The Book of Akbar 245: CHAPTER XLIV. · THE PUTTING HIS MAJESTY THE SHAHINSHAH TO SCHOOL, AND OTHER EVENTS WHICH HAPPENED AT THIS TIME.
The Akbarnama (H. Beveridge), vols. I–II 245
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CHAPTER XLIV. · THE PUTTING HIS MAJESTY THE SHAHINSHAH TO SCHOOL, AND OTHER EVENTS WHICH HAPPENED AT THIS TIME.
245.1
As it is fixed and recorded in the Academy of Divine knowledge, which is the “guarded tablet” of sempiternal writings—and all the arts and sciences in that sanctuary of the presence are the offspring of instruction’s school—that the possessors of the new material of reason are to be brought, on the emergence of articulate speech, to learn the combinations of letters (huruf-i-murakkaba) and to acquire general knowledge, viz., that which has been put together by united cares and intellectual essays, and by special progressions and classifications to walk in the beaten paths of reason, so this scholar of the Divine Academy and graduate of God's college was, in compliance with use and wont, taken to man's school on 7th Shawwal of this year, 20th November, 1547, being the fourth year, fourth month and fourth day of the eternity-conjoined life of his Majesty the Shahinshah. The weighty office was conferred on the Mullazada Mulla (teacher the son of a teacher) ‘Asamu-d-din Ibrahim. Though in the eyes of the superficial his Majesty was taken to be taught, yet according to the view of the far-seeing he was carried to the lofty position of teacher.
245.2
A strange thing was that his Majesty Jahanbani, who was acquainted with celestial sciences and versed in the mysteries of the stars, had fixed, in consultation with acute astrologers and time-knowing astrolabe-conners, a special hour for the initiative of his Majesty's instruction, such as might happen once during cycles and lifetimes, but when the master-moment arrived that scholar of God's school had attired himself for sport and had disappeared! In spite of all endeavours and of sedulous search on the part of royalty, no trace of him could be found. The enlightened-hearted perceived from this wondrous mystery that the design was that this lord of lofty wisdom and special pupil of God should not be implicated and commingled with ordinary human learning, so that at the time of the revelation of this Khedive of subtlety it might be apparent to mankind that the knowledge of this king of knowers was of the nature of a gift, and not of an acquirement. In spite of this truth, however, letters and the current sciences manifest themselves gloriously in his Majesty's sanctified mind, whether they be those committed to writing by scientists, or such niceties and secrets as come from Wisdom's source without the intervention of teaching and being of the path of moderation. So at length out of the stupidity which is natural to the immoderately exalted he uttered words which even the drunk and mad do not use.
245.3
Among them was the expression of his wish that Khwaja Ghāzī, who as a reward for his abilities and good service had been appointed to the office of Diwan, should be sent to him bound in order that he might put him to death, and that his office should be given to Khwaja Qasim Tula. As such a measure did not commend itself to his Majesty Jahanbani, who was a spring of justice and compassion, Qaraca Khan, who in his vain thoughts imagined himself to be the pillar of the victorious dominion, seduced, in the blackness of his fortune, and inversion of his horoscope, a large body of men from the path, and went off towards Badakhshan. Bābūs, Musahib Beg, Ismail Beg Duldāī, Ali Quli of Andarab, Haidar Dost Moghal, Shaikham Khwaja Khizri and Qurban Qarawal with nearly 3000 veteran horsemen, all of whom had been enticed by him, went off by Kotal Minar en route for Badakhshan and so trod the wilderness of error.
245.4
When his Majesty heard of this he wished to go off at once in person after those ill-fated ones who had turned away from the altar of auspiciousness. From observance of the favourable hour (for starting), he delayed setting out himself and despatched some of his followers to pursue the wretches. According as each of his loyal servants came up he was sent off, and so Tardī Beg Khan, Mun'im Khan, Muhammad Quli Barlas, ‘Abdullah Sultan and other loyalists hastened off, one after the other. Near midday, when the auspicious moment had arrived, his Majesty Jahanbani mounted the horse of victory. A number of gallant youths pressed forward, and coming up with the rearguard of those headstrong ones, engaged them and overcame them. At the end of the day they came to close quarters with Qaraca Khan at the river; night interposed to save the lives of those black-hearted ones, and they fled under its protection. They crossed by the Ghorband bridge, breaking it down