SIKANDAR'S JOURNEYING TO THE FORTRESS OF SARIR, IN PILGRIMAGE TO THE TOMB OF KAY KHUSRAU; AND HIS LOOKING INTO THE CUP, WORLD-DISPLAYING.
1When the white day from the night of crow colour
Issued like camphor (white) from the boundaries of
Ethiopia (the darkness of night):
A gleaming day, pure, like Paradise,
(Joyous, like) the treasure of Kárún brought forth from
the dust:
Gate (mountain-pass) and plain illumined like the garden;
From it,—the eye of the ill-seeing one stitched up:
The air, pure of dust; and the world, of pain;
The sky, washed as to its own face like lapis-lazuli:
In retirement the autumn-wind, loin-girt,
The spring-breeze, blowing from every quarter:
All the mountain, a rose-bed; all the plain, a garden;
The eye of the world, bright with the golden lamp (of the
sun):
Time (the season), in the fashion of the garden of
Paradise (neither hot nor cold);
The earth, with the rose and verdure of heavenly nature.
With victorious judgment, the king of good fortune
Came down from his throne to his steed:
Struck the summit of his crown on the roof of the sphere;
Exalted the standard; illumined his face:
“Takht-raván” signifies—a horse-litter.
“Takht-ravanda” signifies—a steed.
10Made the earth wearied (ground into dust and softened)
with the prancing of the steed;
Cast tumult into the summit of the ponderous mountain:
Urged the army thence to the throne of (the fortress)
Sarír,
So that the throne-seizer (himself) might behold that
throne.
Sarírí (the governor of Sarír) obtained news that that
crown-possessor
Desired to pass by that throne-place (of his):
Was acquainted with the judgment of the order-giver
(Sikandar),
That the world-king was victorious and prosperous:
(That) he slew none of the lineage of Kay;
Strengthened the back of all the true ones (those
approaching in friendship):
Caused the head of chiefs (land-owners) to reach the
crown;
Gave up much money derived from taxes and took not
(land-) tribute.
From joy, two stages he ran alongside of him;
For farsangs, he spread a carpet of satin:
Of victuals which were in his power
To an extent to which none knew the limit:
Of every kind of fur garment that was fresh like the rose,
Valuables beyond degree there were:
(Garments of) the black sable, the fox of red sword
(back);
Even the ermine and the beaver,—without stint.
See canto xli. couplet 152.
20Like the spring-leaf, panther belly-skins,
On them, a hundred thousand violets (patches) strewn.
Slaves, neck-upreared,—
All, each one, contest-prepared.
Handsome attendants, horse-riders, quick-movers,
In appearance, fresh; in motion, swift.
A beautiful and decorated present like this,
With it, also much treasure,—he despatched.
(All this) he entrusted (uncomputed) to the attendants of
the court;
For he who should compute it was helpless (so great was
the task).
He entered the court of the world-king;
Made his stature double (in bowing), like those versed in
affairs.
The world-possessor arose; and (thus) made him revered;
Made him honoured by the condition of his sitting (higher
than the nobles).
When from his own fortune he gave him perfect salutation,
He asked him of the tale of the throne and the cup.
Saying:—“The cup, world-viewing; and the throne of
the Kayán kings—
“How is it,—they are void of the pomp of those of
auspicious foot (ancient kings)?”
Sarírí, the king, returned him a sad answer,
Saying:—“O last of kings, neck-exalting!
“Kayumars, a servant of the tribe!
“Fírídún, an order-bearer of thy kingdom!
“Be the (falling) star the arrow of thy bow!
“Be the sphere world-seizing (the sky)—thy noose!
“The key that Kay Khusrau saw by the cup,
“That key is in the mirror (force) of thy hand.
“Save this is no spark of difference—for fame and name,
“Thou seest from the mirror; and Kay Khusrau, from
the cup.
“When kings of vigilant fortune have departed,
“Ever be thine the crown and the throne (of the kings of
Persia)!
“By thy throne,—be the world's splendour!
“From thy head,—be not far the crown's shadow!
“To the king of the horizons, what was the purpose,
“That he has made fresh (by visiting) the painting of this
old arch (the fortress)?
“That he urged the foot of the steed towards this land;
“(And) caused our land and soil (in honour) to reach the
celestial sphere?”
The world-Khusrau spoke to him saying:—O renowned
one,
The token of Kay Khusrau and of this throne!
“When the throne of Kay Ká,us and of Kay Kubád
became my throne,
“Verily, I drank wine from the cup (wine the invention)
of Jamshíd.
“For seeing this cup and decorated throne,
“I have a heart risen from its place (agitated).
The first line may be:—
(a) May the arrow of thy bow be the star (Mercury, the secretary of the sky, whose house is Sagittarius)!
(b) May the arrow of thy bow be the star (that ever looks not without penetrating)!
The falling star ever reaches its mark (demons).
“Besides that, I will also see how the king (Kay Khusrau)
sleeps (in death);
“How he prepared his resting-place in that (fiery) cave.
“I am the inquirer of the mystery (of the concealment)
of Kay Khusrau;
“Sit here; while I go there.
“I will weep over that auspicious throne of his;
“Will express a kiss on the lip of his cup:
“Will behold that throne of Khusrau-shelter;
“(Will note) what lamentation it makes with me as to
the king's death.
“And will hear from that kingless cup
“A blessing—that I may go higher than this cup (of the
sky).
“The mirror of my soul has become rust-eaten (careless);
“I will, by (the counsel of) that cup, wipe dust from the
mirror (of my heart):
“Will by that look (example-seizing) make my heart
fearful;
“Will make all work (of cherishing the body) easy to myself
(by abandoning it).”
From the speech of the lord of the crown, Sarírí
Became order-accepter as regards that his tale (of desire)
of beholding:
Sent secretly to his fortress-holder,
That he should, beyond limit, bring victuals:
Should bind his loins (in service) and display dexterity;
Should show, with a hundred kindnesses, respect to the
guest:
That is—that throne, the shelter of (all) Khusraus; or that throne, the shelter of Kay Khusrau.
Should order,—that the guards of the throne
Should be attentive to the monarch of victorious fortune:
Should give him access to the treasure and (with) the
throne;
Should give him, when he desires, wine, pleasant-tasting:
Should place him on the throne of Kay Khusrau;
Should sprinkle on his head fresh sprinkling (gold and
jewels):
Should pour wine into that turquoise cup;
Should bring it to him in joyousness (saying—auspicious
be this cup to thee)!
With whatever (food) may be pleasant to his teeth,
Should not turn the neck from his command.
When he finished the confidential matter with the faithful
ones,
To the king he said:—“Prepare thy resolution of going.
“According to the king's order, I will sit here;
“When the king returns from the road I will resolve on
travelling the road (into the fortress).”
The monarch turned to that house (the fortress);
He took the learned one (Balínás) belonging to his house,
Four or five persons of his confidential attendants,
Like the gold which issues from purification (from the
crucible).
He travelled the earth towards the throne-house (the
fortress);
Passed, in ascending, beyond the sky:
“Pazíra” signifies—kabúl kunanda; ikbál kunanda.
Ascended in such a way that he rested not at all,
On that twisting sphere (the fortress, rampart behind rampart)
with a hundred convolutions and turns:
Beheld a fortress fellow-twister (such was its power!) with
the sky;
In conflict, its name mentioned by none.
The brides of the fortress mixed sharbat;
In that sharbat, scattered sugar from the lip:
Placed for him the royal tray of gold;
And those eatables, indeed, which were fit for him.
The Parí-faced ones like the moon belonging to the place,
All arranged themselves around the king,
(Who was) amazed at that majesty and grandeur (of
theirs);
For the forehead of the master of fortune is heart-
When the king ate of that food and tasted the sharbat,
He turned his head towards the throne of Kay Khusrau.
Head-lowered and crown uplifted (in respect),
He came to the pillow (head) of that throne-place.
A voice from the door of the fortress came into agitation,
Saying:—“The sleeping (dead) Kay Khusrau has come to
sense (life)!”
The order of the order-passer (Sarírí) was thus,
That that crown-possessor (Sikandar) should sit on the
throne.
The chief of crown-possessors ascended the throne,
Simurgh-like on the branch of the golden (decorated) tree.
“Kuláh bar kashída” may signify—kuláh bar áwarda, the crown taken off in respect; kuláh buland karda, the crown made lofty (raised); kuláh bar yak taraf niháda, the crown laid on one side.
The guard of that throne of golden column
Poured forth jewels (speech) from the mine of speech (the
mouth,
Saying:—“The king's victoriousness (the sitting) on the
throne of the king (Kay Khusrau)
“Appears by the auspiciousness of the fortune of his
path.
“Verily, the bejewelled cup, ruby-studded (containing ruby
wine),
“Is the key (of fortune) to the lock of much treasure.
“By this throne and this cup, (both) fortune-worshipping
(full of fortune and decoration),
“Many a cup and throne,—which thou mayst acquire.”
Another guard spoke, saying:—“O monarch!
“Countries so many have not beheld a king like thee.
“When thou hastenedest to (sit on) the throne of Kay
Khusrau,
“Thou exaltedest thy head above the throne of Kay
Khusrau!”
Another eloquent speaker opened tongue,
Saying:—“How long (wilt thou remember)—Kay Khusrau
and Kay Kubád? (Behold Sikandar, both!)
“When the king's arm became strong by this throne
(erected by himself),
“He may act the part of a Kay Kubád and of a Kay
Khusrau.
“In that place before the throne,—every omen of the
Khusrau,
“Fortune brought forth in victoriousness.
Otherwise:—
The omen of the Khusrau (Sikandar's sitting on the throne)—all the guards in that place before the throne.
Brought forth victoriousness in victoriousness.
“When the king (Sikandar) gave (by his person) beauty
to that throne,
“He gave back life to the dead Kay Khusrau!”
On that throne he sate one moment,—not longer;
Kissed (it in reverence) and descended from the throne.
Scattered on that throne a treasure of jewels,
At which the treasurer of the house (of Kay Khusrau)
remained confounded:
Directed that they should place a chair of gold (for his
sitting);
Should properly place that auspicious cup (on another chair
in front).
When they had placed the chair, the Khusrau sate;
They opened the hand (sought) for the cup world-
Since the cup-bearer so regarded the message of Sarírí,
He illuminated that cup with wine.
To the Khusrau, he with judgment and sense brought it,
Saying:—“To the memory of Kay Khusrau drink this
wine!
“Drink! Be the auspicious star thy friend!
“Be thy hand ever capable of (taking) this cup (full of
wine)!”
When the king beheld that cup he arose on his feet (in
reverence);
Drank that one cup and desired not more:
On that cup a cord of jewels from his own arm,
He gave (to the cup-bearer), and sate down and placed it
before him.
After drinking, the wine-drinker puts something according with his dignity either into the cup or into the cup-bearer's hands.
Looked at that kingless throne;
Wept a moment over that wineless cup,—
Now for its winelessness, now for its kinglessness.
Expressed a few words as to that royal cup and throne,
Saying:—“Be not the golden throne without the cro??
wearer!
“Be not the cup world-displaying,—when wine is not!”
By wine, is brilliancy to the cup;
By the king, greatness to the auspicious throne.
When the king departed (from this world), say:—“??
the throne altogether shatter!”
When the wine (of life) is poured out, say:—“Let ??
cup fall to the earth!”
Need of this throne to the king's (that king living, ??
dead),
Who on heaven's throne sleeps not in comfort.
That (dead) one, who takes his chattels to heaven,
Reckons such a throne (of earth) as the prison.
For many a bird which they (the fowlers) make lost (ta??
from the meadow,
They make the cage of ivory and the snare of silk.
When (free) it puts on the collar and the crown of t??
(leaf of the) bough of the garden,
Recollection remains to it neither of a silken (snare) nor ??
an ivory (cage).
We are in search of the crown (of pleasure) and the helm??
(of contention), for this reason,
That we are heart-free from the sudden assault of death.
The spring meadow uplifted the bough, for the reason
That it experienced not the sword of the autumn-wind (??
death).
The wild asses (men) of the desert (the world) have made
round (fat) the buttocks;
Perhaps the lion (death) passed by (went not to) that ass-
The deer (men) are excited in playing;
Perhaps the terrible lions (the causes of death) are sleeping.
Verily, the navel of the (fat) deer holds musk;
Perhaps the claws and teeth of the leopards (the causes of
death) are shattered.
In this carelessness (of death) we pass our day,—
While to us, they (fate and destiny) apply fire, chattel (the
body)-burning.
Why do we make such a useless throne,
On which another becomes the place-taker?
For another, shall I make a place warm?
Of such a place, shame be ours!
To set up such a throne,—what profit?
Since our place is the plank of the grave (takhta), not the
throne (takht).
Not the throne of gold is this which is our place;
Nay, it is a clog of iron about our feet (inasmuch as we
regret to leave it at death).
Since one cannot perpetually sit on the throne,
It is proper before this (the coming of death) to shatter
the throne.
Since in the (world-displaying) cup of Kay Khusrau
(through his dying) lustrousness remains not,
It is unnecessary to pour wine (lustrous, like glass) into
thy own wine-cup.
To the second line add:—
Nay, shatter it; for by thy death it also will become void of lustre.
Come, cup-bearer! that Kay Khusraví cup (of senselessness),
Whose splendour (of wine) gives freshness to the eyes (of
holy men),
Make brimful of that wine, pleasant-tasting,
Take before the Kay Khusrau of the time (Nasratu-d-
If nishándan be read for fishándan, the second line will be:—
It is not proper to place (to invert) the flagon (with a view to pouring wine) into another (cup).