The Chachnāma (Fatḥnāma-yi Sind) 7: Chach son of Selaij entrusted with the post of Chamberlain and Secretary.
The Chachnamah, an Ancient History of Sind 7
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Chach son of Selaij entrusted with the post of Chamberlain and Secretary.
7.1
After this event, Rai Sahasi called Chach to himself and conferred on him the office of Chamberlain and Secretary. Chach behaved towards the people with courtesy and kindness, so that (in a short time) he held firm sway over the whole kingdom and was obeyed by all. He was at one and the same time doing the work of Chamberlain and Secretary in an excellent manner.
7.2
One day, the king Sahasi Rai was sitting in a private apartment of his palace with his queen Suhandi. This lady had great influence over the king and had lived happily with him. (Just then) the Chamberlain Chach came to the door of the palace. He sent a message to Rai Sahasi, through the private Chamberlain (who had the privilege of going to the interior of the private apartments), to the effect that Chach had come to the door of the palace on an important business, and wanted to relate to the king what had happened, and that if the king had leisure the whole matter would be laid before him. The king asked his queen to go behind the curtain as a stranger was coming. (Hearing this), the queen Suhandi observed: “So many inferior people and menials come in; if a Brahman comes in, what inclination am I likely to have towards him and why should I feel shy and conceal myself from him? May a thousand lives of mine be sacrificed to the dust of Sáhasi’s feet!” It was usual with the king not to act against the wishes of that lady whenever she pressed a point or insisted upon a thing; and often he was led away by her artifices and submitted to her cajoleries. So the king called Chach, who explained the State business that had brought him, and expressed himself on the subject very well.
7.3
The Brahman Chach was a young man with a beautiful face and fair complexion. He was of a tall stature, and well proportioned with an argent person and ruby cheeks. When she looked at his handsome features and cypress-like stature, she fell in love with him a thousand fold with her heart and soul. She was fascinated and infatuated, and was struck dumb by his beauty, his form and his vesture. She was overpowered by his striking delivery and marvellous handwriting; and love for Chach obtained an abiding place in her soul, and the tree of affection found a firm footing in the land of her heart. The king had no offspring. The queen had no issue by him. She therefore sent a message to Chach through a cunning go-between in the following words:—“O Chach, the arrows of your eye-lashes have pierced the target of my heart and wounded it, and the chain of separation from you has been fastened on my neck. You will therefore be kind enough to administer some medicine from the dispensary of your union, and to remove the chain from my neck with the hand of your society. Adorn my neck and ears with the necklace of your love and with the ear-rings of your devotion. If you will not comply with my request, I shall kill myself. Quatrain—May it occur to you to make this my heart happy and to free it from the pangs of your separation. But, O beloved, if you turn your face away from me, I shall raise a cry, that you are doing injustice to me.”
7.4
When the old woman delivered the above message Chach expressed his abhorrence, and thought it proper to reject the proposal. “Disloyalty,” said he, “in the seraglio of monarchs, means (immediate) danger to life, punishment in the next world, and a bad name in this world. When the wrath of kings reaches its climax, it cannot be checked or resisted with any screen or any medicine. Therefore, let this alone. We, moreover, are Brahmans and my father and brother are ascetics, and are still sitting in their praying place resigning every thing to God. I do not approve of such infidelity. I am in the service of the king, and I should live between hope and fear. Such a thing is disapproved by wise men. One should not place any confidence in four things, viz., a sovereign, fire, wind, and water. I would not bring this contempt on my head. You will never gain this object from me.”
7.5
When this message was brought to the queen, she became calmer and quieter and sent back the following reply:—“If you shrink from familiarity and intimacy with me, at least give me my due by showing your face to me every day, in season and out of season, so that the thought of your beauty may remain fresh in my mind and I may console myself by cherishing hopes of your union with me. Verse—Happy shall I be if I see you year in and year out, or even if I see you in imagination one single night in the whole period of my life. O my idol! I shall never be despondent in thinking of you; I shall see at least the night of your union one day.”
7.6
When the eye began to play its part in the affair, and the heart was seized with (desire for) union of the beloved, a sympathy ultimately sprang up between them, which reached its consummation in morning meetings; and their love and intimacy increased beyond measure, and was confirmed by a solemn compact of permanent union. The king had no knowledge of their relations. There was indeed a party of their opponents who entertained evil suspicions regarding them, from the glances of the two, but as no one had observed anything (more suspicious), their secret was maintained. Some of the (said) enemies did inform the king and divulged (all that they knew), but he refused to accept their word, (saying) that such things were not likely to happen at his palace, and that the Chamberlain Chach was not likely to allow himself to be so ungrateful or do such an iniquitous thing. Thus, in the course of time the entire kingdom came under the sway of Chach. Whatever he did was to the liking of the king, and king Sáhasi Rái did not dispose of any important business without first consulting him. In this way, every order issued by Chach, whether mandatory or prohibitive, came to be strictly obeyed throughout the dominion.