Chapter XIV: Part 14

He bathes twice a day in a piece of water near his abode, and once a day goes into the city of Ujjain, and nowhere but to the houses of three brahmins whom he has selected out of seven, who have wives and children and whom he believes to have religious feelings and contentment. He takes by way of alms five mouthfuls of food out of what they have prepared for their own eating, which he swallows without chewing, in order that he may not enjoy their flavour; always provided that no misfortune has happened to their three houses, that there has been no birth, and there be no menstruous woman in the house. This is his method of living, just as it is now written. He does not desire to associate with men, but as he has obtained great notoriety people go to see him. He is not devoid of knowledge, for he has thoroughly mastered the science of the Vedanta, which is the science of Sufism. I conversed with him for six gharis; he spoke well, so much so as to make a great impression on me. My society also suited him. At the time when my revered father conquered the fort of Asir, in the province of Khandesh, and was returning to Agra, he saw him in the very same place, and always remembered him well.

The learned of India have established four modes of life for the caste of brahmins, which is the most honoured of the castes of Hindus, and have divided their lives into four periods. These four periods they call the four asram. [568] The boy who is born in a brahmin's house they do not call brahmin till he is 7 years old, and take no trouble on the subject. After he has arrived at the age of 8 years, they have a meeting and collect the brahmins together. They make a cord of munj grass, which they call munji, in length 2 1/4 gaz, and having caused prayers and incantations to be repeated over it, and having had it made into three strands, which they call sih tan, by one in whom they have confidence, they fasten it on his waist. Having woven a zunnar (girdle or thread) out of the loose threads, they hang it over his right [569] shoulder. Having given into his hand a stick of the length of a little over 1 gaz to defend himself with from hurtful things and a copper vessel for drinking-water, they hand him over to a learned brahmin that he may remain in his house for twelve years, and employ himself in reading the Vedas, which they believe in as God's book. From this day forward they call him a brahmin. During this time it is necessary that he should altogether abstain from bodily pleasures. When midday is passed he goes as a beggar to the houses of other brahmins, and bringing what is given him to his preceptor, eats it with his permission. For clothing, with the exception of a loin cloth (lungi) of cotton to cover his private parts, and 2 or 3 more gaz of cotton which he throws over his back, he has nothing else. This state is called brahmacharya, that is, being busied with the Divine books. After this period has passed, with the leave of his preceptor and his father, he marries, and is allowed to enjoy all the pleasures of his five senses until the time when he has a son who shall have attained the age of 16 years. If he does not have a son, he passes his days till he is 48 in the social life. During this time they call him a grihast, that is, householder. After that time, separating himself from relatives, connections, strangers, and friends, and giving up all things of enjoyment and pleasure, he retires to a place of solitude from the place of attachment to sociality (ta`alluq-i-abad-i-kasrat), and passes his days in the jungle. They call this condition banprasta, [570] that is, abode in the jungle. As it is a maxim of the Hindus that no good deed can be thoroughly performed by men in the social state without the partnership of the presence of a wife, whom they have styled the half of a man, and as a portion of the ceremonies and worshippings is yet before him (has to be accomplished), he takes his wife with him into the jungle. If she should be pregnant, he puts off his going until she bear a child and it arrive at the age of 5 years. Then he entrusts the child to his eldest son or other relation, and carries out his intention. In the same way, if his wife be menstruous, he puts off going until she is purified. After this he has no connection with her, and does not defile himself with communication with her, and at night he sleeps apart. [571] He passes twelve years in this place, and lives on vegetables which may have sprung up of themselves in the desert and jungle. He keeps his zunnar by him and worships fire. He does not waste his time in looking after his nails or the hair of his head, or in trimming his beard and moustaches. When he completes this period in the manner related, he returns to his own house, and having commended his wife to his children and brothers and sons-in-law, goes to pay his respects to his spiritual guide, and burns by throwing into the fire in his presence whatever he has in the way of a zunnar, the hair of his head, etc., and says to him: "Whatever attachment (ta`alluq) I may have had, even to abstinence and worshipping and will, I have rooted up out of my heart." Then he closes the road to his heart and to his desires and is always employed in contemplation of God, and knows no one except the True Cause of Being (God). If he speak of science it is the science of Vedanta, the purport of which Baba Fighani has versified in this couplet--

"There's one lamp in this house, by whose rays
Wherever I look there is an assembly."

They call this state sarvabiyas, [572] that is, giving up all. They call him who possesses it sarvabiyasi.

After interviewing Jadrup I mounted an elephant and passed through the town of Ujjain, and as I went scattered to the right and left small coins to the value of 3,500 rupees, and proceeding 1 3/4 kos alighted at Da'ud-khera, the place where the royal camp was pitched. On the 3rd day, which was a halting day, I went, from desire for association with him, after midday, to see Jadrup, and for six gharis enjoyed myself in his company. On this day also he uttered good words, and it was near evening when I entered my palace. On the 4th day I journeyed 3 1/4 kos and halted at the village of Jarao [573] in the Paraniya garden. This is also a very pleasant halting-place, full of trees. On the 6th there was a march; after proceeding for 4 3/4 kos I halted on the bank of the lake of Debalpur Bheriya. On account of the pleasantness of the place and the delights of the lake, I halted at this stage for four days, and at the end of each day, embarking in a boat, employed myself in shooting ducks (murghabi) and other aquatic animals. At this halting-place they brought fakhri grapes from Ahmadnagar. Although they are not as large as the Kabul fakhri grapes, they do not yield to them in sweetness.

At the request of my son Baba Khurram the mansab of Badi`u-z-zaman, son of Mirza Shahrukh, was fixed at 1,500 personal and 1,000 horse. On the 11th I marched, and after proceeding for 3 1/4 kos halted in the parganah Daulatabad. On the 12th, which was a halt, I rode out to hunt. In the village of Shaikhupur, which belonged to the said parganah, I saw a very large and bulky banyan-tree, measuring round its trunk 18 1/2 gaz, and in height from the root to the top of the branches 128 1/4 cubits. The branches spread a shade for 203 1/2 cubits. The length of a branch, on which they have represented the tusks of an elephant, was 40 gaz. At the time when my revered father passed by this, he had made an impression of his hand by way of a mark at the height of 3 3/4 gaz from the ground. I ordered them also to make the mark of my hand 8 gaz above another root. In order that these two hand-marks might not be effaced in the course of time, they were carved on a piece of marble and fastened on to the trunk of the tree. I ordered them to place a chabutara and platform round the tree.

As at the time when I was prince I had promised Mir Ziya'u-din Qazwini, who was one of the Saifi Sayyids, and whom during my reign I have honoured with the title of Mustafa Khan, to give the parganah of Maldah, which is a famous parganah in Bengal, to him and his descendants [574] in al tamgha (perpetual royal grant), this great gift was bestowed in his honour at this halting-place. On the 13th a march took place. Going separately from this camp to look round the country and hunt with some of the ladies and intimates and servants, I proceeded to the village of Hasilpur, and whilst the camp was pitched in the neighbourhood of Nalcha (Balchha?) I halted at the village of Sangor. What shall be written of the beauty and sweetness of this village? There were many mango-trees, and its lands were altogether green and delightful. On account of its greenness and pleasantness I halted here for three days. I gave this village to Kamal Khan, the huntsman, in place of Kesho Das Maru. An order was passed that they should hereafter call it Kamalpur. At this same halting-place occurred the night of Shivrat (Shivratri). Many Jogis collected. The ceremonies of this night were duly observed, and I met the learned of this body in social intercourse. In these days I shot three blue bulls. The news of the killing of Raja Man reached me at this place. I had appointed him to head the army that had been sent against the fort of Kangra. When he arrived at Lahore he heard that Sangram, one of the zamindars of the hill-country of the Panjab, had attacked his place and taken possession of part of his province. Considering it of the first importance to drive him out, he went against him. As Sangram had not the power to oppose him, he left the country of which he had taken possession and took refuge in difficult hills and places. Raja Man pursued him there, and in his great pride, not looking to the means by which he himself could advance and retreat, came up to him with a small force. When Sangram saw that he had no way to flee by, in accordance with this couplet--

"In time of need when no (way of) flight is left,
The hand seizes the edge of the sharp sword." [575]

A fight took place, and according to what was decreed, a bullet struck Raja Man and he delivered his soul to the Creator thereof. His men were defeated and a great number of them killed. The remainder, wounded, abandoned their horses and arms, and with a hundred alarms escaped half-dead.

On the 17th I marched from Sangor, and after proceeding 3 kos came again to the village of Hasilpur. On the road a blue bull was killed. This village is one of the noted places in the Subah of Malwa. It has many vines and mango-trees without number. It has streams flowing on all sides of it. At the time I arrived there were grapes contrary to the season in which they are in the Wilayat (Persia or Afghanistan). They were so cheap and plentiful that the lowest and meanest could get as much as they desired. The poppy had flowered and showed varied colours. In brief, there are few villages so pleasant. For three days more I halted in this village. Three blue bulls were killed with my gun. From Hasilpur on the 21st in two marches I rejoined the big camp. On the road a blue bull was killed. On Sunday, the 22nd, marching from the neighbourhood of Nalcha (Balchha?), I pitched at a lake that is at the foot of the fort of Mandu. On that day the huntsmen brought news that they had marked down a tiger within 3 kos. Although it was Sunday, and on these two days, viz. Sunday and Thursday, I do not shoot, it occurred to me that as it is a noxious animal it ought to be done away with. I proceeded towards him, and when I arrived at the place it was sitting under the shade of a tree. Seeing its mouth, which was half open, from the back of the elephant, I fired my gun. By chance it entered its mouth and found a place in its throat and brain, and its affair was finished with that one shot. After this the people who were with me, although they looked for the place where the tiger was wounded, could not find it, for on none of its limbs was there any sign of a gunshot wound. At last I ordered them to look in its mouth. From this it was evident that the bullet had entered its mouth and that it had been killed thereby. Mirza Rustam had killed a male wolf and brought it. I wished to see whether its gall-bladder was in its liver like that of the tiger, or like other animals outside its liver. After examination it was clear that the gall-bladder was also inside the liver. On Monday, the 23rd, when one watch had passed in a fortunate ascension and a benign hour, I mounted an elephant and approached the fort of Mandu. When a watch and three gharis of day had passed, I entered the houses which they had prepared for the royal accommodation. I scattered 1,500 rupees on the way. From Ajmir to Mandu, 159 kos, in the space of four months and two days, in forty-six marches and seventy-eight halts, had been traversed. In these forty-six marches our halts were made on the banks of tanks or streams or large rivers in pleasant places which were full of trees and poppy-fields in flower, and no day passed that I did not hunt while halting or travelling. Riding on horseback or on an elephant I came along the whole way looking about and hunting, and none of the difficulties of travelling were experienced; one might say that there was a change from one garden to another. In these huntings there were always present with me Asaf Khan, Mirza Rustam, Mir Miran, Anira'i, Hidayatu-llah, Raja Sarang Deo, Sayyid Kasu, and Khawass Khan. As before the arrival of the royal standards in these regions I had sent `Abdu-l-Karim, the architect, to look to the repair of the buildings of the old rulers in Mandu, he during the time the camp halted at Ajmir had repaired some of the old buildings that were capable of repair, and had altogether rebuilt some places. In short, he had made ready a house the like of which for pleasantness and sweetness has probably not been made anywhere else. Nearly 300,000 rupees, or 2,000 Persian tumans, were expended on this. There should be such grand buildings in all great cities as might be fit for royal accommodation. This fort is on the top of a hill 10 kos in circumference; in the rainy season there is no place with the fine air and pleasantness of this fort. At nights, in the season of the qalbu-l-asad (Cor leonis of Regulus, the star a of Leo), it is so cold that one cannot do without a coverlet, and by day there is no need for a fan (bad-zan). They say [576] that before the time of Raja Bikramajit there was a Raja of the name of Jai Singh Deo. In his time a man had gone into the fields to bring grass. While he was cutting it, the sickle he had in his hand appeared to be of the colour of gold. When he saw that his sickle had been transmuted, he took it to a blacksmith of the name of Madan [577] to be repaired. The blacksmith knew the sickle had been turned into gold. It had before this been heard that there was in this country the alchemist's stone (sang-i-paras), by contact with which iron and copper became gold. He immediately took the grass-cutter with him to that place and procured the stone. After this he brought to the Raja of the time this priceless jewel. The Raja by means of this stone made gold, and spent part of it on the buildings of this fort and completed them in the space of twelve years. At the desire of that blacksmith he caused them to cut into the shape of an anvil most of the stones that were to be built into the wall of the fort. At the end of his life, when his heart had given up the world, he held an assembly on the bank of the Narbada, which is an object of worship among the Hindus, and, assembling brahmins, made presents to each of cash and jewels. When the turn of a brahmin came who had long been associated with him, he gave this stone into his hand. He from ignorance became angry and threw the priceless jewel into the river. After he came to know the true state of the affair he was a captive to perpetual sorrow. However much he searched, no trace of it was found. These things are not written in a book; they have been heard, but my intelligence in no way accepts this story. It appears to me to be all delusion. Mandu [578] is one of the famous Sarkars of the Subah of Malwa. Its revenue is 1,390,000 dams. It was for a long time the capital of the kings of this country. There are many buildings and traces of former kings in it, and up till now it has not fallen into ruin.

On the 24th I rode to go round and see the buildings of the old kings, and went first to the Jami` mosque, which is one built by Sultan Hushang Ghuri. A very lofty building came to view, all of cut stone, and although 180 years have passed since the time of its building, it is as if the builder had just withdrawn his hand from it. After this I went to the building containing the tombs of the Khalji rulers. The grave of Nasiru-d-din, son of Sultan Ghiyasu-d-din, whose face is blackened for ever, was also there. It is well known that that wretch advanced himself by the murder of his own father, Ghiyasu-d-din, who was in his 80th year. Twice he gave him poison, and he twice expelled it by means of a zahr-muhra (poison antidote, bezoar) he had on his arm. The third time he mixed poison in a cup of sherbet and gave it to his father with his own hand, saying he must drink it. As his father understood what efforts he was making in this matter, he loosened the zahr-muhra from his arm and threw it before him, and then turning his face in humility and supplication towards the throne of the Creator, who requires no supplication, said: "O Lord, my age has arrived at 80 years, and I have passed this time in prosperity and happiness such as has been attained to by no king. Now as this is my last time, I hope that Thou wilt not seize Nasir for my murder, and that reckoning my death as a thing decreed Thou wilt not avenge it." After he had spoken these words, he drank off that poisoned cup of sherbet at a gulp and delivered his soul to the Creator. The meaning of his preamble was that he had passed the time of his reign in enjoyment such as has not been attained to by any of the kings. When in his 48th year he came to the throne, he said to his intimates and those near him, "In the service of my revered father I have passed thirty years in warfare and have committed no fault in my activity as a soldier; now that my turn to reign has arrived, I have no intention to conquer countries, but desire to pass the remainder of my life in ease and enjoyment." They say that he had collected 15,000 women in his harem. He had a whole city of them, and had made it up of all castes, kinds, and descriptions--artificers, magistrates, qazis, kotwals, and whatever else is necessary for the administration of a town. Wherever he heard of a virgin possessed of beauty, he would not desist (lit. did not sit down from his feet) until he possessed her. He taught the girls all kinds of arts and crafts, and was much inclined to hunt. He had made a deer park and collected all kinds of animals in it. He often used to hunt in it with his women. In brief, in the period of thirty-two years of his reign, as he had determined, he went against no enemy, and passed this time in ease and enjoyment. In the same way no one invaded his country. It is reported that when Shir Khan, the Afghan, in the time of his rule, came to the tomb of Nasiru-d-din, he, in spite of his brutish nature, on account of Nasiru-d-din's shameful conduct, ordered the head of the tomb to be beaten with sticks. Also when I went to his tomb I gave it several kicks, and ordered the servants in attendance on me to kick the tomb. Not satisfied with this, I ordered the tomb to be broken open and his impure remains to be thrown into the fire. Then it occurred to me that since fire is Light, it was a pity for the Light of Allah to be polluted with burning his filthy body; also, lest there should be any diminution of torture for him in another state from being thus burnt, I ordered them to throw his crumbled bones, together with his decayed limbs, into the Narbada. During his lifetime he always passed his days in the water in consequence of the heat that had acquired a mastery over his temperament. It is well known that in a state of drunkenness he once threw himself into one of the basins at Kaliyadaha, which was very deep. Some of the attendants in the harem exerted themselves and caught his hair in their hands and drew him out of the water. After he had come to his senses they told him that this thing had happened. When he had heard that they had pulled him out by the hair of his head, he became exceedingly angry, and ordered the hands of the attendants to be cut off. Another time, when an affair of this kind took place, no one had the boldness to pull him out and he was drowned. By chance, after 110 years had passed since his death, it came to pass that his decayed limbs also became mingled with the water.

On the 28th, as a reward for the buildings of Mandu having been completed through his excellent exertions, I promoted `Abdu-l-Karim to the rank of 800 personal and 400 horse, and dignified him with the title of Ma`mur Khan (the architect-Khan). On the same day that the royal standards entered the fort of Mandu, my son of lofty fortune, Sultan Khurram, with the victorious army, entered the city of Burhanpur, which is the seat of the governor of the province of Khandesh.

After some days, representations came from Afzal Khan and the Ray Rayan, to whom at the time of leaving Ajmir my son had given leave to accompany the ambassador to `Adil Khan, reporting that when the news of our coming reached `Adil Khan he came out for 7 kos to meet the order and the litter of the prince, and performed the duties of salutation and respect which are customary at Court. He did not omit a hair's point of such ceremonies. At the same interview he professed the greatest loyalty, and promised that he would restore all those provinces that `Ambar of dark fate had taken from the victorious State, and agreed to send to the Court with all reverence a fitting offering with his ambassadors. After saying this he brought the ambassadors in all dignity to the place that had been prepared for them. On the same day he sent some one to `Ambar with a message of the matters it was necessary to acquaint him with. I heard this news from the reports of Afzal Khan and the Ray Rayan.

From Ajmir up to Monday, the 23rd of the aforesaid [579] month, during four months, 2 tigers, 27 blue bulls, 6 chital (spotted deer), 60 deer, 23 hares and foxes, and 1,200 water-fowl and other animals had been killed. On these nights I told the story of my former hunting expeditions and the liking I had for this occupation to those standing at the foot of the throne of the Caliphate. It occurred to me that I might make up the account of my game from the commencement of my years of discretion up to the present time. I accordingly gave orders to the news-writers, the hunt-accountants and huntsmen, and others employed in this service to make enquiries and tell me of all the animals that had been killed in hunting. It was shown that from the commencement of my 12th year, which was in 988 (1580), up to the end of this year, which is the 11th year after my accession and my 50th lunar year, 28,532 head of game had been taken in my presence. Of these, 17,167 animals I killed myself with my gun or otherwise, viz.: Quadrupeds, 3,203; viz., tigers, 86; bears, cheetahs, foxes, otters (udbilao), and hyænas, 9; blue bulls, 889; mhaka, a species of antelope, in size equal to a blue bull, 35 head; of antelope, male and female, chikara, chital, mountain goats, etc., 1,670 [580]; rams (quj) and red deer, 215; wolves, 64; wild buffaloes, 36; pigs, 90; rang, 26; mountain sheep, 22; arghali, 32; wild asses, 6; hares, 23. Birds, 13,964; viz., pigeons, 10,348; lagarjhagar (a species of hawk), 3; eagles, 2; qaliwaj (ghaliwaj, kite), 23; owls (chughd), 39; qautan (goldfinch?), 12; kites (mush-khwur, mice-eaters), 5; sparrows, 41; doves, 25; owls (bum), 30; ducks, geese, cranes, etc., 150; crows, 3,276. Aquatic animals, 10 magar machha, that is, crocodiles [581] (nahang).

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

One ghari of day remained of Monday, the 30th of the aforesaid (Isfandiyar) month, corresponding to the 12th Rabi`u-l-awwal, 1026 (20th March, 1617), when the sun changed from the constellation of Pisces into the pleasure-house of Aries, which is his abode of honour and good fortune. At the very time of transit, which was a fortunate hour, I sat upon the throne. I had ordered that according to the usual custom they should decorate the public audience hall with fine cloths, etc. Notwithstanding that many of the Amirs and chief men of the State were in attendance on my son Khurram, a meeting was arranged which was not inferior to those of previous years. I presented the offerings of Tuesday [582] to Anand Khan. On the same day, which was the 1st Farwardin of the 12th year (21st or 22nd March, 1617) a representation arrived from Shah Khurram to the effect that the New Year's festival had been arranged for in the same manner as in previous years, but as the days of travelling and service had occurred the annual offerings of the servants would be remitted. This proceeding of my son was much approved. Remembering my dear son in my prayers, I besought for him from the throne of Allah his welfare in both worlds, and ordered that on this New Year's Day no one should present offerings.

In consequence of the disturbance that tobacco brings about in most temperaments and constitutions, I had ordered that no one should smoke it (lit. draw). My brother Shah `Abbas had also become aware of the mischief arising from it, and had ordered that in Iran no one should venture to smoke. As Khan `Alam (ambassador to Persia) was without control in continual smoking of tobacco, he frequently practised it. Yadgar `Ali Sultan, ambassador of the ruler of Iran, represented to Shah `Abbas that Khan `Alam could never be a moment without tobacco, and he (Shah `Abbas) wrote this couplet in answer--

"The friend's envoy wishes to exhibit tobacco;
With fidelity's lamp I light up the tobacco-market."

Khan `Alam in answer wrote and sent this verse--

"I, poor wretch, was miserable at the tobacco notice;
By the just Shah's favour the tobacco-market became brisk."

On the 3rd of the same month, Husain Beg, the diwan of Bengal, had the good fortune to kiss the threshold, and made an offering of twelve elephants, male and female. Tahir, bakhshi of Bengal, who had been accused of several offences, obtained the favour of paying his respects to me, and presented before me an offering of twenty-one elephants. Twelve of these were approved and the remainder I conferred on him. On this day a wine-feast was arranged, and I gave wine to most of the servants who were engaged in waiting on me, and made them all heated with the wine of loyalty. On the 4th the huntsmen sent news that they had marked down a lion in the neighbourhood of the Shakkar [583] tank, which is inside the fort and one of the famous constructions of the rulers of Malwa. I at once mounted and went towards that game. When the lion appeared he charged the ahadis and the retinue and wounded ten [584] or twelve of them. At last I finished his business with three shots [585] (lit. arrows) from my gun, and removed his evil from the servants of God. On the 8th the mansab of Mir Miran, which was 1,000 personal and 400 horse, was fixed at 1,500 personal and 500 horse. On the 9th, at the request of my son Khurram, I increased the mansab of Khan Jahan by 1,000 personal and horse, making it thus 6,000 personal and horse; that of Ya`qub Khan, which was 1,500 personal with 1,000 horse, was made 2,000 personal and 1,500 horse; that of Bahlul Khan Miyana [586] was increased by 500 personal and 300 horse to 1,500 personal and 1,000 horse; and that of Mirza Sharafu-d-din Kashghari, by whom and his son great bravery had been shown in the Deccan, was increased to 1,500 personal and 1,000 horse. On the 10th Farwardin, corresponding with the 22nd Rabi`u-l-awwal, 1026, my lunar weighing took place. On this day two `Iraq horses from my private stable and a dress of honour were conferred on my son Khurram and sent to him by Bahram Beg. I increased the mansab of I`tibar Khan to 5,000 personal and 3,000 horse. On the 11th, Husain Beg, of Tabriz, whom the ruler of Iran had sent to the ruler of Golconda by way of embassy, as, in consequence of the quarrel of the Franks with the Persians, the road of the Mir had been closed, [587] waited upon me with the ambassador of the ruler of Golconda. Offerings came from him of two horses and some tuquz [588] (nine-pieces?) of cloth from the Deccan and Gujarat. On the same day an `Iraq horse from my private stable was bestowed on Khan Jahan. On the 15th, 1,000 personal were added to the mansab of Mirza Raja Bhao Singh, raising it to 5,000 personal and 3,000 horse. On the 17th, 500 horse were added to the mansab of Mirza Rustam, and I made it up to 5,000 personal and 1,000 horse; that of Sadiq Khan was fixed at 1,500 personal and 700 horse, original and increase; Iradat Khan in the same manner was raised to the mansab of 1,500 and 600 horse. To the mansab of Anira'i 500 personal and 100 horse were added, and it was made one of 1,500 personal and 500 horse. Three gharis of Saturday, the 19th, remained when the beginning of the sharaf (day of sun's culmination) occurred, and at the same time I again took my seat on the throne. Of the thirty-two prisoners from the army of the rebel `Ambar who had been captured by the servants of the victorious State in the battle won by Shah-nawaz Khan and the defeat of that disastrous man (`Ambar), I had handed one man over to I`tiqad Khan. The guards who had been appointed to keep him showed carelessness and let him escape. I was much annoyed at this, and I forbade I`tiqad Khan to come to wait on me for three months. As the said prisoner's name and condition were unknown, he was not caught again, although they showed activity in the matter. At last I ordered the captain of the guards who had been careless in keeping him to be capitally punished. I`tiqad Khan on this day, at the request of I`timadu-d-daulah, had the good fortune to pay his respects to me.

As for a long time no good had been heard of the affairs of Bengal and of the conduct of Qasim Khan, it entered my mind to send to the Subah of Bengal Ibrahim Khan Fath-jang, who had carried on successfully the affairs of the Subah of Behar and had brought a diamond mine into the possession of the State, and to despatch Jahangir Quli Khan, who had a jagir in the Subah of Allahabad, in his place to Behar. I sent for Qasim Khan to Court. At the same hour on the auspicious day (the day of culmination) an order was given that they should write royal farmans to the effect that sazawalan (revenue collectors) should be appointed to take Jahangir Quli Khan to Behar and to send Ibrahim Khan Fath-jang to Bengal. Patronizing Sikandar, [589] the jeweller, I promoted him to the mansab of 1,000 personal and 300 horse.

On the 21st I gave leave to Muhammad Riza, ambassador of the ruler of Iran, and bestowed on him 60,000 darbs, equal to 30,000 rupees, with a dress of honour. As an equivalent to the souvenir (yad-budi) that my brother Shah `Abbas had sent to me, I forwarded with the aforesaid ambassador certain presents of jewelled things which the rulers of the Deccan had sent, with cloths and rare things of every kind fit for presentation, of the value of 100,000 rupees. Among these was a crystal cup that Chelebi [590] had sent from `Iraq. The Shah had seen this cup and said to the ambassador that if his brother (Jahangir) would drink wine out of it and send it to him it would be a great mark of affection. When the ambassador represented this, having drunk wine several times out of the cup in his presence, I ordered them to make a lid and a saucer for it and sent it along with the presents. The lid was of enamel (mina-kari). I ordered the Munshis of mercurial writing (`Utarid-raqm) to write in due form an answer to the letter he had brought.

On the 22nd the scouts brought in news of a tiger. Mounting immediately, I went against the tiger and with three shots I delivered the people from his wickedness, and himself from the wickedness of his vile nature. Masihu-z-zaman produced before me a cat, and represented that it was a hermaphrodite, and that in his house it had young ones, and that when it had connection with another cat, young were born to the latter.

On the 25th the contingent of I`timadu-d-daulah passed before me in review on the plain under the jharoka. There were 2,000 cavalry well horsed, most of whom were Moghuls, 500 foot armed with bows and guns, and fourteen elephants. The bakhshis reckoned them up and reported that this force was fully equipped and according to rule. On the 26th a tigress was killed. On Thursday, the 1st Urdibihisht, a diamond that Muqarrab Khan had sent by runners was laid before me; it weighed 23 surkh, and the jewellers valued it at 30,000 rupees. It was a diamond of the first water, and was much approved. I ordered them to make a ring of it. On the 3rd the mansab of Yusuf Khan was, at the request of Baba Khurram, fixed at 1,000 with 1,500 horse and in the same way the mansabs of several of the Amirs and mansabdars were increased at his suggestion. On the 7th, as the huntsmen had marked down four tigers, when two watches and three gharis had passed I went out to hunt them with my ladies. When the tigers came in sight Nur-Jahan Begam submitted that if I would order her she herself would kill the tigers with her gun. I said, "Let it be so." She shot two tigers with one shot each and knocked over the two others with four shots. In the twinkling of an eye she deprived of life the bodies of these four tigers. Until now such shooting was never seen, that from the top of an elephant and inside of a howdah (`amari) six shots should be made and not one miss, so that the four beasts found no opportunity to spring or move. [591] As a reward for this good shooting I gave her a pair of bracelets [592] (pahunchi) of diamonds worth 100,000 rupees and scattered 1,000 ashrafis (over her). On the same day Ma`mur Khan (the architect-Khan) obtained leave to go to Lahore to complete the buildings of the palace there. On the 10th the death of Sayyid Waris, who was faujdar of the Subah of Oudh, was reported. On the 12th, as Mir Mahmud asked for a faujdarship, I dignified him with the title of Tahawwur Khan, and, increasing his mansab, appointed him to the faujdarship of some of the parganahs of the Subah of Multan. On the 22nd, Tahir, the bakhshi of Bengal, who had been forbidden to pay his respects, waited upon me and presented his offerings. Eight elephants were also presented as the offering of Qasim Khan, governor of Bengal, and two as that of Shaikh Modhu. On the 28th, at the request of Khan Dauran, an order was given for the increase of the mansab of `Abdu-l-`Aziz Khan by 500. On the 5th Khurdad the duty of the Diwanship of Gujarat was given to Mirza Husain in supercession of Kesho. I dignified him with the title of Kifayat Khan. On the 8th, Lashkar Khan, who had been appointed bakhshi of Bangash, came and waited on me; he offered 100 muhrs and 500 rupees. Some days before this Ustad Muhammad Nayi (flute-player), who was unequalled in his craft, was sent by my son Khurram at my summons. I had heard some of his musical pieces [593] (majlis-saz), and he played a tune which he had composed for an ode (ghazal) in my name. On the 12th I ordered him to be weighed against rupees; this came to 6,300 rupees. I also gave him an elephant with a howdah, [594] and I ordered him to ride on it and, having packed [595] his rupees about him, to proceed to his lodging. Mulla Asad, the story-teller, one of the servants of Mirza Ghazi, came on the same day from Tattah and waited on me. As he was a reciter and story-teller full of sweetness and smartness, I liked his society, and I made him happy with the title of Mahzuz Khan, and gave him 1,000 rupees, a dress of honour, a horse, an elephant, and a palanquin. After some days I ordered him to be weighed against rupees, and his weight came up to 4,400. He was raised to the mansab of 200 personal and 20 horse. I ordered him always to be present at the meetings for talk (gap). On the same day Lashkar Khan brought his men to the darshan jharoka before me. There were 500 horse, 14 elephants, and 100 musketeers. On the 24th news came that Maha Singh, grandson of Raja Man Singh, who was entered among the great officers, had died from excessive wine-drinking at Balapur in the province of Berar. His father also had died at the age of 32 [596] from the drinking of wine beyond measure. On the same day they had brought to my private fruit-house many mangoes from all parts of the province of the Deccan, Burhanpur, Gujarat, and the parganahs of Malwa. Although this province is well known and celebrated for the sweetness, freedom from stringiness, and size of its mangoes, and there are few mangoes that equal its mangoes--so much so that I often ordered them to be weighed in my presence, when they were shown to come to a seer or 1 1/4 seer or even more--yet in sweetness of water and delicious flavour and digestibility the mangoes of Chapramau, [597] in the province of Agra, are superior to all the mangoes of this province and of all other places in India.

On the 28th I sent for my son Baba Khurram a special gold-embroidered nadiri of a fineness such as had never been produced before in my establishment; I ordered the bearer to tell him that as this rarity had the speciality that I had worn it on the day I quitted Ajmir for the conquest of the Deccan, I had sent it to him. On the same day I placed the turban from my own head, just as it was, on the head of I`timadu-d-daulah, and honoured him with this favour. Three emeralds, a piece of jewelled urbasi, [598] and a ruby signet ring that Mahabat Khan had sent by way of offering were laid before me. They came to 7,000 rupees in value. On this day, by the mercy and favour of Allah, continued rain fell. Water in Mandu had become very scarce and the people were agitated about the matter so that most of the servants had been ordered to go to the bank of the Narbada. There was no expectation of rain at that season. In consequence of the agitation of the people I turned by way of supplication to the throne of God, and He in His mercy and grace gave such rain that in the course of a day and a night tanks, ponds (birkaha), and rivers became full, and the agitation of the people was changed to complete ease. With what tongue can I render thanks for this favour? On the 1st of Tir a standard was presented to Wazir Khan. The offering of the Rana, consisting of two horses, a piece of Gujarati cloth, and some jars of pickles and preserves, was laid before me. On the 3rd, Mu`azza [599](?) brought news of the capture of `Abdu-l-Latif, a descendant of the rulers of Gujarat, who had always been the originator of mischief and disturbance in that Subah. As his capture was a reason for the contentment of the people, praise was given to God, and I ordered Muqarrab Khan to send him to Court by one of his mansabdars. Many of the zamindars in the neighbourhood of Mandu, came and waited on me, and laid offerings before me. On the 8th, Ram Das, son of Raja Raj Singh Kachhwaha, was given the tika of a Raja, and I honoured him with that title. Yadgar Beg, who was known in Mawara'a-n-nahr (Transoxiana) as Yadgar Qurchi, and had not been without connection and influence with the ruler of that country, came and waited on me. Of all his offerings a white china cup on a stand was the most approved. The offering of Bahadur Khan, governor of Qandahar, consisting of nine horses, nine tuquz of fine cloth (81 pieces?), two black foxes' skins, and other things, was brought before me. Also on this day the Raja of Gadeha, Pem [600] Narayan, had the good fortune to wait on me, and made an offering of seven elephants, male and female. On the 10th a horse and dress of honour were given to Yadgar Qurchi. On the 13th was the feast of rose-water scattering (gulab-pashan). The rites due to that day were performed. Shaikh Maudud Chishti, one of the officers of Bengal, was honoured with the title of Chishti Khan, and I presented him with a horse. On the 14th, Rawal Samarsi (Samarsimha), son of Rawal Uday Singh, zamindar of Banswala, waited on me; he gave as offering 30,000 rupees, three elephants, a jewelled pan-dan (box for betel), and a jewelled belt. On the 15th nine diamonds which Ibrahim Khan Fath-jang, the governor of Behar, had sent along with Muhammad Beg from the mine, and from the collections of the zamindars of that place, were laid before me. Of these, one weighed 14 1/2 tanks, and was of the value of 100,000 rupees. On the same day Yadgar Qurchi was presented with 14,000 darbs, and I promoted him to the mansab of 500 personal and 300 horse. I fixed the mansab of Tatar Khan, bakawul-begi (chief steward), original and increase, at 2,000 personal and 300 horse, and each of his sons was separately promoted to an increased mansab. At the request of Prince Sultan Parwiz, I increased the personal mansab of Wazir Khan by 500.

On the 29th, which was the auspicious day of Thursday, Sayyid `Abdu-llah Barha, the envoy of my son of good fortune, Baba Khurram, waited on me, and presented a letter from that son containing news of a victory over the provinces of the Deccan. All the chiefs, laying the head of duty in the noose of obedience, had consented to service and humility, and laid before him the keys of forts and strongholds, especially the fort of Ahmadnagar. In gratitude for this great favour and beneficence, placing the head of supplication on the throne of that God who requires no return, I opened my lips in thankfulness, and, humbling myself, ordered them to beat the drums of rejoicing. Thanks be to Allah that a territory that had passed out of hand has come back into the possession of the servants of the victorious State, and that the seditious, who had been breathing the breath of rebellion and boasting, have turned towards supplication and weakness, and become deliverers of properties and payers of tribute. As this news reached me through Nur-Jahan Begam, I gave her the parganah of Boda (Toda?), [601] the revenue of which is 200,000 rupees. Please God, when the victorious forces enter the province of the Deccan and its forts, and the mind of my excellent son Khurram is satisfied with regard to their possession, he will bring with the ambassadors such an offering from the Deccan as no other king of this age has received. It was ordered that he should bring with him the Amirs who were to receive jagirs in this Subah, in order that they might have the honour of waiting on me. They will thereafter get leave to depart, and the glorious royal standards will return with victory and rejoicing to the capital of Agra. Some days before the news of this victory reached me, I took one night an augury from the diwan of Khwaja Hafiz as to what would be the end of this affair, and this ode turned up--

"The day of absence and night of parting from the friend are o'er.
I took this augury; the star passed and fulfilment came." [602]

When the secret tongue (lisanu-l-ghaib) of Hafiz showed such an ending it gave me a strong hope, and accordingly, after twenty-five days, the news of victory arrived. In many of my desires I have resorted to the Khwaja's diwan, and (generally) the result has coincided with what I found there. It is seldom that the opposite has happened.

On the same day I added 1,000 horse to the mansab of Asaf Khan, and raised it to that of 5,000 personal and horse. At the end of the day I went with the ladies to look round the building of the Haft Manzar [603] (seven storeys), and at the beginning of the evening returned to the palace. This building was founded by a former ruler of Malwa, Sultan Mahmud Khalji. It has seven storeys, and in each storey there are four chambers (suffa) containing four windows. The height of this tower (minar) is 54 1/2 cubits, and its circumference 50 yards (gaz). There are 171 steps from the ground to the seventh storey. In going and returning I scattered 1,400 rupees. [604]

On the 31st I honoured Sayyid `Abdu-llah with the title of Saif Khan, and having exalted him with a dress of honour, a horse, an elephant, and a jewelled dagger, gave him leave and sent him to do duty with my son of lofty fortune. I also sent by him a ruby of the value of more than 30,000 rupees for my son. I did not regard its value, but as for a long time I used to bind it on my own head, I sent it him by way of good augury, considering it lucky for him. I appointed Sultan Mahmud, a son-in-law of Khwaja Abu-l-hasan bakhshi, to be bakhshi and news-writer of the Subah of Behar, and when he took leave I gave him an elephant. At the end of the day of Thursday, 5th Amurdad, I went with the ladies to see the Nil-kund, which is one of the most [605] pleasant places in the fort of Mandu (Mandogarh). Shah-budagh Khan, who was one of my revered father's most considerable Amirs, at the time when he held this province in jagir, built in this place an exceedingly pleasing and enjoyable building. Delaying there till two or three gharis of night had passed I returned to the auspicious palace.

As several indiscretions on the part of Mukhlis Khan diwan and bakhshi of the Subah of Bengal, had come to my ears, I reduced his mansab by 1,000 personal and 200 horse. On the 7th a war (masti) elephant from among those sent as offerings by `Adil Khan, by name Gaj-raj, was sent to Rana Amr Singh. On the 11th, I went out to hunt and came one stage from the fort. There was excessive rain, and the mud was such that there was hardly any moving. For the convenience of the people and the comfort of the animals I gave up this undertaking, and passing the day of Thursday outside, returned on Friday eve. On the same day Hidayatu-llah, who is very well suited to carry out the rules and movements (in travelling) of the headquarters (lit. presence), was honoured with the title of Fida'i Khan. In this rainy season rain fell in such quantities that old men said that they did not remember such rain in any age. For nearly forty days there was nothing but cloud and rain, so that the sun only appeared occasionally. There was so much wind that many buildings, both old and new, fell down. On the first night there was [606] such rain and thunder and lightning as has seldom been heard of. Nearly twenty women and men were killed, and the foundations even of some of the stone buildings were broken up. No noise is more terrifying than this. Till the middle of the month was passed, wind and rain increased. After this they gradually became less. What can be written of the verdure and self-grown fragrant plants? They covered valley and plain and hill and desert. It is not known if in the inhabited world there exists another such place as Mandu for sweetness of air and for the pleasantness of the locality and the neighbourhood, especially in the rainy season. In this season, which lasts for months and extends up to the hot weather, one cannot sleep inside houses without coverlets, and in the day the temperature is such that there is no need for a fan or for change of place. All that could be written would still fall short of the many beauties of the place. I saw two things that I had not seen in any other place in Hindustan. One was the tree of the wild plantain that grows in most of the uncultivated places in the fort, and the other the nest of the wagtail (mamula), which they call in Persian the dum-sicha (tail-wagger). Up till now none of the hunters had pointed out its nest. By chance in the building I occupied there was its nest, and it brought out two young ones.