Khosrow Ghobadan and Ridak (Shah Khosrow and Ridak) also known as Khosrow and Ridag (خسرو و ریدگ), is work of
Middle Persian literature
Middle Persian literature is the corpus of written works composed in Middle Persian, that is, the Middle Iranian dialect of Persia proper, the region in the south-western corner of the Iranian plateau. Middle Persian was the prestige dialect duri ...
in
Pahlavi with details about
Sassanian
The Sasanian () or Sassanid Empire, officially known as the Empire of Iranians (, ) and also referred to by historians as the Neo-Persian Empire, was the last Iranian empire before the early Muslim conquests of the 7th-8th centuries AD. Named ...
culture in the era of
Khosrow II
Khosrow II (spelled Chosroes II in classical sources; pal, 𐭧𐭥𐭮𐭫𐭥𐭣𐭩, Husrō), also known as Khosrow Parviz (New Persian: , "Khosrow the Victorious"), is considered to be the last great Sasanian king (shah) of Iran, ruling fr ...
(known as Khosrow Parviz (خسرو پرویز) in the story).
In the story, a young man called ''Ridak'' (ریدگ) stands before the king seeking a position. He is asked 13 questions by the king. ''Ridaki'' is less a name than a description of position; it meant a slave or a young boy who served the elders and nobles. His answers form the treatise.
[
At the beginning of ''Ridak's'' treatise, he describes to ''Khosrow Parviz'' that he was from a prosperous family and that his father had died at a young age and his mother more recently. However, due to his father's inheritance, he was able to go to school (academy) and obtain the necessary religious information and become a teacher, and then become skilled in riding, shooting, spearing, music, astronomy, and various games. After this introduction, he asks the king to test him, and the king asks thirteen questions about the best foods and fruits and what they ate, songs, flowers and perfumes, and women and horses, etc., and all his answers are to his liking. To test his audacity, the king then asks him to capture alive the two lions that frightened the king's herds. After succeeding in this task, ''Ridak'' is appointed to the position of border guard.][
From this treatise, it is possible to understand the taste of the Sassanid aristocracy and the extent of the glory of Khosrow Parviz's court, as well as information about the state of education in the Sassanid era. This treatise is important in terms of including the names of foods and how to prepare them, flowers, instruments, games, etc.][
The Arabic translation of parts of this treatise is given by Abu Mansour Tha'labi. The text of this treatise has been published in the collection of Pahlavi texts . This treatise has also been translated into modern Persian.
An English translation was made as part of a larger (not identified) work, by ]Darab Dastur Peshotan Sanjana
Darab Dastur Peshotan Sanjana (18 November 1857 – 5 August 1931) was an Indian scholar and Zoroastrian head-priest (Dastur). He is known for his translations of works from Central Asia, in languages including Bactrian, Pahlavi, and Avestan. ...
.[
]
References
{{reflist
Middle Persian literature
External links
Corpus Of Pahlavi Texts by Jamaspji Dastur Minochehrji Jamasp-Asana. These are untranslated but might give a clue to find the translated text.Summary of Khosrow Khobodan and Ridak with bibliography. In Persian, but Google translates well.