The Book of Akbar 154.2

154.2

When the army had encamped at Sarangpur the news of its arrival reached Sultan Bahadur who was then besieging Citor. He awoke from the sleep of carelessness and sought the advice of his followers. Most were of opinion that as the matter of Citor could be settled at any time and the garrison was not giving any annoyance at present, the proper course was to put off the reduction of the fort and to march against the royal army. But Sadr Khan, who was prominent for knowledge and eloquence, and who ranked high in the congress (jirga) of soldiers and was renowned for wisdom and counsel, said that the proper thing was to finish the matter of the fortress, already nearly accomplished, and that as they had come out against infidels, the King of Islam would not come against them. Should he do so, they would then be excused if they abandoned a holy war (ghazā) and attacked him. This view commended itself to Sultan Bahadur, so he went on with the siege, and on 3rd Ramazan, 941, (8th March, 1535), subdued the fort of Citor. Thereupon he marched against the illustrious army which was then encamped at Ujjain. When the news of Sultan Bahadur's audacity reached the royal hearing, his Majesty also accelerated his movements, and the two armies encamped in the territory of Mandasor, belonging to Malwa, on the opposite banks of a lake which for greatness and breadth was a sea.