When Rostam stepped out from Prince Esfandiyar's pavilion, he paused by the threshold, his chest heavy with bitter grief over the young prince's arrogance. Turning to the high gateway, he called out: 'O hall of hope! How blessed were the days when Jamshid sat within your shade and divine grace shone upon you! How glorious was the era of Kay Kavus and the blessed Kay Khosrow! But now the door of Royal Glory is bolted shut against you, for an unworthy sovereign sits upon the throne.'
Hearing these scathing words, Prince Esfandiyar emerged on foot, his pride wounded. He confronted the world-hero, declaring: 'O headstrong champion, why unleash such harsh words upon this royal dwelling? When a guest has fed his fill, it ill becomes him to insult the gardener! You revile this pavilion for having sheltered Jamshid and Kavus—times when the earth was rent with turmoil, rapine, and blood, and kings strayed from Yazdan while seeking the stars. Today, the master of this realm is King Goshtasp; before him stands Jamasp the wise, and at his side sits holy Zoroaster, who brought the heavenly Zand-Avesta down from paradise. Beside him stands noble Peshotan, who has tasted the cold and heat of the cosmos, while I, Esfandiyar the triumphant, stand in the vanguard—he whose sword has delivered the world and revived the hearts of the righteous!'
Without another word, Rostam mounted Rakhsh and departed into the gathering dusk. Esfandiyar watched his retreating figure, deeply moved by the sight. Turning to his brother Peshotan, Esfandiyar confessed: 'Such valor and heroic stature cannot be concealed. Never in my life have I witnessed such a horse and rider! He is like a colossal war-elephant upon Mount Gong. His splendor touches the heavens, yet I fear that tomorrow his fortune will plummet. My heart burns with sympathy for his glory, yet I cannot sever my heart from the Creator's and the King's command. Tomorrow, I shall turn his bright day into darkest night.'
Peshotan, his heart overflowing with anguish, implored his brother: 'O renowned prince, I beseech you, refrain! Do not inflict pain upon a noble warrior who seeks no quarrel. Sleep tonight, and at dawn, go to his palace peacefully without an army. Speak with him in wisdom; his heart is true to his oath and he means no rebellion. Wash the hatred from your heart and the anger from your eyes!' But Esfandiyar's resolve hardened: 'Your words are like thorns growing on the edge of a rose garden! How can a righteous man advise me to break faith with the King? Holy Zoroaster decreed that whosoever turns from the King's command shall burn in hell. Shall I abandon my sovereign's order out of fear for my body? No man dies before his appointed hour!'
Peshotan lamented bitterly that a demon had seized Esfandiyar's mind, warning that when two lions clash, none can foresee whose back will be pinned to the dust. Yet Esfandiyar offered no answer, his heart consumed with wrath and his mind fixed upon the catastrophic clash to come.