Methods of Farrah transmission and its relationship with Goshtasb's Filicide

One of the most controversial acts of kings in Shahnameh is Goshtasb's attempt to kill Esfandiar. Goshtasb's interest in being a kingdom is generally cited as the reason for his action. In Shahnameh, Pashtun mentions this issue, but there are a few things to keep in mind in this regard. First, Pashtun is Goshtasb's first child and should be his crown prince, but he does not claim to be a king. Second, Goshtasb later transferred the government to Bahman. Moreover, examples of attempts to transfer power to grandsons can be seen in Iranian stories and the epics of some other countries; it is especially an Indo-European theme. Also in Iranian beliefs, girls are one of the mediators of Farrah transmission. Accordingly, in this article, we have tried to investigate the reasons for Goshtasb's attempt to kill Esfandiar. Based on the analysis, it can be said that Goshtasb's attempt to kill his son is a recurring theme and that the transfer of kingdom to a grandson was considered as a powerful transfer. According to the form of transmitting Farrah by girls, Goshtasb's Farrah reaches Homay, and Bahman inherits Farrah through his mother. Goshtasb also tries to behave in such a way that Esfandiar does not become a king because he does not have Farrah.