Muntakhab al-tawarikh 257: XLIV. Khanjar Beg.
Muntakhabu-t-tawārīkh (Ranking, Lowe, Haig) 257
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XLIV. Khanjar Beg.
257.1
He is one of the Caghatai nobles and is related to Tardi Beg Khan, who has been already mentioned. He has written a masnavi of three hundred couplets on his own condition and containing also the praise of the emperor. He is a versatile man, unequalled in the art of war, in calligraphy, in poetry, in the composition of enigmas, in general knowledge, in the use of the astrolabe, in astronomy, and in handling figures. He is also the author of several works, and he has enumerated his own excellences in the masnavi already mentioned. In the art of music he collected information regarding the systems of the Persians and the Indians and particularly regarding the six modes of Hindu music, an undertaking which is impossible except to wealthy men of high rank and exalted position, and, indeed, there is now no trace of that information left in the land. He had no equal in his time. These few couplets, written for the edification and instruction of the emperor, are excerpted from the masnavi already mentioned:—
257.2
“O King! The world is a wonderful place, Every moment it presents some fresh spectacle. The revolving sky, like a deceitful juggler, Begins every moment some new prank. From times of old there have been in the world Crowned kings, with armies and suites. Of these old heroes, with all their desires and ambitions, There remain time-worn histories, naught else. Had the prophets seen any hope of permanence in the world Why should they have fled from it? O King! the works of this world are all crux, Thus is it now, and was in the past, and ever will be. Among all these complicated affairs One’s first object should be to acquire a good name, the rest is naught. The object of this long harangue of mine is to say What thou should’st do now that thy turn for sovereignty has arrived. In this age, in which the world is adorned by thy presence, May God be thy protector from harm! If the Humā has flown from this rose-garden Cast thou thy shadow on our heads. Since my words are without guile It is meet that I should offer thee counsel. Since I strive only for thy welfare, Why should I conceal from thee the words of truth ? To all words, whether uttered by this one or that one, Give ear, if they touch the root of the matter. It behoves a king, both in season and out of season, To take heed to himself and to consider both the people and God. The poor man’s error leads only to the loss of his bread, The king’s error is a calamity to the world.
257.3
The beggar takes heed only for his gullet and his patched robe. In the king’s heart there must be thought for the people. Kingship is best exercised according to law, As the king’s order is authenticated by his great seal. Since it is thy turn to exercise sovereignty, It is necessary for thee to exercise caution and prudence. Thou art as the candle, thy kingdom as the house, And thy people are around thee like moths. The mote in the sunbeam is not seen if the sun shines not, And where there is no candle there is no moth. That is to say, the livelihood of all is from thee, Thou art the shepherd, and thy people are the flock. The flock has come to thy pasture ; How canst thou leave the flock to wander unrestrained ? God has appointed thee their guardian, The shepherd’s dignity belongs to His prophets ; Neglect not then the practice of the prophets. But take heed to thyself and also to mankind. A happy life is a jewel. See that thou value it properly, And count as gain both wealth and dominion. Thou art a king with a prophet’s attributes, Thou art in the world for a great work. Justice and equity, generosity, knowledge, liberality, Favour and grace, humanity kindness, and faithfulness. All these thou hast by the grace of God, What shall I do if thou ignore thine own worth? Thou ridest, laughing light-heartedly, on thy fierce elephant, But the people lining the walls to see thee pass are weeping.
257.4
Thou layest thy hand on the tusk of the elephant, But thy people take the finger of anxiety between their teeth. Thou layest thy hand on the elephant's trunk, But our sleeves are shaken free of the world. Thou boldly facest the raging tiger, While men flee on every side in terror. Take thou thy pleasure in the fighting of leopards, While we in fear tear our faces with our hands and our nails. Thou withstandest unmoved the attack of the wolf, While all, both great and small, wonder at thee from afar. Thou seizest by its neck the snake that has, like the dragon, an arrow for its tongue, While the people of the world are writhing in dread. Thou art swimming in a boundless ocean, While we, washing our hands of life, stand trembling on its brink. Thou enterest the forest intent on the chase, The people stand at its margin in fear and anxiety. In one dark night thou travellest a month’s journey, While men struggle after thee sighing for the light of a torch. Thou wanderest almost naked in the cold, While the people are shivering under their wrappings. Thou runnest, heavily clad, in the heat, While the people, bathed in sweat, take shelter under a tree. Thou pressest onward in every direction on foot, While we on our horses are fainting with weariness. Thou facest the warlike foe on the field of battle, While the army looks on from every side.
257.5
What favour is this, and what sympathy, That thou hast towards us and towards thyself? This valour of thine is beyond conception, This bravery is ever fresh in thee. Although these things are doubtless a merit, They are, nevertheless, a defect in a king: While the king remains far removed from hurt, The people of his land are in safety: If a king never spares himself, The whole world is thrown into confusion. We desire the world and our lives to be blessed with thy presence: Without thee what are the world and our lives to us? Khan-jar, beware of prolixity, And weary not the king’s heart: This speech of thine has wandered from the point, And the king has no need of it: Since he is accepted before God His wealth consists in devotion to business. His very sleep is perfect wakefulness Even when he wanders, it is perfect wisdom. The right is with him who does his duty And thus becomes independent of all labour.” When he recited this masnavi he was honoured with various favours. He has also composed a divan, which is well known. The following verses are by him:— “How often in her street shall my heart secretly heave sighs, And afterwards how often shall I lament that my life is leaving me?" “The waters have passed over my head, and my life has gone on the breeze; My body has become dust; yet still the fire of my heart breaks into flame.”
257.6
At the time when the Khanzaman and Bahadur raised their heads as high as the star Capella in turbulence and rebellion Khanjar Beg was confederate with them, and fled into Bengal, and he has probably disappeared in consequence of those disorders.