Isfandiyar

The worship of Fravashi Spentodata is mentioned in "Fravardin Yasht" ^[3] .

The work "The Babylonian Tree" calls it next to Rotestachm ^[4] .

In The Tradition of the Son of Zarer , Spendidad is one of the Iranian heroes who engage in battle with the Chionites (§ 61). After Bastvar avenges the dead Zarer, Spendidad knocks out Arzasp's army from the top of the mountain and throws him onto the plain (§ 111). The Chionites are defeated by the Iranians, Arzhasp is captured, Spendidad deprives the captive king of his hands, legs, ear and eyes and sends him back to his country on a tailless donkey, as was predicted by Jamasp (§§ 67, 113-114).

According to Bundakhishnu , Spend-Dat is the son of Vishtasp and the father of Vokhuman ( Bachman ), Atar-Tarysh and Miter-Tarysh ^[5] .

In the Pahlavi essay “Shikand the Humanist Vachar” (10, 67), Spendidad, like his brother Zarivarai, is called the instigator of strife, who obeyed the faith as a yoke ^[2] .

Isfandiar is the son of Tsar Goshtasp and the daughter of the Romanian Caesar Nahid (she is Ketayun), brother of Pashutan , he has four sons: Bahman , Mehr-Nush, Tus and Nush-Azar.

The First War with Turan

After the adoption of the Zoroastrian faith by Gostasp, a war with Turan begins. Isfendiar participates in a council rejecting the demands of the Turanian king Arjasp .

In a stubborn battle, the Iranians valiantly fight, but many heroes die. After the murder of Zerir Bidrefsh, Goshtasp consults with his sons and promises, if he wins, to raise Isfendiar to the throne. Isfendiar boldly attacks the enemy, comes to the aid of the son of Zerir Nestur, fighting Bidrefsh, reflects the blow of the Turanian sword and kills him. Isfendiar leads the army on a decisive attack, the Iranians triumph, and Erjasp flees at night. Isfendiar gives life to the captives and mourns Zerir and the other fallen.

On behalf of his father, Isfandiar travels the world, peacefully converts peoples to the faith of Zardost and sends them the Avesta .

Imprisonment and the Second War

The Iranian Gorezm slanders against Isfendiar, informing Gostasp that the prince intends to imprison his father. Gostasp sends to the son of Jamasp . Isfendiar talks with Behman and other sons, meets the ambassador, and then goes to his father. Turning to the mob and getting their approval, Goshtasp imprisoned his son in the Gonbedan-dej fortress, chained him to four pillars.

It takes some time. While Goshtasp and his army have been in Sistan for two years, a Turan scout learns about this. The Turanian army of Tsarevich Kokhrem invades Iran, ravages Balkh , killing Lohrasp , and then defeats the army of Goshtasp . Killed 38 sons of Gostasp. Iranian army hiding on the mountain. Jamasp advises Gostasp to call Isfendiar, makes his way through the enemy camp and gets to the fortress where Isfendiar is being held.

Isfendiar at first refuses to be released, but, having heard about the injury of his brother Fershidverd, agrees and breaks his chains himself, after which he is equipped for battle. Isfendiar takes the sons of Behman and Azer with him, prays to Yazdan and goes to his brother. After a brief conversation, Fershidverd dies. Contrary to custom, Isfendiar buries him in the ground. At the scene of the battle, he sees the corpse of Gorezm and condemns it.

Having reached the mountains where the Iranian army is defending, Isfendiar talks with his father and reconciles with him. Iranians and Turans are preparing for battle. In the battle, Isfendiar accomplishes a series of feats, takes Cochrem to flight and captures Gorgsar. Arjasp takes flight, and many Turans surrender.

The Seven Feats and the Third War

Goshtasp again sends his son to battle with Arjasp , instructing him to release his sisters from captivity.

The captive Gorgsar promises to bring Isfendiar’s army to the walls of Ruin-deja (the “copper castle”) and says that he can be reached in three ways. Isfandiar chooses the shortest, but at the same time the most dangerous.

On the way, Isfandiar, following the advice of Gorgsar, performs seven feats:

1. Kills two huge wolves;
2. Kills a lion and a lioness;
3. Kills the dragon (azhdahar), spewing fire and poison, hiding in the iron chest, which the monster swallowed;
4. Kills a sorceress (ghoul), who took on the appearance of a beautiful woman and tried to seduce him (but Isfendiar draws a lasso around her neck);
5. Kills Simurg , again using the iron chest and a cart with swords, attacking which, Simurg wounded himself;
6. When a blizzard begins; Isfandiar’s army makes the transition through the snowdrifts;
7. Crosses the river along the ford indicated by Gorgsar.

Then Isfandiar asks Gorgsar if he will be happy about the victory of the Iranians over the Turans, which is close. However, Gorgsar invokes the wrath of heaven on Isfandiar, and the prince kills him.

Approaching Ruin-deja, Isfandiar leaves the command over the army to Pashutan , and he penetrates the city with a trick: he pretends to be a merchant, equips a caravan and hides selected soldiers in chests. Erjasp allows him to start trading in the city. In the city of Isfendiar, he finds his sisters Homai and Behafarid, and then he arranges a feast for the Turans.

The Peshuten army attacks the city, and the Turanian army comes forward. At night, Isfendiar releases his squad from the chests and leads him to storm the palace. Isfendiar himself kills Erjasp in a duel, after which he leaves the city with a detachment and freed sisters.

The next morning, the Turans, having learned about the death of their king, are demoralized. The battle resumes, Isfendiar defeats Cochrem in a duel and captivates him, the Turans defeated. Revenge for the death of Lohrasp , Isfendiar orders to hang Kochrem and his brother Enderiman at the feet and informs his father of the victory.

Isfendiar and Rustam

Goshtasp, not wanting to give up his throne to his son, requires one more feat from him: to bring to him in chains the greatest of Rustam’s heroes.

Isfendiar comes to Rustam, and the heroes feast and boast of their exploits. Rustam does not want to chain himself, but is trying to evade the battle. Peshuten dissuades Isfendiar, but he follows the order of his father.

Heroes, equal in strength and valor, fight, but no one succeeds in gaining the upper hand. Meanwhile, the sons of Isfendiar get involved in a battle with supporters of Rustam. Nush Azer dies at the hands of Zevare (Rustam's brother), and Mehr Nush at the hands of his son Feramarza . Isfendiar is angry.

Rustam is heavily wounded by the arrows of Isfendiar, while the prince is invulnerable. Rustam takes flight. His father Zal calls Simurg , who heals Rustam and shows him a branch of the gyaz tree ( tamarisk ), an arrow from which can destroy Isfendiar.

The next morning, Rustam again turns to Isfendiar, preparing to give him any treasures and come to the king, but refuses to put chains on himself, but Isfendiar is adamant. Then Rustam hits him with an arrow in the eye, following the advice of Simurg and Zal. Isfendiar dies, mourned by Peshuten and Behmen. Dying, he blames his fate on the insidious father, not Rustam, and entrusts Rustam with his son Behman . Parents, relatives, and all Iranians mourn Isfendiar, while Peshuten accuses Gostasp of the death of his son.

Texts:

• Yacht XIII 103
• Pahlavi divine comedy. M., 2001. P.159.
• Zoroastrian texts. M., 1997. S. 311
• Denkard VII 7, 5
• Firdousi . Shahnameh . In 6 vol. T. 4. / Per. C. B. Banu-Lahuti. M., 1969.

Research.

• Myths of the peoples of the world. T.1. S.574-575 (article by I. S. Braginsky); T.2. P.467 (article by L. A. Lelekov)
• Chunakova O. M. Pahlavi dictionary of Zoroastrian terms, mythical characters and mythological symbols. M., 2004. S.210-211.