The Book of Akbar 288.7

288.7

As the latter was at that time suffering from cholic, he sent in his room the parterre-adorner of the Khilāfat, viz., His Majesty the Shāhinshāh who always had victory at his stirrup. The cortège of this khedive of the world had not gone far from Lahore when His Majesty Jahānbānī perfectly recovered, and on account of the distress of separation, and also out of precaution joined in the march. He directed that Farhat Khān should be the Shiqdār of Lahore, Bābūs Beg the faujdār of the Panjāb, M. Shāh Sultān the amīn and Mihtar Jauhar the treasurer. On the night of 7th Rajab, (29th May, 1555), the territory of Sihrind was illuminated by the royal advent. The officers did homage, and the drums of rejoicing were beaten. For fifteen days the officers had kept their ground in the face of such a large army and had occupied themselves in garrison-work. The royal tents were erected in a garden near the city. The arrangements for battle were suitably made and the army was distributed into four divisions. One was called by the honoured name of His Majesty Jahānbānī; another by that of His Majesty the Shāhinshāh; a third by that of Shāh Abū'l-Ma'ālī; the fourth was entrusted to Bairām Khān. Each division bound the girdle of effort on the waist of their lives. The heroes displayed a willingness to risk their lives, and on each side men drank the last draught in the cup of the sword.