The Book of Akbar 319: BEGINNING OF THE FIRST DIVINE YEAR AFTER THE HOLY ACCESSION OF H.M. THE SHAHINSHAH, viz., THE YEAR FARWARDIN OF THE FIRST CYCLE.
The Akbarnama (H. Beveridge), vols. I–II 319
- Language
- English
BEGINNING OF THE FIRST DIVINE YEAR AFTER THE HOLY ACCESSION OF H.M. THE SHAHINSHAH, viz., THE YEAR FARWARDIN OF THE FIRST CYCLE.
319.1
As the world assumed splendour from the justice-illuminating sovereignty of this nursling of divine light, and the terrene and terrestrials uttered rejoicings with the tongue of speech and of ecstacy, and gratefully expressed a vernal joy, and the outward and inward world received a new glory and lustre, the spring-time of soul and body burst forth into invocations of blessings. Twenty-five days after the auspicious time of the accession, viz., on Wednesday 28 Rabi’-as-sani 963, there was the world-illuminating New Year, and the Sultan of the East confronted Aries with his world-adorning banners. Verse. The world was freshened by the spring-breeze The rain increased the glory of the earth The sun joyful of soul, and a lover of joy Tore in his delight the sheaths (lit., skin) of the flowers. The rose (gul) brought out of the clay (gil) Kais’s throne The violet put on peacock (Tāūs) plumes A young spring burgeoned on every bough And his scattering hand held every flower, As the great luminary gave new spirit to the age’s sorrowful ones, so did the joyful news of the Shāhinshāh’s sacred accession give thousands of life-conferring messages to the discerning and to the expectants cognisant of mysteries. The outer world received happiness, and the inner world glory. The visible and invisible kingdoms harmonised and heaped radiance upon radiance.
319.2
Whoever has received felicitations from those who have been nurtured in this light-increasing gathering of the spiritual and the temporal, well know what good wishes for long life, inward and outward prosperity, and spiritual and temporal balance are conveyed by them, and there are descriptions of them in ancient chronicles. But who can tell the inner and outer bliss of a nursling of light whose felicitations are conveyed by Light in person, without man’s intervention and by the effectual voices of action, to wit that of world-adorning spring? Inasmuch as the wise of the past and the present are agreed that whenever some glorious event is made the foundation of an era, the latter should begin from the proximate New Year, without regard to a discrepancy either in previousness or in lateness; the sundry days before the New Year were reckoned as included in the New Year, and the latter was made the beginning of the Divine Era. Accordingly this has been recorded in the proclamation which has been set forth above. Whenever the Divine Era be referred to, it shall be understood as commencing from the heart-expanding Spring. Among the great boons conferred by H.M. the Shāhinshāh in the beginning of this year was the remission of taxes (bāj u tamghā). How can the amount of these be estimated? Undoubtedly it was more than a clime’s revenue.
319.3
The ‘Lord of the Earth prescribed those great blessings as a thank-offering for Divine favours, and thereby made glad the caravans of merchants’ hearts, who bring abundance to the world of interdependence, and the minds of the crowds of men who are exponents of divinely fashioned arts. This excellent regulation drew after it bij u tamgha blessings. Although the circumstance of the ruler of the age’s being under a veil, and the cupidity of officials weakened for a while this excellent foundation, yet as the Shāhinshāh was determined on perpetuating the boon, though for some time it was not carried into effect, the blessings, that is, the good results thereof, were in a manner made manifest by the superintendents of fate. God be praised! At the present day, when the world-adorner of the Caliphate personally conducts everything, whether in whole or in detail, and when men are tested, and everyone attains success proportionate to his aptitude, this best of gifts has obtained currency throughout the dominions, and although eloquent servants have in seducing language represented to H.M. the advantages and profits of the tax, yet as the right-choosing mind of H.M. the Shāhinshāh is strongly attached to the acquiring of the Divine favour, and had therefore issued the order for the great boon, they have not been listened to, and have not withdrawn the classes of mankind from the obligation of returning thanks for this one out of thousands of benefits.
319.4
May Almighty God grant to H.M. the Shāhinshāh increase of years, and of gradations of dominion and joy, in proportion to the fruitful blessings of this gift and to the gladdening of so many souls and hearts which have attained rest owing to this favour! One of the occurrences of those fortunate days was that Mir ‘Abdu-l-latif, the cream of the great men of Persia, and a mine of laudable dispositions came from Qazwin and was introduced at Court, and became the recipient of various favours. His excellent son, Mir Ghiasu-d-din A‘li, who received royal favours, and was exalted by the title of Naqib Khan, accompanied him. Mir ‘Abdu-l-latif was distinguished for science, eloquence, trustworthiness and other noble qualities. From his lack of bigotry and his broadmindedness he was called in India a Shia and in Persia a Sunni. In fact he was journeying on towards the serene city of universal tolerance, and so the zealots of each sect used to censure him.
319.5
When the world-adorning standard spread the shade of victory over the environs of the town of Dahmiri the victorious heroes and rank-breaking ghazis, who had gone as an advance-guard under Pir Muhammad Khan, reached the foe in the Siwalik hills. They went firmly forward and with proper precautions, but as they were relying on the Divine fortune, whereas Sikandar was only supported by rashness, he broke off without actual fighting and threw himself into the defiles. The victorious soldiers returned to the Court and were recipients of favours. The army in order to strengthen the foundations of caution spent about three months there in hunting. Many landholders came and did homage, and thereby acquired glory for themselves. Among them was Dharm Cand, the Rajah of Nagarkot, who, on account of the high estimation in which he was held, and of the number of his followers, cocked the cap of superiority over his contemporaries. He by the destiny of eternal auspiciousness experienced the blessing of kissing the lofty threshold. By his alacrity in this service he made himself foremost in the hippodrome of obedience, and was exalted by attentions from H.M. the Shahinshah. One of the victorious things that happened at this time was Haji Khān’s siege of Narnaul. The story of this is that, when the unavoidable event of H.M. Jahānbānī’s death became known, Hājī Khān, a distinguished slave of Sher Khān, besieged Narnaul with a large force.
319.6
Rajah Bihārī Mal Kacwāha, who by the favourable grace of the Shāhinshāh, became one of the officers of the Sultanate, and rose to a rank superior to that of all the Rajahs and Raises in India, and whose sons and grandsons and whole clan rose to high rank and great office, as will be stated in their proper places, was then with Hājī Khān. Majnūn Khān Qāqshāl, the jagirdar, was shut up in Narnaul, and the garrison had become straitened. The Rajah on account of his goodness and foresight interposed, and having got peaceable possession of the fort, he sent Majnūn Khān to Court. When H.M. the Shāhinshāh ascended the throne and Delhi was being governed by Tardi Beg Khān, the latter proceeded against Hājī Khān, and after delivering Narnaul followed him into Mewat. There he chastised many of the wicked and obstinate, and then returned to Delhi where he managed affairs with the courage of prudence. At the same time Shaikh Gadāī Kambo, of Delhi, came from Gujrat and entered into service. As during the time of the sojourn in Gujrat he had behaved well to Bairām Khān and shown him kindness, he was recompensed, now that Bairām Khān had the reins of power in his hand, by being promoted to honour, and by being made Sadr, and spent his days with respect among his contemporaries. As the rainy season was near at hand, H.M., with a view to the repose and comfort of his people, ordered a return, and made the town of Jalandhar his camping ground.
319.7
The rose-garden of the world was refreshed by justice, and for nearly five months the sublime army lived in enjoyment in that pleasant spot. The ambassadors of ‘Abdu-r-rashīd Khān the ruler of Kāshghar came and did homage. They presented valuable gifts and received favours from the shadow of God. The brief account of this is as follows : — ‘Abdu-r-rashīd Khān always kept up the ties of relationship, and sought a protection for himself by laying the foundation of accord with the noble family. H.M. Jahānbānī Jinnat Āshiyānī also always treated him with kindness and urbanity. One instance of this was that at the time the expedition to India was in his lofty contemplation he had sent Khwāja ‘Abdu-l-Bārī, who was of the noble line of Naqshbandī Khwājahs, to Kāshghar. He now returned, and was honoured by saluting the threshold of fortune. The ruler of Kāshghar sent M. Sharafu-d-dīn Husain along with him, both to offer condolences (for Humāyūn’s death) and to express felicitations. Khwāja ‘Abdu-l-Bārī is son of Khwāja ‘Abdu-l-Khāfi, son of K. ‘Abdu-l-Hādī, son of Khwājagān Khwāja, own son of K. Ahrār,—may his grave be holy! . . . K. Mu’īn, son of K. Khāwand Mahmūd, younger brother of K. ‘Abdu-l-Hādī, son of Khwājagān Khwāja. M. Sharafu-d-dīn Husain came on account of these connections along with K. ‘Abdu-l-Bārī and entered H.M.’s service.
319.8
The Mīrzā was also of high family on the mother’s side, for his mother was Kīcak Begum, daughter of Mīr ‘Alā-al-Mulk of Tarmiz, and of Fakhr Jahān Begum daughter of H.M. Khāqān Sa‘īd Sultān Abū Sa‘īd M. He soon attained high rank, and became an Amīr-al-Umrā, for he added good service to his high rank, and, by passing off his outward show as a representation of his inner nature, made pretensions to the exalted dignity of sincerity. This is a Court where people turn a grain of sincerity into a world. Let no wrong thought prove a stumblingblock to you (O reader), and do not say that to show this man (Sharafu-d-dīn) favour above his rank was to transgress the laws of justice. The place of justice is one thing, and the station of benevolence is another, though in matters of this kind an increase of trust on the part of this spiritual and temporal Lord (Akbar) is a means of applying a test, and of ascertaining character, by administration of the world’s wine which o’erthrows the unmanly and sets up the virile. Extraneous nobility is liable to hundreds of molestations, and granting that these molestations (i.e., temptations) be avoided, outward associations and superficial relationships do not result in the attainment of the desired object. Inward links and intrinsic purity of soul are required in order that a true test may be applied by the touchstone of sincerity.
319.9
How many members of the world’s noble families come to the sublime court and make pretensions to loyalty and sincerity! But as the dust of the dominion-guarding threshold is a touchstone for human gems, their merits and demerits are soon revealed, and meet with their fitting recompense. Those who were pure within, and were endowed with real nobility, rose in rank day by day, and those who made an embroidered robe of outward purity the veil of inward nastiness, and sold barley while passing it off as wheat, were in the end involved in loss and ignominy and became disgraced for ever and ever. Accordingly, the case of M. Sharafu-d-din Husain, and of hundreds like him, has been a warning to the wise and the reflecting. The relation of a small portion of the history of each in its proper place will open the path of auspiciousness to the generality of mankind. During the time that the camp was at Jalandhar Kamal Khan Gakhar, son of Sultan Sarang, younger brother of Sultan Adam, warmly followed up the old loyalty, and attained the blessing of kissing the threshold. He became the recipient of princely favours, and was included in the list of officers. He did good service in the war with Hērnū and at Mankot, etc., and became the object of special attentions from H.M. the Shahinshah.