The Book of Akbar 342: CHAPTER XVII.
The Akbarnama (H. Beveridge), vols. I–II 342
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CHAPTER XVII.
342.1
did not possess a happy constitution, he did not separate that camel-driver’s son from himself, nor withdraw his hand from other evil deeds. Secretly he plotted wickedness, outwardly he showed improvement. Nasir-ul-Mulk continually vituperated his bad behaviour and strove for sending an army against him and for chastising him, while Bairam Khan took the part of ‘Ali Quli Khan and from his magnanimous nature regarded his lawless acts as unacted. His friends at court gave him weighty admonitions, and as that evil-doer could not turn back from his deeds he had recourse to tricks and stratagems. He sent a confidential servant named Burj ‘Ali to Court in the hope that he might perhaps put his affairs straight, and find a remedy for the agitations at Court. In those days Nasir-ul-mulk was all powerful, and political and financial affairs were committed to his weighty judgment. He followed loyalty from the bottom of his heart and did not regard the partiality of Bairam Khan. One day Burj ‘Ali, who belonged to the turbulent set of ‘Ali Quli Khan’s society, went to Nasir-ul-mulk, and uttered words which were out of all bounds. Accordingly the truth-recognising soul of Nasir-ul-mulk became indignant, and he ordered Burj ‘Ali to be stretched out and beaten with rods, and that he should be thrown from the tower of Delhi fort and flung into the moat of annihilation. Then he said, “This fellow is now an illustration of his own name (Burj, a tower).” Bairam Khan was much vexed at this.
342.2
He cherished revenge for it in his heart, and put off the punishment to another time. Among the dominion-increasing events which came to pass in Delhi at this time was the bringing to capital punishment of Musahib Beg the son of Khwaja Kilan Beg. This was effected by the loyal exertions of Nasir-ul-mulk, and it relieved mankind from his (Musahib’s) seditiousness. The brief account of this is that his futile soul was ever crammed with hypocrisy and his disposition compact of wickedness. Both in the time of H.M. Jahanbani Jannat Ashiyani and at the emergence of the world-adorning sun of H.M. the Shahinshah improper actions of his came to light. H.M. Jinnat Ashiyani used to call him Musahib-i-Munafiq (the hypocritical companion), as has already been mentioned.
342.3
At this time he spent part of his worthless days in the society of Abu-al-M‘aali, and in evil plottings, and another part in the Eastern Districts as one of the evil companions of ‘Ali-Quli Khan. He made his son ‘Ali Quli’s muhrdar (Sealer), and as the measure of his life was nearly full he came with evil intentions from there to Delhi. Bairam Khan imprisoned him and then sent him off to Mecca in company of trustworthy men. He had come out of his lodging (qadmgah), and was proceeding on his way, when his business was settled and his foot (qadm) went down to extinction. Nasir-ul-Mulk was the cause of this. By skilful management he brought Bairam Khan to have two pieces of paper, on one of which was written “Death” and on the other “Release”. These were to be spread out, and whichever of them should come out and fall face upwards should be regarded as the Divine Command, and acted upon accordingly. Fate favoured his design, and immediately persons were sent and he was brought to punishment. Among the improper things which occured this year was the slaying of Khwaja Jalalu-d-din Bujog. The brief account of this is that he was Padshah Quli, i.e., he was the king’s slave and did not go out of his way to pay homage to other men. Now the great men of the world look to the establishment of their own position, and like everyone to court and flatter them. Consequently many grandees of the empire did not like him.
342.4
Moreover he had the fault of levity and of making jokes, which perhaps is the worst of offences in the eyes of the great. He uttered pleasantries about the leaders of the age, and under the guise of witticisms—which the ignorant call agreeable facetiousness—he said things which were far from being proper, so that there was no one who did not carry in his side a wound from the thornbrake of his jesting. At this time when Ghaznin had been entrusted to him on the recommendation of Muhammad Quli Khan Barlās, designing persons got their opportunity and both embittered Mun‘im Khan’s mind, and revived his old desire of being revenged upon him. In India too they stirred up Bairām Khan to kill him, and so were the cause of still further troubling Bairām’s mind. Where is that far-seeing and good man who regards his master’s welfare and does not for his private ends make useful servants the target for the arrows of revenge, and who casts out of view his own loss or gain and exerts himself in bringing forward men of ability? When the Khwāja heard that Mun‘im Khan had given up his intention of going to India and that he was meditating revenge, he fell into great perplexity. He could not go to India for the Lord of the Age was behind the screen of insouciance, and Bairām Khan was very powerful. Considering that in the time of H. M.
342.5
Jahānbānī Jinnat Āshiyānī on account of some improper expression which had been conveyed to Bairām Khan the latter had taken the opportunity of finding Jalālu-d-dīn alone in the bath and had treated him with great ignominy, and in his anger had not had respect to H. M. Jahānbānī; now that his status was so high, and that the Lord of the Age was under the veil of inattention, how could he go before him? And what accusations the evil-hearted and oppressive would produce! Nor could he prevail upon himself to go to Kabul and see Mun‘im Khan who affected to be well-disposed towards him. Disloyalty too was in Jelālu-d-dīn’s estimation the worst of faults, and so he could not endure to turn away from the dominion conjoined with eternity to another country. Mun‘im Khan sent a number of people to give him confidence, and after having induced him to come by promises and agreement he put him in prison. After that they at his instigation lanced his eyes several times, but as his fate had not arrived, the brightness of his honest eyes was not dimmed. After some time when he was let go on the supposition that he was blind, he proceeded to Bangash and under the guidance of a Bangashī was on his way to India, so that he might by whatever means were possible, convey himself to the threshold of dominion; and that whatever unavoidable order might issue from his enemies (Bairām and others) he might at least be under the foot of his master.
342.6
When Mun‘im Khān heard of this he sent off some swift inquisitors. They caught him and his younger brother Jalālu-d-dīn Mas‘aūd, and Mun‘im Khān bound and imprisoned them. He was thinking how to get rid of them. At last he one night sent people to them and spilt the blood of these loyalists for his own shameful private ends! Bairām Khān too had drawn up and sent an order for putting them to death. H.M. the Shāhinshāh who in order to test the powerful, and for other reasons, was under the veil of inattention, was inwardly indignant on hearing of this proceeding, but left the retribution for it, as well as for other matters, to God the Creator and Adorner of the world, and in his wisdom said nothing. May Almighty God long preserve this exhibition of endurance in order that he may govern spiritually and temporally.