Seeing ruin and grief envelope his army at Mount Gonabad, Piran of Viseh moved swiftly to restore morale. He gathered choice horses from the herds, mounted the foot soldiers with two steeds apiece, and flung open the doors of ancient treasuries to distribute gold among his disheartened men. In the quiet hours of the night, he selected an eloquent, courageous, and wise courier—a warrior skilled as both knight and scribe—to deliver a crucial message to King Afrasiab.
In his letter, Piran first offered deep homage to Afrasiab's supreme crown, humbly submitting himself as a devoted servant despite the king's past wrath regarding Prince Kay Khosrow, attributing all past turn of events to divine fate. He then unraveled the grim realities of the front: how the formidable Iranian army under Goudarz had fortified themselves upon the heights of Mount Zibad, refusing to descend to the plains; how his valiant brother Houman had ridden out in fury to challenge them, only to be slain by Bizhan, son of Giv; and how at dawn, his other noble brother Nastihan had charged with ten thousand riders, only to meet the exact same fate under Bizhan's blade.
Piran recounted the desperate battle that ensued until nightfall, in which nine hundred Turanian chieftains were decapitated, leaving two-thirds of his forces wounded and crushed in spirit while the Iranians held complete mastery over the field. To worsen the terror, Piran revealed a dire intelligence report: King Kay Khosrow himself was marching with a massive royal host to reinforce Goudarz. Piran warned Afrasiab that unless the King of Turan led the main imperial army in person to wage total war, Turan would be utterly consumed, leaving no one alive to avenge their fallen warriors.
Upon hearing these words, the swift messenger mounted a champion steed and rode like the howling wind without a moment's rest or sleep until he reached Afrasiab's court. When the King of Turan heard Piran's tragic report, his face turned pale and his heart bled for Houman, Nastihan, and the nine hundred fallen nobles. He realized with horror that the claw of the enemy was tightening around his realm like a stalking leopard, casting his kingdom into deep shadow.
#1
از اسبان گله هرچ شایسته بود
✦
ز هر سو به لشکرگه آورد زود
“From the herds, whatever horses were suitable, he quickly brought to the army camp from every side.”
#2
پیاده همه کرد یکسر سوار
✦
دو اسبه سوار از پس کارزار
“He mounted all the footmen at once, providing two horses to each rider after the battle.”
#3
سر گنجهای کهن برگشاد
✦
به دینار دادن دل اندر نهاد
“He opened the ancient treasuries and set his heart on distributing gold coins.”
#4
چو این کرده شد نزد افراسیاب
✦
نوندی برافگند هنگام خواب
“When this was accomplished, he dispatched a swift courier to Afrasiab during the night.”
#5
فرستاده‌ای با هش و رای پیر
✦
سخن‌گوی و گرد و سوار و دبیر
“A messenger endowed with intelligence and mature wisdom, an eloquent speaker, warrior, horseman, and scribe.”
#6
که رو شاه توران سپه را بگوی
✦
که ای دادگر خسرو نامجوی
“Instructing him: 'Go and say to the King of Turan: O just, fame-seeking monarch!'”
#7
کز آنگه که چرخ سپهر بلند
✦
بگشت از بر تیره خاک نژند
“'Since the high sphere of heaven turned above the dark and miserable earth,'”
#8
چو تو شاه بر گاه ننشست نیز
✦
به کس نام شاهی نپیوست نیز
“'No king like you has sat upon the throne, nor has the name of kingship belonged to another.'”
#9
نه زیبا بود جز تو مر تخت را
✦
کلاه و کمر بستن و بخت را
“'None but you is worthy of the throne, of wearing the crown and belt, and of divine fortune.'”
#10
از آن کس برآرد جهاندار گرد
✦
که پیش تو آید به روز نبرد
“'The Lord of the World will reduce to dust anyone who dares face you on the day of battle.'”
#11
یکی بنده‌ام من گنهکار تو
✦
کشیده سر از جان بیدار تو
“'I am your sinful servant, who has drawn back his head in fear of your vigilant soul.'”
#12
ز کیخسرو از من بیازرد شاه
✦
جز این خویشتن را ندانم گناه
“'The King became angered at me because of Kay Khosrow; I know no other sin in myself than this.'”
#13
که این ایزدی بود بود آنچ بود
✦
ندارد ز گفتار بسیار سود
“'For that was divine destiny, and what happened was meant to be; speaking much of it yields little benefit.'”
#14
اگر نیز بیند مرا ز این گناه
✦
کند گردن آزاد و آید به راه
“'If he can pardon me for this offense, he will free an honorable neck and set things right.'”
#15
رسانم من اکنون به شاه آگهی
✦
که گردون چه آورد پیش رهی
“'I now send tidings to the King of what the heavens have brought upon his servant.'”
#16
کشیدم به کوه کنابد سپاه
✦
به ایرانیان بر ببستیم راه
“'I led the army to Mount Gonabad and barred the path against the Iranians.'”
#17
وز آن سو بیامد سپاهی گران
✦
سپهدار گودرز و با او سران
“'And from that direction came a mighty host, led by chieftain Goudarz alongside other leaders.'”
#18
کز ایران ز گاه منوچهر شاه
✦
فزون زان نیامد به توران سپاه
“'For since the reign of King Manuchehr, so great an army had never crossed from Iran into Turan.'”
#19
به زیبد یکی جایگه ساختند
✦
سپه را در آن کوه بنشاختند
“'They fortified a stronghold at Zibad, stationing their troops upon that mountain.'”
#20
سپه را سه روز و سه شب چون پلنگ
✦
به روی اندر آورده بد روی تنگ
“'For three days and three nights, like fierce leopards, they held their tight mountain pass.'”
#21
نجستیم رزم اندر آن کینه‌گاه
✦
که آید مگر سوی هامون سپاه
“'We did not seek battle in that vengeance-ground, hoping their army would come down to the plain.'”
#22
نیامد سپاهش از آن که برون
✦
سر پهلوانان ما شد نگون
“'Their army did not come out, because the heads of our warlords were cast down.'”
#23
سپهدار ایران نیامد ستوه
✦
به هامون نیاورد لشکر ز کوه
“'The Iranian commander did not grow weary, nor did he bring his army down from the mountain to the plain.'”
#24
برادر جهاندار هومان من
✦
به کینه بجوشید از این انجمن
“'My world-conquering brother Houman boiled with vengeance from this gathering.'”
#25
به ایران سپه شد که جوید نبرد
✦
ندانم چه آمد بر آن شیرمرد
“'He went forth to the Iranian host seeking combat; I know not what befell that lion-hearted brave.'”
#26
بیامد به کین جستنش پور گیو
✦
بگردید با گرد هومان نیو
“'The son of Giv came out to avenge, and fought with the valiant Houman.'”
#27
ابر دست چون بیژنی کشته شد
✦
سر من ز تیمار او گشته شد
“'At the hands of one like Bizhan he was slain, and my head grew heavy with sorrow for him.'”
#28
که دانست هرگز که سرو بلند
✦
به باغ از گیا یافت خواهد گزند
“'Who ever imagined that a tall cypress in the garden would suffer harm from a mere weed?'”
#29
دل نامداران همه بر شکست
✦
همه شادمانی شد از درد پست
“'The hearts of all the chieftains broke; all joy was lowered into deep grief.'”
#30
و دیگر چو نستیهن نامدار
✦
ابا ده هزار آزموده سوار
“'And another was the famed Nastihan, who with ten thousand battle-tested horsemen,'”
#31
برفت از بر من سپیده دمان
✦
همان بیژنش کند سر در زمان
“'Went forth from my side at early dawn, and that same Bizhan severing his head in an instant.'”
#32
من از درد دل برکشیدم سپاه
✦
غریوان برفتم به آوردگاه
“'Out of deep anguish I led the army forth, shouting lamentations as I charged into the battlefield.'”
#33
یکی رزم تا شب برآمد ز کوه
✦
بکردیم یک با دگر همگروه
“'We fought a fierce battle until night fell over the mountain, joined in violent clash with one another.'”
#34
چو نهصد تن از نامداران شاه
✦
سر از تن جدا شد بر این رزمگاه
“'When nine hundred of the King's nobles were decapitated upon this battlefield,'”
#35
دو بهره ز گردان این انجمن
✦
دل از درد خسته به شمشیر تن
“'Two-thirds of the warriors in this gathering are broken-hearted with grief and wounded in body by swords.'”
#36
به ما بر شده چیره ایرانیان
✦
به کینه همه پاک بسته میان
“'The Iranians have prevailed over us, all bound with vengeful devotion.'”
#37
بترسم همی زانک گردان سپهر
✦
بخواهد بریدن ز ما پاک مهر
“'I fear greatly that the rotating sphere of fortune is about to cut off its favor from us completely.'”
#38
وز آن پس شنیدم یکی بدخبر
✦
کز آن نیز برگشتم آسیمه سر
“'And thereafter I heard a terrible rumor, which left me bewildered and distraught:'”
#39
که کیخسرو آید همی با سپاه
✦
به پشت سپهبد بدین رزمگاه
“'That Kay Khosrow himself is coming with an army to back the general on this battlefield.'”
#40
گر ایدونک گردد درست این خبر
✦
که خسرو کند سوی ما بر گذر
“'If this news proves true, that Khosrow is indeed marching toward us,'”
#41
جهاندار داند که من با سپاه
✦
نیارم شدن پیش او کینه‌خواه
“'The Sovereign of the World knows that I with this army cannot stand before him seeking vengeance,'”
#42
مگر شاه با لشکر کینه‌جوی
✦
نهد سوی ایران بدین کینه روی
“'Unless the King himself set out toward Iran with a vengeful army to meet this threat,'”
#43
بگرداند این بد ز تورانیان
✦
ببندد به کینه کمر بر میان
“'To turn away this calamity from the Turanians and gird his waist in vengeance,'”
#44
که گر جان ما را ز ایران سپاه
✦
بد آید نباشد کسی کینه‌خواه
“'For if evil befalls our lives at the hands of Iran's army, no one will remain to seek our vengeance.'”
#45
فرستاده چون گفت پیران شنید
✦
به کردار باد دمان بردمید
“When the messenger heard Piran's words, he bounded forth like a roaring wind.”
#46
نشست از بر بادپای سمند
✦
به کردار آتش هیونی بلند
“He sat upon a swift steed, riding a tall noble dromedary that moved like fire.”
#47
بشد تا به نزدیک افراسیاب
✦
نه دم زد به ره بر نه آرام و خواب
“He rode non-stop unto Afrasiab, breathing no word along the road nor taking sleep or rest.”
#48
به نزدیک شاه اندر آمد چو باد
✦
ببوسید تخت و پیامش بداد
“He came into the presence of the King like the wind, kissed the throne, and delivered the message.”
#49
چو بشنید گفتار پیران به درد
✦
دلش گشت پرخون و رخساره زرد
“When Afrasiab heard Piran's grievous words, his heart filled with blood and his face turned pale.”
#50
شد از کار آن کشتگان خسته‌دل
✦
بدان درد بنهاد پیوسته دل
“His heart grew anguished over those slain warriors, and he gave his soul over to endless sorrow.”
#51
وز آن نیز کز دشمنان لشکرش
✦
گریزان و ویران شده کشورش
“And also because his army was fleeing from the enemy, and his kingdom was being laid waste.”
#52
ز هر سو پلنگ اندر آورده چنگ
✦
بر او بر جهان گشته تاریک و تنگ
“From every side the leopard had bared its claws, and the world had become dark and narrow for him.”
#53
چو گفتار پیران از آن سان شنید
✦
سپه را همه پای برجای دید
“When he heard Piran's speech of that nature, he realized his army was standing firmly in peril.”