The Memoirs of Jahāngīr (Jahāngīrnāma) 20.6
The Tūzuk-i-Jahāngīrī (Rogers, Beveridge) 20.6
- Language
- English
20.6.1
On the 3rd, after four gharis of day had passed, I marched on from that stage, and having traversed 5 1/2 koss by the river at four gharis of the day, arrived at the next stage. After midday I left the boat and caught seven partridges (durraj). At the end of the day I gave Rs. 20,000 to Sayyid Hasan, the ambassador (of Persia), as a present, and a dress of honour of gold brocade with a jewelled jiqha (turban-ornament), and an elephant, and gave him leave to return, and sent for my brother with him a jewelled jug made in the shape of a cock, which could hold my usual stint of wine. It is hoped that it may reach its destination in safety. I gave leave to Lashkar K., who had been appointed to the defence and government of Agra, with a gift of a dress of honour, a horse, an elephant, drums, and a jewelled dagger. Ikram K. was promoted to the mansab of 2,000 personal and 1,500 horse, and to the duty of faujdar of the Sarkar of Mewat. He is s. Islam K., who was the grandson of the venerable asylum of pardon Shaikh Salim, whose excellency of person and approved disposition and connection in blessing with this illustrious family have been described in these pages with the pen of sincerity. At this time I heard from a certain person whose words are adorned with the light of truth that at the time when I was sick and weak at Ajmir, before this evil news arrived in the province of Bengal, one day Islam K. was sitting in private, when he suddenly became unconscious.
20.6.2
When he came to himself he said to one of his confidants, of the name of Bhikan, that it had been shown him from the world of mysteries that the holy person of the Emperor had been attacked by sickness, and that the remedy for it was to sacrifice for him something that was exceedingly dear and precious to himself. It at first occurred to him to sacrifice for the head of the revered one his own son Hushang, but as he was young in years and as yet had derived no profit from life, and not attained to the desire of his heart, he had compassion on him, and would sacrifice himself for his lord and master. He hoped that as this was from the bottom of his heart, and the sincerity of his being, it would be accepted at the throne of Allah. The arrow of prayer at once reached the target of acceptance, and he perceived himself afflicted with weakness and disease. Verily, verily, the disease increased till he reached the neighbourhood of the compassion of God (he died). The Great Physician bestowed from the hidden dispensary complete recovery on this suppliant.
20.6.3
Although the late king (the lights of Allah be his testimony!), was much attached to the children and grandchildren of the Shaikh-ul-Islam, and bestowed favours on them all according to the capacity and aptitude of each, yet when the turn of rule came to this suppliant, they received great kindnesses in order to perform what was due to that revered one (Salim Chishti), and many of them attained to the high nobility, and were advanced to the posts of head of Subahs, as has been brought to record each in its own place. As in this village the eunuch Hilal K., who was one of my attendants from the time when I was prince, had built a saray, and made a garden, he made an offering to me. In order to dignify him I took a trifle from him. After marching four stages from this halting-place, the army of prosperity encamped outside Mathura. On Thursday, the 8th, I went to see Bindraban and the idol temples of that place. Although in the time of the late king the Rajput nobles had built temples after their fashion, and ornamented them highly on the outside, inside them bats and owls (abābīl) had made their abode to such an extent, that on account of the malodours one could not breathe. Verse. “Outside, like an infidel’s grave, full of cracks, Inside, the anger of God, the honoured and glorious.”
20.6.4
On this day Mukhlis K., according to order, came from Bengal, and had the good fortune to kiss the threshold. He gave 100 muhars and 100 rupees as nazar, and by way of offering, a ruby and jewelled aigrette (turra). On Friday, the 9th, Rs. 600,000 of treasure for the maintenance (zahīra) of the fort of Asir were sent to the Commander-in-Chief, Khan-khanan. In the foregoing pages, something has been written about Gosa’in Jadrup, who lived as a hermit in Ujain. At this time he changed his residence to Mathura, which is one of the greatest places of worship of the Hindus, and employed himself in the worship of the true God on the bank of the Jumna. As I valued his society, I hastened to wait on him, and for a long time enjoyed his company without the presence of any stranger. In truth, his existence is a great gain to me : one can be greatly benefited and delighted.
20.6.5
On Saturday, the 10th, the huntsmen represented that there was in that neighbourhood a tiger that greatly troubled and injured the ryots and wayfarers. I immediately ordered them to bring together a number of elephants and surround the forest and at the end of the day myself rode out with my ladies. As I had vowed that I would not injure any living thing with my own hand, I told Nur-Jahan to shoot at him. An elephant is not at ease when it smells a tiger, and is continually in movement, and to hit with a gun from a litter (imari) is a very difficult matter, insomuch that Mirza Rustam, who, after me, is unequalled in shooting, has several times missed three or four shots from an elephant. Yet Nur-Jahan B. so hit the tiger with one shot that it was immediately killed.
20.6.6
On Monday, the 12th, my desire to see the Gosa’in Jadrup again increased, and hastening to his hut, without ceremony, I enjoyed his society. Sublime words were spoken between us. God Almighty has granted him an unusual grace, a lofty understanding, an exalted nature, and sharp intellectual powers, with a God-given knowledge and a heart free from the attachments of the world, so that, putting behind his back the world and all that is in it, he sits content in the corner of solitude and without wants. He has chosen of worldly goods half a gaz of old cotton (kirpas) like a woman’s veil, and a piece of earthenware from which to drink water, and in winter and summer and the rainy season lives naked and with his head and feet bare. He has made a hole in which he can turn round with a hundred difficulties and tortures, with a passage such that a suckling could hardly be put through it. These two or three couplets of Hakim Sana’i (may God have mercy on him !) appeared appropriate :