Bahram Gur stood before the assembled elders and world-wise leaders of Iran, declaring that the sovereignty of the realm belonged to him by right of uninterrupted lineage. He questioned why the bestowal of the crown had been taken into their hands. But the Iranians, scarred by the agonizing cruelty of his father, Yazdegerd the Sinner, raised their voices in protest, declaring that they could no longer endure devastation and would never accept him as king, for his lineage had brought them nothing but distress, cold winds, and ashes.
Bahram reasonably replied that while inclination governs every man's heart, it was unjust to crown another in his place without his consent. The wise High Mobad intervened, advocating for a path of justice where a ruler praised by all would be chosen. For three days, the nobles gathered the names of one hundred glorious figures worthy of the throne, among whom Bahram was also included. Through rigorous selection, the candidates were narrowed down from a hundred to fifty, then to thirty, and finally to four elite leaders—yet in every stage, Bahram remained at the top of the list.
Despite his clear standing, the veteran lords of Iran renewed their resistance, deeming Bahram rash, headstrong, and self-willed. Seeing the fiery uproar, Monzer of the Arabs, who had reared the prince, asked the Iranians why they held such profound bitterness toward a young prince who had not yet exercised power. In response, the noblemen brought forth a horrific spectacle upon the plain: hundreds of victims mutilated by King Yazdegerd—men with severed limbs, cut tongues and ears, stripped shoulder blades, and eyes gouged out with iron nails.
Witnessing this dreadful sight, Monzer erupted in furious indignation at the late king's atrocities, while Bahram was struck with profound grief and shame. Weeping over his father's memory, Bahram lamented how Yazdegerd had condemned his own soul to hellish fire through such senseless wickedness. Monzer then counselled the young prince that these grievances could not be denied or hidden, and that a true monarch must answer such suffering not with pride or anger, but with utmost justice and compassion.
#1
چنین گفت بهرام کای مهتران
✦
جهاندیده و سالخورده سران
“Bahram spoke thus, saying: 'O noble leaders, world-experienced and venerable elders!'”
#2
پدر بر پدر پادشاهی مراست
✦
چرا بخشش اکنون برای شماست
“'From father to father, the kingship belongs to me; why is its bestowal now in your hands?'”
#3
به آواز گفتند ایرانیان
✦
که ما را شکیبا مکن بر زیان
“The Iranians responded with loud voices: 'Do not ask us to endure further hardship and loss!'”
#4
نخواهیم یکسر به شاهی ترا
✦
بر و بوم ما را سپاهی ترا
“'We do not desire thee as our king at all, nor do we want thy armies over our land!'”
#5
کزین تخمه پرداغ و دودیم و درد
✦
شب و روز با پیچش و باد سرد
“'For from thy lineage, we have suffered scars, smoke, and pain, spending nights and days in distress and bitter cold winds.'”
#6
چنین گفت بهرام کاری رواست
✦
هوا بر دل هرکسی پادشاست
“Bahram replied: 'This is a fair debate, for passion and desire hold sway over every heart.'”
#7
مرا گر نخواهید بی‌رای من
✦
چرا کس نشانید بر جای من
“'If you do not want me, why place someone else upon my throne without my consent?'”
#8
چنین گفت موبد که از راه داد
✦
نه خسرو گریزد نه کهتر نژاد
“The Mobad spoke thus: 'By the path of justice, neither a king nor a noble follower strays from wisdom.'”
#9
تو از ما یکی باش و شاهی گزین
✦
که خوانند هرکس برو آفرین
“'Be thou one among us, and help select a king upon whom everyone shall bestow praise!'”
#10
سه روز اندران کار شد روزگار
✦
که جویند ز ایران یکی شهریار
“For three days time was spent in this task, searching through Iran for a worthy sovereign.”
#11
نوشتند پس نام صد نامور
✦
فروزندهٔ تاج و تخت و کمر
“Then they recorded the names of one hundred renowned men, luminaries worthy of the crown, throne, and royal belt.”
#12
ازان صد یکی نام بهرام بود
✦
که در پادشاهی دلارام بود
“Among those hundred, one name was Bahram, who was destined to bring peace and comfort to the kingdom.”
#13
ازین صد به پنجاه بازآمدند
✦
پر از چاره و پرنیاز آمدند
“From those hundred candidates, they reduced the count to fifty, full of resourcefulness and eager desire.”
#14
ز پنجاه بهرام بود از نخست
✦
اگر جست پای پدر گر نجست
“Among the fifty, Bahram remained foremost at the top, whether he walked in his father's footsteps or chose his own path.”
#15
ز پنجاه بازآوریدند سی
✦
ز ایرانی و رومی و پارسی
“From fifty, they reduced the count to thirty, selecting from Iranians, Romans, and Persians.”
#16
ز سی نیز بهرام بد پیش رو
✦
که هم تاجور بود و هم شیر نو
“Even among thirty, Bahram stood foremost—a prince crowned with majesty and a fierce young lion.”
#17
ز سی کرد داننده موبد چهار
✦
وزین چار بهرام بد شهریار
“From thirty, the wise Mobad reduced the chosen to four, and among these four, Bahram remained a true candidate for king.”
#18
چو تنگ اندرآمد ز شاهی سخن
✦
ز ایرانیان هرک او بد کهن
“When the talk of kingship grew decisive and close, the elders among the Iranians spoke out.”
#19
نخواهیم گفتند بهرام را
✦
دلیر و سبکسار و خودکام را
“They declared: 'We do not want Bahram! He is rash, headstrong, and self-willed!'”
#20
خروشی برآمد میان سران
✦
دل هرکسی تیز گشت اندران
“A great clamor arose among the leaders, and every heart burned with passion and strife.”
#21
چنین گفت منذر به ایرانیان
✦
که خواهم که دانم به سود و زیان
“Monzer spoke to the Iranians, saying: 'I wish to understand the truth of this profit and loss.'”
#22
کزین سال ناخورده شاه جوان
✦
چرایید پر درد و تیره‌روان
“'Why are you so filled with grief and dark-spirited toward this youthful prince who has not yet tasted power?'”
#23
بزرگان به پاسخ بیاراستند
✦
بسی خسته دل پارسی خواستند
“The nobles prepared their response, summoning many heart-broken and tortured Persians to state their case.”
#24
ز ایران کرا خسته بد یزدگرد
✦
یکایک بران دشت کردند گرد
“All those across Iran whom Yazdegerd had tortured and mutilated were gathered one by one upon that plain.”
#25
بریده یکی را دو دست و دو پای
✦
یکی مانده بر جای و جانش به جای
“One stood with both hands and feet severed, barely clinging to life where he remained.”
#26
یکی را دو دست و دو گوش و زبان
✦
بریده شده چون تن بی‌روان
“Another had both hands, ears, and tongue cut off, reduced to a living corpse.”
#27
یکی را ز تن دور کرده دو کفت
✦
ازان مردمان ماند منذر شگفت
“Another had his shoulder-blades torn away; at the sight of these victims, Monzer stood amazed in horror.”
#28
یکی را به مسمار کنده دو چشم
✦
چو منذر بدید آن برآورد خشم
“Another had both eyes gouged out with iron nails; when Monzer saw this, he erupted in fierce wrath.”
#29
غمی گشت زان کار بهرام سخت
✦
به خاک پدر گفت کای شوربخت
“Bahram was filled with bitter grief at the sight, crying out to his father's grave: 'O wretched father!'”
#30
اگر چشم شادیت بر دوختی
✦
روان را به آتش چرا سوختی
“'If thou didst close thine eyes to joy in life, why didst thou burn thy soul in the fires of hell with such cruelty?'”
#31
جهانجوی منذر به بهرام گفت
✦
که این بد بریشان نباید نهفت
“The world-seeking Monzer said to Bahram: 'This evil done to them cannot be concealed or ignored.'”
#32
سخنها شنیدی تو پاسخ‌گزار
✦
که تندی نه خوب آید از شهریار
“'Thou hast heard their words; now respond with wisdom, for harsh anger ill befits a king.'”