As dawn broke across the horizon and the starlight faded into morning, King Goshtasp ordered the great war drums to be struck upon the backs of war-elephants, moving the chosen host of Iran down into the open plain. Scouts posted along the high passes arrived at a gallop, bringing word to the king that an endless tide of Turks and Chinese had enveloped the valleys, mountains, and plains in every direction.
King Goshtasp summoned his valiant brother Zarir, entrusting him with the royal standard and commanding him to array the war-elephants and organize the battle lines. Zarir swiftly executed the royal decree: he committed fifty thousand elite horsemen to Prince Esfandiyar to command one wing of the army, while the opposite flank was fortified with battle-hardened, lion-hearted warriors. The center of the host was bestowed upon Grami, a champion equal in spirit and stature to the king himself, while the rearguard was entrusted to the young Bastur, the shining lamp of royal lineage. Goshtasp then ascended a high mountain vantage point, seated himself upon a radiant throne, and sorrowfully surveyed the vast preparations for the impending slaughter.
Across the battlefield, King Arjasp of Turan arrayed his formidable forces in like manner. He selected thirty thousand battle-tested horsemen from Khallukh and placed them under Bidarafsh, bearer of the grand war drum and colorful banner, committing one wing of the army to his charge. The other wing he gave to Gorgsar along with one hundred thousand chosen riders. The core of his army was entrusted to the spellbinding warrior Namkhwast and thousands of renowned fighters. Arjasp himself, flanked by one hundred thousand valiant warriors who had proven their prowess across the world, took position at the rear to command the reserve. Finally, Arjasp appointed his battle-seasoned son Kahram—a veteran who had weathered countless hardships—as supreme commander of the entire Turanian host.
#1
چو جاماسپ گفت این سپیده دمید
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فروغ ستاره بشد ناپدید
“When Jamasp spoke thus, the dawn broke, and the radiance of the stars vanished.”
#2
سپه را به هامون فرود آورید
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بزد کوس بر پیل و لشکر کشید
“Bring the army down to the plain! He struck the war drums upon the elephants and led the host.”
#3
وزانجا خرامید تا رزمگاه
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فرود آورید آن گزیده سپاه
“And from there he marched to the battlefield, bringing down that chosen host.”
#4
به گاهی که باد سپیده دمان
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به کاخ آرد از باغ بوی گلان
“At the hour when the morning breeze carries the fragrance of garden flowers into the palace,”
#5
فرستاده بد هر سوی دیده‌بان
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چنانچون بود رسم آزادگان
“Scouts had been dispatched to every quarter, as is the custom of noble lords.”
#6
بیامد سواری و گفتا به شاه
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که شاها به نزدیکی آمد سپاه
“A rider arrived and said to the king: 'O King of the earth, the enemy army has drawn near!'”
#7
سپاهیست ای شهریار زمین
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که هرگز چنان نامد از ترک و چین
“'Such a host, O monarch of the world, as has never before come out of Turkestan and China.'”
#8
به نزدیکی ما فرود آمدند
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به کوه و در و دشت خیمه زدند
“'They have camped near us, pitching their tents across mountain, pass, and plain.'”
#9
سپهدارشان دیده‌بان برگزید
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فرستاد و دیده به دیده رسید
“Their commander chose scouts and sent them out, and scout met scout in the field.”
#10
پس آزاده گشتاسپ شاه دلیر
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سپهبدش را خواند فرخ زریر
“Then the noble King Goshtasp, the brave, called his commander, the blessed Zarir.”
#11
درفشی بدو داد و گفتا بتاز
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بیارای پیلان و لشکر بساز
“He gave him a banner and said: 'Hasten, array the war-elephants, and organize the host!'”
#12
سپهبد بشد لشکرش راست کرد
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همی رزم سالار چین خواست کرد
“The commander went and arranged his army, preparing to do battle with the Lord of China.”
#13
بدادش جهاندار پنجه هزار
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سوار گزیده به اسفندیار
“The ruler gave fifty thousand elite horsemen to Esfandiyar.”
#14
بدو داد یک دست زان لشکرش
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که شیری دلش بود و پیلی برش
“He assigned one wing of the army to him, who had the heart of a lion and the chest of an elephant.”
#15
دگر دست لشکرش را همچنان
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برآراست از شیر دل سرکشان
“The other wing of his host he likewise arrayed with lion-hearted, exalted warriors.”
#16
به گرد گرامی سپرد آن سپاه
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که شیر جهان بود و همتای شاه
“He entrusted the center to Grami, who was the lion of the world and the peer of the king.”
#17
پس پشت لشکر به بستور داد
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چراغ سپهدار خسرو نژاد
“The rear of the host he gave to Bastur, the luminous lamp of royal lineage.”
#18
چو لشکر بیاراست و بر شد به کوه
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غمی گشته از رنج و گشته ستوه
“When he had arrayed the army, he ascended the mountain, grieved and weary from hardship.”
#19
نشست از بر خوب تابنده گاه
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همی کرد زانجا به لشکر نگاه
“He sat upon a splendid, radiant throne and looked out upon his host from there.”
#20
پس ارجاسپ شاه دلیران چین
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بیاراست لشکرش را همچنین
“Then Arjasp, the brave king of China, arrayed his host in similar fashion.”
#21
جدا کرد از خلخی سی هزار
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جهان آزموده نبرده سوار
“He separated thirty thousand battle-tested, victorious horsemen of Khallukh.”
#22
فرستادشان سوی آن بیدرفش
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که کوس مهین داشت و رنگین درفش
“He sent them to Bidarafsh, who held the great drum and the colorful banner.”
#23
بدو داد یک دست زان لشکرش
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که شیر ژیان نامدی همبرش
“He assigned one wing of the army to him, whom no ferocious lion could equal.”
#24
دگر دست را داد بر گرگسار
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بدادش سوار گزین صدهزار
“The other wing he assigned to Gorgsar, placing a hundred thousand elite riders under him.”
#25
میان‌گاه لشکرش را همچنین
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سپاهی بیاراست خوب و گزین
“The center of his host he likewise arrayed with a fine and noble force.”
#26
بدادش بدان جادوی خویش کام
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کجا نام خواست و هزارانش نام
“He gave it to his wizard Namkhwast, where thousands of named warriors stood.”
#27
خود و صدهزاران سواران گرد
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نموده همه در جهان دستبرد
“He himself, with a hundred thousand valiant riders, all proven warriors in the world,”
#28
نگاهش همی داشت پشت سپاه
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همی کرد هر سوی لشکر نگاه
“Guarded the rearguard of the host and surveyed the army from every side.”
#29
پسر داشتی یک گرانمایه مرد
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جهاندیده و دیده هر گرم و سرد
“That noble ruler had a son, experienced and seasoned by every hardship of life.”
#30
سواری جهاندیده نامش کهرم
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رسیده بسی بر سرش سرد و گرم
“A seasoned warrior named Kahram, over whose head many ups and downs had passed.”
#31
مران پور خود را سپهدار کرد
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بران لشکر گشن سالار کرد
“He appointed that son of his as army commander, making him chief over that immense host.”