As Prince Shapur grew into the stature of a tall, graceful cypress, he remained ever at his father Ardashir's side, serving not merely as a prince but as a wise counselor and minister. Yet King Ardashir found no day of respite from continuous warfare; whenever he quelled a uprising in one realm, another rebellious adversary raised its head elsewhere. In his heart, Ardashir prayed earnestly to Yazdan, the Creator of the World, longing for a realm free of enemies where he could rule in justice and divine devotion.
Seeing the King's fatigue, his auspicious minister suggested sending a messenger to Kayd of India—a renowned sage and astrologer who understood the movements of the celestial spheres and the hidden fates of kings without seeking any earthly reward. Ardashir selected a noble, sharp-witted young messenger and sent him to India laden with fine Arabian horses, gold dinars, and precious silks. The messenger was instructed to ask Kayd whether Ardashir would ever secure peace over the seven climes or if he should cease exhausting his army and treasures.
Upon arriving in India, the envoy presented the tribute and revealed the King's secret query. Kayd, moved by empathy, brought out his astrolabe and Roman astronomical tables, carefully calculating the positions of the stars governing Iran and Ardashir's destiny. He then declared to the envoy: 'Go unto the King and say that lasting tranquility shall descend upon his throne, and his armies shall rest, only when the royal bloodline of Ardashir unites with the seed of Mehrak-e Nushzad. Should these two lineages merge, strife shall vanish, treasures shall multiply, and Iran shall achieve all its desires.'
When the envoy returned and delivered Kayd's prophecy, Ardashir's heart burned with anguish and his face turned yellow as saffron. Infuriated at the thought of uniting with his mortal enemy's bloodline, he swore never to allow anyone of Mehrak's seed into his house. Learning that Mehrak had left behind a single daughter, concealed in the city of Jahrom where no eye had beheld her, Ardashir dispatched a squad of ruthless horsemen to track her down and burn her alive.
Yet, warned of the danger, the maiden fled and sought refuge in the home of the village chief in Jahrom. The chief sheltered her with immense honor and hid her from public view. There, hidden from the King's vengeance, Mehrak's daughter grew tall like a magnificent cypress, possessing incomparable wisdom, divine radiance, and breathtaking beauty—a maiden unmatched throughout the entire realm.
#1
چو شاپور شد همچو سرو بلند
✦
ز چشم بدش بود بیم گزند
“When Shapur grew tall like a cypress tree, there was fear of harm to him from the evil eye.”
#2
نبودی جدا یک زمان ز اردشیر
✦
ورا همچو دستور بودی وزیر
“He was not separated for a single moment from Ardashir, acting as a wise counselor and minister to him.”
#3
نپرداختی شاه روزی ز جنگ
✦
به شادی نبودیش جای درنگ
“Not a day passed that the King was free from war; there was no room for him to rest in joy.”
#4
چو جایی ز دشمن بپرداختی
✦
دگر بدکنش سر برافراختی
“Whenever he cleared a place of one enemy, another ill-wisher raised his head.”
#5
همی گفت کز کردگار جهان
✦
بخواهم همی آشکار و نهان
“He kept saying: 'I pray to the Creator of the world, both openly and in secret,'”
#6
که بی‌دشمن آرم جهان را به دست
✦
نباشم مگر شاد و یزدان‌پرست
“'That I may bring the world into my hands without enemies, being ever joyful and a worshiper of God.'”
#7
بدو گفت فرخنده دستور اوی
✦
که ای شاه روشن‌دل و راه‌جوی
“His auspicious minister said to him: 'O bright-hearted and path-seeking King,'”
#8
سوی کید هندی فرستیم کس
✦
که دانش پژوهست و فریادرس
“'Let us send someone to Kayd of India, who is a seeker of wisdom and a solver of troubles.'”
#9
بداند شمار سپهر بلند
✦
در پادشاهی و راه گزند
“'He knows the reckonings of the high heavens, the secret of kingship, and the path of harm.'”
#10
اگر هفت کشور ترا بی همال
✦
بخواهد بدن بازیابد به فال
“'He can divine through omens whether the seven climes shall be yours without a rival.'”
#11
یکایک بگوید ندارد به رنج
✦
نخواهد بدین پاسخ از شاه گنج
“'He will explain it all without causing grief, and expects no treasure from the King in return.'”
#12
چو بشنید بگزید شاه اردشیر
✦
جوانی گرانمایه و تیزویر
“When King Ardashir heard this, he chose a noble and sharp-witted youth.”
#13
فرستاد نزدیک دانا به هند
✦
بسی اسپ و دینار و چندی پرند
“He sent him to the sage in India with many horses, dinars, and fine silk garments.”
#14
بدو گفت رو پیش دانا بگوی
✦
که ای مرد نیک‌اختر و راه‌جوی
“He told him: 'Go before the sage and say: O fortunate man who seeketh the righteous path,'”
#15
به اختر نگه کن که تا من ز جنگ
✦
کی آسایم و کشور آرم به چنگ
“'Look into the stars to see when I shall rest from war and bring the country under my grasp.'”
#16
اگر بود خواهد بدین دستگاه
✦
به تدبیر آن زور بنمای راه
“'If this glory is destined to be, guide me through counsel and strength.'”
#17
وگر نیست این تا نباشم به رنج
✦
برین گونه نپراگند نیز گنج
“'And if it is not, so that I suffer no more in vain, nor scatter treasures in this manner.'”
#18
بیامد فرستادهٔ شهریار
✦
بر کید با هدیه و با نثار
“The King's messenger arrived before Kayd, carrying gifts and offerings.”
#19
بگفت آنک با او شهنشاه گفت
✦
همه رازها برگشاد از نهفت
“He related all that the King of kings had spoken, revealing all secrets from concealment.”
#20
بپرسید زو کید و غمخواره شد
✦
ز پرسش سوی دانش و چاره شد
“Kayd questioned him and grew sympathetic; from the inquiry he turned toward knowledge and remedies.”
#21
بیاورد صلاب و اختر گرفت
✦
یکی زیج رومی به بر در گرفت
“He brought out the astrolabe to read the stars, and embraced a Roman astronomical table.”
#22
نگه کرد بر کار چرخ بلند
✦
ز آسانی و سود و درد و گزند
“He examined the workings of the high heavens, searching for ease, gain, sorrow, and harm.”
#23
فرستاده را گفت کردم شمار
✦
از ایران و از اختر شهریار
“He said to the messenger: 'I have calculated the fate of Iran and the King's star.'”
#24
گر از گوهر مهرک نوش‌زاد
✦
برآمیزد این تخمه با آن نژاد
“'If this royal lineage merges with the seed of Mehrak Nush-zad,'”
#25
نشیند به آرام بر تخت شاه
✦
نباید فرستاد هر سو سپاه
“'He shall sit in peace upon the King's throne, and need not send armies in every direction.'”
#26
بیفزایدش گنج و کاهدش رنج
✦
تو شو کینهٔ این دو گوهر بسنج
“'His treasure will increase and his pain lessen; go now and weigh the enmity of these two bloodlines.'”
#27
گر این کرد ایران ورا گشت راست
✦
بیابد همه کام دل هرچ خواست
“'If he accomplishes this, Iran will become right for him, and he will attain every desire of his heart.'”
#28
فرستاده را چیز بخشید و گفت
✦
کزین هرچ گفتم نباید نهفت
“He bestowed gifts upon the messenger and said: 'Nothing of what I have said must be hidden from him.'”
#29
گر او زین نپیچد سپهر بلند
✦
کند اینک گفتم برو ارجمند
“'If he does not turn away from this, the high heavens will fulfill all that I have prophesied.'”
#30
فرستاده آمد بر شهریار
✦
بگفت آنچ بشنید زان نامدار
“The messenger returned to the King and related all that he had heard from that illustrious sage.”
#31
چو بشنید گفتار او اردشیر
✦
دلش گشت پر درد و رخ چون زریر
“When Ardashir heard his words, his heart filled with pain and his face turned yellow as saffron.”
#32
فرستاده را گفت هرگز مباد
✦
که من بینم از تخم مهرک نژاد
“He said to the envoy: 'May it never be that I behold any offspring of Mehrak's lineage!'”
#33
به خانه درون دشمن آرم ز کوی
✦
شود با بر و بوم من کینه‌جوی
“'Shall I bring an enemy from the street into my house, so that one seeks vengeance upon my land?'”
#34
دریغ آن پراگندن گنج من
✦
فرستادن مردم و رنج من
“'Alas for the scattering of my treasure, the sending of my men, and my great labor!'”
#35
ز مهرک یکی دختری ماند و بس
✦
که او را به جهرم ندیدست کس
“'Only one daughter remains of Mehrak, whom no one in Jahrom has ever seen.'”
#36
بفرمایم اکنون که جوینده باز
✦
ز روم و ز چین و ز هند و طراز
“'I now command seekers to search for her from Rome, China, India, and Taraz.'”
#37
بر آتش چو یابمش بریان کنم
✦
برو خاک را زار و گریان کنم
“'When I find her, I shall roast her over fire and cause the earth to weep bitterly over her.'”
#38
به جهرم فرستاد چندی سوار
✦
یکی مرد جوینده و کینه‌دار
“He dispatched several horsemen to Jahrom, led by a vengeful seeker.”
#39
چو آگاه شد دخت مهرک بجست
✦
سوی خان مهتر به کنجی نشست
“When Mehrak's daughter learned of this, she fled and sat concealed in a corner of the village chief's house.”
#40
چو بنشست آن دخت مهرک بده
✦
مر او را گرامی همی کرد مه
“When Mehrak's daughter sat there in hiding, the chief held her in high honor and reverence.”
#41
ببالید بر سان سرو سهی
✦
خردمند با زیب و با فرهی
“She grew like a tall cypress, full of wisdom, beauty, and divine majesty.”
#42
مر او را دران بوم همتا نبود
✦
به کشور چنو سرو بالا نبود
“She had no equal in that land; there was no tall cypress like her in all the kingdom.”