In Chapter 23, Poem 13 of the Mokhtar Nameh, Attar explores the psychological and spiritual torment of existential dread concerning the afterlife. The poem employs two key themes:

Complete Passive Helplessness

The poet fears being cast into affliction like a ball ('guy') 'without head or foot.' In Persian mystical literature, the polo ball is a classic metaphor for complete passivity and submission, having no agency over where it is struck or thrown. Here, it signifies the human soul's utter helplessness under the weight of divine judgment and destiny.

The Dread of the Unknown Afterlife

Attar describes dying 'a hundred times a day' from the overwhelming dread ('haybat') of his unknown final destination after death. This emphasizes that the fear of spiritual failure and post-mortem displacement is more agonizing than physical death itself, causing constant psychological suffering in the present life.