Rostam And Esfandyar! Engr Dr Naila Hina

Jahan Pahlavan Rustom 

Rostam or Rustam (Persian: رستم [rosˈtæm]) is a legendary hero in Persian mythology, the son of Zāl and Rudaba, whose life and work were immortalized by the 10th-century Persian poet Ferdowsi in the Shahnameh, or Epic of Kings, which contains pre-Islamic Iranian folklore and history. However, the roots of the narrative date much earlier.

Esfandiyār is best known for the tragic story of a battle with Rostam described in Ferdowsi's epic Shahnameh (Epic of Kings). It is one of the longest episodes in Shahnameh and is one of its literary highlights.

Luckily, Rostam's father, Zal, is the adopted son of the Simorgh, a magical bird who happens to know that Esfandyar is invulnerable, except for one fatal flaw—his Achilles heel, if you will. Esfandyar can only be killed by striking at his eyes.

Esfandyar jumped out and then sliced the bird into two. What happened to Esfandyar when he became covered in the blood of the Simurgh? Was there any part of his body that did not receive this benefit from the blood? He became invulnerable to any weapon

Upon his return, Esfandiyār's father informs him that during his absence the king of Turan Arjaasb had rebelled and attacked Iran's capital and abducted Esfandiyār's two sisters. Goshtasp sends Esfandiyār on another mission to suppress the rebellion and retrieve the abducted princesses.

In the Shahnameh, Rostam and his predecessors are Marzbans of Sistan (present-day Iran and Afghanistan). Rostam is best known for his tragic fight with Esfandiyār, the other legendary Iranian hero; for his expedition to Mazandaran (not to be confused with the modern Mazandaran Province); and for tragically fighting and killing his son, Sohrab, without knowing who his opponent was. He is also known for the story of Seven Labours. Shaghad, his half-brother, eventually killed Rostam.

Rostam was always represented as the mightiest of Iranian paladins (holy warriors), and the atmosphere of the episodes in which he features is strongly reminiscent of the Parthian Empire. He rode the legendary stallion Rakhsh and wore a special suit named Babr-e Bayan in battles.

Origins

Sohrab and Rostam fighting:from "The Shahnama of Shah Tahmasp" (circa 1522)