Kasáid of Badr Chách (extracts)
Translation of The Odes of Badr-i Chāch (Qaṣāʾid-i Badr-i Chāch)
- Language
- English
- Date
- 1871 CE
- Translators
- Henry Miers Elliot, John Dowson
- Extent
- 8 passages, 1,786 words
- Text
- complete digital text
- Source
- archive.org · The History of India, as told by its own Historians. The Muhammadan Period. The posthumous papers of Sir H.… · Public domain (published before 1930)
Contents
- 1 Congratulations on the Arrival of a Khilát from the 'Abbásí Khalífa.
- 2 Decorations of Dehli upon the same occasion.
- 3 In Celebration of a Festival.
- 4 On the Capture of Nagarkot.
- 5 The Author is despatched to Deogir.
- 6 In Commemoration of the Building of Khurramábád.
- 7 On the same subject.
- 8 In Celebration of the Completion of the Shah-náma.
Text
1
Gabriel, from the firmament of Heaven, has proclaimed the glad tidings, that a robe of honour and Patent have reached the Sultan from the Khalifa, just as the verses of the Kuran honoured Muhammad by their arrival from the Court of the immortal God.
The Imam has given the Shah absolute power over all the world, and this intelligence has reached all other Shahs throughout the seven climates. The Patent of the other sovereigns of the world has been revoked, for an autograph grant has been despatched from the eternal Capital. The wells of the envious have become as dry as that of Joseph, now that the Egyptian robe has been received in Hindustan from Canaan. * * * A veritable 'I'd has arrived to the Faithful, now that twice in one year a Khila't has reached the Sultan from the Amiru-l Muminin. * * * Rajab arrived here on his return in the month of Muharram, 746 H. (May, 1345 A.D.). * * * The king now never mentions his desire of sitting on an ivory throne, since his enemies sit on the point of elephants' tusks. * * * Be happy, oh Badr, for by the grace of God, and liberality of the king, your difficulties have ceased, and the period of benefactions has arrived.
2
Yesternight, at the time that the sun, the king with the golden garments, invested itself with a black mantle, and the king of the host of darkness, whose name is the moon, filled the emerald vault with sparks of gold, a robe of honour and a patent of sovereignty arrived, for the king of sea and land, from the lord Khalifa, the saint of his time, Ahmad 'Abbas, the Imam of God, the heir of the prophet of mankind. An order went forth that the embroiderers of curtains should prepare a beautiful and costly pavilion in the centre of four triumphal arches, which were so lofty that the vault of heaven appeared in comparison like a green fly. Each arch was adorned with golden vestments, like a bride. The floors were spread with beautiful carpets, and there were ponds of water to excite the envy of Kausar, the rivulet of paradise. In the chambers poets recited verses; songsters, like Venus, sang in each balcony. The chamberlains were in attendance, with their embroidered sleeves; the judges, with their turbans; the princes, with their waistbands. All classes of the people assembled round the buildings to witness the scene. This gay assemblage had collected because a khila't and Patent had been sent by the lord Imam. The contents of it were: "May every thing on the face of the earth, in the fire and in the water, remain under the protection of the king—Turk, Rum, Khurasan, Chin, and Sham—both that which is good, and that which is bad! If an azure canopy be granted, the heaven is at his command; if a red crown be desired, the sun will provide it. Let his titles be proclaimed from every pulpit—the Sultan of East and West, the King of Kings by sea and land, the Defender of the Faith, Muhammad Tughlik, the Just, in dignity like Saturn, in splendour like the Messiah!" The Imam has sent a khila't black as the apple of the eye, calculated to spread the light of the law through the hearts of men. For fear of the justice of thy government, the hart and the lion consort in the forest. May the eyes of thy enemies shed tears of blood. May he who raises his head against thy authority, have his face blackened, and his tongue slit, like a pen-reed; and so long as the moon is sometimes round as a shield, and sometimes bent like a bow, may arrows pierce the heart of thy ruthless enemies. May every success attend Badr through thy good fortune, and may he never be visited by any calamities of the time!
3
Doubtless, this festival appears as if it were held in Paradise, in which armies of angels stand on the right and left. A thousand crowned heads are bowed in reverence; a thousand throned warriors stand awaiting orders; a thousand stars (armies) are there, and under each star are arranged a thousand banners. In each course behind the screens are a thousand songsters, melodious as nightingales. If the palace of a thousand pillars were not like Paradise, why should rewards and punishments be distributed there like as on the day of judgment? Certainly this abode of happiness, Khurramabad, is chosen as a royal residence, because there the king, by his execution of the laws, acknowledges his subservience to the Khalifa of the world, Abu-l Rabi' Sulaiman, the celebrated Imam, to whom the Khusru of Hind is a servant and slave in body, heart, and soul. This Khusru is a holy warrior, Muhammad Tughlik, at whose gate the King of Chin and Khita is in waiting, like a Hindu porter. * * * The blade of thy sword smites the necks of thy enemies, and with equal power does thy hand wield the pen, clothed in a yellow tunic, like a Hindu.
4
When the sun was in Cancer, the king of the time took the stone fort of Nagarkot, in the year 738 H. (1337 A.D.). * * * It is placed between rivers, like the pupil of an eye, and the fortress has so preserved its honour, and is so impregnable, that neither Sikandar nor Dara were able to take it. Within are the masters of the mangonels; within also are beauties resplendent as the sun. Its chiefs are all strong as buffalos, with necks like a rhinoceros. Its inhabitants are all travelling on the high road to hell and perdition, and are ghuls, resembling dragons. The exalted king of the kings of the earth arrived at night at this fortress, with 100,000 champions. His army contained 1,000 stars, and under each star 1,000 banners were displayed. * * * Muhammad Tughlik is obedient to the laws of Muhammad, the apostle, and the orders of his vicegerent, Abu-l Rabi' Sulaiman Mustakfi, the essence of the religion of the prophet, the light of the family of Khalifas, the Imam of God, to whom the king is a servant and slave in body, heart, and soul.
5
On the 1st of Sha'ban, in the year 745, represented by the letters in "The power of the king," orders were issued that I should go to the country of Deogir, and I was thus addressed: "Oh, Badr, accompanied by Jamal Malik, the poet, and Nekroz, the slave, take thy departure with a pomp worthy of Rustam. May he who accomplishes all designs aid thee; may the God of both worlds protect thee; but speak not of Deogir, for it is Daulatabad to which I allude, a fort exalted to the heavens! Although it is but a point in my kingdom, it comprises what is equal to 1,000 kingdoms of Jamshid. * * * * Go to the court of the governor of the country, Katlagh Khan, and acquire honour by this presentation, and having thy mouth in honey, say thus from me: 'Oh thou, from whose lips sugar distils, in whose fortunate breast the light of the flame of the knowledge of God is reflected; thou, that art the best of those possessed of gold; thou, that art the essence of those who are excellent among men; thou, whose bounteous hand is so munificent that the fathomless ocean is but a drop compared with it; come, and gratify me by your arrival, as water does the thirsty. If thou hast any desire to reach the summit of thy exaltation, proceed towards the north. Come and feast thy eyes upon the black khila't, so propitiously sent by the Imam of the time, and look with due reverence on the Patent which has issued from the Khalifa Abu-l 'Abbas Ahmad, the sun of the earth, and the shadow of God. It is through his justice that an antelope is able to seize the tail of a wolf. Use every exertion to come to the royal court, for henceforward you and I have obtained everlasting salvation.'
"When thou, oh Badr, hast delivered this address to the Khan, kiss his hands and bow down, like a pen dipping into an inkstand. Obey every order that he gives, and deem yourself honoured with every gift that he presents. * * * * When the equipage of Jalalat Khan proceeds in state to the throne of the Sultan, the king of earth and sea, proclaim to the world that the Khwaja is coming, like the resplendent sun, with 100,000 footmen, 100,000 horsemen, 100,000 spears, and 100,000 bows, sitting in his silver ambari, like the moon in the milky way."
6
The inscriptions over its gateway record, in verse, the praise of the Khalifa repeatedly; may his throne be established to eternity, as well as that of the King of the World, who has declared that it is his pleasure to serve the Imam of God. The Shah has given it the name of Khurramabad, and Zahiru-l Jaiush was its architect, the slave of the lord of the universe, the prelate of religion, the most select among the pious. This fortunate building was completed in Muharram, in the year 744 H. (June, 1343 A.D.). Badr has strung the pearl of this ode in one night, and made it worthy of ornamenting the ears of the nobles of the land.
7
Without, though the courts, full of armies, are raising a tumult and uproar, yet within it is so quiet, that prayers for pardon can be offered up. * * * All is so still and clear that the ear of man might hear the humming of a fly's wing reverberate like music. * * * Speak not of a fort, speak not of a sarai, for in appearance and stability it is like the Ka'bah of Paradise. Zahiru-d din erected this blessed structure by the propitious order of the Khusru of the time, the director of the architects, and in the name of the Khalifa. May his life be prolonged for the confirmation of the religion of Muhammad, the Apostle of God. It was completed on the date, "Enter thou into Paradise," or, that I may explain more openly, 744 H. I have been entitled by the king, Fakhru-z zaman; call me not by that name, but rather the sweet-noted parrot.
8
In the year of Arabia, represented by "the power of the king" (745 H., 1344 A.D.), heaven completed the verses which I had strung together. Every line was like a pearl, which dazzled the eye in the dead of night. * * * The whole of the poem is filled with praises of the king, Shah Muhammad, the defender of the law of the Prophet, and by right the ruler of the earth, by order of the Imam. Everywhere crowned heads swear fealty to him, everywhere celebrated men are the slaves of his behests.