Muntakhab al-tawarikh 77.4
Muntakhabu-t-tawārīkh (Ranking, Lowe, Haig) 77.4
- Language
- English
77.4.1
“No one can force th’ affections of the heart, Nor count on winning or by grace or art : Many of beauteous form, and glances sweet, Pour forth their heart-blood at the loved one’s feet : Many a one of fairest cheek, and mild, Has been despised by him on whom she smiled.”
77.4.2
Shahim Beg could not rest till he had gained her, and although the Khan Zaman possessed this girl in lawful marriage, he gave her up to him. He was perfectly happy with her for some days, and then he gave her up, and made her over to ‘Abd-ur Rahman bin Mu’ayyid Beg, who had a desperate fondness for her. When news of the Khan Zaman [’s misconduct] came to the court, the Emperor’s wrath knew no bounds, and an order went forth from Agra and Dihli to Jounpur addressed to the Khan Zaman to seek Shahim Beg, and another was issued to the fief-holders of that district, to the effect that, if the Khan Zaman should be dilatory in this matter, an Aghrugh, i. e., a meeting, should sit upon him, and bring him to punishment. Then the Khan Zaman sent a confidential servant of his, Barj ‘Ali by name, to the court to gloss over those faults of his, and to retrieve his shattered fortunes. He was first of all to repair to the dwelling of Pir Muhammad Khan, (P. 23) who was the Khan Zaman’s plenipotentiary, and whose abode was upon a tower, and to deliver his message. It may be that harsh language was contained in the letter, for Pir Muhammad Khan threw him down from the top of the tower, so that he was dashed to pieces. Pir Muhammad Khan with hardness of heart laughingly said, ‘ This little fellow has become a victim to his name.’ When the Khan Zaman heard this news he set his heart on getting rid of Shahim Beg, and extemporised the following : —
77.4.3
“ When Union turns away, and leaves the country, The [cold] wind of absence knows no bounds. My breast is burning with desire for Union, [But] my place of resort is the shop of the stitcher of fur.” And so, in accordance with the exigencies of the moment, he gave him leave to retire to the district of Sarharpur, (which is about 18 cosses from Jounpur, and was fixed the fief of ‘Abd-ur-Rahman Beg) that he might occupy himself there for a time in the pleasures of the chase, and return as soon as the wrath of the Emperor should be abated. So Shahim Beg, in company with ‘Abd-ur-Rahman Beg, spent his time at that town, where there was an artificial lake of pure water, and a most pleasant garden, and a beautiful building in the middle of the lake, (and a most delightful and tranquil spot it is !) ; until on a certain day they had a wine-party and became exceedingly elevated, when — in accordance with the following : “ Singing and love and constant drinking Are all three things which to madness tend ; When wine and love their arms are linking, God be our refuge ! for bad’s the end” — he asked ‘Abd-ur-Rahman Beg for A'ram Jan.
77.4.4
He brought forward the excuse that he was married to her, and so Shahim Beg became enraged with him, and all that friendship in a moment ended in hatred “ Many have I observed, through the freaks of fickle Fate, Turned from hate to friendship, or again, from love to hate,” and through pride and drunkenness of wine and youth he gave his orders, and had ‘Abd-ur-Rahmân seized; and, on the ground that Arâm Jân had first been his, he demanded her from the house of ‘Abd-ur-Rahmân, and kept her with him. But Muayyid Beg, the younger brother of ‘Abd-ur-Rahmân Beg, from a strong feeling of his brother’s wrongs, assembled a body of men, and attacked the balcony, where Shâhim Bêg and Arâm Jân were together. Shâhim Bêg rose to drive them back, and a fray ensued, in which insane affair an arrow reached a mortal part of Shâhim Bêg, and he died. The following hemistich they composed as giving the date: — “He cried ah! and said: Shâhim is become a martyr.” Be it observed that, when the numerical value of “ah” is subtracted from that of “Shâhim Shahîd shud” we get 963, the date. But, it is a disputed point, whether that fatal accident befel Shâhim Bêg in this year, or the year before; probably the latter: but God knows. Then ‘Abd-ur-Rahmân fled to the court, where he was favourably received.
77.4.5
The Khân Zamân bade put on mourning and pursued ‘Abd-ur-Rahmân Bêg to the water of the Ganges, but being unsuccessful he returned disconsolate [to Jounpur] with weeping eye and parched heart: — “In grief the Sun dropped blood at dawn, Moon tore its face, Zohrah its tress, Night put on mourning black, and Morn Raised a cold sigh, and rent its dress.” During these few years the Khân Zamân with a small force had several brilliant engagements with the numerous forces of the Afghans, and obtained the victory over them. The history of this gems of battles forms a model page in the annals (p 25) of the time. Amongst them is the battle of Lak’hnou, in which Hasan Khán Bachgoti brought 20,000 men against the Khán Zamán, who had not assembled more than 3,000 or 4,000. Up to the moment when the enemy crossed the river Karwi and attacked Bahádur Khán, the Khan Zaman himself was engaged in taking a meal. When news was brought that the enemy was advancing to the attack, he called for a chess-board and kept playing at his ease. When he was told that the foreign troops had driven back his own men, he then at last called for his arms, and put them on. And, while the enemy was plundering his tents, and his whole army was in confusion, he ordered Bahadur Khan to retire; then he, with a handful of men, with drums beating, fell upon the enemy, repulsed them, and pursued them to a distance of seven or eight cosses. The slain he piled up in heaps, and then returned victorious.
77.4.6
So, also, at Jounpur he fought with the Bengali, who called himself Sultan Bahadur, and had issued coin, and caused the Khutbah to be read in his name in Bengal. This man advanced upon Jounpur with between 30,000 and 40,000 horse, and the followers of the Khan Zaman were completely routed. When the Khan Zaman rose from table, the enemy found the cloth spread just as it was, and began to plunder. But afterwards the Khan Zaman with a small body of men brought destruction on the fortune of the Afghans, slaying many and taking many prisoners; and such an amount of booty did he take, that his army was completely set up in stores. And, in truth, such was his kingly good fortune, that he, and his brother with his own troop, obtained such a series of victories on the eastern side of Hindustan, as has fallen to the lot of but few. And, had they not shown the stain of rebellion upon the forehead of loyalty, these two brothers would have been on the path to a royal distinction. But, in the end, they sank all that perseverance and energy in the dust of (P. 26) degradation :— “For fifty years one may maintain a name, But one base act will cover it with shame.” And the rest of their acts will be mentioned in the years before us, if God, He is exalted, will it. And in this year the Khān Khānān brought to punishment Muṣāḥib Bēg, the son of Khwājah Kalān Bēg, a man who was not free from evil qualities, and inward vice.
77.4.7
And on the 17th of the sacred month of Muḥarram in the year 965, which coincides with the 3rd year from the Accession, the royal train adorned the city of Āgra. And in this year took place the appointment, removal, rise, and fall of Pīr Muḥammad Khān: and this is how it came about. Pīr Muḥammad Khān from being a Mullā had become an Amīr, and had been advanced to such a degree, that he became closer and opener of every important affair of state, and finance, as vicegerent of the Khān Khānān. All the Pillars of the State used to go to his house, and but few obtained admittance. His opulence had reached to such a pitch that one day, in the course of going from Dihlī to Āgra, when the Khān Khānān went on an hunting expedition with Pīr Muḥammad Khān, the Khān Khānān asked his private purveyors: “Is there no provision in store, for we are hungry?” and Pīr Muḥammad Khān on the spur of the moment said: “If you will be pleased to alight, whatever may happen to be at hand shall be served.” So the Khān Khānān with his suit alighted under a tree, and 3000 drinking cups, and 700 porcelain dishes of various colours were brought out from the travelling-stores of Pīr Muḥammad Khān. Though the Khān Khānān was astonished, he let no sign of his astonishment escape him, but great jealousy found its way into his heart— “Perhaps in this place you may chance to fail to see, How many envious foes, and jealous friends there be.”