In the apocryphal text “The Acts of Thomas” is found a hymn describing the journey of a Parthian prince from Parthia to Egypt and the account of him retrieving a pearl and returning to his home in the land of his father the King of Kings. This hymn, composed originally in Pahlavānīg (Parthian) by a poet-singer (gōsān), contains in its core a description of the journey of the soul in Iranian thought, demonstrating its path from the abode of Ahura Mazdā (King of Kings, Father), Spənta Ārmaiti (Queen, Mother) and Fravaṣi (Brother, Grand Minister) to the world of life, its exploits in the living world and its return to the House of Song.
The Hymn is found in two early translations, one in Syriac and the other in Greek (possibly 3rd century), both interpolated in a few manuscripts of the Acts of Thomas. There is also a Greek paraphrase of the hymn by Nicetas of Thessalonica (possibly 11th century).
Raham Asha has prepared this hymn, in Pārsīg, according to Syriac and Greek versions.
Cf. Asha, Raham. The Parthian Prince’s Remarkable Journey. Arrou. 2021. (ISBN 978-2-9579653-0-4). See here.
pārsīg
1- hān zamān ka kōdak-ē būd hum
ud hamē mānd hum ped šāhīgān ī pid-um,
2- ud ped rāy ud xvarr ī
parvarzišngārān-um visūd hum,
3- az Xvarāsān, hān ī-mān mēhan,
mād-u-pid tōšag hamē bast ud frēstīd hum.
4- az grāmag hān ī-mān ganzag
bast man rāy az ahī bār-ē
5- vas kalān bē xvār
kū tanīhā xvad tuvān burdan.
6- zarr abaršahrīg,
sēm ī meh Ganzag,
7- karkēhan hindūg,
ud stabrag hān ī Kušān-šahr.
8- u-n kamar bast hum
ped xvēn-āhan.
9- u-n frāmuxt hum
brāh ī kird ped dōšārm,
10- ud abarvarr suxr
vaftag bašn ī man anvāy.
11- u-n bē kird pašt-ē
nibištag ped menišn ī man ˗kū-š nē mōšān
12- “ka bē ōxēzē ō Mudrag būm,
āvarē ēvtāg murvārīd
13- kū baved ānōh
nàzd ō kirm ī ōbārendag,
14- ā bē peymōzē brāh ī xvēš
ud abarvarr kē sayed ped ōy,
15- had brād ī tō kē-mān bidaxš
nāmvar ped šahriyārīh bē.”
16- az Xvarāsān an uzīd hum
ka do parvānag abāg-um.
17- būd rāh ǝškeft ahrāsān
ud ēvarz vasnād an būd hum aburnāyag.
18- ka vidašt hum marz ī Mēšān
˗kū: vāzărgānān spanzag ī Xvarāsān˗,
19- ā rasīd hum būm ī Bābil
ud adīd hum Sārbāg.
20- kà bē ō Mudrag šud hum andar,
hāmpandān-um bē hišt hum ōy.
21- rāst pōyīd hum pedīrag kirm,
ō-š gilistag nird mānd hum,
22- dā bē ūnāyād bē xvafsād,
ā-m murvārīd aziš gīrum.
23- ud ceōn ēvtāg būd hum ud tanīhā
ā ō hāmespanzagān vigām būd hum.
24- ēg-um ānōh dīd hamnāf-ē,
ēk xvarāsānīg āzād-ē,
25- rēdak ī nēkōg nāzug,
ēv meh-zādag.
26- ōy ō man rōn mad, abāg-um būd.
27- būd ōy man rāy hāmjārag,
kird-um ōy hayyār ud hāmjādag.
28- pahrēzēnīd-um ham ōy az mudragān,
ham az āmēzišn abāg nēpākagān.
29- jāmag-ē cǝōn hān ī-šān peymuxt-um
dā nē ped dārānd kū az bē mad hum
30- kū-š murvārīd ǝstānān,
ēg abar man kirm vigrāsānd.
31- bē nē dānum ped cē ēvēnag
mārd hend “an hum nē hamšahrīg”.
32- ud gumixt hend ped davāl had man,
u-n-z-išān xvardīg cāxšīd hum.
33- ēg bē mušt-um kū “pus ī šahriyārān hum”,
ud šahriyār hān ī-šān peristīd-um.
34- ud bē mušt-um hān ī murvārīd
ī-š vasnād mād ud pid frēstīd hum.
35- ud pedisāy cē grānīh ī vidang-išān
xvamn-ē zufr andar an nibast hum.
36- abar tisān hamāg ī jast būd hum
pidarān mārd hend ud bēš burd hum.
37- ud azd kird būd andar hān-imān šahr
kū: hāmōyēn ō-mān dargāh āyānd,
38- cē Pahlav šahriyārān pēšubāyān,
cē hāmōyēn vazurgān ī Xvarāsān.
39- vizīr kird jādag ī man rāy ēdōn
kū: an hištag ped Mudrestān nē mānān!
40- avēšān nāmag-ē man rāy bē nibišt
ud nām ī harv vazurg ped hān bē āvišt:
41- “az pid ī tō, šāh ī šāhān,
mād, bāmbišn ī Xvarāsān,
42- az brād ī tō kē-mān bidaxš,
drūd ō pus-imān kē Mudrag andar!
43- bē vigrās ud bē āxēz az xvamn-it
ud saxvan hān ī-mān nāmag bē niyūš!
44- bē āyās kū tū pus ī šahriyār hē
bē vēn ped jōg ī bannagīh ī kē hē!
45- bē āyās hān ī murvārīd vasnād
ō Mudrestān uzīd hē!
46- bē kun ham hān brāh ī xvēš āyād
ud abrangīg abarvarr-it bē āyās!
47- kū bē peymōzē ud bē hupēsīdag,
ud nām-it xvand bed ped nēvnāmag.
48- ud āgenīn pasāgrīv, brādar,
jumā ō šahriyārīh bēd andar.”
49- nāmag-um aōn būd ceōn ka šāh
āvāšed ped dast ī dašn,
50- az bazakkar zādagān ī bābilīg,
ud stahmag dēvdām ī Sārbāg.
51- parr zad ōy Sēnmurv mānendag,
šāhriyār ī visp vāyendag.
52- parr zad ud visād nazd ō man,
ud bē būd ōy hāmōyēn saxvan.
53- ped vazan ud vāng ī mārišn-iš,
az xvamn vigrāst āxist hum.
54- u-m grift ud ōy hambōyīd,
u-m višād ud ōy pehipursīd.
55- pedisāy cē dil andar būd pištag,
saxvanīhā ī nāmag ham nibištag.
56- bē āyāst-um kū pus ī šahriyār hum,
u-m āzādīh cihr ī xvēš kāmed.
57- bē āyāst-um kū murvārīd vasnād
ō Mudrestān frēstīd ēstād hum.
58- ud nivist-um ēg afsāyān
kirm ī sahmēn ī damān.
59- dā unāyēnān ud xvafsēnān,
pediš āyād kird-um nām ī pid,
60- ud nām ī hān ī-mān bidaxš,
ud hān ī mād, bāmbišn ī Xvarāsān.
61- hamē ka-m hān ī murvārīd appurd,
ō mān ī pid rōn ēg-um bē āvurd.
62- ud ka peymōzan ī nēpāk ī rīman
bē kand-um, hišt-um ō-šān būm andar.
63- abar raft hum ō rāh-ē kū bē āsād
ō rōšnāgīh ī mēhan-mān Xvarāsān.
64- ud hān ī-m nāmag ī vigrāsēnīdār
pedīrag man ō rāh andar bē vindād.
65- ceōn ped vāng ī xvad vigrāsēnīd hum,
aōn ped rōšnāgīh rāyēnīd hum.
66- cē hān abrēšum ī šahvār pēš-um,
ped hān ī xvēš ǝspēdīh bē ǝspixt.
67- ud ham ped vāng ud ham ped rāyēnāgīh,
dudī dād hum dilīh ped nixvārīh.
68- ud āhixt ud kišīd hum ped friyīh.
69- tar ō Sārbāg uzīd hum ud vidašt hum,
ud Bābil ham ō hōy ī xvad bē hišt-um.
70- rasīd hum ēg ō Mēšān
71- kū (darbann-ē) vazurg ped zamb ī āb ast.
72- brāh ī xvēš kū būd-um frāmuxt,
ud varr-ē kū pediš būd ōy frāgust,
73- visē kird hend az bālist ī Gurgān
ō ānōh pid-u-mād-um.
74- ped dast ī hān (do) ganzōr
kē ped vābar aviš būd hend abestām.
75- bē ka-m āyād nē būd pāyag ī ōy
˗cē andar kōdakīh hišt-um vīs ī pid˗,
76- hamē ka xvad pedīz ī ōy būd hum,
ceōn āyēnag-um vastarg mānd hum.
77- hamāg-iš ped hamāg ī xvēš dīd-um,
ud an-z hāmāg ped ōy hamrasīd hum.
78- cē do būd hēm amāh andar judāgīh,
ud dudī ēk amāh ped ēvkirbīh.
79- avīn ganzōr ham ī-m rāy āvurd
hamēdōn-z man bē dīd hend,
80- do man dīd hend, bē ēv-kirb būd hend,
cē muhr ī šāhagān ēk pišt kird hend
81- ped dast ī ōy, pas dād hend jumā
grav ud rāy ī man ped rāh ī ēšān,
82- brāh ī man pēsīdag
ped ǝspēzāg gōnān,
83- ped zarr ud ābgēnag,
ud karkēhan ud gōhrān,
84- ud muhragsang ī judgōn
virāstag ham ped bašn-iš,
85- ud ped sang ī xvēnāhan
hasāxtag hām darz-iš.
86- pehikar hān ī šāhān šāh hāmāg
sad ud karšīd ēstād ped hamāg-iš.
87- ud ceōn sang āsmāngōn,
hamēdōn būd vasgōn.
88- ud did dīd-um kū ped ōy
hamāg jumbišn ī āgāhīh vizannād.
89- ud did dīd-um ceōn ka
ō guftan xvēš āmād.
90- šnūd-um vāng ī vāz-iš
kē ōxēzān hamē vāxt:
91- “az hān ī nēvdum mard hum
ka pēš ī pid parvard hum.
92- ud man ham mārd kū vālīd
pedisāy ī kunišn ī ōy bašnāy-um.”
93- ud ped jumbišn ī šahvār
ō man ālag bē pōyīd.
94- abar dast ī (do) dādār
ō man nixvārd hend kū dā-š gīrān.
95- ud did dōšārm ī man sārēnīd hum
kū tāzān dīdgāmag u-š pedīrān.
96- višād-āgōš pedīrag ōy rasīd hum,
pediš hugōnīh an pēsīd būd hum.
97- ud ped varr ī nisāgēn
bavandag tan nigust-um.
98- ud peymuxtag pediš ahrāft hum dā
ō dargāh ī drūdag ud namāzā.
99- nigōzīd-um sar ud kird-um niyāyišn
ō im farr ī pidar kē ō-m visē kird.
100- cē kird-um hān ī ōy handarz hanzāft,
ud ōy-iz hān cē kird ō man pedistāg.
101- ud ped dar hān ī vispūrān,
gumixt hum āgenīn hān ī-š vazurgān.
102- cē ped man šādmān būd ud pedīruft hum,
ud andar āyvan had ōy būd hum.
103- ud ped vāng ī srōdān
hamōyēn bannagān-iš ōy ǝstūd.
104- pedistūd hum “ō šāhān šāh dar did
abāg ōy an bē pāyān;
105- ud ped pārag ud murvārīd,
had ōy, ō šahriyār-imān pēdāg bē bān.”
English
1- When I was a child
dwelling in my father’s palace,
2- by the riches and fortune of
my nurturers I rested.
3- From Xvarāsān, our home,
My mother and father supplied and sent me away.
4- From our precious treasury
they had already prepared me a luggage.
5- It was great, yet light
that I could carry it myself.
6- Gold of Abaršahr,
silver from the great Ganzak
7- Chalcedony from India,
thick silk brocade of Kushan land.
8- And they tied my waste,
with shining metal.
9- And they took off
my splendid robe which they’d made for me with love.
10- And my crimson overcoat,
woven according to my stature.
11- And they made a pact with me,
written on my mind, so that I may forget not:
12- “When you descend to the land of Egypt,
bring the unique pearl
13- which resides in there,
near the devouring dragon.
14- Then you shall wear your splendid (robe),
and the overcoat that lies over it.
15- Together with your brother, our chancellor
you shall be heir to the kingdom.”
16- I went out of Xvarāsān,
and two guides with me.
17- The road was fierce and terrible,
the journey too, for I was a child.
18- Then I passed the border of Mesene,
-which is the resting-place for merchants in Xvarāsān.
19- Next I reached the land of Babylon,
and entered Sārbūγ.
20- When I got to the land of Egypt,
my companions left me there.
21- I headed straight to the dragon,
and settled near its den,
22- (Waiting) for him to slumber and sleep,
then take the pearl from him.
23- As I was solitary and alone,
I became a stranger to those I dwelt with.
24- Then I saw there one of my kin,
a noble of Xvarāsān,
25- One beautiful, gracious boy,
a high-born.
26- He came to me and kept my company.
27- He was a companion to me,
and I made him my friend and co-partner (in merchandise).
28- I warned him about the Egyptians
and of contact with the impure.
29- I wore a dress like theirs,
so that they’d not know I’d come from afar.
30- To take the pearl,
lest they’d wake the dragon against me.
31- But I know not in what way,
they perceived, that “I am not of their fellow countrymen.”
32- With trickery, they became mingled with me,
and made me taste their food, too.
33- Then I forgot that “I am the king’s son.”
And I serviced their king.
34- And I forgot that pearl,
for which my mother and father had sent me.
35- From the heaviness of their trouble,
I laid down in a deep sleep.
36- Everything that happened to me,
my parents knew, and for me they were grieved.
37- And it was announced in our kingdom that,
everyone must go to our court.
38- Both the kings and leaders of Parthia
and all the grandees of Xvarāsān.
39- They ruled my case so that,
I, who am left in Egypt, there shall not remain!
40- They wrote me a letter
and sealed it with the name of all nobles:
41- “From your father, king of kings,
your mother, the queen of Xvarāsān,
42- from your brother, our chancellor,
hail unto you, our son remaining in Egypt!
43- Wake up and arise from your sleep,
and hear our words in the letter!
44- Remember that you are the king’s son,
see who’s yoke of service you are under!
45- Remember that pearl for which,
you have been sent away to Egypt!
46- That splendid robe too, recall,
and your majestic overcoat, think of!
47- Which you shall put on and be well-adorned,
and your name shall be read in the Book of the Valiant!
48- And together with your brother, viceroys
to kingship, you shall be!”
49- My letter was which the king,
sealed with his right hand,
50- (To keep it) from the wicked sons of Babylon,
and the cruel demons of Sārbūγ.
51- It flew like the Saēna,
the king of all other birds.
52- It flew and came to me,
and then it became all word.
53- From the shock and voice of perceiving it
I woke up from sleep.
54- And I took it and kissed it,
and I opened and read it.
55- For whatever was written in my heart,
was also written in the letter.
56- I remembered that I was the king’s son,
And my nobility seeks its nature.
57- I remembered that for the pearl,
I was sent to the Egyptian land.
58- And then I began to charm,
the terrible hissing dragon.
59- To make him doze off and sleep,
I chanted him my father’s name.
60- The name of our chancellor,
my mother’s, the queen of Xvarāsān.
61- When I took that pearl,
I then took it to my father.
62- Then that impure, filthy garment,
I tore off and discharged to their land.
63- I walked the path that lead,
to the brightness of our home, Xvarāsān.
64- And that letter, my awakener,
I found, before me on the road.
65- As it awakened me with its voice,
now it guided me with its light.
66- For the royal silk garment, before me,
shone with its own brightness.
67- And by both its voice and its guidance,
again it gave me courage to hasten.
68- And it drew and pulled me with its love.
69- By-passed Sārbūγ I went and moved,
and I left Babylon on my left.
70- Then I reached Mesene,
71- which is a great gate by the seashore.
72- My splendid robe that was taken off of me,
and the cloak in which it was covered,
73- from the heights of Hyrkania, had sent,
my mother and father, to there.
74- In the hands of those two treasurers,
who were trusted for their faithfulness.
75- But I did not remember its status
-for I had left it in father’s house in my childhood.
76- As soon as I faced it,
like a mirror of myself, the garment resembled me.
77- I saw all of it in the whole of me,
and I faced all of myself in it, too.
78- For we were two in division,
and again, one we were in form.
79- And the treasurers which brought it to me,
I saw them too in the same manner.
80- I saw them two, but they were one in form,
for they had the sole sealing of the king graven on them,
81- by the hand of (my father), so they together gave me,
the pawn and wealth in their way,
82- my adorned splendid robe,
with sparkling colors,
83- with gold and crystal,
chalcedonies and gems,
84- sardonyx of various colors,
were laid on its stature,
85- and with diamond stones,
all its seams were fastened.
86- The image of the king of kings,
was embossed and depicted in its entirety.
87- And like sapphire-stone,
so was its colors different.
88- And again I saw that on it,
the motions of knowledge were quaking.
89- And again I saw that it,
prepared itself to speak.
90- I heard the sound of its speech,
that murmuring, it said:
91- “I belong to the most valiant man,
thus I was raised before the father.
92- And I felt that grew
my height, according to his actions.”
93- With kingly movement,
it walked to my side.
94- On the hands of its two givers,
they hastened me to take it.
95- And again my love incited me,
that I hastily move and accept it.
96- With open arms I went towards it,
with the beauty of its colors, I was adorned.
97- And by the brilliant cloak,
my whole body was covered.
98- Wearing it, I ascended to
the gate of salutation and greet.
99- I bowed my head and prayed,
to the His majesty my father who sent me there.
100- For I fulfilled his commands,
and he fulfilled what he promised to me.
101- And at the gate of princes,
I mingled with his grandees.
102- For he was delighted with and received me,
and I was in his palace together with him.
103- And with the sounds of songs,
all his subjects praised him.
104- And he promised me that in the king of king’s court,
I shall remain, together with him.
105- And with my gift and my pearl,
together with them, I shall appear before the king.
srōd ī murvārīd – Audio
Pieces from Asha, Raham. The Parthian Prince’s Remarkable Journey, Arrou, 2021
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