Escaping the terrifying battlefield, Afrasiab returned to his father Pashang, the King of Turan, with his lips filled with warnings and his heart humbled. He counseled his father against broken oaths and endless vengeance, recounting the unimaginable fury of Iran's newly risen champion, Rostam. Afrasiab painted a chilling portrait of this elephant-bodied hero who wielded a bull-headed mace with superhuman strength, declaring that he felt like a mere gnat in Rostam's mighty grasp when lifted from his saddle. He enumerated the tragic losses of Turan's greatest chieftains—Khazravan, Shamasas, Kolbad, and Barman—and confessed that the unjust slaying of his wise brother Aghriras had stripped good fortune from their house. Recognizing that against the combined might of Kay Qobad, Rostam, Qaran, Kashvad, and Mehrab, Turan stood no chance, Afrasiab fervently urged Pashang to abandon his dreams of conquest and sue for peace upon the ancient borders assigned by Fereydun.
#1
برفت از لب رود نزد پشنگ
✦
زبان پر ز گفتار و کوتاه چنگ
“He departed from the river's edge to Pashang, his tongue full of words yet his hands bound in defeat.”
#2
بدو گفت کای نامبردار شاه
✦
ترا بود ازین جنگ جستن گناه
“He said to him, 'O renowned king! Seeking this war was a sin on your part.'”
#3
یکی آنکه پیمان شکستن ز شاه
✦
بزرگان پیشین ندیدند راه
“'First, the ancient sovereigns never deemed it wise for a king to break his covenant.'”
#4
نه از تخم ایرج جهان پاک شد
✦
نه زهر گزاینده تریاک شد
“'Neither was the world ever cleansed of the seed of Iraj, nor did biting poison ever turn into an antidote.'”
#5
یکی کم شود دیگر آید به جای
✦
جهان را نمانند بی‌کدخدای
“'When one perishes, another arises in his place; they never leave the world without a master.'”
#6
قباد آمد و تاج بر سر نهاد
✦
به کینه یکی نو در اندر گشاد
“'Now Qobad has come and placed the crown upon his head, opening a new portal of vengeance.'”
#7
سواری پدید آمد از تخم سام
✦
که دستانش رستم نهاده‌ست نام
“'A warrior has appeared from the lineage of Sam, whom Zal has named Rostam.'”
#8
بیامد بسان نهنگ دژم
✦
که گفتی زمین را بسوزد به دم
“'He advanced like a furious sea-monster, as if his breath alone could scorch the earth.'”
#9
همی تاخت اندر فراز و نشیب
✦
همی زد به گُرز و به تیغ و رکیب
“'He charged across the high and low grounds, striking fiercely with mace, sword, and stirrup.'”
#10
ز گُرزش هوا شد پر از چاک چاک
✦
نیرزید جانم به یک مشت خاک
“'From his mace the very air cleaved apart; my life felt worth no more than a handful of dust.'”
#11
همه لشکر ما به هم بردرید
✦
کس اندر جهان این شگفتی ندید
“'He tore our entire army to pieces; no one in this world has ever witnessed such a marvel.'”
#12
درفش مرا دید بر یک کران
✦
به زین اندر آورد گُرز گران
“'He spied my banner on the flank, and readied his heavy mace upon his saddle.'”
#13
چنان برگرفتم ز زین خدنگ
✦
که گفتی ندارم به یک پشه سنگ
“'He plucked me from my wooden saddle so easily, as though I weighed no more than a gnat.'”
#14
کمربند بگسست و بند قبای
✦
ز چنگش فتادم نگون زیر پای
“'My belt snapped and my coat tore open; I slipped from his grasp, falling headlong beneath his feet.'”
#15
بدان زور هرگز نباشد هژبر
✦
دو پایش به خاک اندر و سر به ابر
“'Even a lion possesses no such might—his feet rooted in the soil, his head touching the clouds.'”
#16
سواران جنگی همه همگروه
✦
کشیدندم از پیش آن لخت کوه
“'The warriors in full force rushed together and dragged me away from before that mountain of a man.'”
#17
تو دانی که شاهی دل و چنگ من
✦
به جنگ اندرون زور و آهنگ من
“'You know well my courage, my prowess in battle, and the force of my assault.'”
#18
به دست وی اندر یکی پشه‌ام
✦
وزان آفرینش پر اندیشه‌ام
“'Yet in his hands I was a mere gnat, and at such a creation I am filled with awe and foreboding.'”
#19
یکی پیلتن دیدم و شیرچنگ
✦
نه هوش و نه دانش نه رای و درنگ
“'I saw an elephant-bodied champion with lion-like claws, possessing neither hesitation nor doubt, nor any delay in strike.'”
#20
عنان را سپرده بران پیل مست
✦
یکی گُرزهٔ گاو‌پیکر بدست
“'Giving full rein to his maddened beast, he held a bull-headed mace in his hand.'”
#21
همانا که کوپال سیصدهزار
✦
زدندش بران تارک ترگ‌دار
“'Verily, it seemed as if three hundred thousand maces had struck his helmeted crown, yet he stood unmoved.'”
#22
تو گفتی که از آهنش کرده‌اند
✦
ز سنگ و ز رویش برآورده‌اند
“'You would say he was forged of iron, wrought from solid stone and bronze.'”
#23
چه دریاش پیش و چه ببر بیان
✦
چه درنده شیر و چه پیل ژیان
“'To him, a roaring sea, a ferocious dragon-leopard, a ravenous lion, or a furious elephant are all the same.'”
#24
همی‌تاخت یکسان چو روز شکار
✦
به بازی همی‌آمدش کارزار
“'He rode as smoothly as though on a hunt; the battle seemed like mere child's play to him.'”
#25
چنو گر بدی سام را دستبرد
✦
به ترکان نماندی سرافراز گرد
“'If Sam himself possessed such prowess as his, not a single proud Turanian hero would remain alive.'”
#26
جز از آشتی جستنت رای نیست
✦
که با او سپاه ترا پای نیست
“'You have no choice now but to seek peace, for your army cannot stand against him.'”
#27
زمینی کجا آفریدون گرد
✦
بدانگه به تور دلاور سپرد
“'The land that Fereydun the Valiant anciently assigned to the brave Tur...'”
#28
به من داده بودند و بخشیده راست
✦
ترا کین پیشین نبایست خواست
“'...was rightly given to us; you ought not to have stirred up that ancient grudge!'”
#29
تو دانی که دیدن نه چون آگهیست
✦
میان شنیدن همیشه تهیست
“'You know that seeing is not like hearing, and a vast gulf ever lies between report and reality.'”
#30
گلستان که امروز باشد ببار
✦
تو فردا چنی گل نیاید بکار
“'If the rose-garden is in bloom today, plucking the blossom tomorrow will avail you nothing.'”
#31
از امروز کاری بفردا ممان
✦
که داند که فردا چه گردد زمان؟
“'Delay not today's task until tomorrow, for who knows what fate tomorrow may bring?'”
#32
ترا جنگ ایران چو بازی نمود
✦
ز بازی سپه را درازی فزود
“'War with Iran seemed a game to you, but from this play, long suffering has fallen upon the army.'”
#33
نگر تا چه مایه ستام بزر
✦
هم از ترگ زرین و زرین سپر
“'Consider how many golden harnesses, golden helmets, and gilded shields were lost!'”
#34
همان تازی اسپان زرین لگام
✦
همان تیغ هندی به زرین نیام
“'Likewise, how many Arab steeds with golden bridles and Indian swords in gilded scabbards...'”
#35
ازین بیشتر نامداران گرد
✦
قباد اندر آمد به خواری ببرد
“'...and more than these, how many glorious chieftains did Qobad humiliate and destroy!'”
#36
چو کلباد و چون بارمان دلیر
✦
که بودی شکارش همه نره شیر
“'Heroes like Kolbad and the brave Barman, whose prey were ferocious lions...'”
#37
خزروان کجا زال بشکست خرد
✦
نمودش به گُرز گران دستبرد
“'...and Khazravan, whom Zal shattered to pieces, showing his prowess with his heavy mace...'”
#38
شماساس کین‌توز لشکر‌پناه
✦
که قارن بکشتش به آوردگاه
“'...and Shamasas the vengeful defender of the host, whom Qaran slew upon the field of battle!'”
#39
جزین نامدران کین صدهزار
✦
فزون کشته آمد گه کارزار
“'Besides these chieftains, more than a hundred thousand warriors were slain in battle.'”
#40
بتر زین همه نام و ننگ شکست
✦
شکستی که هرگز نشایدش بست
“'Worse than all this is the dishonor and shame of defeat—a fracture that can never be mended.'”
#41
گر از من سر نامور گشته‌شد
✦
که اغریرث پرخرد کشته‌شد
“'If my illustrious head has been turned to misfortune, it is because the wise Aghriras was slain!'”
#42
جوانی بد و نیکی روزگار
✦
من امروز را دی گرفتم شمار
“'It was youthful folly and the prosperity of time; today I count the cost of yesterday's deeds.'”
#43
که پیش آمدندم همان سرکشان
✦
پس پشت هر یک درفشی کشان
“'For now those proud Iranian warlords advanced upon me, each dragging a victorious banner behind him.'”
#44
بسی یاد دادندم از روزگار
✦
دمان از پس و من دوان زار و خوار
“'They taught me harsh lessons of fortune, charging after me while I fled in misery and shame.'”
#45
کنون از گذشته مکن هیچ یاد
✦
سوی آشتی یاز با کیقباد
“'Now recall no more the past; reach out instead in peace toward Kay Qobad!'”
#46
گرت دیگر آید یکی آرزوی
✦
به گرد اندر آید سپه چارسوی
“Should another desire for war awaken within you, an army shall surround you from all four quarters.”
#47
به یک دست رستم که تابنده هور
✦
گه رزم با او نتابد به زور
“On one side stands Rostam, whom even the radiant sun cannot withstand in power during the thick of battle.”
#48
به روی دگر قارن رزم‌زن
✦
که چشمش ندیده‌ست هرگز شکن
“On the other side is Qaran the warrior, whose eye has never seen defeat or retreat on the field.”
#49
سه دیگر چو کشواد زرین‌کلاه
✦
که آمد به آمل ببرد آن سپاه
“Thirdly is Kashvad of the golden helm, who came to Amol and led that mighty host.”
#50
چهارم چو مهراب کابل خدای
✦
که دستور شاهست و زابل خدای
“Fourthly is Mehrab, lord of Kabul, who is advisor to the King and sovereign of Zabol.”