The Book of Akbar 376.4.1

376.4.1

While Bairam Khan was in Pattan he was continually visiting its gardens, &c., and one day he went on the great pond, which is a delightful excursion, and has within it a pavilion which can be reached by boat. At the time when he disembarked and was about to mount his equipage, that ignorant, unrighteous one and 30 or 40 other Afghan wretches came to the bank of the pond to attack Bairam Khan. It appeared as if they had come to pay their respects to him, and so he called them to him. When that villain went up to him he incontinently drew his dagger and struck Bairam Khan on the back with such force that the point came out at his breast. Another wretch struck him on the head with a sword and finished him. In such a condition did he, fortunate in his end, depart from this world with the words Allah Akbar (God is great) on his lips. He had the bliss of martyrdom which was ever his wish, and for which he asked in his morning prayers and for which he sought the prayers of the men of God. One day, in the very midst of his authority, one of the simple-minded Saiyids said, as he rose up to quit his levee, that he would say the Fatiha with the intention that the Nawab should obtain martyrdom ; Bairam Khan smiled and said, “My good Sir (Mir), why this commotion, and why this regret, we wish for martyrdom, but not in such a hurry.”