Part 17

laid before me a poem that he had composed on me. I presented him with 1,000 rupees, a horse, and a robe of honour as a gift for this poem. I had also sent for Hakim Hamid Gujarati, whom Murtaza Khan greatly praised, and he came and waited on me. His good qualities and purity were better than his doctoring. He waited on me for some time. When it became known that there was no physician but himself in Gujarat, and I found he himself desired leave to go, I gave him and his sons 1,000 rupees and some shawls, and set aside a whole village for his maintenance; he went off to his native place quite happy. Yusuf Khan, son of Husain Khan Tukriyah, came from his jagir and waited on me. On Thursday, the 10th Zi-l-hijja, was the festival of the Qurban (the sacrifice of Ishmael). As it is forbidden to take life on that day (Thursday), I ordered that on the Friday they should kill the sacrificial animals. Having sacrificed three sheep with my own hand, I mounted to go hunting, and returned when six gharis of night had passed. On this day was killed a nilgaw (commonly called blue bull) of the weight of 9 maunds and 35 seers. The story of this nilgaw is written because it is not devoid of strangeness. In the two past years, during which I had come to this same place to wander about and hunt I had shot at him each time with a gun. As the wounds were not in a fatal place, he had not fallen, but gone off. This time again I saw that nilgaw in the hunting-ground (shikargah), and the watchman recognized that in the two previous years he had gone away wounded. In short, I fired at him again three times on that day. It was in vain. I pursued him rapidly on foot for three kos, but however much I exerted myself I could not catch him. At last I made a vow that if this nilgaw fell I would have his flesh cooked, and for the soul of Khwaja Mu`inu-d-din would give it to eat to poor people. I also vowed a muhr and one rupee to my revered father. Soon after this the nilgaw became worn out with moving, and I ran to his head and ordered them to make it lawful (cut its throat in the name of Allah) on the spot, and having brought it to the camp I fulfilled my vow as I had proposed. They cooked the nilgaw, and expending the muhr and rupee on sweets. I assembled poor and hungry people and divided them among them in my own presence. Two or three days afterwards I saw another nilgaw. However much I exerted myself and wished he would stand still in one place, so that I might fire at him, I could get no chance. With my gun on my shoulder I followed him till near evening until it was sunset, and despaired of killing him. Suddenly it came across my tongue, "Khwaja, this nilgaw also is vowed to you." My speaking and his sitting down were at one and the same moment. I fired at and hit him, and ordered him, like the first nilgaw, to be cooked and given to the poor to eat. On Saturday, the 19th Zi-l-hijja, I fished again. This time about 330 fish were caught. On the night of Wednesday, the 28th [330] of the same month, I encamped at Rupbas. As this was one of my fixed hunting-places and there was an order that no one should hunt in the neighbourhood, a great number of antelope had come together in the desert there, so much so that they came into the inhabited parts and were not subject to any kind of molestation. I hunted for two or three days in those desert plains, and shot, and hunted with cheetahs many antelopes. As the hour for entering the city was near, making two halts on the way, I alighted on the night of Thursday, the 2nd Muharram, in the year 1020 (17th March, 1611), at the garden of `Abdu-r-Razzaq Ma`muri, which is near, in fact close to, the city. On this night many of the servants of the Court, such as Khwaja Jahan, Daulat Khan, and a number who had remained in the city, came and waited on me. Iraj also, whom I had sent for from the Subah of the Deccan, had the honour of kissing the threshold. I stayed in that garden also on the Friday. On that day `Abdu-r-Razzaq presented his own offerings. As this was the last day for hunting, an order was given that the duration of the hunt and the number of animals killed should be counted up to me. The time of the hunt was from the 9th of the month of Azar to the 29th Isfandarmuz of the 5th year, or three months and twenty days. In this time tigers 12, deer (gawzan) 1, chikarah (gazelle) 44, kutah-pacha (hog-deer) 1 head, fawns 2 head, black buck 68 head, does 31 head, foxes 4, kurara deer 8, patal (?) 1, bears 5, hyænas 3, hares 6, nilgaw 108, fish 1,096, eagle 1, bustard 1, peafowl 5, herons 5, partridges 5, brahmini ducks (surkhab) 1, saras 5, dhik (?) 1; total, 1,414.

On Saturday, the 29th Isfandarmuz, corresponding to the 4th Muharram, I mounted an elephant and went to the city. From the garden of `Abdu-r-Razzaq to the palace the distance is a kos and 20 tanab. I scattered 1,500 rupees to the crowd. At the fixed hour I entered the palace. The bazars had been decorated with cloths after the manner of the New Year's feast. As at the hunting-time an order had been given to Khwaja Jahan to prepare in the Mahall (Zenanah) a building fit for me to sit in, the said Khwaja had in the space of three months prepared and brought to perfection this kind of lofty building, and with folded hands (in humility) had done exceedingly active work. Coming off the dust of the road I entered that Paradise-like building and went to look round that abode, and it was very much to my taste. Khwaja Jahan was dignified with much praise and commendation. The offerings he had prepared were displayed to me in the same building. Some of these were approved and accepted and the remainder presented to him.

THE SIXTH NEW YEAR'S FEAST AFTER MY AUSPICIOUS ACCESSION.

Two gharis and forty seconds of day had passed on the Monday when the sun (lit. his honour the greatest star) entered his tower of honour, which is in the constellation of Aries. That day was the 1st Farwardin, corresponding with the 6th Muharram [331] (21st March, 1611). The feast of the New Year having been prepared, I seated myself on the throne of good fortune. The Amirs and all the servants of the Court enjoyed the good fortune of waiting on me and gave their congratulations. The offerings of the servants of the Court Miran Sadr Jahan, `Abdu-llah Khan Firuz-jang, and Jahangir Quli Khan, were laid before me. On Wednesday, the 8th Muharram, the offering of Raja Kalyan, who had sent it from Bengal, was laid before me. On Thursday, the 9th of the same month, Shaja`at Khan and some of the mansabdars, who had come on summons from the Deccan, waited on me. I gave a jewelled waist-dagger to Razzaq-wirdi Uzbeg. On the same day the New Year's offering of Murtaza Khan was laid before me. He had prepared all kinds of things. Having inspected all these, I took what I approved in the shape of valuable jewels, fine cloths, elephants, and horses and gave back the rest. I presented a jewelled dagger to Abu-l-fath Dakhani, 3,000 rupees to Mir `Abdu-llah, and an Iraq horse to Muqim Khan. I increased the rank of Shaja`at Khan, which was 1,500 personal and 100 horse, by 500 personal and horse. I had summoned him from the Deccan for the purpose of sending him to Bengal to Islam Khan, in reality to take his place permanently, and I entrusted him with the charge of that Subah. Khwaja Abu-l-hasan laid before me (as offerings) two rubies, one royal pearl, and ten rings. I gave Iraj, the son of Khankhanan, a jewelled dagger. The rank of Khurram was 8,000 personal and 5,000 horse; I increased his personal allowance by 2,000, and increased that of Khwaja Jahan, which was 1,500 personal, 1,000 horse by 500 personal, 200 horse. On 24th Muharram, 18th Farwardin, the day of the ascendant, Yadgar `Ali Sultan, ambassador of Shah `Abbas, ruler of Persia, who had come on a visit of condolence on the death of the late king and with congratulations on my accession, had the honour of waiting on me, and laid before me the gifts Shah `Abbas, my brother, had sent. He had brought good horses, cloth stuffs, and every kind of fitting present. After he had presented the gifts, on the same day I gave him a superb robe of honour and 30,000 rupees, which were equivalent to 1,000 Persian tumans. He handed me a letter in which were mingled congratulations and condolences for the death of my revered father. As in the letter of congratulation he expressed the greatest friendship, and omitted no point of regard and concord, it has pleased me to enter here an exact copy of it.

Copy of the letter of Shah `Abbas.

"May the sprinklings of the cloud of the grace of God and the dropping of the favour of the Almighty impart freshness to the gardens of wonderful men and inventors (of new things)! May the flower-bed of sovereignty and rule and the mead of magnificence and exalted happiness of his Honour of heavenly dignity, of sun-like grandeur, the king whose fortune is young, of Saturn-like majesty, the renowned prince, possessing the authority of the spheres, the Khedive, the world-gripper (Jahangir) and country-conquering sovereign, the prince of the exaltedness of Sikandar, with the banner of Darius, he who sits on the throne of the pavilion of greatness and glory, the possessor of the (seven) climes, the increaser of the joys of good fortune and prosperity, adorner of the gardens of happiness, decorator of the rose-parterre, lord of the happy conjunction (of the planets), the opener of the countenance, the perfection of kinghood, expounder of the mysteries of the sky, the adornment of the face of learning and insight, index of the book of creation, compendium of human perfections, mirror of the glory of God, elevator of the lofty soul, increaser of good fortune and of the beneficent ascension, sun of the grandeur of the skies, the shadow of the benignity of the Creator, he who has the dignity of Jamshid among the stars of the host of heaven, lord of conjunction, refuge of the world, river of the favours of Allah, and fountain of unending mercy, verdure of the plain of purity, may his land (lit. surface) be guarded from the calamity of the evil eye; may his fountain of perfection be preserved in truth, his desire and love; the tale of his good qualities and benevolence cannot be written.

"'The pen has not the tongue to express the secret of love.'

Although outwardly the distance (between us) prevents my attaining to the ka`bah of desire, yet he is the qiblah of my keen longing for spiritual intercourse. Thank God that by virtue of essential oneness this humble supplicant and that pure nursling of glory have in reality been united to one another. The distance of space and outward separation of the body not having prevented nearness of soul and spiritual union, my face is still towards friendship, and accordingly the dust of sorrow has not settled on the sun-like mirror of my mind, but it has received the reflection of the beauty of that exhibitor of perfection, and the olfactory of my soul has been ever scented with the sweet savour of friendship and love and the ambergris-perfumed breezes of affection and concord, and spiritual fellowship and perpetual union have rubbed off the rust from friendship.

"'I sit beside thee in thought, and my heart is at ease, For this is an union not followed by separation's pain.'

"Praise be given to the most mighty and pure God that the plant of the desire of true friends hath borne the fruit of fruition. Success (maqsud), that beauty who for years was hidden behind the veil, has by dint of humility and supplication at the throne of the Almighty, come forth and manifested herself from the hidden bridal chamber, and a ray of perfection has been thrown on the plain of the hopes of the expectants; she has ascended the auspicious throne and seated herself beside the king who adorns the assembly and enhances the glory of the tribune of the king of kings. The world-opening standard of the Caliphate and rule, and the sky-scraping umbrella of justice and world-sway of that creator of the diadem and throne, and that opener of the knots of knowledge and wisdom have cast the shade of equity and sovereignty and mercy over the heads of the inhabitants of the world. My hope is that the chief of desire-granters may make the auspicious ascension of that blessed rising of fortune brighten the crown and illuminate the throne, making it of good omen and prosperous to all, and may the things that appertain to kingship and rule of the world and the causes of dignity and prosperity be ever on the increase! For long past the customs of amity and the ways of intimacy, which have been in existence between our ancestors, and now freshly have been re-established between this one who is bent on friendship and him who is intent on equity, demanded that when the good news of the accession of him who sits on the Gurgani throne and is the heir of the crown of Timur reached this country, one of the confidants of the royal palace should be quickly nominated to convey congratulations, but inasmuch as the business of Azarbijan and the conquest of the province of Shirwan just then occurred, and until my loving mind was satisfied as to the affairs of that province, I could not return to my capital, some delay took place in the accomplishment of this important duty. Although outward ceremonial observances and politenesses have not much weight with people of knowledge and discernment, yet the observance of them is the observance of the dues of friendship. Of necessity, therefore, at this auspicious time when the attention of the servants of holy angels (?) has been withdrawn from the affairs of that province, which have been arranged in accordance with the desires of my well-wishers, and I am at ease in that quarter, I have returned and settled down in my capital of Isfahan, which is the permanent seat of rule. Therefore I have despatched Kamalu-d-din Yadgar `Ali, who possesses the attributes of nobility, is perfect in sincerity and fully reliable, who is moreover of the number of devoted servants and Sufis of pure design of our family, to the most exalted Court, that after he has obtained the good fortune to salute you, to condole with you, and kissed the carpet of honour, and performed the dues of inquiry (after health, etc.) and congratulations, he may obtain leave to return, and may convey to the sincere mind of your well-wisher the good tidings of the safety of your angelic person and the health of your temperament that is of the brightness of the sun and increases joy. It is hoped that the tree of hereditary friendship and assiduousness, and the garden of intimacy and regard, both apparent and spiritual, which by the irrigation of the rivers of affection and the brooks of sincere regard acquire great splendour and greenness, not casting their leaves, may set in motion the cord of intimacy and drive away the misfortune of estrangement by the arrival of correspondence, which is the communication of the soul, and may connect by spiritual chains our visible friendship, and may favour the course and accomplishment of business.

"May God Almighty give the assistance of the secret powers to that living family of dignity and glory and that household of grandeur and good fortune."

Up to this is the copy of the letter of my brother Shah `Abbas.

My brothers Sultan Murad and Daniyal, who had died in the lifetime of my revered father, people had called by several names. I ordered that one of them should be called Shahzada maghfur (the pardoned prince), and the other Shahzada marhum (the prince admitted to mercy). I promoted I`timadu-d-daulah and `Abdu-r-Razzaq Ma`muri, who each held the rank of 1,500, to that of 1,800, and increased the horse-rank of Qasim Khan, brother of Islam Khankhanan, by 250. I dignified Iraj, eldest son of the Khankhanan, with the title of Shah-nawaz Khan, and Sa`du-llah, son of Sa`id Khan, with the appellation of Nawazish Khan.

At the time of my accession I had increased weights and measures (lit. gaz), viz. to the extent of three ratis (small weight equal to eight barleycorns), in the weight of muhrs and rupees. At this time it was represented to me that in mercantile transactions it would be for the convenience of the people that muhrs and rupees should be of the same weight as previously. As in all affairs the contentment and ease of the people are to be looked to, I gave an order that from the present day, that is, the 11th Urdibihisht in the 6th year of my reign, they should strike muhrs and rupees of the former weight in all the mints of my dominions. As before this, on Saturday, the 2nd of the month of Safar, in the year 1020, the evil-dispositioned Ahdad had heard that Kabul was deprived of an eminent leader, that Khan Dauran [332] was in the interior, and only Mu`izzu-l-mulk with a few servants of the aforesaid was in Kabul, thinking it a good opportunity he (Ahdad) betook himself unexpectedly to Kabul with a large number of horsemen and foot-soldiers. Mu`izzu-l-mulk, according to the measure of his ability, displayed activity, and the Kabulis and other inhabitants, especially the Farmuli [333] tribe, barricaded up the streets and fortified their houses. The Afghans with some guns came in to the streets and bazars from different directions. The people from the shelter of their terraces and houses killed many of these wretches with arrows and guns, and Bargi, [334] one of the confidential leaders of Ahdad, was killed. From the occurrence of this affair, for fear that the people from all sides and quarters should assemble and block the road for them to get out, giving up their hearts and feet (in a state of distraction), in fear and confusion they turned back. About 800 of those dogs went to jahannam (hell), and 200, having caught horses, hastily escaped with their lives from that deadly place. Nad `Ali Maidani, who was in Lahugar, at last on the same day arrived there, and pursued them for a short distance. As the distance (between them) was too great and his band small, he turned back. For the energy he had shown in coming quickly, and for the activity displayed by Mu`izzu-l-mulk, they were both promoted in rank; Nad `Ali, who held that of 1,000 personal to that of 1,500, and Mu`izzu-l-mulk, who held the rank of 1,500, to 1,800. As it transpired that Khan Dauran and the Kabulis were in the habit of passing their days in carelessness, and the repelling of the evil disposition of Ahdad had taken a long time it occurred to me that as the Khankhanan was without employment I might appoint him and his sons to this duty. Soon after this idea occurred, Qilij Khan, to summon whom a firman had already been issued, came from the Panjab and obtained the honour of an audience. It became evident from the forehead of his circumstances (his manner) that he was annoyed at the duty of driving back the ill-dispositioned Ahdad being assigned to Khankhanan. As he faithfully promised to take up this duty, it was settled that the governorship of the Subah of the Panjab should belong to Murtaza Khan, and that the Khankhanan should remain at home, and that Qilij Khan should be promoted to the rank of 6,000 personal and 5,000 horse, and be appointed to Kabul to drive back Ahdad and the up-country robbers. I ordered the Khankhanan to have a jagir in the Subah of Agra in the Sarkars of Qanauj and Kalpi, that he might inflict condign punishment on the rebels of that region and exterminate them (pull them out by the roots). When I dismissed them I gave each of them special robes of honour and horses and elephants, and having received the robes of exaltation they started off. At the same time, on account of the sincerity of his friendship and his old services, I bestowed on I`timadu-d-daulah the rank of 2,000 personal and 500 horse, and presented him with a sum of 5,000 rupees by way of gift. Mahabat Khan, whom I had sent to make the necessary preparations for war for the victorious army of the Deccan and point out to the Amirs the desirability of concord and unanimity, paid his respects to me at the capital of Agra on the 12th of the month of Tir, the 21st of Rabi`u-s-sani. It was brought to notice in a letter from Islam Khan that `Inayat Khan had performed approved service in the Subah of Bengal; on this account I increased by 500 personal the rank he already held of 2,000. I also increased by 500 personal and 300 horse, so as to make it up altogether to 1,500 personal and 800 horse, the rank of Raja Kalyan, who was one of the officials of that Subah. I appointed Hashim Khan, [335] who was in Orissa, to the government of Kashmir, and sent his uncle, Khwaja Muhammad Husain, there to look after the affairs of that country until his arrival. In the time of my revered father his father, Muhammad Qasim, had conquered Kashmir. Chin Qilij, who was the eldest son of Qilij Khan, came from the Subah of Kabul and waited on me. As in addition to his natural excellence he was a khanazad (houseborn one), he was honoured with the title of Khan, and according to the prayer of his father, and on condition of his undertaking service in Tirah, I increased his rank by 500 personal and 300 horse. On the 14th Amardad on account of the previous service and great sincerity and ability of I`timadu-daulah, I bestowed on him the high rank of the viziership of the kingdom, and on the same day presented a belt with a jewelled dagger to Yadgar `Ali, ambassador of the ruler of Iran. As `Abdu-llah Khan, who had been appointed to command the army against the rebel Rana, promised to enter the province of the Deccan from the direction of Gujarat, I promoted him to be Subahdar of that province, and at his request appointed Raja Baso to the command of the army against the Rana, increasing his rank by 500 horse. In place of Gujarat I conferred the Subah of Malwa on Khan A`zam and sent 400,000 rupees to provide for the army and warlike materials for the force that had been appointed to accompany `Abdu-llah Khan by way of Nasik, which is near the province of the Deccan. Safdar Khan, with his brothers, came from the Subah of Behar, and had the honour of kissing the threshold.