The Memoirs of Jahāngīr (Jahāngīrnāma) 29.5
The Tūzuk-i-Jahāngīrī (Rogers, Beveridge) 29.5
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- English
29.5.1
During these days Mahabat K. was continually capturing, by messages and letters, the afflicted hearts of a number of men who out of timidity and confusion had accompanied Bi-daulat. When men read the lines of despair on the page of his (Shah Jahan’s) condition, letters also came from that side, asking for agreements (qaul). After Bi-daulat came out of the fort of Mandu, he in the first instance sent forward a body of Bargis, and after them he sent Rustam K., Taqi, and Barq-andaz K. with a body of musketeers. Then he sent Darab K., Bhim, Bairam Beg, and his other active men. As he could not resolve to give battle in person, he was continually looking backwards. He crossed the war-elephants over the Narbadda with the artillery waggons, and went himself unattended behind Darab and Bhim, turning his face of ruin towards the battle. On the day when the royal camp was pitched at Kaliyadaha, Bi-daulat sent his army against the victorious forces, and stationed himself with Khan-khanan and a few men at the distance of a koss in the rear. Barq-andaz K., who had made an agreement with Mahabat K., was lying in wait. When the armies were ranged opposite to each other, he got his opportunity, and attacked with a body of musketeers, and joined the royal army, crying out. “Success to King Jahangir!” When he reached Mahabat K., the latter took him to wait on my fortunate son Parwiz, who bestowed royal favours upon him. Previously he bore the name of Baha’u-d-din, and was a servant of Zain K.
29.5.2
After the latter’s death he enlisted among the Turkish gunners. As he was active in the performance of his duty, and had a band of men with him, considering him worthy of patronage, I gave him the title of Barq-andaz K. When I sent Bi-daulat to the Deccan, I put him at the head of the artillery, and sent him with him. Although in the beginning he placed the scar of curse on the forehead of his obedience, yet in the end he turned out well and came at a good time. On the same day Rustam, who was one of his (Shah Jahan’s) chief servants, and on whom he had perfect reliance, when he found that Fortune had turned away from him, made a compact with Mahabat K. By the guidance of good fortune and reliance on God, he, with Muhammad Murad Badakhshi and other mansabdars, left the ill-fated army, and joined that of the illustrious prince. Bi-daulat’s hand and heart were paralyzed on hearing this news, and he suspected all his own servants, and still more the royal servants he had with him, of faithlessness and unreliability. During the night he sent for the men who were in front, and decided on flight, and in bewilderment crossed the Narbadda. At this time, again, some of his servants took the opportunity of separating themselves from him, and joined the service of my fortunate son. Each of them received favours according to his condition. On the day that he crossed the river Narbadda, a letter fell into the hand of one of his men, that Mahabat K. had written in answer to Zahid’s K.
29.5.3
letter, making him hopeful of the royal favour, and urging him to come in. This they sent direct to Bi-daulat, and he, becoming suspicious of Zahid K., imprisoned him with his three sons. Zahid K. is s. Shaja‘at K., who was one of the Amirs and trusted servants of my revered father. I had patronized this wretch in consideration of his claims of service and of his position as a house-born one (khana-zad), and given him the title of Khan and the rank of 1,500, and had sent him with Bi-daulat for the conquest of the Deccan. When I summoned the Amirs of that quarter on account of the business of Qandahar, although a special farman of urgency was sent to him, the wretch did not come to Court, and gave himself out as an adherent and devoted servant of Bi-daulat. After the defeat near Delhi, he turned back. Though he had not a family, he had not the good fortune to pay his respects, or to cleanse the dust of shame and the stain of sin from the tablet of his forehead. At last the True Recompenser caught him on this day, and his property, to the extent of one lac and Rs. 30,000, was confiscated by Bi-daulat. When thou hast done evil, think not thyself free of calamities For retribution is according to natural law.
29.5.4
Briefly, Bi-daulat having quickly crossed the Narbadda, drew all the boats over to that side, and having secured the fords with men that he trusted, he left Bairam Beg, his Bakhshi, with a force of trustworthy men and a body of the Bargis from the Deccan on the bank of the river. Taking the artillery-waggons, he himself went towards the fort of Asir and to Burhanpur. Meanwhile Taqi, his servant, caught the runner whom Khan-khanan had sent to Mahabat K., and took him to Bi-daulat. This couplet was written on the margin of the letter : Hundreds are watching me Otherwise I’d fly away from trouble. Bi-daulat sent for him with his sons from his quarters, and showed him the writing. Although he made excuses, he could give no answer that could be listened to. In short, he kept him with Darab and his other sons in surveillance near his own station, and the lot he had himself drawn — viz., that hundreds were watching him — happened to him. At this time I gave Ibrahim Husain, the servant of my prosperous son who had brought the report of the victory, the title of Khush-khabar K., with a dress of honour, and an elephant, and sent a gracious farman to the Prince and Mahabat K. by Khawass K. I also sent with him a pahunchi (bracelet) of great value to my son (Parwiz) and a jewelled sword to Mahabat K. As Mahabat K. had done approved service, I gave him the mansab of 7,000 personal and horse.
29.5.5
Sayyid Salabat K., having come from the Deccan, had the good fortune to pay his respects, and received special favours. He was one of those employed in the Deccan. When Bi-daulat, having been defeated near Delhi, went to the fort of Mandu, he placed his children in independent territory under the protection of God, and went off by secret routes to pay his respects (to me). Mirza Hasan, s. Mirza Rustam Safawi, having obtained leave to proceed to his appointment as faujdar of Bahraich, was given the mansab of 1,500 personal and 500 horse, original and increased. Having sent Lad Beg, Superintendent of the Record Department, to my fortunate son Shah Parwiz, I sent with him a special dress of honour and a nadiri for him, and a turban for Mahabat K. Khawass K., who had previously been sent to him and had returned, waited upon me with good news (of him). Khana-zad K., s. Mahabat K., was given the mansab of 5,000 personal and horse.
29.5.6
At this time I enjoyed myself for a day with hunting nilgaw. Whilst I was hunting I saw a snake the length of which was 2½ yards, and its girth equal to three cubits (dast). He had swallowed half a hare, and was in the act of swallowing the other half. When the huntsmen picked him up and brought him to me, the hare fell out of his mouth. I ordered them to put it into its mouth again, but they could not do it, however much they exerted themselves; but by using great violence the corner of his mouth was torn to pieces. After this I ordered them to open its belly. Thereupon another entire hare came out. They call this kind of snake chital in Hindustan, and it grows so large that it swallows a hog-deer (kotah-pacha) entire; but it is not poisonous, and does not bite. One day during the same hunt I shot a female nilgaw, and two fully formed young ones were found inside. As I heard that the flesh of nilgaw fawns was delicate and delicious, I ordered the royal cooks to prepare a du-piyaza (a kind of rich fricassee). Certainly it was not without flavour.
29.5.7
On the 15th of the Divine month of Shahriwar Rustam K., Muhammad Murad, and several other servants of Bi-daulat, who under the guidance of good luck had separated themselves from him and entered the service of my fortunate son Shah Parwiz, according to orders came to Court, and had the good fortune to kiss the threshold. Having promoted Rustam K. to the mansab of 5,000 personal and 4,000 horse, and Muhammad Murad to that of 1,000 personal and 500 horse, I made them hopeful of daily increasing favours. Rustam K. by extraction is a Badakhshi, His name was Yusuf Beg. He is connected with Muhammad-quli of Isfahan, who was agent for and prime minister of Mirza Sulaiman (of Badakhshan). He was first of all in the service of the Court, passed his days mostly in the Subahs. He was included among the smaller mansabdars. Having been deprived of his jagir for some reason, he came to Bi-daulat, and entered his service. He had a perfect knowledge of tiger-hunting. He also did good service with him, especially in the affair of the Rana. Bi-daulat selected him out of all his servants, and made him an Amir. As I bestowed much favour on him (Shah Jahan), at his request I gave him the title of Khan, with a standard and drums. For some time he conducted as his agent the government of Gujarat, and did not manage badly. Muhammad Murad is the son of Maqsud Mir-ab (butler), who was one of the old servants of Mirza Sulaiman and Mirza Shah-rukh.