Muntakhab al-tawarikh 78.30
Muntakhabu-t-tawārīkh (Ranking, Lowe, Haig) 78.30
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78.30.1
In the middle of the blessed month of Ramazan the Emperor dismissed Khan-i A‘zam to Gujrat, and arrived by continued forced marches at Fathpur at the end of this month. In this year he sent Shah Quli Khan Muharram, and Jalal Khan Qurchi, and several others of the Amirs to reduce the fortress of Siwanah, which was held by the grandsons of Maldeo. Jalal Khan, who was one of the privy counsellors, was the most complete master of mirth and wit, and it was not easy for any one else to acquire such a hold on the Emperor’s disposition by force of companionship, as this man did. He fought manfully, and attained the grade of martyrdom. And in his case the saying came true: “He enjoyed this world, and won the next.” When Shahbaz Khan Kambu came there, he in a very short time got possession of the fortress. In this year the Emperor sent Mir Gesu Bakawal [begi] to examine into the affairs of Sultan Mahmud of Bakkar, and to guard the fortress of Bakkar. In this year there was in Gujrat both a general pestilence and also a dearness of grain, to such an extent that one man of jawari sold for 120 tankahs, and numberless people died. And in this year Khwajah Amina, the absolute Wazir, surnamed Khwajah-e Jahan, answered the summons of God at Lahor at the time of the return of the army from Patna. And Ghabari a poet in the height of his pomp and greatness composed this ruba‘i:—
78.30.2
“Thy door is Alexander’s wall to people of merit, Why do they say ‘O Gog!’ when thy army it is. In thy generation all the signs of the Day of Judgment are manifest, Thou art Antichrist, and Khwajah Amina is thy ass”. Although he was a very by-word for stinginess to such an extent that; he used to eat up the remains of his evening meal, still in the line of getting things done for those who made petitions to the Emperor, whether they were strangers or friends, his equal was not to be found in the world. Whenever he wished to accomplish an affair for any one of the courtiers, he used to settle it for a bribe of gold at the same time he caused to be given to himself by the Emperor a pasha-tail, a kettle-drum, and the titles of Khan and Sultan, and whatever jagir he asked for he got it as a gift. And whatever man of learning or excellence came from Transoxania, or Khorasan, or Iraq, or Hindustan, he caused him to be endowed with a heavy sum of gold from the imperial treasury. Through his exertions also the Amirs were able to afford a great expenditure, and even to the other courtiers he allowed pecuniary assistance to each in proportion to his state.
78.30.3
For instance, for Hafiz Tashkandi, who was one of the disciples of Rashid Mulla ‘Isam-ud-din Ibrahim Asfarayani (?) (who was without equal in the line of Arabic erudition, and who wrote a commentary on the Surah-e-Muhammad (peace be upon him !) from which his Sufi ecstasy may clearly be recognized) he obtained from the Emperor and the Amirs about 30,000 or 40,000 rupees. Eventually he went to Mun‘im Khan, Khan Khanan, with perfect appointments, and thence he started well supplied with gold to go to the sacred Makka in the year nine hundred and seventy-seven. When he returned home he died. Among the witty sayings is the following. Haji Ibrahim of Sarhind, who was proud and rude, and quarrelsome and contentious in argument, at one of the Emperor’s select assemblies at the time of the presentation of the Tafsir-i Hafiz by Mirza Muflis, who was a master of religious philosophy, asked “How is Musa declined?” and “what is the root of the word?” It so happened that the Mirza could not manage to answer as he ought to have done, and so to the people, brute-beasts as they are, the superiority of Haji Ibrahim became an acknowledged fact. And this is but one of the many injustices of the time : — “On account of their love of quarelling some people Have lost themselves in the street of hopelessness. Every science, they have learnt in the college, Will ruin and not profit them in the grave.”
78.30.4
And when the Emperor asked the Qazi’s son Shukr, whom he had made Qazi of Mathura, “Why do not you join in the discussion?” he answered: “If Haji Ibrahim were to ask how to decline ‘Isa, what answer should I give?” His Majesty very much applauded this speech. This sort of thing has gone on for ten years, from that time to this, and all that assembly of arguers and disputants, whether honest enquirers or sham, consisting of more than a hundred people, not one of them now sees [the light of the sun], but all their faces are under the veil of “Every soul tasteth death”:— “The grass is grown on the site of their dwelling, It is as though they were gone to a rendezvous. Of the tribe of dreg-drinkers none but us remain, Bring the wine, for we are the only survivors—that’s something!” And now, when in conformity with [the Arabic saying] “A favour, when thou hast lost it, thou recognizest,” I call to mind these my companions, a blood-stream of sorrow flows from my woe-begone eyes, and one laments and wails and says: “In this abode of sorrow would that they had remained a few days longer, for in any case they were an advantage! But now all personal intercourse with them is precluded”:— “To be in a prison in the company of friends Is better than to be in a garden with strangers.”
78.30.5
But as for me this crushed gnat, this copied picture, what cure have I, save the wound of disappointment and secret wail, may God forgive the past, and have mercy on the future:— “Lo! some we loved, the loveliest and best (P. 189) That Time and Fate of all their Vintage prest, Have drunk their Cup a Round or two before, And one by one crept silently to Rest”. In this year an order was promulgated for improving the cultivation of the country, and for bettering the condition of the raiyats. All the pargannas of the country, whether dry or irrigated, whether in towns or hills, in deserts and jungles, by rivers, reservoirs, or wells, were all to be measured, and every such piece of land as, upon cultivation would produce one kror of tankas, was to be divided off, and placed under the charge of an officer to be called Krori, who was to be selected for his trustworthiness, whether known or unknown to the revenue clerks and treasurers, so that in the course of three years all the uncultivated land might be brought into cultivation; and the public treasury might be replenished. Security was taken from each one of these officers. The measurement was begun in the neighbourhood of Fathpur. One kror was named Adampur, another Sheshpur, and so on, according to the names of the various prophets. Officers were appointed, but eventually they did not carry out the regulations as they ought to have done.
78.30.6
A great portion of the country was laid waste through the rapacity of the kroris, the wives and children of the raiyats were sold and scattered abroad and everything was thrown into confusion. But the kroris were brought to account by Rajah Todar Mal, and many good men died from the severe beatings which were administered, and from the tortures of the rack and pincers. So many died from protracted confinement in the prisons of the revenue authorities, that there was no need of the executioner or swordsman, and no one cared to find them graves or grave-clothes. Their condition was like that of the devout Hindus in the country of Kamrup, who having dedicated themselves to their idol, (P. 190) live for one year in the height of luxury, enjoying everything that comes to their hands; but at the end of the period, one by one they go and assemble at the idol temple and cast themselves under the wheels of its car, or offer up their heads to the idol. The whole country, with the exception of those held immediately from the Crown (Khálicah lands), were held by the Amirs as jágír: and as they were wicked and rebellious, and spent large sums on their stores and workshops, and amassed wealth, they had no leisure to look after the troops, or to take an interest in the people. In cases of emergency they came themselves with some of their slaves and Moghul attendants to the scene of the war; but of really useful soldiers there were none.
78.30.7
Shahbaz Khan, the Mir Bakhshí, introduced the custom and rule of dágh u mahall, which had been the rule of Sultán ‘Alá-ud-dín Khiljí, and afterwards the law under Shér Sháh. It was settled that every Amír should commence as commander of twenty (Bístí), and be ready with his followers to mount guard, carry messages, &c., as had been ordered; and when according to the rule he had brought the horses of his twenty troopers to be branded, he was then to be made a commander of 100 (Çadí), or of more. They were likewise to keep elephants, horses, and camels in proportion to their command (mançab), according to the same rule. When they had brought to the muster their new contingent complete, they were to be promoted according to their merits and circumstances to the post of commander of 1000 (Hazárí), or 2000 (Duhazárí), or even of 5000 (Panjhazárí), which is highest command; but if they did not do well at the musters they were to be degraded. But notwithstanding this new regulation the condition of the soldiers grew worse, because the Amírs did as they pleased. For they put most of their own servants and mounted attendants into soldiers’ clothes, brought them to the musters, and performed everything according to their duties. But when they got their jágírs they gave leave to their mounted attendants, and when a new emergency arose, they mustered as many ‘borrowed’ soldiers as were required, and sent them away again, when they had served their purpose.
78.30.8
Hence while the income and expenditure of the mançabdár remained in statu quo, ‘dust fell into the platter of the helpless soldier, so much so, that he was no longer fit for anything. But from all sides there came a lot of low tradespeople, weavers and cotton-cleaners, carpenters, and green-grocers, both Hindu and Musalman and brought borrowed horses, got them branded, and were appointed to a command, or were made Kroris, or Ahadis, or Dakhilis to some one; and when a few days afterwards no trace was to be found of the imaginary horse and the visionary saddle, they had to perform their duties on foot. Many times it happened at the musters, before the Emperor himself in his special audience hall that they were weighed in their clothes with their hands and feet tied, when they were found to weigh from 2½ to 3 man more or less; and after inquiry it was found that they were all hired, and that their very clothes and saddles were borrowed articles. His Majesty then used to say, “With my eyes thus open I must give these men pay, that they may have something to live on.” After some time had passed away His Majesty divided the Ahadis into duaspah, yakaspah, and nimaspah, in which latter case two troopers kept one horse together, and shared the stipulated salary, which amounted to six rupees:—