Upon hearing Rostam’s grand recitation of past triumphs, Prince Esfandiyar laughed heartily, his chest swelling with royal pride. Addressing the elder champion, Esfandiyar asserted his own unparalleled feats and imperial pedigree. He proclaimed how he first took up arms for the holy Zoroastrian faith, cleansing the earth of idolaters until the soil was hidden beneath their slain bodies. Proudly he traced his royal bloodline back through his father Goshtasp, to Lohrasp, Arvand, Kay Pashin, Kay Qobad, unto King Fereydun himself, while also highlighting his maternal descent from the Caesar of Rome, derived from Prince Salm, the valiant son of Fereydun. With this august lineage, Esfandiyar reminded Rostam that the House of Zal had ever been humble servants to the Kianian crown, attaining their renown purely through devoted allegiance.
Esfandiyar then recounted his astounding heroic deeds: how when wrongfully imprisoned in heavy iron fetters by his father Goshtasp due to Gorazm's slanders—which enabled Arjasp's devastating invasion and the slaying of King Lohrasp—his passion for combat brooked no delay. Bypassing the slow blacksmiths brought by Jamasp, Esfandiyar shattered his heavy iron bonds with his bare hands and charged forth like a roaring lion. Arjasp fled in terror before him. Esfandiyar pursued him through the perilous Seven Trials, slaying fierce beasts and overcoming demonic forces, until he reached the impregnable mountain fortress of Ruyin-Dezh—a stronghold untouched since the days of Tur and Fereydun. Through cunning and unmatched force, he stormed the citadel, smashed its pagan idols, and rekindled the sacred heavenly fire of Zoroaster upon its heights. Having purged Iran's enemies and idol-temples single-handedly by the grace of Yazdan, Esfandiyar brought his fiery discourse to a close, inviting Rostam to set aside idle words and raise the goblet of wine.
#1
چو از رستم اسفندیار این شنید
✦
بخندید و شادان دلش بردمید
“When Esfandiyar heard this from Rostam, he laughed, and his heart swelled with joy.”
#2
بدو گفت ازین رنج و کردار تو
✦
شنیدم همه درد و تیمار تو
“He said to him: 'I have heard all about your toil, your deeds, your pain, and your troubles.'”
#3
کنون کارهایی که من کرده‌ام
✦
ز گردنکشان سر برآورده‌ام
“'Now hear of the deeds that I have done, and how I raised my head above all the mighty warlords.'”
#4
نخستین کمر بستم از بهر دین
✦
تهی کردم از بت‌پرستان زمین
“'First, I girded my loins for the sake of the true Faith, and cleansed the earth of idol-worshipers.'”
#5
کس از جنگجویان گیتی ندید
✦
که از کشتگان خاک شد ناپدید
“'No warrior in the world has ever witnessed the earth so covered with slain foes that it vanished from view.'”
#6
نژاد من از تخم گشتاسپست
✦
که گشتاسپ از تخم لهراسپست
“'My lineage descends from the seed of Goshtasp, and Goshtasp was born of the line of Lohrasp.'”
#7
که لهراسپ بد پور اورند شاه
✦
که او را بدی از مهان تاج و گاه
“'Lohrasp was the son of King Arvand, who held the crown and throne above the great nobles.'”
#8
هم اورند از گوهر کی‌پشین
✦
که کردی پدر بر پشین آفرین
“'Arvand himself was of the noble jewel of Kay Pashin, whose father bestowed praises upon Pashin.'”
#9
پشین بود از تخمهٔ کیقباد
✦
خردمند شاهی دلش پر ز داد
“'And Pashin was of the lineage of Kay Qobad, a wise king whose heart was filled with justice.'”
#10
همی رو چنین تا فریدون شاه
✦
که شاه جهان بود و زیبای گاه
“'Trace it thus back to King Fereydun, who was the lord of the world and the glory of the throne.'”
#11
همان مادرم دختر قیصرست
✦
کجا بر سر رومیان افسرست
“'Likewise, my mother is the daughter of Caesar, he who wears the crown over the Romans.'”
#12
همان قیصر از سلم دارد نژاد
✦
ز تخم فریدون با فر و داد
“'And that Caesar traces his descent from Salm, of the glorious and just seed of Fereydun.'”
#13
همان سلم پور فریدون گرد
✦
که از خسروان نام شاهی ببرد
“'Salm, the valiant son of Fereydun, who bore away the glory of kingship among monarchs.'”
#14
بگویم من و کس نگوید که نیست
✦
که بی‌راه بسیار و راه اندکیست
“'I state this truth, and none can deny it, though many walk in error and few upon the righteous path.'”
#15
تو آنی که پیش نیاکان من
✦
بزرگان بیدار و پاکان من
“'As for you, before my royal ancestors—those vigilant and pure magnates of old...'”
#16
پرستنده بودی همی با نیا
✦
نجویم همی زین سخن کیمیا
“'...you and your forefathers were merely loyal servants; I seek no alchemy or exaggeration in these words.'”
#17
بزرگی ز شاهان من یافتی
✦
چو در بندگی تیز بشتافتی
“'You attained your greatness solely from my kings, because you rushed eagerly to serve them.'”
#18
ترا بازگویم همه هرچ هست
✦
یکی گر دروغست بنمای دست
“'I shall recount all my deeds to you as they are; if even one word is false, raise your hand to refute it.'”
#19
که تا شاه گشتاسپ را داد تخت
✦
میان بسته دارم به مردی و بخت
“'Ever since King Goshtasp ascended the throne, I have stood bound in service with manly valour and auspicious fortune.'”
#20
هرانکس که رفت از پی دین به چین
✦
بکردند زان پس برو آفرین
“'Whosoever ventured as far as China for the sake of the Faith received blessings and praise thereafter.'”
#21
ازان پس که ما را به گفت گُرَزم
✦
ببستم پدر دور کردم ز بزم
“'After my father bound me in chains and banished me from the banquet at the deceitful words of Gorazm...'”
#22
به لهراسپ از بند من بد رسید
✦
شد از ترک روی زمین ناپدید
“'Calamity struck Lohrasp due to my imprisonment, and he vanished from the earth at the hands of the Turks.'”
#23
بیاورد جاماسپ آهنگران
✦
که ما را گشاید ز بند گران
“'Jamasp brought forth blacksmiths to unlock me from those heavy iron fetters.'”
#24
همان کار آهنگران دیر بود
✦
مرا دل بر آهنگ شمشیر بود
“'Yet the blacksmiths' labor was too slow for my urge, for my heart beat only to the rhythm of the sword.'”
#25
دلم تنگ شد بانگشان بر زدم
✦
تن از دست آهنگران بستدم
“'My patience waned, I roared at them, and snatched my body away from the blacksmiths' hands.'”
#26
برافراختم سر ز جای نشست
✦
غل و بند بر هم شکستم به دست
“'I rose tall from where I sat and shattered the chains and shackles with my bare hands.'”
#27
گریزان شد ارجاسپ از پیش من
✦
بران سان یکی نامدار انجمن
“'Whereupon Arjasp fled before me, despite leading such a renowned host.'”
#28
به مردی ببستم کمر بر میان
✦
همی رفتم از پس چو شیر ژیان
“'With manhood I girded my waist, giving chase behind him like a roaring lion.'”
#29
شنیدی که در هفتخوان پیش من
✦
چه آمد ز شیران و از اهرمن
“'You have heard what befell me in the Seven Trials—from fierce lions and demonic horrors.'”
#30
به چاره به رویین‌دژ اندر شدم
✦
جهانی بران گونه بر هم زدم
“'Through cunning device I entered Ruyin-Dezh, throwing that entire realm into absolute chaos.'”
#31
بجستم همه کین ایرانیان
✦
به خون بزرگان ببستم میان
“'I sought revenge for all the Iranians, girding my waist in the blood of their fallen magnates.'”
#32
به توران و چین آنچ من کرده‌ام
✦
همان رنج و سختی که من برده‌ام
“'The deeds I wrought in Turan and China, the hardship and suffering I endured...'”
#33
همانا ندیدست گور از پلنگ
✦
نه از شست ملاح کام نهنگ
“'...surely no wild ass has suffered so from a leopard, nor sailor from the jaws of a sea monster!'”
#34
ز هنگام تور و فریدون گرد
✦
کس اندر جهان نام این دژ نبرد
“'Since the era of Tur and Fereydun the Valiant, none in the world had dared even name that fortress.'”
#35
یکی تیره دژ بر سر کوه بود
✦
که از برتری دور از انبوه بود
“'It was a dark fortress atop a mountain peak, far removed from any army by its extreme height.'”
#36
چو رفتم همه بت‌پرستان بدند
✦
سراسیمه برسان مستان بدند
“'When I arrived, all were idol-worshipers, reeling in confusion like men besotted with wine.'”
#37
به مردی من آن باره را بستدم
✦
بتان را همه بر زمین بر زدم
“'With valour I seized that fortress, and cast down all their idols to the earth.'”
#38
برافراختم آتش زردهشت
✦
که با مجمر آورده بود از بهشت
“'I raised high the sacred fire of Zoroaster, which he brought from Paradise in a censer.'”
#39
به پیروزی دادگر یک خدای
✦
به ایران چنان آمدم باز جای
“'By the victory granted by the one Just God, I returned to Iran in such triumph...'”
#40
که ما را به هر جای دشمن نماند
✦
به بتخانه‌ها در برهمن نماند
“'...that nowhere in the realm did an enemy remain, nor a pagan priest in any idol-temple.'”
#41
به تنها تن خویش جستم نبرد
✦
به پرخاش تیمار من کس نخورد
“'Single-handedly I sought battle; in the fury of combat, none stood to bear my grief or shield me.'”
#42
سخنها به ما بر کنون شد دراز
✦
اگر تشنه‌ای جام می را فراز
“'Our talk has dragged on too long; if you are thirsty, reach out for the goblet of wine!'”