When King Goshtasp completed his defiant response to Arjasp, he summoned the Turanian emissaries and dismissed them with profound scorn. Ashamed, broken-hearted, and clothed in despair, the envoys traversed the realm back to Khallukh. As they sighted the dark banners hovering over Arjasp's imperial palace, they dismounted their steeds with tearful eyes and sallow faces, bearing the stern roll of the Iranian king before their lord.
The royal scribe broke the seal and read aloud the uncompromising missive of Goshtasp. In it, the Iranian sovereign declared himself the rightful heir of King Lohrasp and the divine guardian of the Kianian throne, blessed by Almighty God with the Good Religion. He rebuked Arjasp as a vile, wolfish tyrant who had willfully chosen spiritual blindness over sacred wisdom. Scorning Arjasp's boastful threat to invade within two months, Goshtasp proclaimed that he would not wait two months nor four—he himself would march like a hunting lion at the head of hundreds of thousands of battle-hardened, noble-born spearmen descended from the pure line of Prince Iraj.
Goshtasp sang the praises of his invincible commanders—Zarir the Marshal and Prince Esfandiyar—whose gleaming armor and radiant maces cast light like the sun and moon. He mocked Arjasp's threats of defiling the Oxus and Jaxartes rivers, declaring that the warhorses of Iran would leap across waters as though they were dry earth, and that under God's holy decree, Arjasp's head would be trampled into the dust of battle.
Upon hearing these fiercely defiant words, the ruler of Paykand descended from his throne, stunned and overwhelmed with fury. The next morning at dawn, Arjasp dispatched his chieftains across the expanse of Turan to muster an overwhelming host. He placed three hundred thousand elite cavalry under the command of his two dark-hearted brothers, Kahram and Andaman, outfitting them with war elephants, drums, and shimmering banners of red, yellow, and violet.
Opening his royal treasuries, Arjasp distributed riches to his warriors and appointed Gurgsar—a ruthless commander known for his malice—as a senior general. He bestowed an elephant-headed banner upon the pillaging chieftain Bidarafsh, and appointed the fearless champion Khashash as vanguard and scout. To ensure absolute obedience, he set the sinister Hosh Div at the rear, commanding him to instantly execute any Turanian warrior who dared to turn back in fear. Swollen with hatred, the monstrous Turanian horde surged into the lands of Iran, setting palaces ablaze, uprooting orchards, and laying waste to the sacred realm.
#1
سخن چون بسر برد شاه زمین
✦
سیه پیل را خواند و کرد آفرین
“When the King of the Earth concluded his speech, he summoned the envoys and bestowed his final word upon them.”
#2
سپردش بدو گفت بردارشان
✦
از ایران به آن مرز بگذارشان
“He delivered the letter unto them, saying, 'Take these writings and pass from Iran into your own borders.'”
#3
فرستادگان سپهدار چین
✦
ز پیش جهانجوی شاه زمین
“The emissaries of the commander of China set out from before the world-conquering King of the Earth.”
#4
برفتند هر دو شده خاکسار
✦
جهاندارشان رانده و کرده خوار
“They departed both humbled and abased, driven away and held in utter scorn by the monarch.”
#5
از ایران فرخ به خلخ شدند
✦
ولیکن به خلخ نه فرخ شدند
“From glorious Iran they journeyed toward Khallukh, yet to Khallukh they returned without glory.”
#6
چو از دور دیدند ایوان شاه
✦
زده بر سر او درفش سیاه
“When from afar they beheld the palace of their king, over which fluttered a black banner,”
#7
فرود آمدند از چمنده ستور
✦
شکسته دل و چشمها گشته کور
“They dismounted from their prancing steeds, broken of heart and blinded with tears.”
#8
پیاده برفتند تا پیش اوی
✦
سیه‌شان شده جامه و زرد روی
“On foot they walked until they came before him, clad in black garments and with pale faces.”
#9
بدادندش آن نامهٔ شهریار
✦
سرآهنگ مردان نیزه گزار
“They presented to him the epistle of the sovereign, the leader of spear-bearing warriors.”
#10
دبیرش مران نامه را برگشاد
✦
بخواندش بران شاه جادو نژاد
“His scribe unrolled the scroll and read it aloud before that king of sorcerer lineage.”
#11
نوشته دران نامهٔ شهریار
✦
ز گردان و مردان نیزه گزار
“In that imperial letter was written the response of brave warriors and spearmen,”
#12
پس شاه لهراسپ گشتاسپ شاه
✦
نگهبان گیتی سزاوار گاه
“'From King Goshtasp, son of King Lohrasp, guardian of the world and worthy of the throne,”
#13
فرسته فرستاد زی او خدای
✦
همه مهتران پیش او بر به پای
“Unto whom God hath sent a divine messenger, and before whom all nobles stand in allegiance,”
#14
زی ارجاسپ ترک آن پلید سترگ
✦
کجا پیکرش پیکر پیر گرگ
“Unto Arjasp the Turk, that gross evil creature whose form is like that of an old wolf,”
#15
زده سر ز آیین و دین بهی
✦
گزینه ره کوری و ابلهی
“Who hath turned his head away from truth and the Good Religion, choosing the path of blindness and folly.”
#16
رسید آن نوشته فرومایه‌وار
✦
که بنوشته بودی سوی شهریار
“That wretched letter which thou didst write to this sovereign hath duly arrived.”
#17
شنیدیم و دید آن سخنها کجا
✦
نبودی تو مر گفتنش را سزا
“We have heard and seen those words, whereof thou wert by no means worthy to speak,”
#18
نه پوشیدنی و نه بنمودنی
✦
نه افگندنی و نه پیسودنی
“Words unfit to be veiled or displayed, unfit to be cast down or touched.”
#19
چنان گفته بودی که من تا دو ماه
✦
سوی کشور خرم آرم سپاه
“Thou didst state that within two months thou wouldst bring an army unto this prosperous land;”
#20
نه دو ماه باید ز تو نی چهار
✦
کجا من بیایم چو شیر شکار
“There is no need for two months nor four, for I myself shall march like a hunting lion!”
#21
تو بر خویشتن بر میفزای رنج
✦
که ما بر گشادیم درهای گنج
“Do not add further toil unto thyself, for we have flung open the doors of our treasuries.”
#22
بیارم ز گردان هزاران هزار
✦
همه کار دیده همه نیزه‌دار
“I shall bring thousands upon thousands of heroes, all battle-tested, all bearing spears,”
#23
همه ایرجی زاده و پهلوی
✦
نه افراسیابی و نه یبغوی
“All descended from Iraj and of noble Pahlavi blood, none of Afrasiab's line nor of the Yabghu,”
#24
همه شاه چهر و همه ماه روی
✦
همه سرو بالا همه راست‌گوی
“All with kingly countenances, radiant as the moon, tall as cypresses, and speakers of truth,”
#25
همه از در پادشاهی و گاه
✦
همه از در گنج و گاه و کلاه
“All worthy of kingship and the high throne, worthy of treasures, thrones, and crowns,”
#26
جهانشان بفرسوده با رنج و ناز
✦
همه شیرگیر و همه سرفراز
“Whose lives have been tempered in struggle and honor, all lion-catchers and exalted chiefs,”
#27
همه نیزه‌داران شمشیر زن
✦
همه باره‌انگیز و لشکر شکن
“All spearmen and wielders of swords, spurring their steeds and breaking enemy hosts.”
#28
چو دانند کم کوس بر پیل بست
✦
سم اسپ ایشان کند کوه پست
“When they know that my war-drums are bound upon the elephant, the hooves of their horses flatten mountains.”
#29
ازیشان دو گرد گزیده سوار
✦
زریر سپهدار و اسفندیار
“Among them are two elite champions: Zarir the Commander and the mighty Esfandiyar.”
#30
چو ایشان بپوشند ز آهن قبای
✦
به خورشید و ماه اندرآرند پای
“When they don their iron mail, their feet reach unto the sun and the moon.”
#31
چو بر گردن آرند رخشنده گرز
✦
همی تابد از گرزشان فر و برز
“When they raise their shining maces upon their shoulders, glory and grandeur radiate from their weapons.”
#32
چو ایشان بباشند پیش سپاه
✦
ترا کرد باید بدیشان نگاه
“When they stand before the army, thou must needs gaze upon them with awe.”
#33
به خورشید مانند با تاج و تخت
✦
همی تابد از نیزه‌شان فر و بخت
“They are like the sun with crown and throne, and divine luck and glory shine from their spears.”
#34
چنینم گوانند و اسپهبدان
✦
گزین و پسندیدهٔ موبدان
“Such are my heroes and commanders, chosen and approved by the mobads.'”
#35
تو سیحون مینبار و جیحون به مشک
✦
که ما را چه جیحون چه سیحون چه خشک
“'Do not sprinkle the Jaxartes and Oxus with musk, for to us dry land and rivers are one and the same!”
#36
چنان بردوانند باره بر آب
✦
که تاری شود چشمهٔ آفتاب
“They shall ride their steeds over the waters so swiftly that the fountain of the sun shall grow dark.”
#37
به روز نبرد ار بخواهد خدای
✦
به رزم اندر آرم سرت زیر پای
“On the day of battle, if God so willeth, I shall bring thy head beneath my feet in combat!'”
#38
چو سالار پیکند نامه بخواند
✦
فرود آمد از گاه و خیره بماند
“When the ruler of Paykand read the letter, he descended from his throne and remained bewildered.”
#39
سپهبدش را گفت فردا پگاه
✦
بخوان از همه پادشاهی سپاه
“He spoke unto his commander: 'Tomorrow at dawn, summon the host from across all the kingdom.'”
#40
تگینان لشکرش ترکان چین
✦
برفتند هر سو به توران زمین
“The leaders of his army, the Turks of China, rode forth to every corner of Turan.”
#41
بدو باز خواندند لشکرش را
✦
سر مرزداران کشورش را
“They gathered his vast army back to him, along with the warlords of his borders.”
#42
برادر بد او را دو آهرمنان
✦
یکی کهرم و دیگری اندمان
“He had two brothers who were like demons, one named Kahram and the other Andaman.”
#43
بفرمودشان تا نبرده سوار
✦
گزیدند گردان لشکر هزار
“He commanded them to select thousands of battle-hardened, warlike champions.”
#44
بدادندشان کوس و پیل و درفش
✦
بیاراسته زرد و سرخ و بنفش
“They gave them war-drums, elephants, and banners adorned in yellow, red, and violet.”
#45
بدیشان ببخشید سیصد هزار
✦
گوان گزیده نبرده سوار
“He assigned unto them three hundred thousand chosen, combat-tested warriors.”
#46
در گنج بگشاد و روزی بداد
✦
بزد نای رویین بنه بر نهاد
“He unlocked the treasury doors and distributed provisions to the troops; the brass trumpets sounded, and the baggage was bound for march.”
#47
بخواند آن زمان مر برادرش را
✦
بدو داد یک دست لشکرش را
“He then summoned his brother to his side and committed one wing of his army to his command.”
#48
باندیدمان داد دست دگر
✦
خود اندر میان رفت با یک پسر
“To Andidman he entrusted the other wing, while he himself marched in the center alongside one of his sons.”
#49
یکی ترک بد نام او گرگسار
✦
گذشته بروبر بسی روزگار
“There was a Turk named Gorgsar, full of years and seasoned by time.”
#50
سپه را بدو داد اسپهبدی
✦
تو گفتی نداند همی جز بدی
“He granted him supreme command over the host—a man who seemed to know nothing save wickedness.”
#51
چو غارتگری داد بر بیدرفش
✦
بدادش یکی پیل پیکر درفش
“To Bidarafsh he assigned the task of plunder, granting him a banner emblazoned with the image of an elephant.”
#52
یکی بود نامش خشاش دلیر
✦
پذیره نرفتی ورا نره شیر
“There was another valiant warrior named Khashash, whom even a fierce lion would not dare to confront.”
#53
سپه دیده‌بان کردش و پیش رو
✦
کشیدش درفش و بشد پیش گو
“He appointed him the army's scout and vanguard; Khashash unfurled his banner and advanced ahead of the warriors.”
#54
دگر ترک بد نام او هوش دیو
✦
پیامش فرستاد ترکان خدیو
“Yet another Turk was named Hosh-e Div; to him, the Lord of the Turks sent a stern command.”
#55
نگه دار گفتا تو پشت سپاه
✦
گر از ما کسی باز گردد به راه
“"Safeguard the rear of our host," he commanded, "and if anyone among us should turn back on the road,"”
#56
هم آنجا که بینی مر او را بکش
✦
نگر تا بدانجا نجنبدت هش
“"Slay him right on the spot where you catch him, and beware lest your resolve falter for a moment!"”
#57
بران سان همی رفت بایین خشم
✦
پر از خون شده دل پر از آب چشم
“In such wrathful fashion they marched onward, their hearts gorged with malice and their eyes filled with tears.”
#58
همی کرد غارت همی سوخت کاخ
✦
درختان همی کند از بیخ و شاخ
“They plundered every quarter, torched grand palaces, and uprooted trees from branch to root.”
#59
در آورد لشکر به ایران زمین
✦
همه خیره و دل پراگنده کین
“Thus he led his army into the land of Iran, all relentless and their hearts consumed with deep-seated hatred.”