As the evening of King Khosrow Anushirvan's legendary reign drew near, the aged monarch commanded that a monumental royal testament be inscribed upon fine Roman parchment. In the presence of high priests, ministers, and the noble grandees of Iran, scribes recorded the King's final instructions for his son and heir, the young prince Hormozd. Once the ink dried in the gentle breeze, the parchment was solemnized with a seal of fragrant musk and entrusted to the Chief Mobad.
Within this testament, Anushirvan reflected deeply on the transience of the mortal world, warning that neither crown nor throne can halt the march of time. He recalled how King Kobad had bestowed the sovereignty upon him at eighty years of age, and now at seventy-four, he was passing the mantle of Iranian empire to Hormozd. He exhorted his son to champion absolute justice, emphasizing that a monarch slumbers peacefully only when his people dwell in security. He warned against haste, deceit, arrogance, and tyranny, urging Hormozd to act as a shield for the impoverished, elevate the wise, and bar the ignoble from wielding power.
Finally, Anushirvan prescribed the majestic rituals for his mortal remains: a lofty mausoleum set high beyond common reach, his body cleansed with camphor and musk, wrapped in five pristine robes of gold-woven silk, and seated upon an ivory throne beneath a suspended crown. He ordained two months of royal mourning, after which the realm was to unite in undivided loyalty under King Hormozd.