The Nāṣirī Generations 224: VI. MALIK NUSRAT-UD-DIN, TA-YASA’I.
Tabakat-i-Nasiri 224
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VI. MALIK NUSRAT-UD-DIN, TA-YASA’I.
224.1
Malik Nusrat-ud-Din, Ta-yasa’i, was the slave of the illustrious martyr, Sultan Mu’izz-ud-Din, Muhammad-i-Sam. He was a Turk of short sight, but Almighty God had adorned him with all manly virtues and humanity, and he was endowed with great resolution, gallantry, and vigour, and possessed perfect sense, and sagacity. At the time that the writer of this Tabakat, Minhaj-i-Saraj, attached himself to the sublime Shamsi court, Malik Nusrat-ud-Din, Ta-yasa’i, was the feudatory of Jind [Jhind], Barwalah, and Hansi. After some time, as he had performed approved services, two years subsequent to the taking of the fortress of Gwaliyur, the august Sultan [Shams-ud-Din, I-yal-timish] entrusted Bhianah and Sultan-kot to his charge, together with the Superintendency of the territory of Gwaliyur, and he received directions likewise to make Gwaliyur [the fortress] his residence. The contingents of Kinnauj, and Mahir [or Mihar], and Maha’un were all placed under his control, in order that he might undertake an inroad into the Kalinjar and Qiandiri territories. In the year 631 H. he accordingly led an army from Gwaliyur towards the Kalinjar country, and the Rae of Kalinjar fled discomfited before him. He plundered the townships of that territory, and, in a very short period, obtained vast booty, in such wise, that, in the space of fifty days, the Sultan's fifth share was set down at twenty-five laks [of jitals or dirams?].
224.2
On the return of Malik Nusrat-ud-Din, Ta-yasa’i, the Ranah of Ajar, Chahar, by name, occupied the route of the Musalman forces, and blocked up the road in the narrow parts of [some] deep ravines, and was drawn up [with his forces], at the head of the road, prepared to oppose their passage. Malik Nusrat-ud-Din, Ta-yasa’i, was somewhat weak in body [from sickness?] at the time, and he divided his force into three bodies, at the head of three roads—the first body consisted of the unincumbered horsemen [under his own command]; the second body of the baggage, material, and the followers of the force, with an Amir in charge; and the third consisted of the booty and the cattle with an Amir with it also. I heard Nusrat-ud-Din himself state, saying: Through the divine favour, never in Hindustan had an enemy seen my back; and, on that day, that Hindu fellow fell upon me like a wolf upon a flock of sheep. I divided my force into three bodies in order that, in the event of the Hindu confronting me and the unincumbered horsemen, the baggage and war material and cattle might pass on in safety, and, in case he should show a desire towards the baggage and war material or cattle, I, together with the auxiliaries of the true faith, would come behind him and take satisfaction on his malignity." The Hindu confronted Malik Nusrat-ud-Din's own division, and Almighty God gave him the victory.
224.3
The Hindus were routed, and numbers of them sent to hell, and he returned with his booty to the fortress of Gwaliyur in safety. An anecdote of an occurrence, showing his perfect sagacity, which happened during this expedition, which was made known [to the author], is here related, that readers may derive profit therefrom: and that anecdote is as follows. A milch sheep, from among his flocks, had been lost for some time — nearly a month and a half — during this inroad. One day, Malik Nusrat-ud-Din was moving round the camp among the tents, after the force had been encamped at that same place a week, and every one had set up something or other to shade himself. Suddenly, during his perambulation, the bleating of a sheep reached his ear. He immediately said to his attendants: That is the bleating of my sheep." They proceeded in the direction, and found that it was as that Amir-i-Ghazi had said: the animal was there, and they brought back the [stray] sheep again. Many other acts of his sagacity and intelligence occurred during this expedition, and one of them is as follows. At the time when the Rae of Kalinjar faced about and retired routed before him, Malik Nusrat-ud-Din, Ta-yasa'i, pursued him.
224.4
Having succeeded in obtaining a Hindu guide, he set out, on their track, in pursuit of the fugitive [Hindus] and pushed on for four nights and days, and part of the fifth night until half the night had passed, when the Hindu guide stated that he had lost the road, and was unacquainted with the route in advance. Malik Nusrat-ud-Din commanded so that they sent the Hindu to hell, and began to act as guide himself. So they reached some high ground at which place the fugitives had watered, and the cattle of their army had cast the water and heavy baggage away. In the victorious army every one said: “It is night and the enemy near: let it not be that we fall among them. Their camp must be near by.” Malik Nusrat-ud-Din, Tā-yasa’ī dismounted from his horse, and went up round the place on foot, and examined the water cast away by the horses of the infidels. He exclaimed [after his examination]: “Be of good cheer, my friends: the force, which is here and has watered here, is the rearmost column of the enemy’s army, by this proof.
224.5
Had it been the van or the main body, in this place would have been the tracks of the rest of their army, but, on this place, there are no tracks: keep up your hearts, for we are on the rear of the enemy!” With these prognostics of victory he remounted, and, at dawn the following morning, came up with those infidels, and sent the whole [!] of them to hell, and captured the canopy of state, and the standards of the Rae of Kālinjar, and returned in safety from that expedition. When the reign of the Sultān [Rukn-ud-Dīn, Fīrūz Shāh] terminated, and Malik Ghiyās-ud-Dīn, Muhammad Shāh [his brother], son of Sultān Shams-ud-Dīn, I-yal-timish, became the victim of misfortune, Sultān Raziyyat conferred [the fief of] Awadh upon Malik Nusrat-ud-Dīn, Tā-yasa’ī; and, at the period when Malik ’Alā-ud-Dīn, Jānī, and Malik Saif-ud-Dīn, Kūjī, advanced to the gate of the city [of Dihlī], and began to act in a rebellious manner, he set out from Awadh for the sublime Court of Sovereignty to render his services. Suddenly and unexpectedly, Malik Kūjī moved against him, and took Malik Nusrat-ud-Dīn, Tā-yasa’ī, prisoner. He was overcome by sickness at the time, and the malady carried him off, and he died The mercy of the Almighty be upon him!