The Memoirs of Bābur 933.9
The Bābur-nāma in English (A. S. Beveridge) 933.9
- Language
- English
933.9.1
Going on from that place, we halted one night, then dismounted at a spring situated on the bill of a mountain between Busāwar and Chausa[2142] (or Jūsa); there awnings were set up and we committed the sin of _ma'jūn_. When the army had passed by this spring, Tardī Beg _khāksār_ had praised it; he (or we) had come and seen it from on horse-back (_sar-asbgi_) and passed on. It is a perfect spring. In Hindūstān where there are never running-waters,[2143] people seek out the springs themselves. The rare springs that are found, come oozing drop by drop (_āb-zih_) out of the ground, not bubbling up like springs of those lands.[2144] From this spring comes about a half-mill-water. It bubbles up on the hill-skirt; meadows lie round it; it is very beautiful. I ordered an octagonal reservoir of hewn stone made above[2145] it. While we were at the border of the spring, under the soothing influence of _ma'jūn_, Tardī Beg, contending for its surpassing beauty, said again and again, (_Persian_) "Since I am celebrating the beauty of the place,[2146] a name ought to be settled for it". `Abdu'l-lāh said, "It must be called the Royal-spring approved of by Tardī Beg." This saying caused much joke and laughter.
933.9.2
Dost Lord-of-the-gate coming up from Bīāna, waited on me at this spring-head. Leaving this place, we visited Bīāna again, [Sidenote: Fol. 328b.] went on to Sīkrī, dismounted there at the side of a garden which had been ordered made, stayed two days supervising the garden, and on Thursday the 23rd of Rajab (_April 25th_), reached Āgra. (_l. Chandwār and Rāprī regained._) During recent disturbances, the enemy, as has been mentioned,[2147] had possessed themselves of Chandwār[2148] and Rāprī. Against those places we now sent Muḥammad `Alī _Jang-jang_, Qūj Beg's (brother) Tardī Beg, `Abdu'l-malik the armourer, and Ḥasan Khān with his Daryā-khānīs. When they were near Chandwār, Quṯb Khān's people in it got out and away. Our men laid hands on it, and passed on to Rāprī. Here Ḥusain Khān _Nūḥānī's_ people came to the lane-end[2149] thinking to fight a little, could not stand the attack of our men, and took to flight. Ḥusain Khān himself with a few followers went into the Jūn-river (Jumna) on an elephant and was drowned. Quṯb Khān, for his part, abandoned Etāwa on hearing these news, fled with a few and got away. Etāwa having been named for Mahdī Khwāja, his son Ja`far Khwāja was sent there in his place.[2150] (_m. Apportionment of fiefs._) When Rānā Sangā sallied out against us, most Hindūstānīs and Afghāns, as has been mentioned,[2151] turned round against us and took possession of their _parganas_ and districts.[2152]
933.9.3
Sl. Muḥammad _Dūldāī_ who had abandoned Qanūj and come [Sidenote: Fol. 329.] to me, would not agree to go there again, whether from fear or for his reputation's sake; he therefore exchanged the 30 _laks_ of Qanūj for the 15 of Sihrind, and Qanūj was bestowed with an allowance of 30 _laks_ on Muḥammad Sl. Mīrzā. Badāūn[2153] was given to Qāsim-i-ḥusain Sulṯān and he was sent against Bīban who had laid siege to Luknūr[2154] during the disturbance with Rānā Sangā, together with Muḥammad Sl. Mīrzā, and, of Turk amīrs, Bābā Qashqa's Malik Qāsim with his elder and younger brethren and his Mughūls, and Abū'l-muḥammad the lance-player, and Mu'yad with his father's Daryā-khānīs and those of Ḥusain Khān _Daryā-khānī_ and the retainers of Sl. Muḥammad _Dūldāī_, and again, of amīrs of Hind, `Alī Khān _Farmūlī_ and Malik Dād _Kararānī_ and Shaikh Muḥammad of Shaikh _Bhakhārī_(?) and Tātār Khān Khān-i-jahān. At the time this army was crossing the Gang-river (Ganges), Bīban, hearing about it, fled, abandoning his baggage. Our army followed him to Khairābād,[2155] stayed there a few days and then turned back. (_n. Appointments and dispersion for the Rains._)
933.9.4
After the treasure had been shared out,[2156] Rānā Sangā's great affair intervened before districts and _parganas_ were apportioned. During the respite now from Holy-war against the Pagan (Sangā), this apportionment was made. As the Rains were near, it was settled for every-one to go to his _pargana_, get equipment [Sidenote: Fol. 329b.] ready, and be present when the Rains were over. (_o. Misconduct of Humāyūn._) Meantime news came that Humāyūn had gone into Dihlī, there opened several treasure-houses and, without permission, taken possession of their contents. I had never looked for such a thing from him; it grieved me very much; I wrote and sent off to him very severe reproaches.[2157] (_p. An embassy to `Irāq._) Khwājagī Asad who had already gone as envoy to `Irāq and returned with Sulaimān _Turkmān_,[2158] was again joined with him and on the 15th of Sha`bān (_May 17th_) sent with befitting gifts to Shāh-zāda T̤ahmāsp. (_q. Tardī Beg khāksār resigns service._) I had brought Tardī Beg out from the darwīsh-life and made a soldier of him; for how many years had he served me! Now his desire for the darwīsh-life was overmastering and he asked for leave. It was given and he was sent as an envoy to Kāmrān conveying 3 _laks_ from the Treasury for him.[2159] (_r. Lines addressed to deserting friends._)
933.9.5
A little fragment[2160] had been composed suiting the state of those who had gone away during the past year; I now addressed it to Mullā `Alī Khān and sent it to him by Tardī Beg. It is as follows:—[2161] Ah you who have gone from this country of Hind, [Sidenote: Fol. 330.] Aware for yourselves of its woe and its pain, With longing desire for Kābul's fine air, You went hot-foot forth out of Hind. The pleasure you looked for you will have found there With sociable ease and charm and delight; As for us, God be thanked! we still are alive, In spite of much pain and unending distress; Pleasures of sense and bodily toil Have been passed-by by you, passed-by too by us. (_s. Of the Ramẓān Feast._) Ramẓān was spent this year with ablution and _tarāwiḥ_[2162] in the Garden-of-eight-paradises. Since my 11th year I had not kept the Ramẓān Feast for two successive years in the same place; last year I had kept it in Āgra; this year, saying, "Don't break the rule!" I went on the last day of the month to keep it in Sīkrī. Tents were set up on a stone platform made on the n.e. side of the Garden-of-victory which is now being laid out at Sīkrī, and in them the Feast was held.[2163] (_t. Playing cards._) The night we left Āgra Mīr `Alī the armourer was sent to Shāh Ḥasan (_Arghūn_) in Tatta to take him playing-cards [_ganjīfa_] he much liked and had asked for.[2164] (_u. Illness and a tour._) (_August 3rd_) On Sunday the 5th of Ẕū'l-qa`da I fell ill; the illness lasted 17 days.
933.9.6
(_August 24th_) On Friday the 24th of the same month we set out to visit Dūlpūr. That night I slept at a place half-way; [Sidenote: Fol. 330b.] reached Sikandar's dam[2165] at dawn, and dismounted there. At the end of the hill below the dam the rock is of building-stone. I had Ustād Shāh Muḥammad the stone-cutter brought and gave him an order that if a house could be cut all in one piece in that rock, it was to be done, but that if the rock were too low for a residence (_`imārat_), it was to be levelled and have a reservoir, all in one piece, cut out of it. From Dūlpūr we went on to visit Bārī. Next morning (_August 26th_) I rode out from Bārī through the hills between it and the Chaṃbal-river in order to view the river. This done I went back to Bārī. In these hills we saw the ebony-tree, the fruit of which people call _tindū_. It is said that there are white ebony-trees also and that most ebony-trees in these hills are of this kind.[2166] On leaving Bārī we went to Sīkrī; we reached Āgra on the 29th of the same month (_August 28th_). (_v. Doubts about Shaikh Bāyazīd Farmūlī._) As in these days people were telling wild news about Shaikh Bāyazīd, Sl. Qulī _Turk_ was sent to him to give him tryst[2167] in 20 days. (_w. Religious and metrical exercises._) (_August 28th_) On Friday the 2nd of Ẕū'l-ḥijja I began what one is made to read 41 times.[2168] In these same days I cut up [_taqṯi`_] the following couplet of mine into 504 measures[2169]:—
933.9.7
"Shall I tell of her eye or her brow, her fire or her speech? Shall I tell of her stature or cheek, of her hair or her waist?" On this account a treatise[2170] was arranged. (_x. Return of illness._) [Sidenote: Fol. 331.] On this day (_i.e._ 2nd Ẕū'l-ḥijja) I fell ill again; the illness lasted nine days. (_y. Start for Saṃbal._) (_Sep. 24th_) On Thursday the 29th of Ẕū'l-ḥijja we rode out for an excursion to Kūl and Saṃbal.