The Book of Akbar 250: CHAPTER XLV.
The Akbarnama (H. Beveridge), vols. I–II 250
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CHAPTER XLV.
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a neck-charm of grace and favour. After various high-thoughted counsels this was written, “O evil brother and beloved war-seeker, refrain from courses which are productive of conflict and cause the affliction and destruction of countless men. Have compassion on the men of the city and of the army. To-day they are all killed; to-morrow is the judgment. Verse. The blood of that race is on thy neck, The hand of that crowd upon thy skirt, ’Twere far better to think on peace And bring to pass the ways of gentleness. He sent this auspicious rescript along with Nasib Rammal. As the Mirza, being drunk with folly, had turned away from fortune and put dominion behind his back, the sage advices were of no avail. In reply to that roll of grace and preamble of knowledge, he uttered the following verse — Verse. Who’d to his bosom strain dominion’s bride Must kiss the gleaming falchion’s lip. Nasib Rammal conveyed to the royal hearing the account of the Mirza’s recalcitrance and an order was given for strengthening the batteries. Meanwhile, Mirzas Sulaiman and Ibrahim arrived with all their forces and were made partakers of royal favours. Chakar Khan, son of Wais Qibchaq also arrived with the men of Kulab and formed a supplement to the army of fortune. During this period of one month of the siege the gates of victory opened more and more for the imperialists, while the knot of affairs grew tighter for M. Kamran, and he became more and more straitened.
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At last he became hopeless of the success of tricks and stratagems, and also came to despair of the help from Pir Muhammad Khan Uzbeg, which he in his short-sightedness looked for. Involuntarily he put his hands to the saddle strips (fitrāk) of obedience and submission. By means of this device he saved himself this time from the whirlpool of danger and brought the ship of safety from out the tumult of the waves to the shore of salvation. With this design, he made various supplications and cries for help. One day he fastened a letter to an arrow and shot it into the camp. Its purport was that he had not recognised the claims of his Majesty to reverence. “I have seen what I have seen, and now I repent of the past and wish that leave may be granted to me to circumambulate the Holy K‘aba so that I may be cleansed from the sin of rebellion and the anguish of ingratitude, and may become fit for proper service. My hope is that this boon may be granted to me through the intervention of Mir ‘Arab of Mecca.” The Mir was distinguished among all the devotees of the age for honesty and transparency and had applied himself to alchemy. His Majesty Jahanbani Jinnat-Ashiyani had a regard for him, and on this expedition he kept close to the royal stirrup and was adorning the army of prayer (lashkar-i-du‘ā). When the petition of supplication reached the royal hearing, he sent for the Mir and spoke to him about it. The Mir said that he would write an answer and send it into the fort.
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He wrote as follows. “Know, O men of the fort, that salvation is in sincerity and safety in submission, and peace be upon whoever followeth the right path.” When M. Kamran had understood the purport of this writing, he wrote back by the same method that he would submit to whatever the Mir should order. His Majesty Jahanbani, inasmuch as kindness and benevolence were of his nature’s essence, sent off the Mir, who proceeded to the fort and expounded the doctrines of verity which in reason’s reservoir are more sweet than limpid streams, but more bitter to the sensual taste than the juice of the colocynth. In his exposition and application he did not leave out a single point, and at every sentence of reproof the Mirza, as he had received a lesson from the crapulous headaches following on his debauches, held down the head of submission and cried, “I've sinned, I've sinned, I'll do whatever you order.” The Mir said, “The atonement is that you arise and with a sincere soul and contrite heart come with me and do homage.” The Mirza, either from sincerity or deceit set off, but when they got near the gate, the Mir, who could perceive the temporary nature of the feelings, became aware that they were without root.
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He stopped, and said to the Mirza, “As you have set out to kiss the threshold and have emerged from the circle of sedition, and have escaped from a state of rebellion, the proper thing for auspiciousness and repentance is that you send the runaway officers to the Court with their necks bound, that you yourself recite the khutba in his Majesty's name, and that you secretly depart and go off to the Hijaz.” The Mirza accepted the advice and agreed to everything, but added, “Entreat his Majesty to suffer Babus to depart along with me, for he is an old servant, and I am desirous of atoning to him on this journey for what I have done to him.” When the Mir returned and reported the circumstances to his Majesty, he asked pardon for the Mirza's offences, and his Majesty, on account of his constitutional kindness, forgave him and ratified all that the Mir had arranged. On Friday, 12th Rajab, 955, 12th August, 1548, Maulana 'Abdul Baqi the Sadr recited the khutba in his Majesty Jahanbani's name, .and his Majesty went off from there to a garden in the neighbourhood. The batteries were dismantled, and an order was given that Haji Muhammad should be present with a body of troops, that the Mirza was departing with a few men, as had been arranged, and that until his exit from the dominions they should guard the borders.
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‘Ali Dost Khan Bargbegi, 'Abdal Wahhab, Sayid Muhammad Pakna, Muhammad Quli Shaikh Kaman, Latif Sahrindi and a number of others were appointed to guard the gate of the fort and to bring in the runaway officers and to let the Mirza pass with the sanctioned companions. The Mirza came out in accordance with the compact. On the way, one of M. Ibrahim’s servants recognised as his own a horse which one of M. Kamran’s servants was riding, and told this to M. Ibrahim, who sent people to bring away the horse. When this was brought to his Majesty’s ears, he, in his courtesy, disapproved of the proceeding and censured M. Ibrahim, and he, out of shame and narrowness of disposition went off without leave to Kishm. Haji Muhammad, too, was blamed as the insult to the Mirza had been committed with his knowledge. A gracious firman containing apologies, with a robe of honour and a horse were sent along with Khwaja Jalalu-d-din Mahmud the Mir Biyutat (to Kamran). When the night was somewhat advanced, Qaraca Khan was produced with a sword tied to his neck. When he came in front of the torches an order was issued for removing the sword ; his guilt was forgiven, and he was honoured by being allowed to do homage. And his Majesty said in Turki, “ ’Tis the fortune of war, such accidents as