The Book of Akbar 128.7

128.7

On another occasion, he along with Najm Beg, had a great battle below Fort Ghajdiwan with the Uzbegs. Najm Beg was killed and his Majesty went towards Kabul. Moreover by secret inspiration, he was led to lay aside marching to Transoxiana and to press forward to the conquest of Hindustan. Four times did he turn towards this enterprise and as often did he, from stress of circumstances, retrace his steps. The first time was in Sha'ban 910 (Jan. 1505) when he went by Badam Cashma (Almond Spring) and Jagdalik, passed through the Khaibar and halted at Jam (Jamrud). In the Wāqi'āt-i-bābarī, a Turkī book written by his Majesty himself, it is stated that when in six marches, he went from Kabul to Adinapur, he had never before seen the Garmsir (warm regions) nor the country of Hindustan. “Immediately on reaching them, I beheld a new world. The grass was different, the trees different, the wild animals of a different sort, the birds of a different plumage, the manners and customs of the people (ūlūs va ahl-i-nizhād) of a different kind. I was struck with astonishment, and indeed there was room for wonder.” Nasir Mīrza came to this stage from Ghaznīn to pay his respects. He (Babar) halted at Jam-