After the unprecedented and astonishing success in inventing "movable type," which was considered a miracle in the ancient world, little Kourosh immediately and with firm resolve moved to the next phase of his ambitious dream: the mass production of knowledge. He commanded his small but loyal team in the workshop, composed of trusted nurses and skilled slaves who had now become accustomed to the delicacy of the work, to focus with all their might on printing thousands of copies of his first two books, "The Comprehensive Dictionary of New Persian" and "A Guide to the Writing of New Persian." The rhythmic sound of setting the wooden types in their frames and the uniform thud of the manual press had become a new melody in the workshop; a melody that heralded the birth of a new era of knowledge and enlightenment and filled every corner of the workshop with excitement and enthusiasm.
While the mass production of these two books progressed at an increasing speed, with the number of printed pages growing daily, Kourosh himself personally devoted all his focus and unparalleled meticulousness to the final stages of compiling the "Achaemenid Avesta." He knew well that gathering this oral and scattered treasure of ancient wisdom, which had been passed down from generation to generation for centuries, was an arduous task requiring exceptional precision. For two full months, Kourosh, with incredible obsession, reviewed the collected texts, standardized the dialects, and ensured that not a single word or teaching was omitted and that the true spirit of the Avesta was preserved in this new compilation. This project connected his heart to the spiritual roots of the nation, organizing their religious identity and giving it a unified and lasting form.
With the completion of the compilation of the "Avesta," which itself was an unparalleled masterpiece in the history of writing, this great work also immediately entered the cycle of mass printing. For another two months, the sound of the press and the smell of fresh ink filled the workshop. The small mud-brick workshop had now transformed into a large and bustling production center, where the scent of fresh ink and paper wafted through, and every corner witnessed the creation of a new miracle. The nurses and workers, despite being unaware of the overall project and the magnitude of the work they were doing, followed Kourosh's precise supervision, printing and drying hundreds of pages every day. The paper production process, thanks to previous experiences and continuous improvements, had also become more optimized, and higher quality papers were now ready to receive the ink and the sacred words.
Finally, after eight months of round-the-clock and continuous work since the invention of the printing press, Kourosh's dream came true. He had succeeded in printing a thousand copies of each of his three books – "The Comprehensive Dictionary of New Persian," "A Guide to the Writing of New Persian," and the "Achaemenid Avesta." This achievement, in an era when manual copying was the only way to produce books and each copy required months of painstaking labor, was considered a technological and cultural miracle; thousands of identical, clear, legible, and accessible books. This success was an unprecedented step on the path to spreading literacy and knowledge and promised immense potential for transforming society and beginning an era of enlightenment.
"The Comprehensive Dictionary of New Persian," as the first printed book of humankind in this region of the world, appeared with a sturdy and eye-catching cover. A strong wooden base was covered with high-quality cowhide leather in a dark crimson color, obtained with the natural dyes of that era, symbolizing the ancient roots and the endurance of knowledge. The binding of the cover to the inner pages was done with strong threads and a type of powerful plant-based glue, to ensure the book's durability against continuous use. The inner pages, too, were made from high-quality paper derived from flax and cotton fibers, providing a smooth and uniform surface for the words to be imprinted, and every word shone with complete clarity upon it.
"A Guide to the Writing of New Persian" was ready for distribution with a different but equally efficient and pleasant appearance. The cover of this book was also made from a wooden base and cowhide leather, but in a lighter and more pleasing color, like a light, beige-toned brown, which evoked simplicity and clarity. The choice of this color well reflected the book's goal of simplifying the language and its rules. This book was bound with the same strength and precision as the dictionary and was ready to reach any interested person, to easily teach them the rules of the new language and pave the way for mass literacy.
But the most magnificent and sacred of these works was the "Achaemenid Avesta"; the book that was to be the religious backbone of the empire and bring the light of Ahura Mazda into the home of every Persian. Its cover was made of sturdy wood and covered with black-dyed leather, prepared with exceptional precision. On this dark background, simple geometric patterns and religious symbols were engraved with gold leaf and brilliant colors, which gave it an aura of sanctity and grandeur. This black and gold contrast created a striking effect and showcased the splendor of the sacred text. This book was bound in the strongest possible way to endure for centuries and to be a lasting legacy for future generations.
Now, knowledge could be spread at the speed of light. These were not just a collection of words; these were thousands of accessible treasures that could spread wisdom throughout the Iranian plateau and eradicate ignorance. These were the first tangible steps to building a civilization based on the foundations of knowledge, literacy, and cultural unity; a civilization for which Kourosh dreamed of a thousand-year reign, and now, the first tangible signs of it had become a reality. The nurses and workers of the workshop, although unaware of the full magnitude of the work they had done, had a spark of pride and wonder in their eyes at these unparalleled books that promised a bright future.