The Nāṣirī Generations 170.2
Tabakat-i-Nasiri 170.2
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170.2.1
The Sipah-Salar, ’Ali-i-Kar-makh, who was the Wali [Governor] of Multan, was located at Lohor, and the father of the author of this work, Maulana Saraj-ud-Din-i-Minhaj, the Wonder of his Age, and Most Eloquent of 'Ajam, became the Kazi of the forces of Hindustan, and, dressed in an honorary robe, conferred upon him by Sultan Mu’izz-ud-Din, in the audience hall [or tent] of the camp he established his Court of Judicature. Twelve camels were assigned to convey his tribunal [on the march]. The mercy of the Almighty be upon him, and upon the orthodox Sultans of the past, and the Musalman Maliks of the present! After these events the Sultan-i-Ghazi set out on his return to Ghaznin, taking along with him Khusrau Malik; and from the court of Ghaznin sent him to the court of Firuz-koh, to the presence of the Sultan-ul-A’zam, Ghiyas-ud-Din. From thence Khusrau Malik was sent into Gharjistan and imprisoned within the castle of Balarwan, and it was commanded that his son, Bahram Shah [by name], should be detained within the walls of the fortress of Saif-rud of Ghur; and, when the outbreak and sedition of Sultan Shah Khwarazm-Shahi arose in the year 587 H., they martyred Khusrau Malik and his son Bahram Shah. The mercy of the Almighty be upon them all!
170.2.2
Subsequent to these events, the Sultan-i-Ghazi caused the forces of Islam to be organized, and advanced against the fortress of Tabarhindah, and took that stronghold, and made it over [to the charge of] Malik Ziya-ud-Din, the Kazi Muhammad-i-’Abd-us-Sallam, Nisawi, Tulaki. This Kazi, Ziya-ud-Din, was the son of the uncle of the maternal grandfather of the writer of this History, [namely] Kazi Majd-ud-Din, Tulaki. At his [Kazi Ziya-ud-Din’s] request, they selected twelve hundred horse from the forces of Hindustan and of Ghaznin, all men of Tulak, and the whole of them were ordered to join his khayl [band or division], and were located within that fortress, under the stipulation that they should hold it for the period of eight months, until the Sultan-i-Ghazi should return again from Ghaznin; but the Rae Kolah Pithora, however, had arrived near at hand, and the Sultan marched to Tara’in to meet him. The whole of the Ranas of Hind were along with the Rae Kolah.
170.2.3
When the ranks were duly marshalled, the Sultan seized a lance and attacked the elephant on which Gobind Rae Rae [Rajah] of Dihli, was mounted, and on which elephant he moved about in front of the battle. The Sultan-i-Ghazi, who was the Haidar of the time, and a second Rustam, charged and struck Gobind Rae on the mouth with his lance with such effect that two of that accursed one's teeth fell into his mouth. He launched a javelin at the Sultan of Islam and struck him in the upper part of the arm and inflicted a very severe wound. The Sultan turned his charger’s head round and receded, and from the agony of the wound he was unable to continue on horseback any longer. Defeat befell the army of Islam so that it was irretrievably routed, and the Sultan was very nearly falling from his horse. Seeing which, a lion [hearted] warrior, a Khalj stripling, recognized the Sultan, and sprang up behind him, and, supporting him in his arms, urged the horse with his voice, and brought him out of the field of battle. On the Musalman forces not seeing the Sultan, lamentation broke from them, until they reached a place where the defeated army was safe from pursuit by the infidels. army was formed into a circle. Mahommed, who was in person in the center (sic) of the line when first formed, was told that his right and left wings were defeated, and advised to provide for his own safety.
170.2.4
Enraged at this counsel, he smote the imprudent adviser, and rushed on towards the enemy, among whom he commenced, with a few followers, a great slaughter. The eyes of Candi Ra, king of Delhi, fell upon him. He drove the elephant, upon which he was mounted, directly against him. Mahommed, rising from his horse, threw his lance with such force at the elephant, that he drove out three of his back teeth [the elephant’s ! !]. In the meantime the King of Delhi, from above, pierced the Sultan through the right arm, and had almost thrown him to the ground ; when some of his chiefs advanced to his rescue. This gave an opportunity, to one of his faithful servants, to leap behind him as he was sinking from his horse, and, supporting him in his arms, he carried him from the field, which, by this time, was deserted almost by his whole army. The enemy pursued them near forty miles.” circle. Mahomed Ghoory was in person in the centre of his line, and, being informed that both wings were defeated, was advised to provide for his own safety. Enraged at this counsel, HE CUT down the messenger, and, rushing on towards the enemy, with a few followers, committed terrible slaughter. The eyes of ’Chawand Rae falling on him, he drove his elephant directly against Mahomed Ghoory, who, perceiving his intention, charged and delivered his lance full into the Raja’s mouth, by which many of his teeth were knocked out.
170.2.5
In the meantime, the Raja of Dehly pierced the king through the right arm, with an ARROW [ ! !]. He had almost fallen, when some of his chiefs advanced to his rescue. This effort to save him gave an opportunity to one of his faithful servants to leap up behind Mahomed Ghoory, who, faint from loss of blood, had nearly fallen from his horse, but was carried triumphantly off the field, although almost wholly deserted by his army, which was pursued by the enemy nearly forty miles, &c. Maurice, Murray, Elphinstone, Marshman, and Meadows Taylor, and probably others, such as Mill and Thornton, take their accounts from the above versions of Dow and Briggs. Marshman adds, “He was pursued for forty miles by the victorious Hindoos, and was happy to escape across the Indus,” perhaps unaware that he remained at Lahor till his wound was healed [as Dow states] and that there was no pursuit at all. Firishtah, from the revised text of Briggs has as follows: — “In 587 H., he [Shihab-ud-Din] determined to enter Hindustan, and he took the fort of Pathindah [but the MSS. I have examined have Bathindah] which, in that day, had become the capital of Rajahs of great dignity, out of the hands of the men of the Rajah of Ajmir. He left Malik Ziya-ud-Din, Tulaki, in that fortress, with 1200 horsemen, each and every one of whom was selected and a picked man ; and was desirous of returning.
170.2.6
Suddenly, information reached him, that Pitho Rae, Wali [a ruler, a prince, the governor of a province] of Ajmir, in concert with his brother, Khandi Rae, Wali of Dihli, and bringing along with them several Rajput Rajahs, were advancing, by regular marches, with an army of 200,000 horse, and 3000 elephants, with the determination of retaking the fort of Pathindah [Bathindah?]. Sultan Shihab-ud-Din, abandoning his intention of returning [to Ghaznin], advanced to meet them, and at the mauza’ [place, Suddenly the Sultan arrived. A number of Amirs district, village] of Tara’in, on the banks of the Sursuti, seven kuroh [a distance of rather less than fourteen miles] from Thani-sar, now known as Tarawari [but in several MSS. of Firishtah, which I have seen, it is not and forty kuroh from Dihli, an encounter and conflict took place. The right and left wings of Sultan Shihab-ud-Din having broke and faced about [it does not say that they were actually broken by the Hindus, and it appears to mean that they declined the onset, or recoiled], and not a great number remained in the centre either.
170.2.7
[There is not a word about his army forming a circle] At this juncture one of the Sultan's confidential attendants represented [saying] the Amirs of the right and left [wings] who were nourished by the beneficence and favours of your Court [or dynasty] not keeping their ground resolutely, have taken to flight, and the Afghan [Firishtah does not appear to have had authority for introducing Afghans here, from the statements of the contemporary writers of these times] and Khalj Amirs, who were the commanders of the advance, who continually boasted of their valour and prowess, are not to be found [seen], and, should you promptly [I give the exact words, except adopting the second person plural for the third] turn the reins of retrocession towards Lahor, it seems expedient [so to do].” This speech not agreeing with the Sultan’s temperament, he drew his sword from its sheath, and, with the troops [remaining] of the centre, charged the enemy's forces and commenced the conflict. [Firishtah then quotes some lines to the effect that both friend and foe lauded his prowess.] Suddenly the eye of Khandi Rae, the Sipah-Salar [commander of the army] of Dihli, falling on the Sultan, he urged the mountain-like elephant on which he was mounted towards the Sultan, who at once seized his spear and made towards him, and smote him in the mouth with such effect, that many of his teeth fell out. Khandi Rae likewise [i.e.
170.2.8
— which Briggs has read for arrow] showed the greatest audacity and agility, and, from the top of his elephant, inflicted such a wound [with what weapon not said] on the upper part of the arm of the Sultan that he was nearly falling from his horse. A Khalj youth on foot [there is not a word about his chiefs coming to his rescue] discovered it, jumped up behind him on the horse, and, taking the Sultan in his arms, bore him out of the battle-field, and conveyed him to the forces of the runaway nobles which were twenty kuroh off; and the tumult and disquiet which had arisen, consequent on the defeat of the army of Islam, and not finding the Sultan, subsided.” . . . There is not a word about