When the messenger sent by Houman reached Piran, revealing the state of affairs, the Turanian commander's blood boiled with fury. Without a moment's pause, he mobilized his host beneath the mantle of the night, driving them forward like a rushing flood while the realm slept. As dawn tore through the pitch-black veil of darkness, the rising dust of the Turanian war-horses obscured the peaks of Mount Hamavon.
Piran ordered Houman to hold his position, then rode toward the Iranian lines with a heart filled with malice and a mind resolute on vengeance. He called out mockingly to Tous, the proud commander of the Iranian vanguard, belittling his months of futile warfare and pointing to the fallen princes of Goudarz's line. He taunted Tous for taking refuge upon the stony heights like a wild mountain goat. Tous, unyielding, replied that Piran's words were hollow lies—that it was Piran who kindled the flame of strife by betraying Siyavash, and that the retreat to Hamavon was merely a strategic tactical shift due to scarce provisions. Tous warned him that King Kay Khosrow, along with Rostam and Zal, was already marching with an ocean of armor, destined to erase Turan from the world.
Piran then encircled the mountain, cutting off all pathways for food and fodder to starve the Iranians into submission. Houman urged an immediate all-out assault, but the elder Piran believed the encircled, hungry enemy would soon beg for mercy without further bloodshed. Yet within the Iranian camp, the venerable Goudarz spoke to Tous with grim clarity: provisions would last but three days, and a slow death by famine was unworthy of noble champions. Goudarz proposed that as dusk fell and the azure cloak of night draped the sky, a chosen force of elite horsemen should descend the slope and launch a fierce night attack. Moved by this warrior resolve, Tous divided his forces—entrusting the flanks to Bizhan, Sheidoush, and Khorad, and handing the blessed Kavian Banner to Gostaham, preparing his men to conquer or die upon the altar of fate.
#1
فرستاده نزدیک پیران رسید
✦
بجوشید چون گفت هومان شنید
“When the envoy reached Piran and recounted Houman's words, his anger surged like boiling water.”
#2
بیامد شب تیره هنگام خواب
✦
همی راند لشکر بکردار آب
“He set out in the dark of night while all slept, driving his army onward like flowing water.”
#3
چو خورشید زان چادر قیرگون
✦
غمی شد بدرید و آمد برون
“When the sun tore through night's pitch-black veil and emerged mournful into the sky,”
#4
سپهبد بکوه هماون رسید
✦
ز گرد سپه کوه شد ناپدید
“The commander arrived at Mount Hamavon, and the mountain vanished beneath the dust of his army.”
#5
بهومان چنین گفت کز رزمگاه
✦
مجنب و مجنبان از ایدر سپاه
“He spoke to Houman, saying, 'Move not from this battlefield, nor let the troops stir from here.'”
#6
شوم تا سپهدار ایرانیان
✦
چه دارد بپا اختر کاویان
“'I shall go to the commander of Iran to see how he upholds the Banner of Kaveh,'”
#7
بکوه هماون که دادش نوید
✦
بدین بودن اکنون چه دارد امید
“'And on this Mount Hamavon, where promises were given, what hope he clings to by remaining.'”
#8
بیامد بنزدیک ایران سپاه
✦
سری پر ز کینه دلی پرگناه
“He approached the Iranian host with a head full of vengeance and a heart laden with malice.”
#9
خروشید کای نامبردار طوس
✦
خداوند پیلان و گوپال و کوس
“He cried out: 'O renowned Tous! Lord of elephants, maces, and war-drums!'”
#10
کنون ماهیان اندر آمد به پنج
✦
که تا تو همی رزم جویی برنج
“'Five months have now passed while you have sought battle in vain amidst hardship.'”
#11
ز گودرزیان آن کجا مهترند
✦
بدان رزمگاهت همه بی‌سرند
“'Of the house of Goudarz, those who were greatest now lie headless upon this battlefield.'”
#12
تو چون غرم رفتستی اندر کمر
✦
پر از داوری دل پر از کینه سر
“'Like a wild mountain goat you have fled to the crags, your heart full of strife, your head full of malice.'”
#13
گریزان و لشکر پس اندر دمان
✦
بدام اندر آیی همی بی‌گمان
“'Fleeing with your army pressing behind, you will surely fall caught within our trap.'”
#14
چنین داد پاسخ سرافراز طوس
✦
که من بر دروغ تو دارم فسوس
“Exalted Tous answered him thus: 'I hold your deceitful words in utter scorn!'”
#15
پی کین تو افگندی اندر جهان
✦
ز بهر سیاوش میان مهان
“'It was you who cast the seeds of hatred across the world among the great on account of Siyavash!'”
#16
برین گونه تا چند گویی دروغ
✦
دروغت بر ما نگیرد فروغ
“'How long will you speak lies in this manner? Your falsehoods hold no light before us!'”
#17
علف تنگ بود اندران رزمگاه
✦
ازان بر هماون کشیدم سپاه
“'Fodder was scarce in that battleground; hence I drew my host up to Mount Hamavon.'”
#18
کنون آگهی شد بشاه جهان
✦
بیاید زمان تا زمان ناگهان
“'Word has now reached the King of the World; he shall arrive unexpectedly in due time.'”
#19
بزرگان لشکر شدند انجمن
✦
چو دستان و چون رستم پیلتن
“'The grandees of the army have assembled—like Dastan and the elephant-bodied Rostam.'”
#20
چو جنبیدن شاه کردم درست
✦
نمانم بتوران بر و بوم و رست
“'When I confirm the king's march, I will leave neither realm nor root to Turan!'”
#21
کنون کامدی کار مردان ببین
✦
نه گاه فریبست و روز کمین
“'Now that you have come, behold the deeds of men—this is no hour for trickery or ambush!'”
#22
چو بشنید پیران ز هر سو سپاه
✦
فرستاد و بگرفت بر کوه راه
“When Piran heard this, he dispatched troops from all sides and blockaded the paths to the mountain.”
#23
بهر سو ز توران بیامد گروه
✦
سپاه انجمن کرد بر گرد کوه
“From every corner of Turan bands arrived, gathering their forces all around the mountain.”
#24
بریشان چو راه علف تنگ شد
✦
سپهبد سوی چارهٔ جنگ شد
“When the supply routes grew tight for them, the Turanian commander sought a tactical remedy.”
#25
چنین گفت هومان بپیران گرد
✦
که ما را پی کوه باید سپرد
“Houman spoke thus to the brave Piran: 'We must press our assault up the mountain track.'”
#26
یکی جنگ سازیم کایرانیان
✦
نبندند ازین پس بکینه میان
“'Let us wage such a fight that the Iranians will never again gird themselves for revenge.'”
#27
بدو گفت پیران که بر ماست باد
✦
نکردست با باد کس رزم یاد
“Piran answered him: 'The wind is on our side, and no man fights against the wind.'”
#28
ز جنگ پیاده بپیچید سر
✦
شود تیره دیدار پرخاشخر
“'Turn away from fighting on foot, for it darkens the eyes of even the fiercest warrior.'”
#29
چو راه علف تنگ شد بر سپاه
✦
کسی کوه خارا ندارد نگاه
“'When supply routes grow tight for an army, not even hard granite mountains can save them.'”
#30
همه لشکر آید بزنهار ما
✦
ازین پس نجویند پیکار ما
“'Their whole army will soon surrender to us, and henceforth they will seek no battle.'”
#31
بریشان کنون جای بخشایش است
✦
نه هنگام پیکار و آرایش است
“'Now is the time for mercy toward them, not the hour for battle and arraying forces.'”
#32
رسید این سگالش بگودرز و طوس
✦
سر سرکشان خیره گشت از فسوس
“Word of this strategy reached Goudarz and Tous, and the warlords' minds grew bewildered with dismay.”
#33
چنین گفت با طوس گودرز پیر
✦
که ما را کنون جنگ شد ناگزیر
“The aged Goudarz said to Tous: 'Battle has now become unavoidable for us.'”
#34
سه روز ار بود خوردنی بیش نیست
✦
ز یکسو گشاده رهی پیش نیست
“'There is food for barely three days left, and only a single path lies open before us.'”
#35
نه خورد و نه چیز و نه بار و بنه
✦
چنین چند باشد سپه گرسنه
“'Without food, supplies, or baggage—how long can a famished army hold out?'”
#36
کنون چون شود روی خورشید زرد
✦
پدید آید آن چادر لاژورد
“'Now, as the sun's face turns yellow and the lapis lazuli curtain of night appears,'”
#37
بباید گزیدن سواران مرد
✦
ز بالا شدن سوی دشت نبرد
“'We must select valiant horsemen to descend from the heights into the battlefield below.'”
#38
بسان شبیخون یکی رزم سخت
✦
بسازیم تا چون بود یار بخت
“'Let us prepare a fierce night attack, and see how fortune favors our cause.'”
#39
اگر یک بیک تن بکشتن دهیم
✦
وگر تاج گردنکشان برنهیم
“'Whether we give our lives one by one in battle, or place the crown of chieftains upon our heads.'”
#40
چنین است فرجام آوردگاه
✦
یکی خاک یابد یکی تاج و گاه
“'Such is the outcome of the battlefield: one finds dust, while another finds a crown and throne.'”
#41
ز گودرز بشنید طوس این سخن
✦
سرش گشت پردرد و کین کهن
“When Tous heard these words from Goudarz, his head grew filled with anguish and ancient hatred.”
#42
ز یک سوی لشکر به بیژن سپرد
✦
دگر سو بشیدوش و خراد گرد
“He entrusted one flank of the army to Bizhan, and the other to Sheidoush and valiant Khorad.”
#43
درفش خجسته بگستهم داد
✦
بسی پند و اندرزها کرد یاد
“He gave the blessed flag to Gostaham, bestowing upon him countless counsels and solemn warnings.”