The Book of Akbar 175.2
The Akbarnama (H. Beveridge), vols. I–II 175.2
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175.2.1
When this record of confidence had been executed, the deliberations began. His Majesty gave lofty counsels and uttered excellent words. With his pearling tongue he said, “The miserable end of those who deviate from the straight highway of concord is known to all. Especially since not long ago when Sultan Husain Mirza beat the drum of death in Khurasan, he left eighteen capable and fortune-favoured sons and yet, in spite of all their array of wealth, in consequence of fraternal discord, the kingdom of Khurasan (which for so many years had been a centre of peace), became in a short space a centre of calamities and was transferred to Shahi Beg. No trace remained of any of the sons except of Badi‘u-z-zaman who went to Turkey, and all the sons of the Mirza had been reviled and reprobated by high and low. With what difficulty had his Majesty Giti-sitāni-Firdaus-makānī conquered a Hindūstān—so vast a country! If through your disunion it pass from our possession into the hands of nobodies (nākasān) what will the wise say of you? Now is the time to sink the head into the bosom of good counsel and to exsert it from jealousy's collar, so that you may attain headship among mankind, and be a means of gaining the favour of God."
175.2.2
Every one of the authors of compact and of the lords of confederacy forgot the recent agreements, and each declaimed according to his own good pleasure. M. Kāmrān said, “What occurs to me is that the king and all the Mīrzās should spend some days unencumbered in the mountains while I take their families to Kābul. When I have put them into safety, I shall return and join you.” M. Hindāl and Yādgār Nāsir Mīrzā said, “At present we cannot fight the Afghāns The thing to do now is to go to Bhakkar and to subdue that country. By its means we shall conquer Gujrāt, and when these two kingdoms have fallen into our hands and we have brought the business to an end, the deliverance of this country (India) will be effected in an admirable manner.” M. Haidar said, “It is proper that all the Mīrzās should settle down after securing the slopes from the mountains of Sihrind to those of Sārang. I engage that with a small force I will in two months get possession of Kashmīr. When that news comes, let every man send his belongings to Kashmīr, for there is no safer place. It will take Sher Khān four months to arrive and he will not be able to bring into the hill country the gun-carriages and cannon which are the support of his warfare. In a short time the Afghan army will be ruined.”
175.2.3
As their words and their hearts were not in unison, the meeting ended without any conclusive speech. Whatever proposals were brought forward, and whatever sound advice his Majesty communicated in the hope that perchance the lamp of wisdom might be lighted for M. Kamran and that he would turn away from his dark ideas and come to the abode of candour, the Mirza did not alter what he had said. All his endeavour was that every one should be ruined, and he counted it a gain that he himself might go to Kabul and secure a corner for his own enjoyment. He was perpetually occupied with evil thoughts, and fortune-conferring words did not arouse him. Ostensibly he breathed unanimity and would say, “I shall come forth in some fortunate hour and shall gird on the belt of courage and fight the foe with singleness of heart.” But secretly he was strengthening the foundations of opposition, and this to such an extent that out of wickedness and blindness, he privately sent Qazi ‘Abdu-l-lah his sadr to Sher Khan, that he might establish friendly relations with him, and made a contract of affection with him. He sought the fulfilment of his desires from the help of enemies, and he wrote a letter to the effect that if the Panjab were secured to him as formerly, he would soon bring affairs to a successful issue! After these occurrences Sher Khan came to Dihli, but did not advance further.
175.2.4
He saw that what had happened was due to his good fortune, and was apprehensive lest if he went on further, his affairs would retrograde. He was extremely frightened about the combination which he heard was making progress in Lahor. Meanwhile the seditious sadr (mār-i-pur-ghadar) who added vile malice to natural baseness, arrived. Sher Khan whose centre was pivoted in craft, warmly embraced him, and was a thousand times emboldened by the good news of disunion. He gave him an answer in accordance with the Mirza’s requests. That wretch (the Sadr) instigated him to make a hostile advance, and held out prospects of desertion. Sher Khan sent a crafty fellow along with him to ascertain the real state of affairs and then return. M. Kamran received Sher Khan’s ambassador in the garden at Lahor, and held a feast on that day. He also by entreaties induced his Majesty Jahanbani to come there. That crude, short-sighted Mirza again sent the same wretch (his sadr) to Sher Khan. On this occasion the betrayer of his salt came to the bank of the Sultanpur river, and brought forward disloyal proposals and encouraged Sher Khan to cross the river. Thereupon Muzaffar Turkman, who was stationed on outpost duty near the Sultanpur river, came and reported to his Majesty that the enemy had crossed the river (the Bias) and killed his brother's son Junaid Beg, who from his qualities of mind and body was a persona grata at Court.
175.2.5
In the end of Jumada-l-akhir his Majesty Jahanbani and the Mirzas crossed the Lahor river (the Ravi), which was fordable, and marched stage by stage to the Ccnab. As his Majesty Jahanbani was resolved to attempt Kashmir, he sent a body of troops in advance with M. Haidar to that province. For, when M. Kamran made a rapid march to Qandahar to contend with Sam Mirza, he left M. Haidar in charge of Lahor. Khwaja Haji, 'Abdu-l-makri, Zangi Cak, and many of the nobles were opposed to the ruler of Kashmir and came to Lahor in order that by their intimacy with M. Haidar they might obtain an army from M. Kamran and so get possession of Kashmir. Though M. Haidar exerted himself, their wish was not fulfilled. When M. Hindal raised a disturbance by having the khutba read in his own name, and M. Kamran marched from Lahor to Agra, M. Haidar by great exertions contrived to raise an army and to despatch it from the capital under the charge of Baba Jujak who was one of Kamran's superior officers. His design was that this force should proceed to Kashmir under the guidance of the Kashmiri nobles aforesaid, and take possession thereof. Baba Jujak was negligent in setting out and meanwhile the disaster of Causa ferry, which was a blow to eternal dominion, came to be known. He gave up the expedition, and the Kashmiri nobles tarried in Naushahr, Rajauri and the hollows of the hills in the expectation of some event. But they were continually writing letters to M.
175.2.6
Haidar full of the advantages of conquering Kashmir, and the Mirza used to bring these to his Majesty Jahanbani's notice. His holy heart grew daily more and more eager to visit the charming country of Kashmir, and meanwhile he gave permission to the Mirza to proceed in the first place to Naushahr with a body of troops. If the Kashmiri nobles, who were always urging the expedition, should come forward, Sikandar Tupci, who was a fief-holder in that neighbourhood, was to join him with his troops. When he got to the passes, Amir Khwaja Kalan, who was one of the high officers of his Majesty Giti-sitani Firdaus-makani, and of whom some account has already been given, was to come and help. As soon as the news of Khwaja Kalan Beg's arrival should reach his Majesty Jahanbani he would proceed in person towards that province. His Majesty was on the bank (the right or west bank) of the Cinab when M. Kamran and 'Askari Mirza went off to Kabul with Khwaja 'Abdu-l-haqq and Khwaja Khawand Mahmud. Muhammad Sultan Mirza, Ulugh Beg Mirza and Shah Mirza on hearing, in the territory of Multan, about the separation, joined M. Kamran on the bank of the Indus. In the beginning of Rajab, 947, M. Hindal, Yadgar Nasir Mirza and Qasim Husain Sultan succeeded by importunity in taking his Majesty Jahanbani off to Sind, though his intention had been to march to Kashmir. Khwaja Kalan Beg, who had promised to accompany his Majesty Jahanbani Jannat-ashiyani, went off from Siyalkut and joined M. Kamran.
175.2.7
Sikandar Tupci withdrew to the Sarang hills. In the same Rajab, after his Majesty Jahanbani had gone towards Sind at the Mirza's instigation they, after going some stages, left him out of thoughtlessness and the suggestions of Beg Mirak, who had abandoned his service and joined them. Meanwhile Qazi 'Abdu-l-lah arrived with some Afghans. M. Hindal's scouts seized them and brought them before him. The ill-fated Afghans were put to death, but the wretch 'Abdu-l-lah having still some breaths of his life remaining, escaped punishment at the intercession of Mir Baba Dost. For twenty days the Mirzas wandered in the desert of astonishment. They had no idea what to do or where to go. They were severed from fortune and auspiciousness, and having left dominion's fellowship, they had lost their object. As they had not followed the path of purpose, they were astonished and confounded. His Majesty Jahanbani had gone by way of the desert towards Bhakkar, and was wending his way according to guess and conjecture. They found no water, and there was no grain, but went on under the guidance of endurance and with the rations (zad) of reliance upon God. At length one day they heard the sound of a kettle-drum. On inquiry, it was found that M. Hindal and Yadgar Nasir Mirza were three kos away and were pacing the valley of search. His Majesty Jahanbani sent Mir Abu'l-baqa, who had left the society of M.
175.2.8
Kamran, and become a companion of the sublime army, to the Mirzas to give them information about the camping ground, and to speak wise words and advise them to come and kiss the sublime threshold. The Mir in accordance with these instructions counselled the Mirzas and acted as their guide to the blessing of service. They proceeded in harmony towards Bhakkar. Khawas Khan and a large army of Afghans was coming up in the rear, but though the imperial army was very small, the former had not the courage to give battle. In the end of Sha'ban (last days of 1540) when the camp reached Uc the Amir Sayyid Muhammad Baqir Husaini, who was the frontispiece of Sayyids and of the 'Ulama of the age, expired and was buried there. His Majesty grieved much for his death, but as this evil earth is a scene of departure and dismissal (guzashtani u guzashtani), he displayed that resignation to the Divine command which is the ornament of those whose regard is fixed on the station of submission (maqam-i-taslim). When they had encamped near the residence of Bakhshui Langa one of the landholders and grandees of that part, an order of grace and a mandate of favour was sent together with a glorious khil'at by Beg Muhammad Bakawal, and Kacak Beg, and hopes were held out that he should receive the title of Khan Jahan, a flag and a kettle-drum, and he was invited to do loyal service and to send corn to the camp. He came forth to meet the envoys, saluted them, and behaved with respect.
175.2.9
Though he had not the good fortune to come and kiss the threshold, yet with regard to what was ordered, he showed obedience and alacrity, and also sent a proper present. Likewise he arranged for traders to bring articles for sale at the royal camp, and he provided many boats for crossing the river on the way to Bhakkar. Yadgar Nasir Mīrza went on with the advance guard, and on 28th Ramazan (26th January, 1541), the army reached the neighbourhood of Bhakkar. Two days before this Qazī Ghiyāsu-d-dīn of Jām, who was connected with the illustrious family, and was adorned with gifts and graces, was raised to the office of sadr.