکردی جز از دانش و رای صید
“There was a king in India named Kaid, who hunted for nothing save knowledge and wise counsel.”
#3
دل بخردان داشت و مغز ردان
✦
نشست کیان افسر موبدان
“He possessed the heart of the wise and the brain of chieftains; he sat on the Kianian throne wearing the crown of high priests.”
#4
دمادم به ده شب پس یکدگر
✦
همی خواب دید این شگفتی نگر
“Ten nights in continuous succession, he saw dreams—behold this wonder!”
#5
به هندوستان هرک دانا بدند
✦
به گفتار و دانش توانا بدند
“Whosoever in India was learned and mighty in speech and wisdom,”
#6
بفرمود تا ساختند انجمن
✦
هرانکس که دانا بد و رای‌زن
“He ordered them to assemble—everyone who was wise and a counsellor.”
#7
همه خوابها پیش ایشان بگفت
✦
نهفته پدید آورید از نهفت
“He recounted all his dreams to them, revealing what was hidden from secrecy.”
#8
کس آن را گزارش ندانست کرد
✦
پراندیشه شدشان دل و روی زرد
“None among them knew how to interpret them; their hearts grew anxious and their faces turned pale.”
#9
یکی گفت با کید کای شهریار
✦
خردمند وز مهتران یادگار
“One of them said to Kaid: 'O King, wise and a keepsake of the great ones!”
#10
یکی نامدارست مهران به نام
✦
ز گیتی به دانش رسیده به کام
“There is a renowned man named Mehran, who has reached his heart's desire in knowledge of the world.”
#11
به شهر اندرش خواب و آرام نیست
✦
نشستش به جز با دد و دام نیست
“He finds no sleep or rest in the city; he dwells nowhere save among wild beasts and animals.”
#12
ز تخم گیاهای کوهی خورد
✦
چو ما را به مردم همی نشمرد
“He eats of the seeds of mountain herbs and does not count us among human beings.”
#13
نشستنش با غرم و آهو بود
✦
ز آزار مردم به یکسو بود
“He abides with mountain goats and gazelles, staying aloof from the harm of men.”
#14
ز چیزی به گیتی نیابد گزند
✦
پرستنده مردی و بختی بلند
“He receives no harm from anything in the world—a God-worshipping man of exalted fortune.”
#15
مرین خوابها را به جز پیش اوی
✦
مگو و ز نادان گزارش مجوی
“Recount these dreams to none but him, and seek no interpretation from the ignorant.'”
#16
چنین گفت با دانشی کید شاه
✦
کزین پرهنر بگذری نیست راه
“King Kaid, full of knowledge, replied: 'There is no bypassing this man of great talent.'”
#17
هم‌انگه باسپ اندر آورد پای
✦
به آواز مهران بیامد ز جای
“Instantly he put his foot in the stirrup and set out towards the call of Mehran.”
#18
حکیمان برفتند با او به هم
✦
بدان تا سپهبد نباشد دژم
“The sages rode alongside him so that the monarch should not be disheartened.”
#19
جهاندار چون نزد مهران رسید
✦
بپرسید داننده را چون سزید
“When the ruler of the world arrived near Mehran, he greeted the wise man as was fitting.”
#20
بدو گفت کای مرد یزدان‌پرست
✦
که در کوه با غرم داری نشست
“He said to him: 'O God-worshipping man, who dwellest in the mountains with wild goats!”
#21
به ژرفی بدین خواب من گوش دار
✦
گزارش کن و یک به یک هوش دار
“Listen deeply to this dream of mine; interpret it and pay mind to each one.”
#22
چنان دان که یک شب خردمند و پاک
✦
بخفتم بارام بی‌ترس و باک
“Know that one night, pure and wise, I slept in peace without fear or dread.”
#23
یکی خانه دیدم چو کاخی بزرگ
✦
بدو اندرون ژنده پیلی سترگ
“I saw a house like a great palace, and within it stood a massive, huge elephant.”
#24
در خانه پیداتر از کاخ بود
✦
به پیش اندرون تنگ سوراخ بود
“The door of the house was more conspicuous than the palace, but before it was a narrow hole.”
#25
گذشتی ز سوراخ پیل ژیان
✦
تنش را ز تنگی نکردی زیان
“The fierce elephant passed through that narrow hole, and its body suffered no harm from the tightness.”
#26
ز روزن گذشتی تن و بوم اوی
✦
بماندی بدان خانه خرطوم اوی
“Its body and shape passed through the window, yet its trunk remained behind in that house.”
#27
دگر شب بدان گونه دیدم که تخت
✦
تهی ماندی از من ای نیک‌بخت
“On the second night, I saw in like manner that my throne remained empty of me, O fortunate one!”
#28
کیی برنشستی بران تخت عاج
✦
به سر بر نهادی دل‌افروز تاج
“A king sat upon that ivory throne and placed a radiant crown upon his head.”
#29
سه دیگر شب از خوابم آمد شتاب
✦
یکی نغز کرپاس دیدم به خواب
“On the third night, my sleep turned to haste; I saw a fine piece of silk cloth in my dream.”
#30
بدو اندر آویخته چار مرد
✦
رخان از کشیدن شده لاژورد
“Four men were pulling at it, their faces turned lapis-blue from the strain.”
#31
نه کرپاس جایی درید آن گروه
✦
نه مردم شدی از کشیدن ستوه
“Yet the fine silk tore nowhere, nor did those men grow weary of pulling.”
#32
چهارم چنان دیدم ای نامدار
✦
که مردی شدی تشنه بر جویبار
“The fourth dream I saw, O renowned one, was a man standing thirsty beside a stream.”
#33
همی آب ماهی برو ریختی
✦
سر تشنه از آب بگریختی
“A fish was pouring water upon him, yet the thirsty man fled from the water.”
#34
جهان مرد و آب از پس او دوان
✦
چه گوید بدین خواب نیکی گمان
“The man fled and the water ran after him—what good interpretation can be given for this dream?”
#35
به پنجم چنان دید جانم به خواب
✦
که شهری بدی هم به نزدیک آب
“On the fifth night, my soul saw in sleep a city situated near the water.”
#36
همه مردمش کور بودی به چشم
✦
یکی را ز کوری ندیدم به خشم
“All its people were blind of eye, yet I saw no one enraged by their blindness.”
#37
ز داد و دهش وز خرید و فروخت
✦
تو گفتی همی شارستان برفروخت
“In justice, giving, buying, and selling, it was as though the city was ablaze with prosperity.”
#38
ششم دیدم ای مهتر ارجمند
✦
که شهری بدندی همه دردمند
“The sixth dream I saw, O honored chief, was a city where all were sick and in pain.”
#39
شدندی بپرسیدن تن درست
✦
همی دردمند آب ایشان بجست
“They went to inquire after the healthy, and the sick sought water for them.”
#40
همی گفت چونی به درد اندرون
✦
تنی دردمند و دلی پر ز خون
“He would ask: 'How art thou in thy pain, O thou whose body is suffering and heart full of blood?'”
#41
رسیده به لب جان ناتن‌درست
✦
همه چارهٔ تن‌درستان بجست
“With his own soul near death, the unwell person sought cures for those who were whole.”
#42
چو نیمی ز هفتم شب اندر گذشت
✦
جهنده یکی باره دیدم به دشت
“When half of the seventh night had passed, I saw a swift steed in the plain.”
#43
دو پا و دو دست و دو سر داشتی
✦
به دندان گیا نیز بگذاشتی
“It had two legs, two arms, and two heads, and it grazed grass with its teeth.”
#44
چران داشتی از دو رویه دهن
✦
نبد بر تنش جای بیرون شدن
“It grazed using mouths on both sides, yet possessed no place of exit on its body.”
#45
بهشتم سه خم دیدم ای پاکدین
✦
برابر نهاده بروی زمین
“The eighth dream: I saw three jars, O pure-hearted one, placed side by side upon the earth...”
#46
دو پرآب و خمی تهی در میان
✦
گذشته به خشکی برو سالیان
“Two vats brimmed with water, and an empty one stood between, upon which dry years had passed.”
#47
ز دو خم پر آب دو نیک مرد
✦
همی ریختند اندرو آب سرد
“From the two full vats, two righteous men kept pouring cool water into the empty vessel.”
#48
نه از ریختن زین کران کم شدی
✦
نه آن خشک را دل پر از نم شدی
“Yet the water in the outer vats never diminished, nor was the dry heart of the middle vessel ever moistened.”
#49
نهم شب یکی گاو دیدم به خواب
✦
بر آب و گیا خفته بر آفتاب
“On the ninth night I beheld a cow in sleep, resting beneath the sun by water and verdant grass.”
#50
یکی خوب گوساله در پیش اوی
✦
تنش لاغر و خشک و بی‌آب روی
“Before her stood a comely calf, its body scrawny, withered, and devoid of vigor.”
#51
همی شیر خوردی ازو ماده گاو
✦
کلان گاو گوساله بی زور و تاو
“The mother cow nursed from the calf—a mighty beast drinking from a youngling devoid of strength and spirit.”
#52
اگر گوش داری به خواب دهم
✦
نرنجی همی تا بدین سر دهم
“If you grant me your ear for the tenth dream, without growing weary, I shall recount it to its end.”
#53
یکی چشمه دیدم به دشتی فراخ
✦
وزو بر زبر برده ایوان و کاخ
“I saw a spring upon a spacious plain, and above it towered grand halls and lofty palaces.”
#54
همه دشت یکسر پر از آب و نم
✦
ز خشکی لب چشمه گشته دژم
“The entire plain was soaked with water and moisture, yet the spring's own lip had turned parched and dark.”
#55
سزد گر تو پاسخ بگویی نهان
✦
کزین پس چه خواهد بدن در جهان
“Now it is fitting that you reveal the secret answer in private, of what shall come to pass in the world hereafter.”