Upon witnessing Qaran's valor in the thick of battle, young Rostam's spirit blazed for combat. He approached his father, Zal, inquiring where the evil-minded Afrasiab stood, how his banner was raised, and how he might be singled out. Zal cautioned his son, warning that the Turanian prince fought like a fierce dragon, clad in black armor, bearing a black standard, and helmeted in iron lined with gold. Unshaken, Rostam placed his faith in the Creator of the World, trusting in his own heart, sword, and mighty arm.
Mounting the bronze-hoofed Rakhsh, Rostam charged into the plain as warhorns split the air. Afrasiab marvelled at the youth who rode like a raging dragon and asked his troops for the warrior's identity. Learning it was the son of Dastan carrying the heavy mace of Sam, Afrasiab surged forward like a storm-tossed wave. Rostam closed the distance, stowed his mace upon the saddle-bow, and gripped Afrasiab by the waistband, lifting the prince effortlessly off his leopard-skin saddle to take him captive before King Kayqubad. Yet under Rostam's immense strength, the leather strap snapped, sending Afrasiab tumbling into the dirt. Turanian horsemen swarmed to shield their lord, whisking him away to safety. Though Rostam bit his hand in frustration for not seizing him by the arm, King Kayqubad rallied the host like a blazing fire. The Iranian forces shattered the Turanian ranks, slaying eleven hundred and sixty champions in quick succession. Broken, weaponless, and bereft of banners or drums, the routed Turanian army fled through Damghan back across the Oxus River.
#1
چو رستم بدید آنک قارن چه کرد
✦
چه‌گونه بود ساز ننگ و نبرد
“When Rostam saw what Qaran had accomplished, and how the stage for conflict and glory was set,”
#2
به پیش پدر شد بپرسید از وی
✦
که با من جهان پهلوانا بگوی
“He stepped before his father and asked of him: 'O World-Champion, tell me now,'”
#3
که افراسیاب آن بد اندیش مرد
✦
کجا جای گیرد به روز نبرد
“'Where does Afrasiab, that evil-minded man, take his stand on the day of battle?'”
#4
چه پوشد کجا برافرازد درفش
✦
که پیداست تابان درفش بنفش
“'What garments does he wear, and where raises he his banner? For the violet banner is clearly shining.'”
#5
من امروز بند کمرگاه اوی
✦
بگیرم کشانش بیارم بروی
“'Today I shall seize the clasp of his belt, and drag him bound before the king's presence!'”
#6
بدو گفت زال ای پسر گوش‌دار
✦
یک امروز با خویشتن هوش‌دار
“Zal said to him: 'O son, pay heed! Keep your wits about you on this day,'”
#7
که آن ترک در جنگ نر اژدهاست
✦
در آهنگ و در کینه اَبر بلاست
“'For that Turk in war is a fierce dragon—in attack and vengeance, a cloud of calamity!'”
#8
درفشش سیاهست و خفتان سیاه
✦
ز آهنش ساعد ز آهن کلاه
“'His banner is black and his coat of mail is black; steel are his gauntlets, steel his helm.'”
#9
همه روی آهن گرفته به زر
✦
نشانی سیه بسته بر خود بر
“'All clad in iron overlaid with gold, bearing upon himself a dark emblem.'”
#10
ازو خویشتن را نگه‌دار سخت
✦
که مردی دلیرست و پیروز بخت
“'Protect yourself fiercely against him, for he is a valiant champion of victorious fortune.'”
#11
بدو گفت رستم که ای پهلوان
✦
تو از من مدار ایچ رنجه روان
“Rostam replied: 'O hero, let not your soul be burdened with anxiety for me.'”
#12
جهان آفریننده یار منست
✦
دل و تیغ و بازو حصار منست
“'The Creator of the World is my helper; my heart, my blade, and my arm are my fortress.'”
#13
برانگیخت آن رخش رویینه سم
✦
برآمد خروشیدن گاو دم
“He spurred that bronze-hoofed Rakhsh, as the bellowing sound of cow-horn trumpets rose.”
#14
چو افراسیابش به هامون بدید
✦
شگفتید ازان کودک نارسید
“When Afrasiab beheld him upon the plain, he marvelled at that youth who had not yet reached full age.”
#15
ز ترکان بپرسید کین اژدها
✦
بدین گونه از بند گشته رها
“He asked the Turanians: 'Who is this dragon, freed in this manner from its bonds?'”
#16
کدامست کین را ندانم به نام
✦
یکی گفت کاین پور دستان سام
“'Which of them is he? For I know not his name.' One replied: 'This is the son of Dastan-e Sam!'”
#17
نبینی که با گرز سام آمدست
✦
جوانست و جویای نام آمدست
“'Do you not see he comes with Sam's heavy mace? Young he is, and seeking renown!'”
#18
به پیش سپاه آمد افراسیاب
✦
چو کشتی که موجش برآرد ز آب
“Afrasiab rode forth before the host, like a ship tossed upon churning waves.”
#19
چو رستم ورا دید بفشارد ران
✦
بگردن برآورد گرز گران
“When Rostam saw him, he pressed his thighs against his steed and raised his heavy mace upon his shoulder.”
#20
چو تنگ اندر آورد با او زمین
✦
فرو کرد گرز گران را به زین
“As he closed the space between them, he set down his heavy mace upon the saddle-bow.”
#21
به بند کمرش اندر آورد چنگ
✦
جدا کردش از پشت زین پلنگ
“He hooked his clutch into the clasp of Afrasiab's belt and lifted him clean off his leopard-skin saddle!”
#22
همی خواست بردنش پیش قباد
✦
دهد روز جنگ نخستینش داد
“He intended to carry him away captive before Kayqubad, to present him as the spoils of his first battle.”
#23
ز هنگ سپهدار و چنگ سوار
✦
نیامد دوال کمر پایدار
“Yet under the massive force of the leader and the champion's grip, the belt strap could not hold.”
#24
گسست و به خاک اندر آمد سرش
✦
سواران گرفتند گرد اندرش
“It snapped, and Afrasiab's head tumbled to the dirt; immediately horsemen swarmed round to protect him.”
#25
سپهبد چو از چنگ رستم بجست
✦
بخائید رستم همی پشت دست
“When the commander escaped from Rostam's grasp, Rostam bit the back of his hand in vexation,”
#26
چرا گفت نگرفتمش زیرکش
✦
همی بر کمر ساختم بند خوش
“Saying: 'Why did I not tuck him beneath my arm, instead of relying on the clasp of his belt?'”
#27
چو آوای زنگ آمد از پشت پیل
✦
خروشیدن کوس بر چند میل
“Then came the sound of bells from elephant backs and the roar of war-drums resounding for miles.”
#28
یکی مژده بردند نزدیک شاه
✦
که رستم بدرید قلب سپاه
“Glad tidings were brought unto the King, that Rostam had torn through the heart of the enemy army,”
#29
چنان تا بر شاه ترکان رسید
✦
درفش سپهدار شد ناپدید
“Reaching even to the King of the Turks himself, causing the commander's banner to vanish.”
#30
گرفتش کمربند و بفگند خوار
✦
خروشی ز ترکان برآمد بزار
“He seized his belt and cast him down in disgrace, whereupon a bitter wail arose from the Turanians.”
#31
ز جای اندر آمد چو آتش قباد
✦
بجنبید لشگر چو دریا ز باد
“Kayqubad leaped up like blazing fire, and the host stirred like a sea whipped by the wind.”
#32
برآمد خروشیدن دار و کوب
✦
درخشیدن خنجر و زخم چوب
“The clamor of weapons and blows resounded; daggers flashed and heavy maces struck.”
#33
بران ترگ زرین و زرین سپر
✦
غمی شد سر از چاک چاک تبر
“Upon golden helmets and golden shields, heads grew weary beneath the shattering blows of battle-axes.”
#34
تو گفتی که ابری برآمد ز کنج
✦
ز شنگرف نیرنگ زد بر ترنج
“You would say a cloud arose from the mountain peak, splashing vermilion magic over oranges.”
#35
ز گرد سواران در آن پهن دشت
✦
زمین شش شد و آسمان گشت هشت
“From the dust of horsemen on that sprawling plain, Earth became six layers and Sky became eight.”
#36
هزار و صد و شصت گرد دلیر
✦
به یک زخم شد کشته چون نره شیر
“One thousand one hundred and sixty brave warriors were slain with a single blow, like raging lions.”
#37
برفتند ترکان ز پیش مغان
✦
کشیدند لشگر سوی دامغان
“The Turanians fled before the Iranian Mobads, retreating with their army toward Damghan.”
#38
وزانجا به جیحون نهادند روی
✦
خلیده دل و با غم و گفت‌وگوی
“And from there they set their faces toward the River Jayhun, hearts pierced, filled with grief and sorrow.”
#39
شکسته سلیح و گسسته کمر
✦
نه بوق و نه کوس و نه پای و نه سر
“With shattered weapons and broken belts, with neither trumpets nor drums, without leader or order left.”