As the dust of battle settled beneath the moonlight, the valiant Bahram, son of Gudarz, approached his aged father. He revealed that during the frenzy of victory, his prized leather whip—engraved with his very name—had been dropped upon the gory battlefield. To leave such a prize to be gathered by Turanian foes would bring immortal dishonor upon his line. Gudarz urged his son not to risk his destiny for a mere rod of wood, and his brother Giv offered seven golden, jewel-encrusted whips from his royal treasury to dissuade him. Yet Bahram declared that gold could not buy back lost honor, and rode out alone into the night.
Upon the blood-soaked plain, Bahram wept over the fallen champions, including young Rivniz. Hearing the faint groans of a wounded Iranian warrior trapped under corpses, Bahram bound the man's wounds and promised to return for him after finding his whip. Locating his lost whip amid the red dust, Bahram retrieved it, but the sudden neighing of a wild mare drove his steed into a mad frenzy. The horse bolted into the darkness; despite Bahram's exhausting chase on foot, the beast escaped. In deep despair and anger, Bahram severed the steed's tendons, stranding himself on foot in hostile territory.
Turing patrols soon spotted the isolated warrior. Like a lion at bay, Bahram strung his bow, raining down deadly shafts upon the Turanian vanguard. Piran sent his son Rooiin to capture him, but Bahram's devastating archery sent Rooiin's troop fleeing in agony. Piran himself rode forth, invoking the memories of shared bread and salt from the days of Siyavash, urging Bahram to surrender peacefully. Bahram asked only for a fresh steed, but Piran, fearing King Afrasiab's fierce vengeance, could not grant it and departed. Then Tezhav, a violent Turanian champion, led a fresh assault upon the solitary hero. Bahram fought with incredible fury—first with bow, then spear, then sword—until all his weapons shattered and his vigor waned. Seizing a tragic opportunity, Tezhav crept behind the exhausted hero and struck with a sharp Indian blade, severing Bahram's weapon-arm. Even as Bahram collapsed, Tezhav felt a sudden pang of shame and anguish for maiming so noble a warrior.