Having affixed his royal seal to the message, Bahram Gur resolved to personally assess the strength and character of the King of India. Cloaking his departure under the guise of a grand hunting expedition, he kept his vast army completely unaware of his true destination, taking along only a handpicked handful of trusted champions. In this noble disguise, the Iranian monarch journeyed toward Hindustan, crossing the mysterious border waters into the realm of wonders until he arrived before the majestic court of Shangal, King of India.
Upon approaching the palace, Bahram marveled at its soaring architecture that seemed to touch the heavens, flanked by rows of armored cavalry, war-elephants, and the resonant fanfare of trumpets and bells. The grandeur of the Indian court paused the king in deep reflection. Stepping forward, he announced to the court chamberlains that an envoy had arrived dispatched by the victorious Monarch Bahram. The master of ceremonies rushed inside to inform King Shangal, who commanded the royal curtains to be raised and ushered the noble messenger inside with distinguished honors.
Bahram entered a magnificent hall whose ceiling sparkled like pure crystal, its walls and columns overlaid with gold, silver, and precious gems. Shangal sat enthroned upon a couch of gold and crystal, adorned with his royal crown, while his brother sat nearby wearing a jewel-encrusted coronet. Bahram approached the throne, paid formal homage, and stood respectfully before the Indian king. He announced that he bore a verbal message as well as a Pahlavi scroll written upon fine silk from Bahram, the God-fearing ruler of Iran. Impressed by the envoy's commanding presence and eloquence, Shangal ordered a golden throne to be brought for him and summoned his companions into the court. Seated upon the golden chair, Bahram unloosed his speech, painting a magnificent portrait of the Iranian king's supreme valor, his divine justice that turned poison into healing nectar, his unmatched bounty like a rain-bearing cloud, and his military prowess that turned battlefields into seas of blood.