The Book of Akbar 380: BEGINNING OF THE SIXTH YEAR FROM THE SACRED ACCESSION, VIZ., THE ILAHI YEAR SHAHRIYUR OF THE FIRST CYCLE.
The Akbarnama (H. Beveridge), vols. I–II 380
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- English
BEGINNING OF THE SIXTH YEAR FROM THE SACRED ACCESSION, VIZ., THE ILAHI YEAR SHAHRIYUR OF THE FIRST CYCLE.
380.1
At this time of smiling fortune the standard of the procession of the New Year shone forth spiritually and physically, and the flag of the new spring-morning reflected mirrorwise the countenance of dominion and fortune. After 9 hours, 59 minutes of what is commonly called the night of Wednesday, but which was really Tuesday, 24 Jamada-al-akhiri 968 of the lunar year, 10 March 1561, the great Light and Illuminator of the universe cast its rays on the glorious mansion of the Ram and came into the increasing realms of the Shahinshah, and the sixth year from the holy accession, viz., the Ilahi year, Shahriyur began. The troops of flowers displayed their effulgence, and the odours of the gardens insinuated themselves into the brain of joy. Verse. The night-wandering winds brought back the zephyr from the stream. The New Year clouds again unfurled the flags from the hills, The former came swiftly like messengers of good tidings. The latter were like jewel-laden elephants moving in line, Hail the fragrance in which the perfumer (‘Attar) has no part. Glorious the broidery whose embroiderer is hid. The heavenly bodies gave the good news of peace and tranquillity from the prolongation of the shade of daily-increasing sovereignty. The movements of the spheres conveyed to time and terrene the news of the conquests of new territories.
380.2
When the victorious troops, who had girded up their loins for the conquest of Malwa, approached that country and ascertained the infatuation and arrogance of Baz Bahadar, who had exercised his power with highhandedness and tyranny, they drew up their ranks in proper array. Adham Khan and Pir Muhammad Khan were in the centre, ‘Abdullah Khan and a number of others were on the right wing, Qiya Khan Kang and others were on the left. The vanguard was commanded by Shah Muhammad Khan of Qandahar and Sadiq Khan. From innate insouciance Baz Bahādur did not concern himself with public affairs. Wine, which experts have prescribed, in small quantities and at fixed times, in consideration of the arrangement and composition of their bodily elements, for certain temperaments and constitutions, was made by this man, who was immersed in bestial pleasures, a cause of increased folly, and he was continually indulging in it, without distinguishing night from day or day from night, and was continually using it. Music and melody which the wise and farsighted have employed at times of lassitude and depression, such as arise from the press of business and the burthen of humanity, as a means of lightening the mind and of cheerfulness, were regarded by this scoundrel as a serious business, and he spent upon them all his precious hours—for which no exchange is possible. In the arrogance of infatuation he wrought works of inauspiciousness, and regarded not what has been said. Verse.
380.3
Observe some secrecy in your meetings Lest the watchman come in with sword-play. When the army of fortune came near to Sārangpūr, which was the fool’s paradise of this drunkard, he awoke in some measure from his insensate slumbers and came out from Sarangpūr, crapulous and wine-stained and took post three kos beyond it. He put his army in order and prepared for battle. He gilded the centre (qalb) with the base copper of his personality, and Selim Khan Khasga-khel, the governor of Raisin and Canderi, commanded the right wing. Adam commanded the left wing. Taj Khan Khasga-khel and Sufi who had the vapours of audacity in their brains commanded the vanguard. The armies faced one another at the distance of two or three kos, and the braves on both sides were continually coming out and encountering. They put the observance of the rules of wariness into the charge of men of skill while they themselves displayed intrepidity in combat. Every day a troop of gallant and capable men headed by an experienced loyalist, who possessed both abundant sense and abundant courage, proceeded to the flanks of the enemy and stopped the egress and ingress of the rebels, and especially of the convoyers of grain who in the language of India are called Banjara. They made the position of the enemy difficult. One day it was the turn of Shah Muhammad Khan Qandahari, Sadiq Khan, Payanda Muhammad Khan Moghal, Shah Fanai, Mihr ‘Ali Sildiz, Samanji Khan, and Muhammad Khwaja Kushtigir.
380.4
They set out after one watch of the night and losing their way they got on the other side of a body of the enemy and came near their stations. Of necessity a fight took place; and there was a fierce hand-to-hand engagement. When news of this was brought to the imperial camp, ‘Abdullah Khan, Qiya Khan Kang and a number of others galloped up and took part in the fight. Though at first Adam came out and fought like a Rustum and repulsed the victorious army, yet Sadiq Khan and a number of others skilfully took possession of a ravine and remained firm. The imperial troops came up and discomfited the enemy. A hand-to-hand fight took place between Qiya Khan and Selim Khan, and the former was victorious. Sadiq Khan and Qiya Khan joined their forces and repulsed Baz Bahadur who had driven off the troops in front of him. A watch and somewhat more of the day had passed when the breeze of victory blew from the vent of fortune and the bud of