After that disastrous clash where Rostam the Matchless turned the very daylight into pitiless shadow before his eyes, Afrasiab fled in bitter humiliation, spurring his steed until he reached the fortress-city of Khallakh. The pride of Turan was humbled, and the king hid his face in shame from the exalted line of Kianian monarchs. Entering his inner palace with a heart tormented by grief and fury, he gathered his most trusted council of war: the wise Piran, the devious Garsivaz, along with Qarakhan, Garsiwan, and his own battle-eager son, Shideh.
Afrasiab opened his speech with bitter reflection, recalling times of ancient supremacy: 'Ever since the days of King Manuchehr, never had the hand of Iran reached so insolently into the heart of Turan. Crowned kings bowed before my footstool, and none dared turn their reins against my command. Yet now, the once-cowardly Iranians have grown outrageously bold! They launch night-raids to the very threshold of my hall! The deer has crept to the pillow of the sleeping lion. If we do not instantly arm for vengeance, they will reduce our realm to ashes!'
The assembled chieftains and wise councilors echoed his rage. They counseled that the Turanian hosts must cross the sacred Oxus—the Jayhun—and pitch a vast war camp at Amuy, staging a relentless invasion to crush the fierce Iranian champions like Rostam and Giv. Pleased by their stern resolve, Afrasiab bade his scribes draft urgent scrolls to Faghmur, the Emperor of China, and to the Sovereign of Khotan, summoning boundless legions of battle-ready warriors.
Within two weeks, armies flooded in from every kingdom. So vast was the gathered host that the churning earth seemed to burst like a boiling sea, and the rising dust blotched the midday sun into dark eclipse. Afrasiab unlocked the royal vaults—ancient hoards kept secret from father to son since the era of Prince Tur himself. Gold and dinars flowed without stint until every warrior was richly equipped.
Selecting fifty thousand elite battle-proven cavalry, Afrasiab committed them to his heroic son Shideh, ordering him to march post-haste to secure the strategic marches of Khwarazm. Then, assigning another fifty thousand formidable warriors of China to Piran, he ordered the old commander to strike directly into the heartland of Iran, giving him strict command never to utter a word of peace: 'He who tries to mingle fire and water does violence to both! Speak only of sword and vengeance.' Thus, equipped with golden helmets, heavy maces, and venom-dipped blades, the aged Piran and the youthful Shideh rode forth like thunderous storm-clouds, setting the stage for an unprecedented conflict.
#1
دل شاه ترکان چنان کم شنود
✦
همیشه به رنج از پی آز بود
“Never had the heart of Turan's king suffered such despair; he was ever trapped in torment, driven by greedy ambition.”
#2
از آن پس که برگشت زان رزمگاه
✦
که رستم بر او کرد گیتی سیاه
“After he retreated from that battlefield where Rostam had turned the sunlit world into dark night before his eyes.”
#3
بشد تازیان تا به خلخ رسید
✦
به ننگ از کیان شد سرش ناپدید
“He rode hard in flight until he reached Khallakh, hiding his head in shame before the glory of the Kianians.”
#4
به کاخ اندر آمد پر آزار دل
✦
ابا کاردانان هشیاردل
“He entered his palace with a heart heavy with grief, gathering around him his prudent, wise-hearted advisors.”
#5
چو پیران و گرسیوز رهنمون
✦
قراخان و چون شیده و گرسیون
“Chieftains like Piran and Garsivaz the guide, Qarakhan, Shideh, and Garsiwan.”
#6
بر ایشان همه داستان برگشاد
✦
گذشته سخنها همه کرد یاد
“He recounted the tale of past events to them, reminding them of all that had transpired.”
#7
که تا برنهادم به شاهی کلاه
✦
مرا گشت خورشید و تابنده ماه
“'Since the moment I placed the crown of kingship upon my head, the sun and bright moon seemed to turn for me.”
#8
مرا بود بر مهتران دسترس
✦
عنان مرا برنتابید کس
“I held sway over all great rulers, and no one dared turn their reins against my command.”
#9
ز هنگام رزم منوچهر باز
✦
نبد دست ایران به توران دراز
“Ever since the time of Manuchehr's wars, Iran had never stretched its aggressive hand into Turan.”
#10
شبیخون کند تا در خان من
✦
از ایران بیازند بر جان من
“Yet now they launch night-raids to the very doorway of my hall; from Iran, they reach out to strike at my life!”
#11
دلاور شد آن مردم نادلیر
✦
گوزن اندر آمد به بالین شیر
“Those faint-hearted people have grown fierce; the deer has crept up to the pillow of the sleeping lion!”
#12
بر این کینه گر کار سازیم زود
✦
وگرنه برآرند زین مرز دود
“If we quickly prepare for this vengeance, well and good; otherwise, they will raise smoke from this borderland!'”
#13
سزد گر کنون گرد این کشورم
✦
سراسر فرستادگان گسترم
“'It is fitting now that I dispatch messengers across this realm to every corner,”
#14
ز ترکان واز چین هزاران هزار
✦
کمربستگان از در کارزار
“Summoning hundreds of thousands of battle-ready, belt-girt warriors from the Turks and from China.”
#15
بیاریم بر گرد ایران سپاه
✦
بسازیم هر سو یکی رزمگاه
“We shall bring an army to encompass Iran, creating battlefields on every front.'”
#16
همه موبدان رای هشیار خویش
✦
نهادند با گفت سالار خویش
“All the prudent counselors laid their wise judgment before the words of their leader,”
#17
که ما را ز جیحون بباید گذشت
✦
زدن کوس شاهی بر آن پهن دشت
“Saying: 'We must cross the River Jayhun and sound the royal war-drums upon that vast plain.”
#18
به آموی لشکرگهی ساختن
✦
شب و روز ناسودن از تاختن
“Establishing an encampment at Amuy, resting neither night nor day from our raids.”
#19
که آن جای جنگست و خون ریختن
✦
چه با گیو و با رستم آویختن
“For that is the place of warfare and bloodshed, where we must clash with Giv and Rostam.”
#20
سرافراز گردان گیرنده شهر
✦
همه تیغ کین آب داده به زهر
“Exalted heroes who conquer cities, all bearing swords of vengeance dipped in poison.'”
#21
چو افراسیاب آن سخنها شنود
✦
برافروخت از بخت و شادی نمود
“When Afrasiab heard those words, his heart brightened with luck and he showed great joy.”
#22
ابر پهلوانان و بر موبدان
✦
بکرد آفرینی به رسم ردان
“He bestowed praise upon the heroes and wise councilors after the custom of noble chieftains.”
#23
نویسندهٔ نامه را پیش خواند
✦
سخنهای بایسته چندی براند
“He summoned the court scribe before him and dictated several necessary royal decrees.”
#24
فرستادگان خواست از انجمن
✦
به نزدیک فغفور و شاه ختن
“He chose emissaries from the assembly to send unto the Faghmur of China and the King of Khotan.”
#25
فرستاد نامه به هر کشوری
✦
به هر نامداری و هر مهتری
“He dispatched letters to every realm, to every renowned chieftain and noble leader.”
#26
سپه خواست کاندیشهٔ جنگ داشت
✦
ز بیژن بدان گونه دل تنگ داشت
“He demanded armies, for his mind was fixed on war, his heart distressed because of Bijan.”
#27
دو هفته برآمد ز چین و ختن
✦
ز هر کشوری شد سپاه انجمن
“Two weeks passed, and from China and Khotan, armies gathered from every realm.”
#28
چو دریای جوشان زمین بردمید
✦
چنان شد که کس روز روشن ندید
“The earth churned like a boiling sea; such dust arose that none could see the bright day.”
#29
گله هرچ بودش ز اسبان یله
✦
به شهر اندر آورد یکسر گله
“Whatever herds of loose warhorses he possessed, he brought them all into the city.”
#30
همان گنجها کز گه تور باز
✦
پدر بر پسربر همی داشت راز
“Likewise the hoards of treasure which, since Tur's day, fathers had kept secret from sons.”
#31
سر بدره‌ها را گشادن گرفت
✦
شب و روز دینار دادن گرفت
“He began unsealing the treasure-bags, bestowing gold dinars day and night.”
#32
چو لشکر سراسر شد آراسته
✦
بدان بی‌نیازی شد از خواسته
“When the entire army was fully arrayed, they were enriched beyond all need by that wealth.”
#33
ز گردان گزین کرد پنجه هزار
✦
همه رزم‌جویان سازنده کار
“From the warriors he selected fifty thousand elite, all battle-eager men of action.”
#34
به شیده که بودش نبرده پسر
✦
ز گردان جنگی برآورده سر
“He called Shideh, his warrior son who stood head and shoulders above the brave.”
#35
بدو گفت کین لشکر سرفراز
✦
سپردم ترا راه خوارزم ساز
“He said to him: 'I entrust this exalted army to you; set your path towards Khwarazm.”
#36
نگهبان آن مرز خوارزم باش
✦
همیشه کمربستهٔ رزم باش
“Be the guardian of that Khwarazm border, always girded for battle.'”
#37
دگر پنجه از نامداران چین
✦
بفرمود تا کرد پیران گزین
“Another fifty thousand elite warriors of China were selected by Piran at his command.”
#38
بدو گفت تا شهر ایران برو
✦
ممان رخت و مه تخت سالار نو
“Afrasiab said to Piran: 'March toward the realm of Iran; leave no goods, throne, or power to their new monarch.”
#39
در آشتی هیچ گونه مجوی
✦
سخن جز به جنگ و به کینه مگوی
“Seek no peace in any way; speak of nothing but war and vengeance.”
#40
کسی کو برد آب و آتش بهم
✦
ابر هر دوان کرده باشد ستم
“For whoever attempts to join water and fire together does violence unto both.”
#41
دو پر مایه بیدار و دو پهلوان
✦
یکی پیر و باهوش و دیگر جوان
“Two noble, vigilant warlords—one an experienced elder, the other a valiant youth.”
#42
برفتند با پند افراسیاب
✦
به آرام پیر و جوان بر شتاب
“They departed following Afrasiab's counsel, the old man moving deliberately, the youth charging ahead.”
#43
ابا ترگ زرین و کوپال و تیغ
✦
خروشان به کردار غرنده میغ
“With golden helmets, maces, and swords, roaring like thunderous storm-clouds.”