When the sacred fire temple was prepared and the grounds for Nowruz and the Sadeh festival were arranged, Bahram Gur, King of Kings, marched toward Azarabadagan accompanied by the nobles and illustrious heroes of Iran. Upon arriving at the holy sanctuary, the fire-keepers and Zoroastrian Mobads placed their hands upon their heads in reverence. Bahram bestowed lavish gifts upon the guardians of the flame before departing swiftly for the glorious city of Istakhr, the ancient pride of the Sasanian dynasty.
Behind his royal procession marched war elephants bearing heavy bags made of sheep and ox hides, loaded with silver drams and golden dinars—amounting to sixteen hundred qintars, known in the Pahlavi tongue as pedaosi. The King ordered the supple leather bags opened and joyfully commanded the vast wealth to be distributed among six categories of people across the realm. First, he restored every ruined bridge and broken caravansarai reported by travelers. Second, he provided for the poor who labored honestly with their hands yet remained in poverty. Third, he set up scales to weigh and bestow silver upon widows and fatherless orphans. Fourth, he supported the aged veterans who could no longer work or take up arms in battle. Fifth, he enriched the impoverished nobles of illustrious lineage who had been forgotten by fortune. Sixth, he bestowed secret charity upon weary travelers from afar who kept their destitution hidden out of pride. Never did the King grow weary of generosity, leaving all spoils of war to his army without a single thought of hoarding gold.
He then commanded the jewel-encrusted crown of the Khagan of China to be brought forth. Devout craftsmen extracted its priceless gems to adorn the walls and altar of the fire temple with gold and brilliant jewels. With his sacred duties fulfilled, Bahram set out for Ctesiphon, guided by his noble prince Narsi and the chief Mobads. The magnates and champions of Iran rode out to welcome their victorious sovereign. When Narsi beheld the radiant royal banner, the immense host, and the King wearing his imperial crown, he dismounted and bowed low in homage. Bahram bade him remount and warmly took his hand.
Ascending the golden throne of Ctesiphon, Bahram Gur threw open the doors of prisons and scattered treasure to the needy. Justice and joy spread across every province, banishing sorrow from human hearts. He then hosted a grand banquet for the grandees of the empire, clothing every attendee in robes of high honor.
#1
چو شد ساخته کار آتشکده
✦
همان جای نوروز و جشن سده
“When the work on the fire temple was completed, as well as the site for Nowruz and the Sadeh festival,”
#2
بیامد سوی آذرآبادگان
✦
خود و نامداران و آزادگان
“He set out toward Azarabadagan, accompanied by his illustrious nobles and freeborn lords.”
#3
پرستندگان پیش آذر شدند
✦
همه موبدان دست بر سر شدند
“The worshippers came before the sacred fire, and all the Mobads placed their hands upon their heads in reverence.”
#4
پرستندگان را ببخشید چیز
✦
وز آتشکده روی بنهاد تیز
“He bestowed rich gifts upon the temple guardians, and then swiftly turned his course from the fire temple.”
#5
خرامان بیامد به شهر صطخر
✦
که شاهنشهان را بدان بود فخر
“Graciously he arrived at the city of Istakhr, in which the King of Kings took great pride.”
#6
پراگنده از چرم گاوان میش
✦
که بر پشت پیلان همی راند پیش
“Treasure bags crafted from ox and sheep hides were driven forward on the backs of war elephants.”
#7
هزار و صد و شست قنطار بود
✦
درم بود ازو نیز و دینار بود
“There were sixteen hundred qintars of coin, consisting of silver drams and golden dinars,”
#8
که بر پهلوی موبد پارسی
✦
همی نام بردیش پیداوسی
“Which in the Pahlavi tongue of the Persian Mobads was distinctly named 'pedaosi'.”
#9
بیاورد پس مشکهای ادیم
✦
بگسترد و شادان برو ریخت سیم
“He brought out leather bags of fine hide, spread them open, and joyfully poured out the silver coin.”
#10
به ره بر هران پل که ویران بدید
✦
رباطی که از کاروانان شنید
“First, every broken bridge upon the highways, and every ruined caravanserai he heard of from travelers,”
#11
ز گیتی دگر هرکه درویش بود
✦
وگر نانش از کوشش خویش بود
“Second, whoever in the world was poor, even if earning bread by the toil of their own hands,”
#12
سدیگر به کپان بسختید سیم
✦
زن بیوه و کودکان یتیم
“Third, he weighed out silver upon the scales for widowed women and fatherless orphans.”
#13
چهارم هران پیر کز کارکرد
✦
فروماند وز روز ننگ و نبرد
“Fourth, every aged person who was incapacitated from labor and past the days of struggle and war,”
#14
به پنجم هرانکس که بد با نژاد
✦
توانگر نکردی ازو هیچ یاد
“Fifth, anyone of noble lineage whom fortune had neglected and whom no wealthy person remembered,”
#15
ششم هرکه آمد ز راه دراز
✦
همی داشت درویشی خویش راز
“Sixth, whoever came from afar and kept the secret of their own poverty hidden,”
#16
بدیشان ببخشید چندین درم
✦
نبد شاه روزی ز بخشش دژم
“To all these he distributed so many drams; never was the King downcast or grieved by giving.”
#17
غنیمت همه بهر لشکر نهاد
✦
نیامدش از آگندن گنج یاد
“All the war spoils he bestowed upon his army, never giving thought to hoarding treasures.”
#18
بفرمود پس تاج خاقان چین
✦
که پیش آورد مردم پاک‌دین
“Then he commanded that the crown of the Khagan of China be brought forth before the righteous folk.”
#19
گهرها که بود اندرو آژده
✦
بکندند و دیوار آتشکده
“They plucked out the jewels set within it and used them to adorn the walls of the fire temple.”
#20
به زر و به گوهر بیاراستند
✦
سر تخت آذر بپیراستند
“With gold and precious jewels they decorated it, beautifying the top of the sacred fire's throne.”
#21
وزان جایگه شد سوی طیسفون
✦
که نرسی بد و موبد رهنمون
“From that place he journeyed toward Ctesiphon, guided by Narsi and the wise Mobads.”
#22
پذیره شدندش همه مهتران
✦
بزرگان ایران و کنداوران
“All the magnates, the grandees of Iran, and the brave champions rode out to welcome him.”
#23
چو نرسی بدید آن سر و تاج شاه
✦
درفش دلفروز و چندان سپاه
“When Narsi saw the imperial crown of the King, his dazzling banner, and his mighty army,”
#24
پیاده شد و برد پیشش نماز
✦
بزرگان و هم موبد سرفراز
“He dismounted and bowed low in prayer before him, as did the grandees and the honored high Mobad.”
#25
بفرمود بهرام تا برنشست
✦
گرفت آن زمان دست او را به دست
“Bahram commanded Narsi to remount his steed, and at that moment took him by the hand.”
#26
بیامد نشست از بر تخت زر
✦
بزرگان به پیش اندرون با کمر
“He arrived and took his seat upon the throne of gold, while the nobles stood girded in his presence.”
#27
ببخشید گنجی به مرد نیاز
✦
در تنگ زندان گشادند باز
“He granted riches to those in need, and flung wide open the narrow doors of the prisons.”
#28
زمانه پر از رامش و داد شد
✦
دل غمگنان از غم آزاد شد
“The world became filled with tranquility and justice, and the hearts of the sorrowful were freed from grief.”
#29
ز هر کشوری رنج و غم دور کرد
✦
ز بهر بزرگان یکی سور کرد
“He banished distress and suffering from every realm, and hosted a magnificent feast for the grandees.”
#30
بدان سور هرکس که بشتافتی
✦
همه خلعت مهتری یافتی
“Whoever hastened to that feast received a robe of honor suited for high leadership.”