The Book of Akbar 382: CHAPTER XXXIV.

382

Among the glorious victories which made this year illustrious was that won by Khan Zaman over the Afghans. Though Ali Quli Khan Zaman had no portion of the sweet-waters of loyalty—nay, did not understand his own loss or gain and was always regardless of the Shahinshah’s kindness and favour and was swiftly careering in the whirlpool of error,-yet as the veil over his actions had not been withdrawn, and he was giving himself out as one of the officers of eternal dominion he was, by the blessing of daily-increasing fortune successful in all his undertakings. At the time when Bairam Khan had left the scene the black-hearted and short-sighted Afghans thought they had their opportunity and exalted the son of Mubariz Khan, commonly known as ‘Adali, and gave him the name of Sher Khan. They gathered themselves together and determined to march against Khan Zaman and abolish him. Khan Zaman was aware of their designs and set about strengthening the fort of Jaunpir. He sent information to the neighbouring officers and, with the exception of Sikandar Khan Uzbeg, he collected them all together, viz., Bahadur Khan, Ibrahim Khan Uzbeg, Majnun Khan Qaqshal, Shaham Khan Jalair, Mir ‘Ali Akbar, Kamal Khan Gakhar and others. As the enemy was very strong, and had nearly 20,000 cavalry and 50,000 infantry, and 500 elephants, it was not judged prudent to advance and engage them. The Afghan wretches thought the respite was to their advantage and marched with a large force, and a complete equipment against Jaunpir, and encamped beside the Gumti on whose bank the city is situated. On the third day they, being drunk with the wine of presumption, crossed the river with their forces in battle-order. Sher Khan and Fatah Khan and a large body of troops proceeded towards the mosque of Sultan Husain Sharqi. They sent off on the right a large detachment under the command of Ya‘qub Khan, Fatti, Saiyid Sulaiman, Selim Khan Kharwar, and Jauhar Khan towards the Lal Darwaza, and despatched Hasan Khan Bachgoti, and Adam the son of Fatah Khan with a number of vain-glorious blackguards to the left towards the band of Shaikh Bahlul. Khan Zaman kept his men in hand according to rules and tactics (baturk-i-yasamish) and made ready for battle. Brave men who had their hearts in their hands and were ready to sacrifice life for honour came forth on every side and engaged in hand-to-hand combats. Grand heroes fell upon Hasan Khan Bacgoti and he chose the disgrace of fleeing before the hair-splitting archers. At this moment Sher Khan came up with a body of brave men who were eager for battle and fought valiantly. He drove off the victors into the city-lanes. The black-hearted Afghans thought they had won a victory and turned off in another direction. Meanwhile Khan Zaman took the lead with a number of determined men and retrieved the defeat. He assailed the enemy in the rear with arrows, and destroyed the futile success of the Afghans. By the Divine aid, which supports the eternal dominion, a great victory soon declared itself. Much booty and many noted elephants fell into the hands of the imperial servants. When partizans of the glorious dominion who are not pure of heart or possessed of right dispositions can rear such victorious standards, merely from their being connected therewith, how can the extent of the victories of the sincere and loyal be reckoned up?