New Naqqaliشاهنامه
Object · The Shahnameh · Volumes I, II, III

karnayکرنای

kar-NAHY

A long brass war horn.

In the poem
First at A5.9, Fereydoon Binds Zahhak; last at E7.2, Khosrow’s Love for Shirin
Named
146 times, in 118 sections
Main stories
B13 Mount Hamavan and the Kamus Campaign (16); C4 The Final Afrasiab Wars and the Disappearance of Kay Khosrow (14); D13 Anooshirvan and the Road to the End-time (8)

In the poem’s own words

The 8 sections that name karnay most often, with the summary from the Notes and the couplets that name karnay. Tap a couplet number to read it in the full poem.
A6.20

Manuchehr Attacks the Army of Tur

On the eve of battle a herald promises heaven to the fallen and glory to the victors. At dawn the armies clash, and Iran’s young king wins the day. Shaken, Salm and Tur turn to plans for a night attack.

  • A6.20.25
    From karnay blast and wailing karnay sound,One might have thought a feast had filled the ground.
karnay named 2 times here · read the section in the full poem · notes
B5.10

Kavus Wars with Mazandaran

The armies meet, and Rostam spears the boasting champion Juya out of the saddle. After a week of battle Kavus prays; Rostam then spears the sorcerer-king, who turns himself into a rock. Rostam carries it to camp, the king emerges and is killed, and Ulad receives Mazandaran.

  • B5.10.48
    Both armies drew the sword and rushed to meet,Tabira, karnay driving iron feet.
  • B5.10.68
    At karnay’s cry, like elephant Rostam rose,And drove brave Rakhsh against the waiting foes.
karnay named 3 times here · read the section in the full poem · notes
B10.5

Faramarz Slays Varazad

Rostam’s son Faramarz leads the vanguard to the Turanian border. Varazad, lord of Sipanjab, challenges him and demands his name. Faramarz unhorses him, beheads him in Siavash’s name, and burns his land.

  • B10.5.23
    Tabira, karnay thundered down the line,The heart of Faramarz leapt at the sign.
karnay named 2 times here · read the section in the full poem · notes
B13.9

The Second Battle of Iran and Turan

At dawn both armies deploy. Houman orders a close-quarters charge, while Tus and Gudarz, greatly outnumbered, put their trust in God. The chiefs are paired off in single combats, and Tus leads his footmen forward.

  • B13.9.4
    From both the camps the tabira resounded;The karnay’s cry through all the world rebounded.
  • B13.9.37
    The koust and karnay made the whole sky quake;High heaven seemed to shift and reel and shake.
  • B13.9.44
    None knew the head from foot amid the sound,As koust and karnay shook the battleground.
karnay named 3 times here · read the section in the full poem · notes
B13.22

The Khan Surveys the Iranian Army

The Khan rides out on his elephants to view the Iranians and admires their courage, rebuking Piran for belittling them. Piran proposes resting and fighting in relays, but Kamus demands an all-out attack and the invasion of Iran, and the Khan agrees.

  • B13.22.9
    The koust and karnay raised a mighty sound,And tumult rolled throughout the guarded ground.
  • B13.22.17
    The kings set forth; the karnay’s piercing cryRose from the ranks and echoed, wild and high.
karnay named 2 times here · read the section in the full poem · notes
C4.10

The Armies Meet in Battle

The armies join. Gharan wears down Jahan, Gostaham drives on the right, and days of slaughter follow. Afrasiab spreads his ranks to get clear of the towered elephants. Khosrow prays behind his lines, kills Ila and unhorses Ustukila, and Afrasiab is pulled away at dusk.

  • C4.10.64
    The karnay and the koust rang; on one handStood Tus beside the Shah in high command.
karnay named 3 times here · read the section in the full poem · notes
C4.29

Afrasiab’s Night Attack Fails

Afrasiab attacks by night, but Khosrow has left his camp dark as bait: the raiders founder in the trench and are cut apart. Next day a dust-storm blinds the Turanians, Afrasiab hides his black banner and flees, and his abandoned army surrenders.

  • C4.29.20
    No karnay sounded, no war-shout was heard;No banner stirred, no rider spoke a word.
karnay named 4 times here · read the section in the full poem · notes
E2.3

Gav, Talkhand, and Chess

In Hind, Jamhur dies leaving the infant Gav; his brother Mai reigns, marries the queen and fathers Talkhand. The brothers’ rival claims end in a battle by the sea where Talkhand dies of thirst, unwounded. To show his mother how, the sages devise chess.

  • E2.3.198
    The karnay flourish and the cymbal clashWent up from both lines like a thunder flash.
karnay named 5 times here · read the section in the full poem · notes
All 118 sections that name karnay
  1. A5.9 Fereydoon Binds Zahhak
  2. A6.18 Fereydoon Answers His Sons
  3. A6.20 Manuchehr Attacks the Army of Tur
  4. A6.24 Kakouy Attacks the Iranians
  5. A6.26 Fereydoon Receives the Head of Salm
  6. A7.3 Sahm Dreams of His Son
  7. A8.8 Sahm Seeks Counsel
  8. A8.14 Zal Going as an Envoy before Manuchehr
  9. A8.20 Manuchehr Approves of Zal
  10. A9.2 Sahm Comes to Meet Rostam
  11. A9.5 Rostam Proudly Writes His Father
  12. B1.8 Viseh Finds His Son Slain
  13. B1.10 Zal Comes to Mehrab’s Aid
  14. B2.3 Zal Leads Iran against Afrasiab
  15. B5.8 Kavus’s Letter to Mazandaran
  16. B5.10 Kavus Wars with Mazandaran
  17. B5.11 Kavus Returns to Iran
  18. B6.1 Kavus Wars with Hamavaran
  19. B6.5 Rostam’s Message to Hamavaran
  20. B6.6 Rostam Battles the Three Kings
  21. B8.16 Sohrab Questions Hajir on Iran’s Chiefs
  22. B8.17 Sohrab Attacks Kavus’s Army
  23. B9.16 Siavash Leads the Army
  24. B9.23 Siavash’s Treaty with Afrasiab
  25. B9.50 Afrasiab Marches against Siavash
  26. B10.5 Faramarz Slays Varazad
  27. B10.7 Afrasiab Marches to Avenge His Son
  28. B10.8 The Death of Pilsam
  29. B10.10 Afrasiab Sends Kay Khosrow to Khutan
  30. B10.24 Giv Captures Piran
  31. B10.26 Afrasiab Comes upon Piran
  32. B11.5 The Mustering of the Pahlevans
  33. B11.8 Kay Khosrow Inspects the Army
  34. B12.12 The Death of Forood
  35. B12.18 News of Tus Reaches Afrasiab
  36. B12.19 Piran’s Night Attack
  37. B12.22 The Turanians Defeat the Iranians
  38. B13.4 Khosrow Dispatches Tus to Turan
  39. B13.8 Tus and Houman Meet in Combat
  40. B13.9 The Second Battle of Iran and Turan
  41. B13.10 The Turanians Use Sorcery
  42. B13.14 The Iranians Make a Night-Attack, Tus, Giv, Rohham Are Surrounded but Are Saved
  43. B13.16 Fariborz Asks for Farangis’s Hand
  44. B13.22 The Khan Surveys the Iranian Army
  45. B13.25 Giv and Tus Battle Kamus
  46. B13.26 The Coming of Rostam
  47. B13.27 Iran and Turan Set Their Battle Lines
  48. B13.31 Kamus Slays Alva
  49. B14.8 The Battle Lines Are Drawn
  50. B14.14 The Khan Is Taken Prisoner
  51. B14.16 Rostam Divides the Spoils
  52. B14.17 Rostam’s Letter to Kay Khosrow
  53. B14.25 Rostam Wrestles Puladvand
  54. B14.27 Rostam’s Return to Court
  55. C1.6 Rostam Returns to Iran
  56. C2.26 Afrasiab Comes against Rostam
  57. C2.27 The Iranians Defeat Afrasiab
  58. C3.6 The Armies Are Set in Array
  59. C3.16 Nastihan Is Slain in a Night-Attack
  60. C3.19 Khosrow Musters the Army
  61. C3.40 Gudarz Returns from Battle
  62. C3.41 Lahhak and Farshidvard Bewail Piran
  63. C4.2 Kay Khosrow Musters against Afrasiab
  64. C4.4 Kay Khosrow Hears of Afrasiab’s Advance
  65. C4.10 The Armies Meet in Battle
  66. C4.18 Kay Khosrow Reaches Gang-Behesht
  67. C4.26 Afrasiab Returns with the Faghfoor of Chin
  68. C4.29 Afrasiab’s Night Attack Fails
  69. C4.35 Khosrow Battles the King of Makran
  70. C5.14 Caesar Demands Tribute from Ilyas
  71. C5.15 Goshtasb Battles Ilyas
  72. C6.8 The Envoys Bear Goshtasb’s Answer
  73. C6.9 Goshtasb Assembles His Troops
  74. C6.12 The Opening of the Battle
  75. C6.25 Arjasp Prepares the Second War
  76. C6.28 News of Lohrasp’s Death Reaches Goshtasb
  77. C6.32 Esfandiyar Reaches Goshtasb
  78. C7.6 The Simorgh of the Fifth Stage
  79. C7.7 The Snow of the Sixth Stage
  80. C7.11 Bishutan Attacks the Ruyin Dezh
  81. C9.6 Faramarz Avenges Rostam
  82. D1.3 Faramarz Fights Bahman
  83. D5.15 Iskandar Fights the Army of Foor
  84. D5.19 Iskandar Captures King Faryan’s Fortress
  85. D5.29 Iskandar Seeks the Fount of Life
  86. D5.33 Iskandar Wars against the Sindians
  87. D5.38 Lamentations for Iskandar
  88. D6.8 Tabak Helps Ardeshir and Defeats Bahman
  89. D6.12 The Story of Haftvad and the Worm
  90. D6.13 Ardeshir Fights Haftvad and Is Defeated
  91. D7.12 Shapur, Son of Ardeshir
  92. D8.1 Shapur, Son of Hormizd, Surnamed Zul-Aktaf
  93. D9.6 Yazdegard Jails Bahram, but He Escapes
  94. D10.20 Bahram’s Assault on the Khan’s Army
  95. D10.26 Bahram’s Embassy to Shangul of Hind
  96. D11.3 The Reign of Pirooz
  97. D11.4 Balawsh
  98. D12.2 The Fall of Sofrye
  99. D13.6 Anooshirvan Fortifies the Pass
  100. D13.8 Monzer Seeks Justice from Anooshirvan
  101. D13.11 Anooshirvan Marches against Caesar
  102. D13.13 Anooshirvan Defeats Caesar’s Army
  103. D13.15 Caesar Sends Tribute to Anooshirvan
  104. D13.19 The Death of Nushzad
  105. E1.5 Anooshirvan Marches against the Khan
  106. E1.6 The Khan Writes for Peace
  107. E1.10 The Khan Sends Bride and Treasure
  108. E1.11 Anooshirvan Marches to Tisfoon
  109. E2.3 Gav, Talkhand, and Chess
  110. E4.1 Anooshirvan Prepares to March on Rum
  111. E5.6 Bahram Chubin Takes Command
  112. E5.9 Saveh and Bahram Chubin Face Each Other
  113. E5.11 Bahram Chubin Slays King Saveh
  114. E5.13 Bahram Chubin Overcomes Parmudeh
  115. E6.25 Soroush Saves Khosrow from Bahram
  116. E6.50 Khosrow Grants Rey to Gurdiyeh
  117. E6.53 Caesar Seeks the Cross of Christ
  118. E7.2 Khosrow’s Love for Shirin

On the maps

A5.9Fereydoon Binds ZahhakA9.5Rostam Proudly Writes His FatherB5.10–B5.11Kavus's Mazandaran Campaign and the Return to IranB6.1The Hamavaran Sea-War and Kavus's CaptivityB13.9–B13.26The Siege of Mount Hamavan and the Gathering of the WorldC3.6–C3.39The Battle of the Twelve RukhsC4.2–C4.14Kay Khosrow's Last Offensive and the Crossing of the JihunC6.25–C6.32The Second War: The Fall of Balkh

Where the name appears

Named mentions by book, from the Universe Registry, the index behind this site. Titles and epithets are not counted.
A5Zahhak’s Tyranny and the Uprising of Kaveh1A6The First Kings: Fereydoon5A7The First Kings: Manuchehr1A8The Story of Zal and Rudabeh3A9The Birth and Early Feats of Rostam; Manuchehr’s Closing Counsel2B1The Crisis after Manuchehr2B2Garshasp and the Transition to Kayanian Kingship1B5The Seven Labors of Rostam5B6The Folly of Kay Kavus3B8The Tragedy of Rostam & Sohrab2B9The Story of Siavash3B10Vengeance for Siavash and the Retrieval of Kay Khosrow7B11Kay Khosrow’s Kingship2B12Forood and the Snowstorm Campaign4B13Mount Hamavan and the Kamus Campaign16B14The Great Battle with the Khan of Chin6C1Rostam and the Div Akvan1C2The Tale of Bijan and Manijeh3C3The Battle of the Twelve Rukhs5C4The Final Afrasiab Wars and the Disappearance of Kay Khosrow14C5Lohrasp2C6Goshtasb, Zardosht, and the War with Arjasp7C7Esfandiyar’s Seven Stages and the Ruyin Dezh4C9Rostam and Shaghad1D1The Reign of Bahman, Son of Esfandiyar1D5The Iskandar Cycle6D6The Ashkanian Dynasty3D7The Early Sasanians1D8The Shapur Zul-Aktaf Cycle and Later Early Sasanian Reigns1D9Yazdegard I and the Rise of Bahram Goor1D10The Bahram Goor Cycle: Justice, Foreign Adventures, and End of a Reign2D11Short Reigns and a Crisis with Khoshnavaz2D12Qobad and the Mazdakite Revolution1D13Anooshirvan and the Road to the End-time8E1The Story of Mahbud and Other Matters5E2Chess, Wisdom, and the Kalila and Dimna5E4Anooshirvan’s Last Years1E5Hormizd, Son of Anooshirvan5E6Khosrow Parviz3E7The Story of Khosrow Parviz and Shirin1

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