Rumors quickly spread and the news eventually reaches the king's ear. The king is enraged that no royal daughter of his shall associate with any mendicant. On the king's command, soldiers surround Mandarava's palace. Ignoring her plea, the king's men take Padmasambhava captive and tie him to a stake on a mound of heaped wood. Oil of a hundred thousand seeds is poured and the pyre is set afire.
From the window of his palace, the Zahor king looks up into the dark skies. For seven days and nights, thick black smoke has been billowing up. Intrigued, the king climbs into his carriage to investigate the strange phenomenon. On reaching the spot, he is astounded to see Padmasambhava still alive, sitting on a lotus in the middle of a beautiful lake. Remnants of the fire ring its periphery.
The king is filled with deep remorse for his misconduct toward Padmasambhava. Asking for forgiveness and wishing to demonstrate his grief, the king unbridles his royal horses from his carriage. He offers his royal hat to Padmasambhava, invites the yogi into the carriage, and the Zahor king himself pulls it.