Halat-i Asad Beg 1: Murder of Abu-l Fazl.
Wikáya, of Asad Beg (Elliot & Dowson, extracts) 1
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Murder of Abu-l Fazl.
1.1
This least of the servants of Allah, Asad, son of Muhammad Murad, has written the following: When the auspicious life of the most learned Nawab, Shaikh Abu-l Fazl, son of Shaikh Mubarak, came to a close, and that most excellent of the men of genius of his age and most rare one of his time was killed at Sarai Barar, a dependency of Sironj, at prayer time on Friday, the 7th of Rabi’u-l awwal, in the year 1010, and when the news of that dire calamity and dreadful event reached that shadow of God, the Emperor Akbar, he was extremely grieved, disconsolate, distressed, and full of lamentation. That day and night he neither shaved, as usual, nor took opium, but spent his time in weeping and lamenting. It was then that the love of that Emperor of the world shone forth; for in the midst of his distressing grief and uneasiness, he thought of the author of these lines, and said to those around him, “What has become of Asad?” They, not knowing what had happened to this broken-winged one, could not answer. Just then Mirza Ja’far Asaf Khan came in, and could not refrain from weeping, on seeing his sovereign in the depths of grief and sorrow. His lord asked him what news he had of Asad? whether he was with Abu-l Fazl, or not?
1.2
That noble chief, drying his tears, replied with courtesy, “Asad Beg was with him as far as Sironj, but the deceased Shaikh appointed him to govern the conquered provinces in Malwa, leaving with him the troops he had brought from the Dakhin, while he himself, taking those which Gopal Das Nakta had enlisted in Malwa, set off for the Court. Asad was most unwilling to obey, and being much distressed, he begged permission to escort him to Gwalior; but the Shaikh would not consent, and left him with his veterans at Sironj. It is pretty certain that Asad was not with him in the fight.” The Emperor immediately ordered Asaf Khan instantly to write a farman with his own hand to Asad, ordering him to leave all the followers of the deceased Shaikh with Gopal Das at Sironj, and to come with his own people to Court as soon as possible. Asaf Khan sat down, and did as his lord directed, then sealing it with his seal, delivered it to Miyan Gada, with orders to send it by one of his own brothers to Asad at Sironj, and bring him away with his attendants.
1.3
It was decreed by the will of Providence, that the most learned should travel thus, and his fortune was perfidious; therefore it was that, following the advice of Gopal Das Nakta, he went unattended and unguarded to the place of his death, as I will now explain: When that most learned one reached the city of Sironj, the wretched villain Gopal Das had been for a long time ruler of those parts, and had raised about 300 irregular cavalry, most of them low Rajputs, who did not receive more than twenty rupees a month. Meanwhile that learned one, and we also, had heard in the Dakhin the account of Raja Nar Singh Deo’s depredations, and never a day passed but despatches on this subject reached us from Abu-l Khan and the rest of our faithful friends. Still, Fate so ordered it, that that learned one never paid the least heed to them. When we reached Sironj, Gopal Das persuaded him that the troops which he had brought with him from the Dakhin were many of them sick and fatigued from the speed of their march, and that it would be well to provide for them there, leaving them with Asad Beg to fight against Indrajit Bundela, and taking with him as his guard the fresh troops which he had raised. The ill-fated learned one agreed to this unwise proposition, and throwing away his life, preferred those fresh troops, who had never faced a single enemy, to his own victorious soldiers, tried in a thousand fights. In fact, many of these men did not even arrive in time to be of any use.
1.4
He had taken Gadai Khan the Afghan and his son with him, but left their troops with me; had he but had a hundred of them with him, that disastrous accident had never occurred. True, Gadai Khan was a tried courageous man, but he fought alone; he fell, charging the enemy; his son escaped with a wound. Another Afghan, Jalal Khan by name, charged and fell; and two others, Salim Khan and Sher Khan, were taken prisoners, and put to death for refusing to betray the most learned. Mansur Chabuk too, one of the Nawab Khan-khanan’s servants, who had resigned his former office and come to Sironj, under pretence of turning fakir, and had been employed in the kitchen, charged and fell; he was of the Turkoman race. Mirza Muhammad Khan Beg was also among the slain, as well as Jabbar Khassa-khail, an Abyssinian, who was with them. When the Nawab was pierced and fell, he slew the Rajput who had wounded him, and rushed upon the enemy. He had still life in him when Nar Singh came up with the main body. He first trod Jabbar under foot, and then cut off the head of the great 'Allami. Excepting those I have mentioned, all, whether veterans or raw troops, escaped. Had they set off, as Mirza Muhsin, son-in-law of Fazl Khan of Badakhshan, advised, when he told them that robbers were lying in wait, they would have arrived safely; but as Fate had decreed, so it occurred; there was no help for it.
1.5
The day when the deceased 'Allami gave me a dress of honour and a horse at Sironj, and dismissed me in the presence of Gopal Das, Mahdi 'Ali the Kashmirian, and all the attendants, with tearful eyes, I entreated to be allowed to escort him as far as Gwalior with the troops that he had left with me; but he would by no means consent, for the hour of that great man had arrived, and it was decreed that he should go. When he mounted to start, I too mounted, in order to follow him; but he peremptorily forbade me to do so, or even to come out of my house, and dismissed me from that place. * *
1.6
When 'Allami arrived at Sarai Barar and dismounted from his horse, a religious beggar came to him, and told him all particulars about Nar Singh Bundela, how he intended to attack him the next day on his march; but he only dismissed him with a present of money, such as he used to give to others of his class. That night he passed in careless security. On Friday morning he rose, and, performing his ablutions, clothed himself in the white garments usually worn on Friday, and in the gold-embroidered robes of victory. He then courteously dismissed all who had attended him from the neighbouring provinces on the part of the jagirdars and receivers of revenue, such as the servants of Mirza Rustam, who had a jágír in the neighbourhood, and had sent forty or fifty horsemen, and Shaikh Mustafa, governor of Kalabagh, who had a guard with him, and several other persons of that sort, amounting in all to about 200 horsemen, who would have been of great service had he retained them. But it is in vain to lament. When Fate droops its wing from heaven, the most able men become deaf and dumb.
1.7
As the sun rose, that rising sun set off with Ya’kub Khan, with whom he was at that time very familiar. The attendants hearing the drum beat for marching, prepared to follow. The private tent of Abu-l Fazl was yet standing, when the troops of the Bundela appeared from behind the Sarai with a shout, and fell upon the camp. All the attendants who were ready, mounted and escaped along the road, while Mirza Muhsin of Badakhshan, who was in the act of mounting, got on his horse and advanced towards the robbers to reconnoitre. When he had gone a little way, he came upon Nar Singh’s main body. After carefully surveying these forces from an eminence, he, like a courageous man, cut his way through them all, horse and foot, and reached ’Allami. As soon as he came up with the escort, he saw at a glance that they were all quite off their guard, marching in disorder, careless, and without their arms. Going forward, he reported what he had seen of the robbers. As soon as the Shaikh heard it, he halted, and asked him what was to be done. He advised him to proceed rapidly. The Shaikh said, “You mean we are to fly?” He answered, “It is not flying; only let us go on thus,” and, striking his spurs into his horse, he set forward at a rapid pace, saying, “Let us proceed in this way; as I am going, so do you go, as far as Gwalior.”
1.8
While ’Allami was halting thus long, a troop of the robbers caught the elephant which bore the standard and drum, and fell upon the escort; so the fighting commenced. The Shaikh turned back, and had just reached the drum and ensign, which was at the distance of a bow-shot, when the noise of Nar Singh’s army, which consisted of about 500 horsemen clad in mail, was heard. Gadai Khan the Afghan, with several other armed horsemen who were on in front, charged, and seizing the bridle of the Shaikh’s horse, exclaimed, “What have you to do here? Do you begone! This is our business.” With these words that brave soldier attacked the enemy, with his son and others before mentioned, and fell. At that moment one of the strangers in the company said, “The robbers are armed, and your attendants are not; we had better escape to the skirts of the hills; perhaps we may save our lives.” So he took the bridle of the Shaikh’s horse and turned about. Just then the robbers made an onslaught, spearing every man within reach. A Rajput came up and struck the Shaikh with a spear in the back, so that it came out through his breast. There was a small stream in the place, and the Shaikh tried to leap his horse over it, but he fell in the attempt. Jabbar Khassa-khail, who was close behind, slew that Rajput, and then dismounting, drew the Shaikh from under his horse and carried him a little off the road; but as the wound was mortal, the Shaikh fell.
1.9
Just then Nar Singh coming up with the rest of the Rajputs, Jabbar concealed himself behind a tree. But the horses of the Shaikh attracted the attention of Nar Singh, and he halted. The driver of the Shaikh’s female elephant was with him, and pointed out his wounded lord. As soon as Nar Singh saw him, he dismounted, and taking his head upon his knees, began to wipe his mouth with his own garment. Jabbar, observing from behind the tree that Nar Singh was in a compassionate mood, came forward and saluted him. Nar Singh asked who he was. Just then the Shaikh unclosed his eyes. Nar Singh, sitting as he was, saluted him, and telling his attendants to bring the farman, said to the Shaikh with blandishment, “The all-conquering lord has sent for you courteously.” The Shaikh looked bitterly at him. Nar Singh swore that he would carry him in safety to him. The Shaikh began to abuse him angrily. Nar Singh’s attendants then told him he would not be able to convey him away, for the wound was mortal; upon hearing which, Jabbar drew his sword, and, slaying several Rajputs, had nearly reached Nar Singh, when they killed and trampled him under foot. Nar Singh then rose from the Shaikh’s head, and his attendants despatched him, and, cutting off the head of that great one, started off, meddling with no one else, but even releasing those whom they had taken prisoners.