The Yatkar-I-Zariran Or Memoirs of Zarir

Charles F. Horne, Ph.D

0:33 h Zoroastrian

The “Yatkar-i-Zariran,” purports to tell of the old religious wars of Zoroaster's time, and recounts the heroic deeds of a champion named Zarir, whom Firdausi also mentions, but who is otherwise unknown. Doubtless this very Yatkar or some older version of it was among the sources to which the poet Firdausi appealed in writing his “Shah-Nameh.”

The Yatkar-I-Zariran
Or
Memoirs of Zarir

Charles F. Horne, Ph.D.

In the Name of the Creator Auharmazd

By the name of the Creator Auharmazd and by the good omen of good creation, may there be good health and long life to all men good and righteous workers, and especially to him for whom this book is written.

1. This book, which is called the Yatkar-i-Zariran, was written at that time when King Vishtasp with his sons, and brothers, family-chiefs, and equals accepted from Auharmazd this holy religion of the Mazdayasnians.

2. Then Arjasp, the King of the Khyaonas, had the startling news that King Vishtasp had, with his sons, brothers, and family-chiefs and equals, accepted from Auharmazd this holy religion of the Mazdayasnians.

3. Thereby he was much distressed.

4. He sent forward, to the country of Iran, Vidarafsh the sorcerer, and Namkhvast of Hazar, with two myriads of chosen soldiers of good horsemanship.

5. Then Jamasp, the leader of the leading men, immediately entered and said to King Vishtasp, “From Arjasp, the King of the Khyaonas, have come two messengers, than whom there is nobody more handsome in the whole country of the Khyaonas.

6. “One of them is Vidarafsh, and the other Namkhvast of Hazar. They have with them two myriads of chosen troops. They hold a letter in their hands and say, ‘Let us go in before King Vishtasp.’”

7. King Vishtasp said, “Allow them to come in before me.”

8. Then they went in and paid homage to King Vishtasp and gave the letter.

9. Aprahim, the chief of the scribes, got up on his feet and read the letter aloud.

10. And in the letter it was thus written: “I have heard that your Majesty has accepted from Auharmazd the pure Mazdayasnian religion. If you will not think of it, great harm and unhappiness may result to us from that religion.

11. “But if it please your Majesty, and you give up this pure religion, and be of the same religion with us, then we will pay homage to you as a king and then we will give you, from year to year, plenty of gold, plenty of silver, and plenty of good horses and the sovereignty of many places.

12. “But if you will not give up this religion and will not be of the same religion with us, then we will come to attack you. We will eat the green corn of your country and burn the dry, and we will capture the quadrupeds and the bipeds of your country, and we will order you to be placed in heavy chains and distress.”

13. Then when King Vishtasp heard these words he was much afflicted.

14. Afterward when that brave commander of the army, the hero Zarir, saw that King Vishtasp was terrified he at once went in before him.

15. He said to King Vishtasp, “If it please your Majesty I will dictate a reply to this letter.”