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Before the Peshdadian dynasty

We are now going to a period which can be called not just long ago, but long, long ago. We are going back thou­­-sands of years in time when men had not yet learnt to live a settled life. They were not aware of the art of agriculture and so they had to go from one place to another in search of food. They led a nomadic life and survived on hunting and gathering whatever food they could during their wanderings. This people are now referred to as the Proto-Indo-Iranian people and they were the ancestors of the people who later on settled down in Iran and India.

They were the people who had already developed skills of speaking a legible language, a language which we no more know today, but which could be very similar to the Avesta language of the Iranians and the Sanskrit language of the Indians. In fact, their language is believed to be the parent of both these languages.

Due to severe cold in the North, lack of pasture - lands and depletion of natural fruits and vegetations, these nomadic people started migrating southwards. One group from among them settled in the Iranian plains near the Aral Sea and the rest migrated further southwards. Most of them settled in the North of India near the fertile banks of the Sapta Sindhu rivers.Our story is about the people who settled in the Iranian plateau and started the. Iranian civilization.

THE PESHDADIAN DYNASTY

The first of the five Mazdayasni/Zoroastrian dynasties of Iran, the Peshdadian dynasty, got its name from the second King of that dynasty, Hoshang, who is known in the Avesta as ‘Paradhata’, that is, the first law giver. With this dynasty starts, in a way, the history of human civilization. People started living a settled life, and several skills and trades were developed. Revolutionary changes came about in the life-style of man during this dynasty. This dynasty .saw great kings like Jamshed, Faridun and Minocheher. A few of the changes brought about by them, and certain customs introduced by them, are followed even today, after a lapse of thousands of years. It was during this dynasty that the practice of Monotheism was first started by the introduction of the Mazdayasni religion by King Gayomard.

The Peshdadian dynasty belongs to the pre-historic period, of which we have no documented records, and hence we have to depend on religious scriptures, folklore and epic literature to reconstruct the events and personalities of that period. Naturally, therefore, we do come across certain discrepancies and inconsistencies in the different narratives. Moreover we have very little material on the first and the last three kings of this dynasty.

This period is very important in the history of civilization for its sheer contribution to human development and progress due to which man was able to devote more time to what he was destined for, namely to contemplate, think, ponder and reflect on his own self and thus seek his own progress.

Let us now take a look at the early days of the Peshdadian dynasty and its first king Kayomars or Gayomard.

KING KAYOMARS

Kayomars is also referred to as Gayomard in the Pahlavi scriptures and is regarded as the first man. on Earth. However, it is more probable that he was the progenitor of the Iranian race and lineage.

Kayomars commanded great respect from all living creatures. Fellow men as well as all other living beings bowed their heads in reverence before him. He was even said to understand the language of animals and converse with them. It was for the first time that a human being commanded so much respect, awe and admiration from all creations and creatures around him. This was the beginning of the system of monarchy. Everybody accepted him as their leader, and he in turn protected them and gave them a sense of security. Kayomars was accorded special treatment as a King. He stayed in a mountain cave, wore clothes of tiger skin, put on a crown and administered justice and gave guidance to his subjects. As he sat on a throne made of stone and clay, he is also known as Gilshah. He taught his people to wear clothes made of tree leaves, barks and animal skins and made them live a settled community life in tree houses and caves.

The Mazdayasni Religion

In due time, Kayomars received a revelation from Ahura Mazda through Sarosh Yazad, the Yazad (spiritual being) who brings revelations, and on the basis of this revelation, he started for the first time in the history of mankind the practice of monotheism — that is, worship of one God. Before his time, men were non-plussed by natural phenomena and worshipped all awe inspiring natural creations like the seas, mountains and trees as God. Kayomars explained to his people that all natural creations were created by one God, Ahura Mazda, and He alone is worthy of worship. Thus started the Mazdayasni religion. The word Mazdayasni means ‘the Mazda-worshipping religion.’

The Daevayasnis

Most of the people obeyed Kayomars, but a few continued their vile ways of worshipping and invoking the black side of nature and became sworn enemies of Kayomars and his people. They came to be known as the ‘daevayasnis’, that is, people who worship daevas or forces opposed to nature and the advancement of mankind. The daevayasnis’ opposition to their King was exploited by the evil ones who started building an army against their King. This army was headed by one of the foremost daevayasni by the name of Siyah dev.

Kayomars, through an intuition inspired by Sarosh Yazad, came to know about the plot of the daevayasnis. He too prepared an army comprising of humans and animals. Kayomars had a son by the name of Siyamak who was made commander of this army. A battle ensued between the Mazdayasnis and the daevayasnis and in this battle, Siyamak was killed by Siyah dev.

The death of their prince was a great blow for the entire Mazdayasni clan. Kayomars had loved his son very dearly and he was shattered by his untimely death. He went into a state of shock and shut himself off from the world for one year. Ultimately Sarosh Yazad once again intervened and consoled Kayomars and persuaded him to have control over his sorrow and take charge of his Royal duties. Kayomars realised the futility and negative effect of his mourning. He came to himself and started grooming up his grandson Hoshang to fight against the rebellious daevayasnis.

Once again the Mazdayasnis and the daevayasnis met in a fierce battle in which Hoshang took charge of the army from the front and Kayomars stayed at the rear. In this battle the daevayasnis were completely defeated and Siyah dev was killed.

Shortly thereafter, Kayomars passed away peacefully, having reigned for 30 years. Due to his immense contribution towards the progress of mankind, he is referred to as a ‘Saoshyant,’ that is, a benefaactor of mankind.

KING HOSHANG

After Kayomars, his grandson Hoshang became the King. In the Avesta scrip­-tures King Hoshang is given the title of ‘Paradhata,’ that is, the first law giver. It is from this title that this royal dyn­-asty got its name ‘Peshdad.’ As soon as Hoshang ascen­-ded the throne, he pledged to rule with justice and com­-pas­sion for the betterment of man-kind.

Human Progress 

King Hoshang developed the process of mining iron wherein iron was extracted from iron ore by heating and smelting it. Thus started the profession of smithy. For the first time iron axes, saws and spades were made.

Happy by this success, Hoshang started the practice of agriculture with improved iron implements. He taught his people the art of sowing crops and reaping harvests. He also had canals dug from rivers to fields for easy availability of water. Thus started the first irrigation system in the world giving a great boost to agriculture. People now stopped leading a nomadic life and started living in small groups, near their own fields, tilling their own personal lands.

With the development of agriculture started the practice of domesticating animals like goat, sheep, cows, bulls and asses. Certain animals were used for field work and certain others for domestic purposes like guarding, riding, etc. Gradually, people started using wool. and fur of beaver and ermine as clothing.

The Majesty of Fire

One day, when King Hoshang along with his retinue had gone hunting, it so happened that suddenly a long, black slithering creature with red shiny eyes came before them. Though Firdausi has not named the creature here, from its description, it seems like an Azdah, which was a large dragon like animal often mentioned at other places in the Shahnameh. King Hoshang and a few of his soldiers followed this creature, hurling stone weapons at it. It so happened that the weapons missed their mark and hit another stone causing sparks to fly and igniting the dry branches of a tree, resulting in a huge fire.

On seeing this blaze, the soldiers were terrified and started running away. However, King Hoshang instantly recognized the majesty of Ahura Mazda in this blaze and bowed down before it offering his praises to its Creator. He stopped the fleeing soldiers and exhorted, "Don’t fear this majestic Fire. It is the radiance of Ahura Mazda. He who is wise shall revere it.”

Relieved, the soldiers came back, bowed down before the fire and fed it with wood. At night the King and his subjects celebrated a Jashan around this fire with great zest and festivity. This Jashan is called Jashan-e-Sadeh, and it is celebrated even today either on Ashtad roz of Adar month (100 days before the New Year) or on Avan roz of Bahman month (50 days and 50 nights before the holy days of the Gathas). The word ‘sadeh’ means, ‘a hundred.’ The word is also explained as denoting the name of the tree, the dry branches of which were burnt by sparks flying from the friction, resulting in the majestic blaze.

Over here Firdausi cautions people against calling the Parsis fire-worshippers in the following words:

"Do not call them fire worshippers.

Through fire they are God worshippers.

Just as the Arabs pray facing the Stone,

They face the blazing fire, worshipping the Great One.”

King Hoshang passed away after ruling for 40 years. Like his predecessor Kayomars, he too is regarded as a ‘Saoshyant,’ that is, a Benefactor of mankind.

KING TEHMURASP

King Hoshang had a son, Tehmurasp by name, who came to the throne after his father’s death. After ascending the throne King Tehmurasp invited all ministers and wise men of his kingdom to the court and proclaimed, "I, King Tehmurasp will hold a court daily and administer justice to the best of my ability. I hereby pledge to reform and win over all daevayasnis and be the lord of the whole world.” Thereafter he prayed to Ahura Mazda and Ram Yazad and asked for strength to overpower all evil ones.

The nemesis of daevayasnis

The daevayasnis, especially the inhabitants of the provinces of Mazandaran and Gilan, who comprised two-thirds of the entire daevayasni population, tried to revolt against King Tehmurasp. When King Tehmurasp came to know of this rebellion, he immediately readied himself and his faithful soldiers for a war. Tehmurasp with his power and might imprisoned two-thirds of the daevayasnis and smote the rest of them, who pleaded for their lives promising to teach Tehmurasp a new skill. The King forgave them and the daevayasnis taught him the art of calligraphy which he utilised to increase his wisdom.

Tehmurasp ‘Devband’

So much did the daevayasnis fear Tehmurasp that it is figuratively stated in the Shahnameh that he placed a saddle over Ahriman, the chief of evil ones, and rode him like a rider riding a horse. Due to his excellent command over the daevayasnis, Tehmurasp was called ‘devband’, that is, one who held the daevayasnis captive.

Human progress

Tehmurasp estab-lished new cities like Isfahan, Marv and Balkh. He taught his subjects the art of weaving cloth from animal hair and making garments therefrom. Apart from domesticating animals, Tehmurasp also instructed his subjects to subjugate and utilise for hunting certain wild animals and birds like the fox, leopard, falcon and kite. He also taught his people the need to domesticate a rooster and keep it as a household pet. He emphatically impressed upon his Subjects that God had made man superior to other creations, and this alone was reason enough to be ever grateful to the great Lord and regularly pray to Him.

The famine

Once there was a great famine in the kingdom of Tehmurasp. To avert this calamity Tehmurasp advised his people to have only one meal per day and distribute the rest of their daily quota of food to the poor and needy who were dying of hunger. This practice averted the ill effects of the calamity to a great extent.

The wise minister Shidasp

Tehmurasp had a wise Minister by the name of Shidasp who regularly received divine guidance. He used to seldom talk and devoted most of his spare time to prayers. Shidasp also knew astrology and always gave insightful and inspired advice to the King. In the Shahnameh Firdausi remarks that if the Minister was so wise, how much wiser would the King have been.

After, ruling for 30 years and instilling many arts and skills in his subjects, Tehmurasp passed away from this world.

Reprinted from the book Serialized Stories from the Indian Epic Shahnameh.