The Book of Akbar 291: CHAPTER LIX.
The Akbarnama (H. Beveridge), vols. I–II 291
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CHAPTER LIX.
291.1
servants of the State, and as a mark of the destruction of the contumacious. But as it prevented a pursuit of the fugitives and gave them after a thousand agonies a release from danger it may be regarded as a respite to an ill-fated crew. When by Divine aid such a great gift had been revealed, His Majesty sat on the throne of justice and appraised the services of the loyal and devoted. In order to bring out the jewel of the sincere from the potsherd of service-sellers the question arose, in whose name should the proclamation of victory be recorded? An order was given that everyone should lay in his claim. Shah Abu’l-ma'ali, who was drunk with the wine of negligence, wished that the record of the glorious victory should be in his name. Bairam Khan who was conscious that the coming to India was by his exertions, and who, up to the time of the victory, had, in opposition to a crowd of men, supported the world-adorning views of His Majesty Jahanbani and had conducted the conquest of the countries and the uprooting of foes, was keenly desirous that the proclamation should bear his name.
291.2
The farseeing and wise who knew that the victory was due to the felicity of His Majesty the Shahinshah and nursling of Divine light, opened their eyes and ears in surprised contemplation of the speakers, and the experienced and the just, knowing that this great victory which had shed its rays on the day assigned to the watch (naubat-i-mansuban) of the light of the garden of the Khilafat was due to the presence of his Majesty the Shahinshah, were astonished at the utterances of those men (Abu’l-ma'ali and Bairam). At last His Majesty Jahanbani became by inspiration cognisant of the truth, and ordered the victory to be inscribed in the name of His Majesty the Shahinshah and thereby gratified the loyal far and near. One of the strange occurrences of this time was the arrest of Khwaja Mu'azzam. The brief account is that a letter containing some lines by the Khwaja came to hand. In his contemptible understanding and wickedness, he had written improper things to Sikandar and had represented himself as his well-wisher. His Majesty was greatly surprised and called upon the Khwaja for an explanation. As he could not deny, he said that his well-wishing (daulat-khwahi) to the successes of the referred to His Majesty and that he had purposely contrived that the letter should come into His Majesty's hand in order that he should show him more favour, and cause him to be the performer of good service. His Majesty ordered him into confinement and placed him in charge of Mir Qali.
291.3
After arranging the matters of Sihrind, His Majesty proceeded by way of Samana towards Delhi. When he came to Samana he sent Abu'l-Ma'ali with a number of officers such as Muhammad Quli Khan Birlas, Isma'il Beg Duldai, Musahib Beg, Ibrahim Khan Uzbek, and others to Lahore so that if Sikandar should come out from the hills, they might hold him in check. The charge of the Panjab was made over to Shah Abu'l-ma'ali. On account of the pleasant climate of Samana, and the violence of the rains ordered a halt there for some days. While there, a report came from Sikandar Khan Uzbek, stating that by God's help he had come to Delhi and that the enemy had not withstood him, but had fled. The proper thing now was to exalt the site of India's throne by establishing there the masnad of the Lord of the Age. On receipt of this news His Majesty marched from Samana, and on Thursday 1 Ramazan, 20th July, 1555, alighted at Salimgarh which is on the north of Delhi and on the bank of the Jamuna. On the fourth of the same month he entered the city and became established on the throne of the Khilafat.
291.4
On this day and while on the march His Majesty the Shahinshah struck a nilagao (an antelope, portax pictus) with his sword and took it as a prey so that the huntsmen were surprised, while the acute obtained a sign of his capturing the booty of a sublime intention, and were made glad. His Majesty Jahanbani who from the beginning of this blessed campaign till he came to Delhi and conquered India had given up the eating of animals now turned his thoughts towards the making a beginning (of eating flesh). On this day he rejoiced exceedingly and ordered that a piece of the nilagao be dried and kept in order that when after the Ramazan he should be disposed to eat animal food, he might make his first meal from this flesh. He then returned thanks to God.