The Book of Akbar 372: EXPEDITION OF THE SHAHINSHAH TO THE SIWALIK MOUNTAINS, AND THE COMPLETION OF THE AFFAIR OF BAIRAM KHAN.
The Akbarnama (H. Beveridge), vols. I–II 372
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EXPEDITION OF THE SHAHINSHAH TO THE SIWALIK MOUNTAINS, AND THE COMPLETION OF THE AFFAIR OF BAIRAM KHAN.
372.1
When it was ascertained that Bairam Khan had gone to Rajah Ganes at Talwara, which is a strong place in the midst of the hills, and was seeking protection there, the spiritual and temporal Khedive proceeded towards the Siwaliks on 18 Mihr, Divine month, corresponding to Tuesday 10 Muharram 968 1st October 1560, under the Divine protection, in order that the affair might be concluded without the chicanery of designing persons, and that the world might obtain tranquillity. The great camp was in Maciwara awaiting the arrival of H.M., when the Khedive of the earth came there, march by march. Mun‘im Khan and the other grandees went out to welcome him, and were exalted by performing the kornish. From thence they proceeded to carry out their object. On the way the Mir Munshi and Khwaja Sultan ‘Ali, who had fled at the time of the affair of Tardi Beg Khan, and had undertaken the journey to the Hijaz, were permitted to kiss the threshold. When the standards had been set up in the Siwaliks, an army of brave men entered the defiles and pressed forward. Many Hindu troops and their leaders, viz., hill Rajahs and Rayan, opposed their march, and there were several contests between them. There were great onsets on both sides, and Sultan Husain Jalair of the victorious army had the good fortune of martyrdom. The Rajahs were defeated and fled, and many of those ill-omened hill men were made the harvest of the sword.
372.2
When the rumour of the approach of the victorious standards reached Bairam Khan he came to think of his latter end and placed the head of justice in the collar of shame and repentance. He sent Jamal Khan, a trusted servant, with a request for pardon of his offences, and made excuses, viz., that on account of various occurrences which were the result of compulsion and not of his free will, the sweat of shame was on his brow, and the countenance of penitence on the earth; if H.M. would complete the skirt of fortune by affixing thereto the hem of forgiveness and would raise from the dust him who had fallen on the road of wretchedness, his was the head of supplication and here was the dust of the threshold. Jamal Khan arrived at the Shahinshah’s tent and delivered the petition. He also stated vivâ voce the purport of Bairām’s desires. H.M. the Shahinshah on account of his general benevolence, and special kindness, and in gratitude for so great a blessing, listened to his unheard of excuses, and, because his noble nature relishes forgiveness, he with an open brow and an expanding heart drew the line of pardon over all his offences. In order to assure him, he sent Maulana ‘Abdullah of Sultānpūr with some of his intimates along with Jamal Khan, in order that they might comfort Bairām Khan with the good news of pardon and favour and bring him to kiss the threshold. The deputies performed their office; but Bairam Khan’s mind was not consoled.
372.3
He said that he was ashamed and downcast for what he had done, and was deserving of every kind of punishment. His heart was at rest as regarded the graciousness and glorious kindnesses of the Khedive of the age, but he was in trepidation on account of the Caghatai grandees and the other imperial servants. If Mun‘im Khan would come and give him assurance and make oaths and vows he could by his instrumentality come forth from the rebels and perform the prostration. Then, having got leave, he could spend the remainder of his life in holy places, and could seek in humiliation and self-abasement the amendment and atonement of his crimes. As the sea of beneficence was in effervescence, this request of his was also granted. The standards of fortune were pitched in the town of Hājīpūr which is near the daman-i-koh, and between the Satlaj and the Biah, and Mun‘im Khan, Khwājah Jahān, Ashraf Khan, Haji Muhammad Khan Sistani were sent to assure Bairām Khan by promises of favour and to bring him to do homage. The envoys went with a few men into those wild defilés where he had taken refuge. There was a rush (or a crowd) of the ‘zamindars, and with a chivalry (hamiyat) which is rooted among the zamindars of India, they stood determined to sacrifice their lives. The envoys threaded the defiles and entered the fort where Bairam Khan was. As soon as Bairam Khan saw Mun‘im Khan he became reassured, and knew that the message which they had brought from H.M. the Shahinshah was genuine.
372.4
He came forward hopefully and embraced him, and showed excessive shame. Mun‘im Khan encouraged him by promises and covenants and took him towards the sublime threshold. Babai Zambur and Shah Quli Mahram laid their hands on Bairam Khan’s skirt and wept and lamented, saying that there was perfidy, and that he should not go. Though Mun‘im Khan and the other envoys soothed them, they were not satisfied. Apparently they were under apprehensions about themselves. Consequently when Mun‘im Khan said to them, “You remain here this night and wait for news, and after that, when your minds are composed, you will come and do homage,” they let Bairam Khan go, and themselves remained behind. Bairam Khan went on to the threshold of fortune. The royal army was waiting in the confines of the hills in expectation of events, and the opportunists (wāq‘i‘a talabān) were making various remarks when the goodly company (‘aizza) made their appearance. The royal army raised a shout and there was general rejoicing. The day was unpropitious to the sedition-mongers and their faces were blackened. He (Bairām) turned his face towards the sublime court, and in Ābān, Divine month corresponding to Muharram 968, he flung a handkerchief round his neck and made the prostration of shame and contrition. He laid his dust-strewn head at the sphere-traversing feet of H.M. the Shāhinshāh, partly with pain, partly with shame for his crimes, and partly with joy at his pardon, and wept aloud. H.M.
372.5
the Shāhinshāh accepted his excuses, and with his sacred hand raised Bairām Khān’s head from the ground of humiliation and embraced him. He took the cloth (fawta) from his neck and wiped from his face the tears of penitence and the dust of shame. With his gracious lips he inquired about his health and bade him sit on his right hand, as had been the rule when Bairām Khān was prime minister (vakīl). He bade Mun‘im Khān sit down beside him, while the other officers took their places according to their rank. With his gracious lips he uttered such words of kindness and favour that the dust of bashfulness and the mist of shame disappeared from his brow. Yet the word remains true. Verse. Though the crime be forgiven, shame abideth.
372.6
Thereafter he rose up and bestowed on Bairām Khān a glorious robe which he was wearing over his own breast, and gave him permission to go to the Hijāz. In accordance with vigilance and foresight, which are the basis of every act, especially of acts of sovereignty, he gave him as companions Tarsūn Muhammad Khān and Hājī Muhammad Khān Sīstānī. They were to be his guides to the confines of the empire, and were to conduct him in safety over the dangerous roads. They returned from the territory of Nāgor. One day Bairām Khān reproached Hājī Muhammad Khān Sīstānī, saying, “No one’s opposition and infidelity hurt me so much as yours; you forgot all your old obligations.” Hājī Muhammad Khān replied, “You in spite of all the claims to loyalty which H.M. Jahanbani Jinnat ‘Ashiyani possessed, and all his nurture of you, and all the kindnesses which you had received from H.M. the Shahinshah, showed yourself a rebel and drew the sword, and then occurred what has occurred. If I have left your society, what is there extraordinary? and what have I done?” Bairam Khan felt ashamed, and made no rejoinder. I have heard on good authority that Bairam Khan continually during that journey felt the pain which these forcible words had given him.
372.7
God be praised! The magnanimity and innate kindness of H.M. the Shahinshah made an impression on all hearts. This simple man, who was proud of his courage and his sagacity, awoke from his sleep of negligence and emerged from the whirlpool of rebellion. The sincere were exalted and the market of the seditious fell flat. The age received lustre, and mortals wore the face of joy. A letter from the Khan A‘azim Atga Khan has come to light, and as it gives accounts of various events, I give an exact copy of it in this Iqbalnama (record of fortune), so that the wise may receive instruction.