Zahh.C4.81k in the Sh.C4.81hn.C4.81ma Zahhak

1 zahhāk in shāhnāma

1.1 zahhāk in arabia
1.2 zahhāk emperor
1.3 revolution against zahhāk

zahhāk in shāhnāma

in ferdowsi s epic poem, shāhnāma, written c. 1000 ad , part of iranian folklore legend retold main character given name of zahhāk , changed supernatural monster evil human being.

zahhāk in arabia

persian painting, depicting zahak ascending on royal throne.

according ferdowsi, zahhāk (arabic transliteration: ازدهاق or azdahaq) born son of arab ruler named merdās. because of arab origins, called zahhāk-e tāzi, arabian zahhāk. handsome , clever, had no stability of character , influenced evil counsellors. ahriman therefore chose him tool plans world domination.

when zahhāk young man, ahriman first appeared him glib, flattering companion, , degrees convinced him ought kill own father , take on territories. taught him dig deep pit covered on leaves in place merdās accustomed walk; merdās fell in , killed. zahhāk became both parricide , king @ same time.

ahriman took guise, , presented himself zahhāk marvellous cook. after had presented zahhāk many days of sumptuous feasts (introducing meat formerly vegetarian human cuisine), zahhāk willing give ahriman whatever wanted. ahriman merely asked kiss zahhāk on 2 shoulders. zahhāk permitted this; when ahriman had touched lips zahhāk s shoulders, vanished. @ once, 2 black snakes grew out of zahhāk s shoulders. not surgically removed, 1 snake-head had been cut off, took place.

ahriman appeared zahhāk in form of skilled physician. counselled zahhāk remedy let snakes remain on shoulders, , sate hunger supplying them human brains food every day otherwise snakes feed on own.

zahhāk emperor

armenian princess tigranuhi, daughter of orontes sakavakyats, before wedding ajdahak. azhdahak identified astyages in armenian sources.

about time, jamshid, ruler of world, through arrogance lost divine right rule. zahhāk presented himself savior discontented iranians wanted new ruler. collecting great army, marched against jamshid, fled when saw not resist zahhāk. zahhāk hunted jamshid many years, , @ last caught him , subjected him miserable death—he had jamshid sawn in half. zahhāk became ruler of entire world. among slaves 2 of jamshid s daughters, arnavāz , shahrnāz (the avestan arənavāci , savaŋhavāci).

zahhāk s 2 snake heads still craved human brains food, every day zahhāk s spies seize 2 men, , execute them brains feed snakes. 2 men, called armayel , garmayel, wanted find way rescue people being killed snakes. learned cookery , after mastering how cook great meals, went zahhāk s palace , managed become chefs of palace. every day, saved 1 of 2 men , put brain of sheep instead of food, not save lives of both men. saved told flee mountains , faraway plains.

ajdahak dream

zahhāk s tyranny on world lasted centuries. 1 day zahhāk had terrible dream – thought 3 warriors attacking him, , youngest knocked him down mace, tied him up, , dragged him off toward tall mountain. when zahhāk woke in panic. following counsel of arnavāz, summoned wise men , dream-readers explain dream. reluctant anything, 1 said vision of end of zahhāk s reign, rebels arise , dispossess zahhāk of throne. named man take zahhāk s place: fereydun.

zahhāk became obsessed finding fereydun , destroying him, though did not know lived or family was. spies went everywhere looking fereydun, , heard boy, being nourished on milk of marvelous cow barmāyeh. spies traced barmāyeh highland meadows grazed, fereydun had fled before them. killed cow, had return zahhāk mission unfulfilled.

revolution against zahhāk

fereydun defeats zahhak

zahhāk tried consolidate rule coercing assembly of leading men of kingdom signing document testifying zahhāk s righteousness, no 1 have excuse rebellion. 1 man spoke out against charade, blacksmith named kāva (kaveh). before whole assembly, kāva told how zahhāk s minions had murdered seventeen of eighteen sons zahhāk might feed snakes lust human brains – last son had been imprisoned, still lived.

in front of assembly zahhāk had pretend merciful, , released kāva s son. when tried kāva sign document attesting zahhāk s justice, kāva tore document, left court, , raised blacksmith s apron standard of rebellion – kāviyāni banner, derafsh-e kāviyānī (درفش کاویانی). proclaimed himself in support of fereydun ruler.

soon many people followed kāva alborz mountains, fereydun living. young man , agreed lead people against zahhāk. had mace made him head of ox, , brothers , followers, went forth fight against zahhāk. zahhāk had left capital, , fell fereydun small resistance. fereydun freed of zahhāk s prisoners, including arnavāz , shahrnāz.

kondrow, zahhāk s treasurer, pretended submit fereydun, when had chance escaped zahhāk , told him had happened. zahhāk @ first dismissed matter, when heard fereydun had seated jamshid s daughters on thrones beside him queens, incensed , hastened city attack fereydun.

when got there, zahhāk found capital held against him, , army in peril defense of city. seeing not reduce city, sneaked own palace spy, , attempted assassinate arnavāz , shahrnāz. fereydun struck zahhāk down ox-headed mace, did not kill him; on advice of angel, bound zahhāk , imprisoned him in cave underneath mount damāvand, binding him lion s pelt tied great nails fixed walls of cavern, remain until end of world. thus, after thousand years tyranny, ended reign of zahhāk.