The History of Shēr Shāh (Tārīkh-i Shērshāhī) 3.21
Táríkh-i Sher Sháhí of 'Abbás Khán Sarwání (extracts) 3.21
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3.21.1
When Sher Sháh heard that the Afghan retainers had displayed such gallantry and bravery, he was much pleased ; but in public severely reprimanded those who had risked an engagement in defiance of his orders. After some days, he gave fitting rewards to every one of them, and good appointments and jagirs, and said, "The gallantry you have displayed has been made known to me; now look at my work, and see what I shall do to this fort." After this Sher Shah issued an order that they should bring all the brass in camp and make mortars (degha) of it. When, according to his order, they had brought all the brass that was in the bazar or in the tents of the soldiery, in pots, dishes, and pans, they made it all into mortars, and when they were finished he ordered them to bombard the fort from all simultaneously. When they had battered the fort and breached it in all directions, Puran Mal became alarmed, and after the lapse of six months, he came out himself to Sher Shah, who said to him, "I grant you quarter, and the government of Benares; provided you give up the families of the Musulmans whom you have enslaved." Puran Mal replied: "I had none of these families in slavery, neither am I the Raja; I am but his deputy. I will go to him, and I will say whatever you order me, and see what he replies." Sher Khan permitted him to go.
3.21.2
When he went up into the fort, he got together all his jewels, and sent to Sher Khan to say, "I dare not again face your presence, but do you first go away two marches from the fort. I will come out and give up the fort to your soldiers, and go myself to other countries. And if your eldest son 'Adil Khan and Kutb Khan Banet will bind themselves by promise and oaths that I shall suffer no injury in property or person, I will come with my women and family out of the fort." Sher Shah told 'Adil Khan and Kutb Khan Banet what Puran Mal said, and ordered them to satisfy him and bring him out. Kutb Khan Banet went up to the fort, and binding himself by solemn oaths, brought Puran Mal out of the fort of Raisin with his family and wives. Kutb Khan requested that some encamping ground for Puran Mal might be selected, and Sher Shah indicated a spot in the midst of his encampment, and Kutb Khan himself accompanied Puran Mal to the spot Sher Shah had directed.
3.21.3
After some days the widows of the chief men of Chanderi and others waited for Sher Shah by the road-side, and cried out to him. Sher Shah asked who they were, and ordered them to be brought to him. They said : " We have suffered from this inhuman and malignant infidel all kinds of tyranny and oppression. He has slain our husbands, and our daughters he has enslaved, and has made dancing-girls of them, and has seized our lands, and all our worldly goods, for a long time past. * * * If you do not give us justice, hereafter, in the day of resurrection, when the first and the last of all men shall be collected together, we will accuse you." As Sher Shah was a believing and just ruler, on hearing these zeal-stirring words of the oppressed, the tears dropped from his eyes, and he said : " Have patience, for I have brought him out by promises and oaths." They replied : " Consult with your 'Ulama, and act upon the decision they shall pronounce." When Sher Shah came back to his tent, he sent for all of the 'Ulama who accompanied his victorious army, and related one by one the inhuman deeds Puran Mal had committed with respect to the wives and families of the Musulmans, and asked them to give their decision. Amir Shaikh Rafi'u-d din and the other 'Ulama who accompanied the victorious army pronounced a decision for the death of Puran Mal.
3.21.4
At night orders were given to 'Isa Khan Hajib, that he should desire his troops to collect with the elephants in all haste at a certain spot, for that Sher Shah intended to make a forced march towards Gondwana. To Habib Khan he gave secret orders that he should watch Bhaia Puran Mal, and take care he did not fly, and not to speak a word of this to any living creature, for that he (Sher Shah) had long entertained this design. When the elephants and troops were at the appointed spot, they reported it. Sher Shah ordered that at sunrise they should surround the tents of Bhaia Puran Mal. Puran Mal was told that they were surrounding his encampment, and going into the tent of his beloved wife Ratnavali, who sang Hindi melodies very sweetly, he cut off her head, and coming out said to his companions : " I have done this : do you also slay your wives and families." While the Hindus were employed in putting their women and families to death, the Afghans on all sides commenced the slaughter of the Hindus. Puran Mal and his companions, like hogs at bay, failed not to exhibit valour and gallantry, but in the twinkling of an eye all were slain. Such of their wives and families as were not slain were captured. One daughter of Puran Mal and three sons of his elder brother were taken alive, the rest were all killed.
3.21.5
Sher Khan gave the daughter of Puran Mal to some itinerant minstrels [bázígars], that they might make her dance in the bazars, and ordered the boys to be castrated, that the race of the oppressor might not increase. He made over the fort of Raisin to Munshi Shahbaz Khan Acha-khail Sarwani, and returned himself towards Agra, and remained at the capital during the rainy season. After the conclusion of the rains, he consulted his nobles of name, and the wise among his courtiers, saying that he was quite at ease concerning the kingdom of Hind. * * * The nobles and chiefs said, " * * * It seems expedient that the victorious standards should move towards the Dekhin, for certain rebellious slaves have got the country out of the power of their master, and have revolted, and following the heresy of the people of dissent (Shia'), abuse the holy posterity. It is incumbent on the powerful and fortunate to root out this innovating schism from the Dekhin." Sher Shah replied: "What you have said is most right and proper, but it has come into my mind that since the time of Sultan Ibrahim, the infidel zamindars have rendered the country of Islam full of unbelievers, and have thrown down the masjids and buildings of the believers, and placed idol-shrines in them, and they are in possession of the country of Dehli and Malwa. Until I have cleansed the country from the existing contamination of the unbelievers, I will not go into any other country.
3.21.6
* * * First, I will root out that accursed infidel Maldeo, for that he was the servant of the ruler of Nagor and Ajmir, who placed the greatest confidence in him. The evil-minded and ungrateful infidel slew his master, and by violence and oppression possessed himself of those kingdoms." The chiefs and nobles assented, and it was so settled. In the year 950 a.h. (1543-4 a.d.), the king ordered that his conquering forces, beyond all calculation or numeration, should, under the shadow of his victorious standards, march towards the country of Nagor, Ajmir, and Judhpur. I have heard from the mouth of the respectably descended Shaikh Muhammad, and of the Khan-'azam, and of Muzaffar Khan, that in this campaign Sher Shah had so great an army with him that the best calculators, in spite of all reflection and thought and calculation, were at a loss to number and reckon them, and we often ascended the tops of eminences that the length and breadth of the army might appear to us ; but so exceeding was its magnitude, that its whole length and breadth were never visible together ; and we asked old men of great age, whether they had ever seen or heard of so great an army, but they replied they had not. When Sher Shah marched from the capital of Agra, and arrived at Fathpur Sikri, he ordered that each division of the army should march together in order of battle, and should throw up an earthen entrenchment at every halting-ground.
3.21.7
On the way they encamped one day on a plain of sand, and in spite of every labour, they could not, on account of the sand, make an entrenchment. Sher Sháh considered by what contrivance the entrenchment could be completed. Mahmúd Khán, grandson of Sher Sháh, said : "Let my lord order that sacks should be filled with sand, and that they should make the entrenchment with the bags." Sher Sháh praised his grandson's contrivance, and was greatly delighted, and ordered that they should make the fortification of bags filled with sand, and, accordingly, at that halting-place they did so. When he approached the enemy, Sher Khán contrived a stratagem; and having written letters in the name of Máldeo's nobles to this effect, viz., "Let not the king permit any anxiety or doubt to find its way to his heart. During the battle we will seize Máldeo, and bring him to you," and having inclosed these letters in a kharita or silken bag, he gave it to a certain person, and directed him to go near to the tent of the vakíl of Máldeo, and remain there, and when he went out to drop the kharita on his way, and conceal himself. Sher Sháh's agent did as he was ordered; and when the vakíl of Máldeo saw the kharita lying, he picked it up, and sent the letters to Máldeo. When the latter learnt their contents, he was much alarmed, and fled without fighting. Although his nobles took oaths of fidelity, he did not heed them.
3.21.8
Some of the chieftains, such as Jaya Chandel and Gohá, and others, came and attacked Sher Sháh, and displayed exceeding valour. Part of the army was routed, and a certain Afghán came to Sher Sháh, and abused him in his native tongue, saying, "Mount, for the infidels are routing your army." Sher Sháh was performing his morning devotions, and was reading the Musta'abi-i 'ashr.