The Chachnāma (Fatḥnāma-yi Sind) 39.6

39.6

Muhammad Kásim then called out to his men in a loud voice, and said: “Hark, O Arab host, make an onset at once as there is division in the camp of the káfirs now,” and forthwith the army of Islám poured in upon them from the front and the rear, from the right and the left. Muhammad Kásim continued to incite his men to fight bravely. “To-day”, said he, “is the day to kill and to be killed; so try your best,” and the battle went on, till there were heaps of infidels killed. It was then that Dáhar took up his shield on his white elephant, and taking with him 400 men, armed cap-a-pie and bearing swords and iron shields and half lances with iron handles called sel in the Hindi language, came forth—and fought with such unceasing vigour that the skin of his men's hands cracked. Now and then Dáhar made his elephant rush upon the enemy. He himself carried a circular disc in the form of a mirror with sharp knives. He threw it as men throw a noose at every one whether a horse, man, or a foot-soldier who approached, and severed his head from his body. (As already stated), he had two maid-servants with him in the litter, one of whom was giving him betel-leaf and the other arrows, one by one. Thus the battle went on till the evening prayer hour, and the infidels lost a large number in killed.