Muntakhab al-tawarikh 37.1.2

37.1.2

In short, one who is acquainted with the secret of this mystery In this way opened the door of this treasury of secrets, That when the Sultan Mubarak Shah in cruelty Turned against his own kith and kin with anger and frowning, He considered that the interests of the country demanded their murder, And thought that they deserved the sharp sword. His object was to empty the country of noble men by malicious enterprise. Secretly he sent a messenger to Khizr Khan, Making treacherous protestations of hearty good will, Saying, Oh thou shining light who remainest far from the assembly, Thy body ill at ease and thy countenance without light; Thou knowest that this is none of my doing, The oppressed remains while the oppressor disappears; If thou art imprisoned, by the Lord of the world, When the time comes he himself will loosen these bonds. In this matter haste and anxiety are not fitting, An elephant extricates itself from the mire by patient endeavour; Now, we too are engaged in plumbing this matter So that by clever contrivance we may free you from that captivity. If thou art fitted to become a king We will make thee ruler over a wide kingdom. But the affection for some one which springs in thy heart Is not fitted for the loftiness of thy ambition. Dewal Rani who is but a handmaiden to thee, For whom even were the moon needed as handmaid this were an easy matter, I have heard that she is so dear to thee That thy cypress-like form stoops to kiss her feet.