[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Mughals (1526–1857)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal) › [Akbar (1556–1605)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.akbar) › [Akbarnāma](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.akbar.akbarnama) › [The Akbarnama (H. Beveridge), vols. I–II](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.akbar.akbarnama~en-beveridge) › 54 # The Book of Akbar 54: THE HONOURED NAMES OF THE BLISSFUL NURSES AND moulded cherishers (qawābil-i-rūhānī-qawālib) of his Majesty, the king of kings. The Akbarnama (H. Beveridge), vols. I–II 54 - **Language:** English ### THE HONOURED NAMES OF THE BLISSFUL NURSES AND moulded cherishers (qawābil-i-rūhānī-qawālib) of his Majesty, the king of kings. ### [54.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.akbar.akbarnama~en-beveridge.54.1) lightsome day of his creation arrived, at once was Heaven envious of Earth for his passing, and Earth exultant at his august advent. The status of knowledge became exalted, and with rites which are the divine Light—already was sight and outward show, was that holy bathed and composed by the ministers of radiance-darting, chaste, rose-bodied nymphs. Even-tempered, spiritually-minded nurses swathed the divine form and heavenly boy in auspicious swaddling-bands, purer than angelic veils, and laid him with respect and reverence in the sacred arms and bosoms of pure-dispositioned ones. And then his honied lips being brought in contact with the benign breasts, his mouth was sweetened by the life-giving fluid. Verse. He drew forth milk by the bounty of his Milk and sugar were commingled. It was not milk he drank from the breast ’Twas water from the Sun’s fountain that he As the nobly-born Shamsu-d-dīn Muhammad of a good service at Kanauj, his Majesty Jahānbānī shortly before the rising of this light of fortune, in recompense of his deed, made him hopeful of with the majestic boon, that his high-souled, who has now the lofty title of Anaga—the fruit of the spring-tide head-dress (mi‘jar) and mantle of distinction, by the blissful charge of the service of nursing this newly and kindly. ### [54.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.akbar.akbarnama~en-beveridge.54.2) Accordingly her Majesty, Maryam-makānī, Qudsī-arkān (Pillar of Purity) having sent for that adorner of Heaven’s table (i.e., celestial caterer) placed in an auspicious moment, the child-treasure in her hopeful bosom. But as the period of pregnancy of this purely-framed nurse was not yet fulfilled, her Majesty ordered that receptacle of chastity, Dāyā Bhāwal—a special servant of his Majesty Jahānbānī, and distinguished for virtue and purity—to suckle the infant. It appears that first of all, he accepted the milk of his royal mother. Then Fakhr-u-nisā, wife of Nadīm Koka was honoured by the charge, then Bhāwal Anaga, then the wife of Khwāja Ghāzī, temperament so that the familiar with who came to India. A. F. calls him Khwaja Ghazi Tabrizi and says that he was distinguished for his knowledge of accounts and made a diwan by Humayun, and was subsequently, for a long time, excluded from Court and only returned at the end of his life to the Court of Akbar when his intellect was enfeebled by age. Bayazid calls him Khwaja Ghazi Shirazi and says, Humayun made him a diwan when he was in the Takht-i-Sulaiman country. The fact of his long exclusion from Court and of his being entered in the Grandees of the Ain or of the Tabaqat, might explain, supposing him Maham Anaga's husband, (see note at end of chapter) why no mention is made of him in that relation. ### [54.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.akbar.akbarnama~en-beveridge.54.3) He drew forth milk by points Milk and sugar were commingled. It was not milk he drank from thy breast 'Twas water of life from the living fountain. smiles of opening bud they a phantom and framed of were commingled After (which the carp Sandal-wood and lign-aloes civet and rose-leaves, whose corners and sides they had hung rubies and pearls, was laid with gentlest movement that unique pearl on a mother o'pearl, and then they softly swayed and rocked the cradle, and soothing, they chaunted with musical rhythm the name-auspicious to begin with and fitting as a close-of the Creator the Lord of Glory and Bounty. The inmates of holy hermitages and those who live Jahanbam king of kings, to the curtain Majesty Maryam Syamsu-d-din Mu auspicious litter. Acc Sha bim ft in a fortunate Highness Maryam-makani on the on the 11th her in the arms of her parted in a ceiling litter. The cavalcade approaches with the king of both worlds in its wake, The caravan of joy goes forth to meet him. ### [54.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.akbar.akbarnama~en-beveridge.54.4) And on the last day of Sha'ban which was the day for the glorious alighting, and when the camp of good fortune was only one stage distant, his Majesty (Humayun) was pleased to observe “Assuredly the child is compact of auspiciousness, of potent horoscope and has the good fortune of the two worlds enfolded in him, as he draws nigh, there is another assemblage of spectators in the upper world who exhibit a virgin joy.” What marvel is it that the pure soul and illumined intellect of his Majesty Jahanbani Jannat Till it cap Fate’s pe Till she ) The work Heaven’s vou — «Ain thee. ### [54.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.akbar.akbarnama~en-beveridge.54.5) in cloisters.” The next expression Sakinān-i-majāmi‘-i-ins may mean dwellers in mosques ” as the note to this passage in No. 564 seems to hold, but I am inclined to think that here it means laymen or those who carry on the affairs of the world, in opposition to the solitaries and ascetic. What A. F. intends to say is, I think, that by Akbar’s birth, everybody attained their desires, that is both the lonely ascetic and the worldling, and thus the whole universe was benefited. It may however be that the two classes of holy men are intended viz., anchorites and men who live in monasteries or congregations of saints. I admit too, that this interpretation seems to agree better with what follows, viz the description of such persons “preserving the stars from wrong.” But see Text (87) where we are told that the preparations for the revelation of the unique Pearl (Akbar) were completed, as now the stages of solitude and society had been traversed. not aor; that the we are told other nurses prince from accepting. ### [54.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.akbar.akbarnama~en-beveridge.54.6) Though Anaga seems has not always this meaning. Pavet de Courteille says (Turkish dictionary, 57) “nourrice, sage-femme, gouvernante; on donne aussi a la mere du Khan le titre de anaga.” We find also that the mother of Cingiz Khan had this title, her name being given in the Akbarnama (I. 72, top line) as “Olun Anaga” though Erdmann spells it Eke. Apparently the Turkish pronunciation is Enge. See Redhouse s. v. He states that it means a sister-in-law, the wife of an elder brother or lady-relative of a bridegroom who is sent to fetch the bride home. A. F. sometimes calls Maham Anaga, Maham Bega and Maham Agha, and it is generally by the title of Bega that Bayazid Sultan speaks of her in the so-called Tarikh-i-humayun. (I. O. Ms. No. 216). He calls her (15) Maham Bega and adds the explanation ke agha anaga Nawab-i-'ishan bud, i.e., who was head of the Prince's nurses. And then follows the statement that she was accompanied by Jiji Anaga, wife of Shamsu-d-din Mu. Ghaznawi who was the Prince's nurse (anaga). (Unless indeed the word is atgah and refers to Shamsu-d-din.) ### [54.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.akbar.akbarnama~en-beveridge.54.7) In the Akbarnama (II. 55) we are told that Maham Anaga had served the prince from his cradle, but it does not follow that she first did so in the capacity of wet-nurse. It may be remarked too that the fact of our not hearing that she had a husband or a child of about Akbar's age militates against the notion that she was his wet-nurse. Though her son, Adham Khan was a young man at the time of his death, he was probably several years older than Akbar as otherwise Bayazid would hardly have named him in the list of servants in Akbar's train at the time when Humayun marched to India. ### [54.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.akbar.akbarnama~en-beveridge.54.8) -āshyānī should be cognizant of the Divine secrets and be aware of the truths hidden in celestial treasuries? Or how is it strange that there should be an epiphany on the apparition of his Majesty, the king of kings, the shadow of God, the archetype of the strange frontispieces of the universe, and collection of the catalogues of the perfections of the sons of Adam? And in an hour which held the auspicious influences of the conjunctions of the two Fortunes and of the two luminaries (the Sun and Moon), his Majesty (Akbar) alighted with felicity and dominion at the majestic and glorious enclosure, and became fortunate by arriving at the station of light and took repose under the shadow of the phoenix (humā) of eternal prosperity. The blessed crown (tārak, i.e., crown of the head) of his Majesty, the king of kings, was made fortunate by touching the throne-brushing feet of his Majesty Jahānbānī and by becoming united to a perfect saint (pīr). The latter took him lovingly in his arms and kissed him on the luminous brow, the tablet of the fortunes of the two worlds and title-page of happiness everlasting. Verse. Whiles he held him to his lip, whiles to his heart, and whiles to his head. After gazing on this holy light, the inspired tongue engaged in returning thanks to the Lord God, Most High and Most Glorious, and the pole-star-like head was lowered in supplicating prostration at the portals of the All-sufficient One. Verse. ### [54.9](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.akbar.akbarnama~en-beveridge.54.9) Not only was the head ever bowed, Each hair of his body also bent in adoration. The guardians of the Divine bounty and the infinite auspiciousness delivered that deposit of eternal future—into the king’s gracious bosom and warbled, sweet and low, this strain of thanksgiving. Verse. This is the Divine deposit. Ask of this treasury whatever thou desirest. This is he in whose heart they placed Essential substance, verity absolute. This is he whose threshold’s ka‘ba Is seized upon by kings as their altar (qibla). This is he who hath the foot of dominion, Enlightener of the throne royal. Readers of the page of the human countenance beheld him with the eye of meditation and reflection and physiognomists perused him with the glance of consideration and contemplation. Verse. What did they see? A picture such as never Did they see in Creation’s tables. From astonishment naught did they say, save Hail, Light of Wisdom, Eye of Insight, hail. ### [54.10](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.akbar.akbarnama~en-beveridge.54.10) Kingly lights shone from his lustrous brow. The letters "Shadow of God" were apparent in the lines of his palm. The processes of Reason were visible in the composite of his substance, and notes of Theosophy were manifest in his whole being. Justice was demonstrated in the evenness of his temperament. Proofs of beneficence were revealed in the essence of his nature. The signs of a Lord of Conjunction shone out from the fair schedules of his merits. Knowledge of occult sciences was evidenced in the noble records of his constitution. Remote mysteries were visible to his keen sight. Far-reaching thoughts streamed out from his searching glance. --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.akbar.akbarnama~en-beveridge.54](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.mughal.akbar.akbarnama~en-beveridge.54) · Pramāṇa