Vis u Ramin
Encyclopedia
Vis and Rāmin is an ancient Persian
love story
. The epic was composed in poetry by the Persian
poet Asad Gorgani
(فخرالدين اسعد گرگانی) in 11th century.
The story dates from pre-Islamic
Persia. Gorgani claimed a Sassanid origin for it, however it is now being regarded as a Parthian
dynastic origin, probably the 1st century AD. It has also been suggested that Gorgâni's story reflects the traditions and customs of the period immediately before he himself lived. This cannot be ruled out, as stories retold from ancient sources often include elements drawn from the time of their narrator.
, one in the west and the other in the east. The existence of these small kingdoms and the feudalistic background point to a date in the Parthian period of Iranian history. The popularity of this pre-Islamic story in the Islamic period is mentioned by the poet himself, and shows that there was a demand for ancient themes and traditional lore.
(Media) in western Iran
, and Ramin
(Rāmīn), the brother to Mobed Monikan, the King of Marv
in northeastern Iran. Monikan sees Shahru in a royal gala, wonders at her beauty, and asks her to marry him. She answers that she is older than she looks and is already married, but she promises to give him her daughter if a girl is born to her.
Several years later, Shahru gives birth to a girl and calls her Vis or Viseh. She sends Vis to Khuzan to be raised by a wet-nurse or nanny who also happens to be raising Ramin, who is the same age as Vis. They grow up ten years together and afterwards, Vis is recalled to her mother. After Vis reaches adolescence, she comes back to her mother and Shahru marries her to her son, Vis's brother, Viru. The marriage remains unconsummated because of Vis' menstruation, which by Zoroastrian law makes her unapproachable. Mobad Monikan finds out about the marriage celebration and sends his brother Zard to remind Shahru of her promise and to bring Vis to him. Vis definitely rejects Mobad Monikan's request and refuses to go. Monikan feels aggrieved and campaigns against Māh-abad. In a battle, Qārin, Vis's father, is killed, but Monikan also suffers a defeat from Viru. Mobad Monikan, although defeated in this battle, takes his army to Gurab, where Vis is waiting the outcome of the battle. He sends a messenger to her, offering her various privileges in return for marrying him. But Vis rejects Mobad's offer proudly and indignantly. Mobad asks advice from his two brothers Zard and Ramin. Ramin, who is already in love with Vis attempts to dissuade Mobad from trying to Vis. However, Mobad's brother Zard suggests bribing Shahru as a way of winning over Vis. Mobad listens to Zard and sends money and jewels to Shahru and bribes her to gain entry to the castle. He then takes Vis away, much to the chagrin of Viru.
On the journey back to Marv
, Ramin catches a glimpse of Vis and is consumed with love for her, so much so that he falls of his horse and faints. Vis is given residence in the harem of Mobad and gifts are bestowed upon her. Vis's nurse also followers her to Marv
, and attempts to persuade her to behave pragmatically, accept Mobad and forget Viru. Vis at first has a hard time accepting her fate, but eventually resigns herself to Mobad's Harem.
Vis refuses to give herself to Mobad for a year and she was still mourning the death of her father. At this time, the nurse makes a talisman
that renders Mobad impotent for one month. The spell can only be broken if the talisman is broken, and it is swept away in a flood and lost, so that Mobad is never able to sleep with his bride. While Vis was being taken to Marv
, Ramin was in her escort and saw her, recognized her, and fell in love with her.
Vis was mourning her father's death and her separation from her brother and first husband, Viru. Ramin pleads with the Nanny to inform Vis about his love. Vis gets angry and refuses any meeting. Finally, after a lot of talks and communication through the Nanny, and while King Mobad Monikan is on campaign, Vis and Ramin meet. Vis falls in love with Ramin and the two consummate their love.
After Monikan returns, they decide to go and visit Vis's family in Mah. There Monikan overhears a conversation between the nurse and Vis, and realizes his wife loves Ramin. Monikan demands a trial by fire, passing through fire, for Vis to prove her chastity. But Vis and Ramin elope. Monikan's mother makes peace between her two sons Ramin and the king, and they all go back to Marv.
Monikan takes Ramin along on a campaign against the Romans
but Ramin falls sick and is left behind. Ramin goes back to Vis, who is imprisoned in a castle by Monikan and guarded by the king's other brother Zard. Ramin scales the wall and spends his time with Vis until Monikan comes back from the war and Ramin escapes.
Ramin thinks that his love with Vis has no future, so he asks Monikan to send him to Maah on a mission. There, Ramin falls in love with a woman called Gol and marries her. Vis finds about this and sends the Nanny to Ramin to remind him of their love. Ramin sends back a harsh reply. Vis sends an elaborate message pleading with him to come back. At this time, Ramin was bored from his married life and after he receives the second message he goes back to Vis. But when he reaches Marv on his horseback in a snow storm, Vis goes to the roof of the castle and rejects his love. Ramin goes off desperately. Vis regrets what she has done and sends the Nanny after Ramin. They reconcile.
Monikan takes Ramin hunting and Vis and the Nanny and some other women attend a fire temple nearby. Ramin becomes absent from the hunting, disguises himself as a woman to enter the temple, and leaves with Vis. They go back to the castle and, with help from Ramin's men, kill the garrison and Zard as well. They then escape to Dailam, on the coast of the Caspian Sea. Monikan is killed by a boar during the hunt. Vis and Ramin come back to Merv and Ramin sits on the throne as the king and marries Vis. Ramin reigns for 83 years. In the 81st year Vis dies and Ramin hands over the kingdom to his eldest son with Vis and goes and mourn on Vis' tomb for 2 years, after which he joins her in the afterlife.
. Significantly, Nezami
, himself a major poet of Persian romantic traditions, took the bases of much of his rhetoric from Gorgani.
The romance also has had its influence beyond Persian culture. The story became very popular also in Georgia
through a 12th-century free translation in prose known as Visramiani
which proved to have a long-lasting effect on the Georgian literature. Being the oldest known manuscript of the work and better preserved than the original, it is of great importance for the history of the Persian text and helps restore several corrupted lines in the Persian manuscripts.
The great scholar Vladimir Minorsky did a four part study of the story and was convinced of its Parthia
n origin.
Some scholars have suggested that Vis u Ramin may have influenced the Tristan and Iseult
legend, and the two plots have distinct resemblances. Nevertheless views have differed about the connection between these two stories.
Original Persian:
چو قامت بر کشید آن سرو آزاد
که بودش تن ز سیم و دل ز پولاد
خرد در روی او خیره بماندی
ندانستی که آن بت را چه خواندی
گهی گفتی که این باغ بهارست
که در وی لالهای آبدارست
بنفشه زلف و نرگس چشمکانست
چو نسرین عارض لاله رخانست
گهی گفتی که این باغ خزانست
که در وی میوهای مهرگانست
سیه زلفینش انگور ببارست
زنخ سیب و دو پستانش دونارست
گهی گفتی که این گنج شهانست
که در وی آرزوهای جهانست
رخش دیبا و اندامش حریرست
دو زلفش غالیه، گیسو عبیر است
تنش سیمست و لب یاقوت نابست
همان دندان او درّ خوشابست
گهی گفتی که این باغ بهشتست
که یزدانش ز نور خود سرشتست
تنش آبست و شیر و می رخانش
همیدون انگبینست آن لبانش
روا بود ار خرد زو خیره گشتی
کجا چشم فلک زو تیره گشتی
دو رخسارش بهار دلبری بود
دو دیدارش هلاک صابری بود
بچهر آفتاب نیکوان بود
بغمزه اوستاد جادوان بود
چو شاه روم بود آن ری نیکوش
دو زلفش پیش او چون دو سیه پوش
چو شاه زنگ بودش جعد پیچان
دو رخ پیشش چو دو شمع فروزان
چو ابر تیره زلف تابدارش
بار اندر چو زهره گوشوارش
ده انگشتش چو ده ماسورهء عاج
بسر بر هر یکی را فندقی تاج
نشانده عقد او را درّ بر زر
بسان آب بفسرده بر آذر
چو ماه نَو بر او گسترده پروین
چو طوق افگنده اندر سرو سیمین
جمال حور بودش، طبع جادو
سرینِ گور بودش، چشم آهو
لب و زلفینش را دو گونه باران
شکر بار این بدی و مشکبار آن
تو گفتی فتنه را کردند صورت
بدان تا دل کنند از خلق غارت
وُ یا چرخ فلک هر زیب کش بود
بر آن بالا و آن رخسار بنمود
Persian literature
Persian literature spans two-and-a-half millennia, though much of the pre-Islamic material has been lost. Its sources have been within historical Persia including present-day Iran as well as regions of Central Asia where the Persian language has historically been the national language...
love story
Romance novel
The romance novel is a literary genre developed in Western culture, mainly in English-speaking countries. Novels in this genre place their primary focus on the relationship and romantic love between two people, and must have an "emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending." Through the late...
. The epic was composed in poetry by the Persian
Persian people
The Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
poet Asad Gorgani
Asad Gorgani
Fakhruddin As'ad Gurgani, also spelled as Fakhraddin Asaad Gorgani , was an 11th-century Persian poet. He versified the story of Vis and Rāmin, a story from the Arsacid period. Contemporary scholar Abdolhossein Zarrinkoub however disagrees with this view, and concludes that the story has a...
(فخرالدين اسعد گرگانی) in 11th century.
The story dates from pre-Islamic
History of Iran
The history of Iran has been intertwined with the history of a larger historical region, comprising the area from the Danube River in the west to the Indus River and Jaxartes in the east and from the Caucasus, Caspian Sea, and Aral Sea in the north to the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman and Egypt...
Persia. Gorgani claimed a Sassanid origin for it, however it is now being regarded as a Parthian
Parthian Empire
The Parthian Empire , also known as the Arsacid Empire , was a major Iranian political and cultural power in ancient Persia...
dynastic origin, probably the 1st century AD. It has also been suggested that Gorgâni's story reflects the traditions and customs of the period immediately before he himself lived. This cannot be ruled out, as stories retold from ancient sources often include elements drawn from the time of their narrator.
Framework
The framework of the story is the opposition of two Parthian ruling housesSeven Parthian clans
The Seven Parthian clans or Seven Houses were seven purportedly "Parthian" feudal aristocracies allied with the Sassanid court.Only two of the seven - the House of Suren and the House of Karen - are actually attested in sources dateable to the Arsacid period...
, one in the west and the other in the east. The existence of these small kingdoms and the feudalistic background point to a date in the Parthian period of Iranian history. The popularity of this pre-Islamic story in the Islamic period is mentioned by the poet himself, and shows that there was a demand for ancient themes and traditional lore.
Synopsis
The story is about Vis, the daughter of Shāhrū and Kāren, the ruling family of MāhMedes
The MedesThe Medes...
(Media) in western Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, and Ramin
Ramin
Gonystylus, also known as ramin, is a genus of about 30 species of hardwood trees native to southeast Asia, in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, the Philippines, and Papua New Guinea, with the highest species diversity on Borneo...
(Rāmīn), the brother to Mobed Monikan, the King of Marv
Merv
Merv , formerly Achaemenid Satrapy of Margiana, and later Alexandria and Antiochia in Margiana , was a major oasis-city in Central Asia, on the historical Silk Road, located near today's Mary in Turkmenistan. Several cities have existed on this site, which is significant for the interchange of...
in northeastern Iran. Monikan sees Shahru in a royal gala, wonders at her beauty, and asks her to marry him. She answers that she is older than she looks and is already married, but she promises to give him her daughter if a girl is born to her.
Several years later, Shahru gives birth to a girl and calls her Vis or Viseh. She sends Vis to Khuzan to be raised by a wet-nurse or nanny who also happens to be raising Ramin, who is the same age as Vis. They grow up ten years together and afterwards, Vis is recalled to her mother. After Vis reaches adolescence, she comes back to her mother and Shahru marries her to her son, Vis's brother, Viru. The marriage remains unconsummated because of Vis' menstruation, which by Zoroastrian law makes her unapproachable. Mobad Monikan finds out about the marriage celebration and sends his brother Zard to remind Shahru of her promise and to bring Vis to him. Vis definitely rejects Mobad Monikan's request and refuses to go. Monikan feels aggrieved and campaigns against Māh-abad. In a battle, Qārin, Vis's father, is killed, but Monikan also suffers a defeat from Viru. Mobad Monikan, although defeated in this battle, takes his army to Gurab, where Vis is waiting the outcome of the battle. He sends a messenger to her, offering her various privileges in return for marrying him. But Vis rejects Mobad's offer proudly and indignantly. Mobad asks advice from his two brothers Zard and Ramin. Ramin, who is already in love with Vis attempts to dissuade Mobad from trying to Vis. However, Mobad's brother Zard suggests bribing Shahru as a way of winning over Vis. Mobad listens to Zard and sends money and jewels to Shahru and bribes her to gain entry to the castle. He then takes Vis away, much to the chagrin of Viru.
On the journey back to Marv
Merv
Merv , formerly Achaemenid Satrapy of Margiana, and later Alexandria and Antiochia in Margiana , was a major oasis-city in Central Asia, on the historical Silk Road, located near today's Mary in Turkmenistan. Several cities have existed on this site, which is significant for the interchange of...
, Ramin catches a glimpse of Vis and is consumed with love for her, so much so that he falls of his horse and faints. Vis is given residence in the harem of Mobad and gifts are bestowed upon her. Vis's nurse also followers her to Marv
Merv
Merv , formerly Achaemenid Satrapy of Margiana, and later Alexandria and Antiochia in Margiana , was a major oasis-city in Central Asia, on the historical Silk Road, located near today's Mary in Turkmenistan. Several cities have existed on this site, which is significant for the interchange of...
, and attempts to persuade her to behave pragmatically, accept Mobad and forget Viru. Vis at first has a hard time accepting her fate, but eventually resigns herself to Mobad's Harem.
Vis refuses to give herself to Mobad for a year and she was still mourning the death of her father. At this time, the nurse makes a talisman
Amulet
An amulet, similar to a talisman , is any object intended to bring good luck or protection to its owner.Potential amulets include gems, especially engraved gems, statues, coins, drawings, pendants, rings, plants and animals; even words said in certain occasions—for example: vade retro satana—, to...
that renders Mobad impotent for one month. The spell can only be broken if the talisman is broken, and it is swept away in a flood and lost, so that Mobad is never able to sleep with his bride. While Vis was being taken to Marv
Merv
Merv , formerly Achaemenid Satrapy of Margiana, and later Alexandria and Antiochia in Margiana , was a major oasis-city in Central Asia, on the historical Silk Road, located near today's Mary in Turkmenistan. Several cities have existed on this site, which is significant for the interchange of...
, Ramin was in her escort and saw her, recognized her, and fell in love with her.
Vis was mourning her father's death and her separation from her brother and first husband, Viru. Ramin pleads with the Nanny to inform Vis about his love. Vis gets angry and refuses any meeting. Finally, after a lot of talks and communication through the Nanny, and while King Mobad Monikan is on campaign, Vis and Ramin meet. Vis falls in love with Ramin and the two consummate their love.
After Monikan returns, they decide to go and visit Vis's family in Mah. There Monikan overhears a conversation between the nurse and Vis, and realizes his wife loves Ramin. Monikan demands a trial by fire, passing through fire, for Vis to prove her chastity. But Vis and Ramin elope. Monikan's mother makes peace between her two sons Ramin and the king, and they all go back to Marv.
Monikan takes Ramin along on a campaign against the Romans
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
but Ramin falls sick and is left behind. Ramin goes back to Vis, who is imprisoned in a castle by Monikan and guarded by the king's other brother Zard. Ramin scales the wall and spends his time with Vis until Monikan comes back from the war and Ramin escapes.
Ramin thinks that his love with Vis has no future, so he asks Monikan to send him to Maah on a mission. There, Ramin falls in love with a woman called Gol and marries her. Vis finds about this and sends the Nanny to Ramin to remind him of their love. Ramin sends back a harsh reply. Vis sends an elaborate message pleading with him to come back. At this time, Ramin was bored from his married life and after he receives the second message he goes back to Vis. But when he reaches Marv on his horseback in a snow storm, Vis goes to the roof of the castle and rejects his love. Ramin goes off desperately. Vis regrets what she has done and sends the Nanny after Ramin. They reconcile.
Monikan takes Ramin hunting and Vis and the Nanny and some other women attend a fire temple nearby. Ramin becomes absent from the hunting, disguises himself as a woman to enter the temple, and leaves with Vis. They go back to the castle and, with help from Ramin's men, kill the garrison and Zard as well. They then escape to Dailam, on the coast of the Caspian Sea. Monikan is killed by a boar during the hunt. Vis and Ramin come back to Merv and Ramin sits on the throne as the king and marries Vis. Ramin reigns for 83 years. In the 81st year Vis dies and Ramin hands over the kingdom to his eldest son with Vis and goes and mourn on Vis' tomb for 2 years, after which he joins her in the afterlife.
Influence
The Vis and Ramin story had a noticeable influence on Persian literaturePersian literature
Persian literature spans two-and-a-half millennia, though much of the pre-Islamic material has been lost. Its sources have been within historical Persia including present-day Iran as well as regions of Central Asia where the Persian language has historically been the national language...
. Significantly, Nezami
Nezami
Nizami Ganjavi , Nizami Ganje'i, Nizami, or Nezāmi , whose formal name was Niẓām ad-Dīn Abū Muḥammad Ilyās ibn-Yūsuf ibn-Zakkī ,was a 12th-century Persian poet. Nezāmi...
, himself a major poet of Persian romantic traditions, took the bases of much of his rhetoric from Gorgani.
The romance also has had its influence beyond Persian culture. The story became very popular also in Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
through a 12th-century free translation in prose known as Visramiani
Visramiani
Visramiani is a medieval Georgian version of the old Iranian love story Vīs and Rāmīn, traditionally taken to have been rendered in prose by Sargis of T'mogvi, a 12th/13th-century statesman and writer active during the reign of Queen Tamar Visramiani is a medieval Georgian version of the old...
which proved to have a long-lasting effect on the Georgian literature. Being the oldest known manuscript of the work and better preserved than the original, it is of great importance for the history of the Persian text and helps restore several corrupted lines in the Persian manuscripts.
The great scholar Vladimir Minorsky did a four part study of the story and was convinced of its Parthia
Parthia
Parthia is a region of north-eastern Iran, best known for having been the political and cultural base of the Arsacid dynasty, rulers of the Parthian Empire....
n origin.
Some scholars have suggested that Vis u Ramin may have influenced the Tristan and Iseult
Tristan and Iseult
The legend of Tristan and Iseult is an influential romance and tragedy, retold in numerous sources with as many variations. The tragic story is of the adulterous love between the Cornish knight Tristan and the Irish princess Iseult...
legend, and the two plots have distinct resemblances. Nevertheless views have differed about the connection between these two stories.
Excerpt
An excerpt where the beauty of Vis is described (from Vis and Ramin Trans. Dick Davis. Washington DC: Mage, February 2008 ISBN 1933823178):Original Persian:
چو قامت بر کشید آن سرو آزاد
که بودش تن ز سیم و دل ز پولاد
خرد در روی او خیره بماندی
ندانستی که آن بت را چه خواندی
گهی گفتی که این باغ بهارست
که در وی لالهای آبدارست
بنفشه زلف و نرگس چشمکانست
چو نسرین عارض لاله رخانست
گهی گفتی که این باغ خزانست
که در وی میوهای مهرگانست
سیه زلفینش انگور ببارست
زنخ سیب و دو پستانش دونارست
گهی گفتی که این گنج شهانست
که در وی آرزوهای جهانست
رخش دیبا و اندامش حریرست
دو زلفش غالیه، گیسو عبیر است
تنش سیمست و لب یاقوت نابست
همان دندان او درّ خوشابست
گهی گفتی که این باغ بهشتست
که یزدانش ز نور خود سرشتست
تنش آبست و شیر و می رخانش
همیدون انگبینست آن لبانش
روا بود ار خرد زو خیره گشتی
کجا چشم فلک زو تیره گشتی
دو رخسارش بهار دلبری بود
دو دیدارش هلاک صابری بود
بچهر آفتاب نیکوان بود
بغمزه اوستاد جادوان بود
چو شاه روم بود آن ری نیکوش
دو زلفش پیش او چون دو سیه پوش
چو شاه زنگ بودش جعد پیچان
دو رخ پیشش چو دو شمع فروزان
چو ابر تیره زلف تابدارش
بار اندر چو زهره گوشوارش
ده انگشتش چو ده ماسورهء عاج
بسر بر هر یکی را فندقی تاج
نشانده عقد او را درّ بر زر
بسان آب بفسرده بر آذر
چو ماه نَو بر او گسترده پروین
چو طوق افگنده اندر سرو سیمین
جمال حور بودش، طبع جادو
سرینِ گور بودش، چشم آهو
لب و زلفینش را دو گونه باران
شکر بار این بدی و مشکبار آن
تو گفتی فتنه را کردند صورت
بدان تا دل کنند از خلق غارت
وُ یا چرخ فلک هر زیب کش بود
بر آن بالا و آن رخسار بنمود
See also
- ShahnamehShahnamehThe Shahnameh or Shah-nama is a long epic poem written by the Persian poet Ferdowsi between c.977 and 1010 AD and is the national epic of Iran and related societies...
(Iran's national epic book) - Firdowsi (Writer of Shahnameh)
- Persian literaturePersian literaturePersian literature spans two-and-a-half millennia, though much of the pre-Islamic material has been lost. Its sources have been within historical Persia including present-day Iran as well as regions of Central Asia where the Persian language has historically been the national language...
- Persian mythologyPersian mythologyPersian mythology are traditional tales and stories of ancient origin, some involving extraordinary or supernatural beings. Drawn from the legendary past of the Iranian cultural continent which especially consists of the state of Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Central Asia, they reflect the...
English translations
- Vīs and Rāmīn, by Fakhr al-Dīn Gurgānī, translated from Persian by George Morrison, UNESCO Collection of Representative WorksUNESCO Collection of Representative WorksThe UNESCO Collection of Representative Works was a UNESCO translation project that was active for about 57 years, from 1948 to about 2005. The projects purpose was to translate masterpieces of world literature, primarily from a lesser known language into a more international language such as...
: Persian heritage series, no. 14, xix, 357 p. (Columbia University Press, New York, 1972). ISBN 0231034083.
- Gorgani, Fakhraddin. Vis and Ramin Trans. Dick Davis. Washington DC: Mage, February 2008 ISBN 1933823178. http://www.amazon.com/dp/1933823178
External links
- Vīs u Rāmīn, The Persian Epic on The Love of Vīs and Rāmīn, by Fakhr al-dīn Gorgānī, Persian Critical Text composed from the Persian and Georgian oldest manuscripts by Magali A. Todua and Alexander A. Gwakharia, edited by Kamal S. Aini (Tehran 1970). Digitized text: University of Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
- Vīs u Rāmīn, audiobook, recorded by Ahmad Karimi Hakkak at University of Washington, USA.
- Dick Davis (January 6, 2005), "Vis o Rāmin", in: Encyclopaedia Iranica Online Edition. Accessed on April 4, 2010.http://www.iranica.com/articles/vis-o-ramin