Muntakhab al-lubab 17: Dara Shukoh.

17

[vol. ii. p. 42.] After leaving Lahore, Dara Shukoh busied himself in raising forces, and in winning the hearts of the dwellers in those parts. He made promises and engagements in writing to the zamindars and faujdars, to conciliate them and augment his army. So he collected nearly twenty thousand horsemen. He wrote to his brother Shuja', and made the most solemn promises and oaths, that after bringing the country into subjection they would divide it between them in a brotherly way. These deceitful and treacherous letters deceived Shuja', and although he had received kind and assuring letters and promises from Aurangzeb, the foolish fellow busied himself in collecting forces, and marched from Dacca to the assistance of Dara Shukoh, with a strong army and a large force of artillery. It was Dara Shukoh's desire to celebrate his accession to the throne at Lahore, and to have his name placed upon the coins and repeated in the khutba; but the power of the sword of Aurangzeb prevented this. The zamindars and faujdars of name and station, hearing of the decline of the fortunes of Dara and the rise of the fortunes of Aurangzeb, forsook the former.