Twice ToldAntia, Karnamak-i Artakhshir Papakan (Bombay, 1900): Chapters X, XII and XIII, English translation and a note
- Language
- English
- Reading
- transcribed from the page image
- Retrieved
- 6 October 2026
Edalji Kersaspji Antia’s edition prints the Pahlavi text, a transliteration in Avesta letters, and English and Gujarati translations, with selections from the Shahnameh. Its chapter numbers differ from Sanjana’s (1896): Antia’s X is Sanjana’s VI, Antia’s XII is Sanjana’s VII, and Antia’s XIII is Sanjana’s VIII.
Original
[p. 22, Chapter X, 1, and footnote 1] (1) On their way to Pars they encountered the army of Haftanbukht, chief of Kirm, who plundered the entire property, treasures and baggage of the attendants of Artakhshir and carried them to the fort of Kulal, which was in the possession of the Kulalis, and where the dragon had its residence.
[footnote 1] Between Chs. IX and X the Shahnama has an additional chapter giving an account of one Haftanbukht (Haftyad according to Shahnama) an inhabitant of a place adjoining the city of Kajaran in Pars who subsequently became the ruler of Kirm (Kirman) and his connection with a worm. The Karnamak does not contain that chapter. Vide Selections from Shahnama pp. 16-19.
[p. 29, Chapter XII, 17] (17) However we so understand that the monster can be disposed of in this way: You should disguise yourself as a citizen of a distant city, and according to the ways of a worshipper devote yourself personally to his (the dragon’s) service and worship, and take with you there two disciples conversant with religious affairs, and engage them in offering prayers and orisons to God and his Archangels; and when it is time for the dragon to take his meal so arrange as to have molten brass with you to pour into the mouth of that monster so that he may be killed. That Druj in spiritual form can be destroyed by adoration and worship of God and that Druj in corporeal form can be killed by molten brass.
[p. 31, Chapter XIII, 13] (13) Artakhshir had previously at the time of breakfast made the worshippers and superintendents of the idol (dragon) intoxicated and unconscious; he with his own servants went near the dragon and carried to it the blood of cows and sheep according as it was given to it every day, and no sooner did the dragon open its mouth to drink the blood than Artakhshir poured the molten brass into the mouth of the dragon.
Translation
Antia’s English is the published translation.
Notes
- Antia’s footnote 1 on p. 22 is the clearest statement in the printed editions that the Kārnāmag has no apple chapter: it tells the reader that the Shahnama has an extra chapter between the Kārnāmag’s IX and X, and that the Kārnāmag does not contain it.
- Antia translates the metal “brass” in both places, as Sanjana does. Antia’s “dragon” is the Middle Persian kirm that Sanjana renders “Worm”.
- The scan is a photograph of a bound volume with page curl; the lines above were read from the page images at reduced size and every sentence was checked against its image.