The Memoirs of Jahāngīr (Jahāngīrnāma) 21.3
The Tūzuk-i-Jahāngīrī (Rogers, Beveridge) 21.3
- Language
- English
21.3.1
At the time when I sent Khan ‘Alam to Persia, I had sent with him a painter of the name of Bishan Das, who was unequalled in his age for taking likenesses, to take the portraits of the Shah and the chief men of his State, and bring them. He had drawn the likenesses of most of them, and especially had taken that of my brother the Shah exceedingly well, so that when I showed it to any of his servants, they said it was exceedingly well drawn. On the same day Qasim K., with the Bakhshi and Diwan of Lahore, had the good fortune to do homage. Bishan Das, the painter, was honoured with the gift of an elephant. Baba Khwaja, who was one of the auxiliaries of Qandahar, was accorded the mansab of 1,000 personal and 550 horse. On Tuesday, the 3rd, Madaru-l-mahammi (centre of important affairs) I'timadu-d-daula made ready his army. Inasmuch as the charge of the Panjab is entrusted to his agents, and he has also various jagirs in Hindustan, he held a review of 5,000 horsemen.
21.3.2
As the area of Kashmir is not such that its produce may suffice for the expenses of the force that is always on service with the servants of the army of prosperity, and as, in consequence of the report (of the approach) of the glorious and victorious standards, the price of grains and vegetables had risen very high, an order was given, for the comfort of the public, that those servants who were in attendance on the royal stirrup should arrange their retinues, and only taking with them those who were indispensable, should send the remainder to their jagirs, and in the same way should take every precaution to reduce as far as possible the number of their beasts and followers. On Thursday, the 10th, my fortunate son, Shah-Jahan returned from Lahore, and had the good fortune to do homage. Having honoured Jahangir Quli K. with a dress of honour, a horse and an elephant, I gave him leave to proceed with his brothers and sons to the Deccan. On this day Talib Amuli received the title of Maliku-sh-shu‘ara (king of poets), and was clothed in a dress of honour. His origin was from Amul. For some time he was with I‘timadu-d-daula. As the merits of his style surpassed that of his contemporaries, he was enrolled among the poets of the throne. The following couplets are by him : Verse. “ Spring longs to rifle thy parterre, For the flowers in thy hand are fresher than those on his branch. I’ve so closed my lips from speech that you’d say ‘ His mouth is but a scar on his face.’ ”
21.3.3
Verse. “ Both first and last, Love is aye music and joy — A pleasant wine both when fresh and when mellow.” Verse. “ Were I glass instead of body, I’d reveal thee to thyself without thy unveiling. Two lips have I ; one for drinking. And one to apologize for drunkenness.” On Monday, the 14th, Husaini s. Sultan Qiwam produced this quatrain : Quatrain. “ A speck of dust sprinkled on thee from thy skirt Becomes Solomon’s collyrium; from the moisture of thy face, Were the earth at thy door examined. The sweat of kings’ brows would exude.” At this time Mu'tamid K. repeated a quatrain which greatly pleased me, and which I entered in my common-place book : Quatrain. “ You give me the poison of parting to taste, (and say) ‘ What matters it ?’ You shed my blood and expel me (and say), ‘ What matters it ?’ O, heedless of what your dividing sword can do. Sift my dust and then you’ll know.” Talib [i.e., Baba Talib) is by family an Isfahani. In his early youth he went to Kashmir clothed as an ascetic and calendar, and from the beauty of the place and the pleasantness of the climate set his heart on the country and settled there. After the conquest of Kashmir he joined the service of the late king (Akbar), and became enrolled among the servants of the Presence. His age is now nearly 100 years, and he is now with his sons and dependants in Kashmir, engaged in praying for the everlasting State.
21.3.4
As it was reported to me that in Lahore one Miyan Shaikh Muhammad Mir by name, who was a Darvish, a Sindi by origin, very eloquent, virtuous, austere, of auspicious temperament, a lord of ecstasy, had seated himself in the corner of reliance upon God and retirement, and was rich in his poverty and independent of the world, my truth-seeking mind was not at rest without meeting him, and my desire to see him increased. As it was impossible to go to Lahore, I wrote a note to him, and explained to him the desire of my heart, and that saint, notwithstanding his great age and weakness, took the trouble to come. I sate with him for a long time alone, and enjoyed a thorough interview with him. Truly he is a noble personage, and in this Age he is a great gain and a delightful existence. This suppliant for Grace was taken out of himself by companionship with him, and heard from him sublime words of truth and religious knowledge. Although I desired to make him some gift, I found that his spirit was too high for this, and so did not express my wish. I left him the skin of a white antelope to pray upon, and he immediately bade me farewell and went back to Lahore.
21.3.5
On Wednesday, the 23rd, I pitched my camp at Daulatabad. A daughter of a gardener was brought before me who had a moustache and a thick beard as big as the hilt of a sword. Her appearance was like that of a man. There was hair in the middle of her chest as well, but she had no breasts. I discovered by her appearance that she ought not to have children. I told some women to take her aside and examine her, as perhaps she might be a hermaphrodite. They found she was in no way different from other women. I have recorded this in this volume on account of its strangeness.
21.3.6
On Thursday, the 24th, Baqir K., having come from Multan, had the good fortune to pay his respects. In the preceding pages it has been recorded that Allah-dad, s. Jalala Tariki, had deserted from the victorious army and taken the road to ruin. He now repented, and through Baqir K. petitioned I‘timadu-d-daula for pardon. At the latter’s request I ordered that if he repented of what he had done, and turned his face in hope towards the Court, his crimes would be forgiven. On this day Baqir K. brought him to Court, and at the intercession of I‘timadu-d-daula, the traces of disgrace and the dust of sorrow were washed off his forehead with the pure water of pardon. Sangram, Zamindar of Jammu, was honoured with the title of Raja and the mansab of 1,000 personal and 500 horse, and was exalted with the gift of an elephant and a dress of honour. Ghairat K., faujdar of the Du-ab, was promoted to the mansab of 800 personal and 500 horse. Khwaja Qasim received the rank of 700 and 250 horse, and Taham-tan Beg, s. Qasim Koka, received that of 500 personal and 300 horse. I gave Khan ‘Alam a private elephant with trappings. From this stage, having given Baqir K. the mansab of 1,500 personal and 500 horse, I dismissed him again to his Subadarship. On Monday, the 28th, I pitched in the pargana of Karohl, which is on the bank of the Bihat (Jhelam).
21.3.7
As this hilly country is one of the established hunting-places, the huntsmen, according to order, had come on in advance and prepared a jarga (ring in which game is enclosed). On Wednesday, the 1st of the Divine month of Isfandarmuz, they drove in the game from six koss. On Thursday, the 2nd, they brought them into the enclosure, where 101 head of mountain sheep and gazelles were taken. As Mahabat K. had been prevented from the good fortune of coming before me for a long time, I ordered, at his request, that if he was satisfied with the order of affairs, and was not troubled with regard to any occurrence, he should leave his forces at their posts (thānas), and come to Court unattended. On this day he had the good fortune to kiss the threshold, and presented 100 muhars as nazar. Khan ‘Alam was promoted to the mansab of 5,000 personal and 3,000 horse. About this time a written report came from Nuru-d-din Quli that he had repaired the Punch road, and levelled the defiles as far as possible, but that snow fell for some days and nights, and lay on the kotāls to the depth of three cubits. It was still falling, and if I would delay outside the hills for a month, I could cross by that route, otherwise it appeared difficult. As my intention in this undertaking was to see the spring and the sprouting of bloom, my chance of seeing this was lost by this delay, and I necessarily turned my rein, and the royal standards proceeded by the way of Pakli and Damtur.