The Book of Akbar 172.1
The Akbarnama (H. Beveridge), vols. I–II 172.1
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172.1.1
When M. Hindal had the khutba read in his name and came before his mother, that cupola of chastity had a blue cloth over her breast. The Mīrza said, “What kind of dress is that you have donned at such a time of rejoicing?” That cupola of chastity replied, out of her foresight, “Why do you regard me? I am wearing mourning for you; you are young (he was only 19) and have, from the instigation of irreflecting sedition-mongers, lost the true way; you have girded your loins for your own destruction.” Muhammad Bakhshī came and said, “You have killed the Shaikh; why do you delay about me?” The Mirza treated him kindly and took him with him. When Yādgār Nāsir Mīrza and Mīr Faqr ‘Alī heard of this bad business they made a rapid march from Kālpī via Gwālyār, and coming to Dihlī took measures to strengthen the city and to provide for the fort. The Mīrza had reached Hamīdpur, near Fīrozābād when the news came that Yādgār Nāsir Mīrza and Mīr Faqr ‘Alī had arrived at Dihlī. The Mīrza and the officers consulted together and proceeded to invest Dihlī. Many of the petty jāgīrdārs round about came and did homage to the Mīrza, and he made march after march and besieged Dihlī. Yādgār Nāsir Mīrza and Mīr Faqr ‘Alī exerted themselves in holding the fort, and sent an account of affairs to M. Kāmrān and begged him to come and quell the sedition. He set out from Lahor and when he came near Sonpat, M. Hindāl hurried off to the province of Agra without having accomplished his purpose. When M.
172.1.2
Kāmrān approached Dihlī Mīr Faqr ‘Alī came and had an interview with him, while Yādgār Nāsir Mīrza continued to hold the fort as before. Mīr Faqr ‘Alī induced M. Kāmrān to proceed to Agra, and M. Hindāl not having the resolution to remain there went off to Alwar. M. Kāmrān, after he came to Agra, desired that cupola of chastity, Dildār Aghāca Begam to soothe M. Hindāl and to recall him to obedience. That matron (kadbānu), the pavilion of chastity, brought M. Hindāl from Alwar and introduced him to M. Kāmrān with his shroud (kafan) round his neck. The Mirza (Kāmrān) behaved with propriety, and next day he forgave the seditious officers and held a levee for them. The Mirzas and officers joined together and crossed the Jumna in order to put down the rebellion of Sher Khan. But as auspiciousness did not guide those highborn ones they did not obtain the blessing of such a glorious service. In fact when by celestial aid the country of Bengal had come into possession of the imperial servants, and its capital had become the headquarters of the army, and the great officers had obtained large territories in fief, they gathered the materials of enjoyment and pleasure and opened the gates of negligence in the front of their lives. The pillars of sovereignty paid less attention to administration, and strife-mongers, of which wretches this wide world is never free, raised the head of discord and sedition. The time was at hand when slumbering strife should lift up her downcast eyelashes.
172.1.3
Fissures found their way into the foundation of circumspection. Information such as could be depended upon did not come to headquarters, or if one thing out of many became known to any of the confidants, he had not the courage to communicate it, for the arrangement then was that no particle of unpleasantness should be bruited in the august assemblage. When by degrees the truth about the rebellion in Hindustan was conveyed by real well-wishers, who, in disregard of their own advantage, represented the true facts, his Majesty Jahānbānī called together the pillars of the state and determined on the return of the Grand Army. Though from excessive rain the country was under water, and the rivers were tempestuous, and it was not the season for campaigning, yet on account of the emergency it was considered that a return was necessary for the preservation of the empire. The charge of Bengal was ordered to be entrusted to Zāhid Beg, but that worthless one took up the presumptuous ways of an old servant, and having given way to evil desires, absconded and joined Mirza Hindal. His Majesty made over Bengal to Jahangir Quli Beg and left a large force to support him. He then in the height of the rains turned his bridle and set out for the capital (Agra).
172.1.4
When Sher Khan heard of the returning of the royal army, and of the departure of the Mirzas from Agra he withdrew from Jaunpur and proceeded towards Rohtas. His plan was that if the sublime standards should come against him, he should avoid a battle and return by the Jharkhand route, by which he had come, and aim at Bengal, (or Gaur the capital). And if this should not happen (that Humayun’s army should follow him) and if the imperial army should proceed towards Agra and an opportunity offered itself, he would follow in its wake and attempt a night attack. When the sublime army of his Majesty Jahanbani arrived at Tirhut, Sher Khan came to know the smallness of the force and the disorganization of the royal camp, and waxed audacious (shirak) and advanced with a large and fully equipped army.
172.1.5
He got under his control all the country round about the army, and no one was able to procure information about the enemy’s manoeuvres. Ibn ‘Ali Qarawalbegi (chief scout) went and brought authentic news which were communicated to his Majesty through M. Muhammad Zaman. Though the grand army had crossed the Ganges, and was marching to the capital, yet when news was brought of Sher Khan’s arrival and of his being close by, the flames of the royal wrath were kindled, and out of his perfect majesty and dominion he turned his reins towards him. Though it was represented to him that at such a time, when the army was in the highest degree without equipment—it having travelled such a distance through mud—it was improper to march against the foe and to hasten to the field of battle and that what was proper was to halt somewhere and recruit the army and then to undertake the crushing of the enemy,—such views were not acceptable to his Majesty and so he crossed the Ganges and marched against the foe. It behoves us to know that it is an ancient canon and fixed principle that, when the stewards of the kingdom of Divine destiny assign to an individual an article of price, they open beforehand the gates of failure and cast him into a tumult of anguish, so that felicity may not remove the unique pearl from its place, and that by this experience sorrow may be fulfilled and things brought to an equilibrium.
172.1.6
Accordingly,—as the apparition of the light-increasing star of mortals, which by showing itself in dreamland from out of Qaculi Bahadur’s bosom had exalted the vigilant by the blessing of expectation, was drawing nigh,—the countenances of the thoughts of the meditative and farseeing are not scarred if before this there appeared some misfortunes. Thus did such things happen at the hands of sundry black-hearted, unwashed Afghans, to a force which might have conquered the universe. Thus was it that, contrary to the advice of ministers, the army marched against the Afghans, and came face to face with Sher Khan at the village of Bihlya which is a dependency of Bhojpur. There a black river called the Karmnasa (Text, Kanbas) flowed between the two armies. The royal army made a bridge over it and crossed. Though the royal army was small and many were without equipments, it was victorious in every skirmish, and the Afghans were slaughtered on every side. But the period of encountering and slaying was prolonged, and the great brethren, (Humayun's brothers), each of whom could have conquered a clime, placed, out of shortsightedness, a stumbling block in the way of their own fortune, and did not act harmoniously. The blessedness of learning what service was at such a crisis did not help their destiny. Though admonitory rescripts were sent to them, the impressions on these inspired tablets took no form in the minds of those iron-hearts.
172.1.7
Sher Khan, out of craft, sometimes sent influential persons to the sublime porte to knock at the door of peace, and sometimes cherished wicked thoughts of war. At length he deceitfully and fraudulently left a body of infantry and inefficient men, together with his artillery, in face while he himself marched two stages to the rear and then encamped. The royal army, which had all along been victorious, did not understand the craft of that trickster, so they followed and encamped. When an event is going to happen in accordance with destiny, carelessness on the part of the sagacious comes in to help. In this way great remissness ensued in keeping watch. At length Muhammad Zaman Mirza showed utter negligence on a night when it was his watch. That fox (Sher Khan) who was waiting for an opportunity, made a night march and in the morning presented himself at the rear of the camp. His army was divided into three bands (tūp), one led by himself, one by Jalal Khan, and one by Khawass Khan. The royal troops had not time to buckle their saddles or to close their cuirasses. His Majesty Jahanbani when he became apprized of the army's negligence, was confounded by this specimen of fate's workshop, and the thread of resource dropped from his hand. As he was mounting, Baba Jalair and Quc Beg arrived, and he bade them go quickly and bring away the noble lady Haji Begam. Those two faithful and zealous servants drank the wholesome sherbet of martyrdom at the door of honour's enclosure.
172.1.8
Mir Pahlwan Badakhshi also and many others obtained the blessing of offering up their lives around the enclosure of chastity. The time was very brief; her Highness could not come out, but as the Divine protection and defence was her surety and safeguard, the boisterous blasts of the evil-minded could not impinge on the sanctuary of the harem of chastity, nor the mists of black-hearted men touch the hem of the curtain of the illustrious recluses. Divine spirits from the glorious sanctuary of sublimity defended the veiled ones of the chamber of chastity with the wands of the door-keepers of jealousy; wicked thoughts did not find their way into the hearts of those wretches, and Sher Khan sent off with all honour that cupola of chastity in perfect security and observance of seclusion.