Wizārišn ī Čatrang ud Nihišn Nēw-Ardaxšīr

The text "The explanation of chess and the invention of the Nēw-Ardaxšīr" was written in Middle Persian (Pahlavi) in the 9th century.

It is also called Čatrang-nāmag (The Book of Chess).

The oldest copy dates back to 1322: it is the MK manuscript (named in honor of Mihrabān Kayhusraw, its Iranian scribe), which is preserved in Bombay, India.

The name Nēw-Ardaxšīr, meaning 'the noble Ardashir,' underwent phonetic contraction over time, evolving from 'Nardašīr' into the simplified form 'Nard'.

Bozorgmehr said thus: « Among the rulers of this millennium Ardaxšīr was more capable and most wise and I will name this (game) Nēw-Ardaxšīr in Ardaxšīr’s name. 

I will make the board of the backgammon like the Spandarmad earth. 

and I will make 30 pieces like the 30 night and day, I will make 15 white, like the day, and I will make 15 black, like the night. 

I will make one single die as the turning of the constellations and the revolution of the frmament. 

I will make the one on the dice like Ohrmzad, who is one and all goodness was created by him. 

I will make the two like the spiritual and the material world. 

I will make the three like good thoughts, good words, and good deeds, and thoughts, words, and deeds. 

I will make the four like the four elements which the people are made of, and (like) the four corners of the world, northeast and southwest, and southeast, and northwest. 

I will make the fve like the fve lights, like the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the fire and the heavenly brightness which descends from the sky. 

I will make the six like the creation of the creatures during the six periods of Gāhānbārs.

I will make the arrangements of the (game of ) backgammon on the board like the Lord Ohrmazd, when He created the creatures of the material world. 

The turning and revolution of the pieces by the die is like people in the material world, their bond connected to the spiritual world, through the 7 and 12 (planets and constellation) they all have their being and move on, and when it is as if they hit one against another and collect, it is like people in the material world, one hits another (person). 

And when by the turning of this die all are collected, it is in the likeness of the people who all passed out from the material world (died), and when they set them up again, it is in the likeness of the people who during the (time of ) resurrection, all will come to life again. »