The History of Shēr Shāh (Tārīkh-i Shērshāhī) 3.6
Táríkh-i Sher Sháhí of 'Abbás Khán Sarwání (extracts) 3.6
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3.6.1
When Shadi returned from Sher Khan, and reported the whole affair to Muhammad Khan, he was much enraged, and said to Shadi, "Take all my forces with you, seize parganas Tanda, and Malhu, and make them over to Sulaiman and Ahmad. If he resists you, fight him with all your might; and if you defeat and put him to flight, make over both parganas to Sulaimán, and, leaving your army to assist him, return to me, lest when he sees Sulaimán with few followers he will attack him." When this news reached Sher Khán, he wrote to Sukha, his slave (father of Khawás Khán), the shikdár of Tánda and Malhu, near Benares, and with whom the greater part of Sher Khán's forces were, apprising him that Sulaimán, accompanied by Shádi Khán, was advancing against him, and directing him not to yield up Tánda and Malhu without resistance. When the army of Muhammad Khán approached, Sukha came out of the city to meet it. In the engagement which followed, Sukha was slain, and his army were defeated and fled to Sher Khán, at Sahsarám, nor did they even rally there. Some persons advised Sher Khán to go to Sultán Muhammad, but he did not agree to this, saying, "These are uncertain times, the Sultán will not quarrel with Muhammad Khán for my sake. He will endeavour to bring about some compromise; but it is not my interest to enter into a compromise." Míán Nizám Khán said, "If it be not your interest to make a compromise, I think it will be best to go to Patna;
3.6.2
thence, through the intervention of some proper person, to procure an interview with Sultán Junaid Birlás, at Ágra, and to offer to enter his service. Perhaps this might afford an opportunity not only of vengeance on Muhammad Khán, but even of driving him out of Chaundh." Sher Khán agreed to this, and went to Patna, and sent an agent to Sultán Junaid, at Ágra, saying, "If Sultán Junaid will give me his parole, and promise not to molest me, I will come and wait upon him, and serve him loyally with all my heart and soul." Sultán Junaid agreeing to this, Sher Khán came to him, bringing with him a very large present. Sultán Junaid was much pleased, and gave him the aid of a large force to recover his parganas. Muhammad Khán and Sulaimán, unable to resist, fled to the hill of Rohtás, and Sher Khán got possession not only of his own parganas, but also of Chaundh and of several parganas which had formerly appertained to the crown. To many of the Afgháns and his kindred who had fled to the mountains, he wrote, promising to double their former jágírs, and said, "The honour of our women is one (to us all); I have accomplished my revenge, and have regained my parganas." Consequent on the acquisition of these parganas, many Afghans came to him. When he perceived that many of the Afghans were collecting round him, he became at ease; gaining confidence, he dismissed the army which Sultán Junaid had sent to his aid with very handsome presents.
3.6.3
Sher Khán then wrote to Muhammad Khán Súr, the former ruler of Chaundh, who had fled to the hills, to this effect: "Do not let any fear find its way to your heart, but make your mind quite easy, and come and take possession of your pargana. I have acquired several parganas which formerly paid revenue to Sultán Ibráhím, and do not covet the possessions of my kindred. This is a time of sedition and misfortunes. Every Afghán who has any forces is coveting my government and country, and it therefore behoves those who have the means in such a time to collect for their aid and assistance soldiery of their own tribe, so as to preserve their own dominion, and even gain fresh territory. This, therefore, is the wisest course; let us put away our former envy and hatred, and in place of it let us plant the young tree of love and kindness in our hearts, that it may bring forth the fruit of friendship; and this may be the means of our collecting our friends, and so of attaining high station and dignity." On receiving Sher Khán's letter, Muhammad Khán came down from the hills, and again took possession of his own parganas of Chaundh, etc.; and he and Sher Khán forgave each other their previous enmity; and Muhammad Khán thus came under obligations to Sher Khán.
3.6.4
Sher Khán, being relieved from all apprehension as regarded Muhammad Khán, went to Sultán Junaid Birlás, at Agra, and thence accompanied him to the presence of the Emperor Bábar; was admitted to his Court, was present during the affair of Chanderí, and remained for some time amongst the Mughals, and acquainted himself with their military arrangements, their modes of governing, and the character of their nobles. He often said among the Afghans, "If luck aided me, and fortune stood my friend, I could easily oust the Mughals from Hindustan." When people heard him speak thus, they ridiculed him, and used to say behind his back, "What vain boasting is this of Sher Khan's; he talks about a thing far beyond his power." I, 'Abbas, the writer of the adventures of Sher Khan, have heard from the mouth of Shaikh Muhammad my own uncle, whose age was nearly eighty years, the following story: "I was at the battle of Chanderi, with the force of the victorious Emperor Babar, the second Faridun, and in attendance on the Khan Khanan Yusuf-khail, who brought the Emperor Babar from Kabul, and Shaikh Ibrahim Sarwani said to me, 'Come to Sher Khan's quarters, and hear his impossible boastings, which all men are laughing at.' And accordingly we rode over to Sher Khan's quarters.
3.6.5
In the course of conversation, Shaikh Ibrahim said: 'It is impossible that the empire should again fall into the hands of the Afghans, and the Mughals be expelled from the country.' Sher Khan replied: 'Shaikh Muhammad, be you witness now between Shaikh Ibrahim and myself, that if luck and fortune favour me, I will very shortly expel the Mughals from Hind, for the Mughals are not superior to the Afghans in battle or single combat; but the Afghans have let the empire of Hind slip from their hands, on account of their internal dissensions. Since I have been amongst the Mughals, and know their conduct in action, I see that they have no order or discipline, and that their kings, from pride of birth and station, do not personally superintend the government, but leave all the affairs and business of the State to their nobles and ministers, in whose sayings and doings they put perfect confidence. These grandees act on corrupt motives in every case, whether it be that of a soldier's, or a cultivator's, or a rebellious zamindar's. Whoever has money, whether loyal or disloyal, can get his business settled as he likes by paying for it; but if a man has no money, although he may have displayed his loyalty on a hundred occasions, or be a veteran soldier, he will never gain his end.
3.6.6
From this lust of gold they make no distinction between friend and foe, and if fortune extends a hand to me, the Shaikh shall soon see and hear how I will bring the Afghans under my control, and never permit them again to become divided.'" After some time, Sher Khan waited upon the Emperor one day at an entertainment, when it happened that they placed before him a solid dish, which he did not know the customary mode of eating. So he cut it into small pieces with his dagger, and putting them into his spoon easily disposed of them. The Emperor Bábar remarked this, and wondered at Sher Khan's ingenuity, and said to Khalifa, his minister, who was at his elbow, "Keep an eye on Sher Khan; he is a clever man, and the marks of royalty are visible on his forehead. I have seen many Afghan nobles, greater men than he, but they never made any impression on me ; but as soon as I saw this man, it entered into my mind that he ought to be arrested, for I find in him the qualities of greatness and the marks of mightiness."
3.6.7
When Sultán Junaid took his leave, he had recommended Sher Khan strongly to the minister. Sher Khán had also made him a very handsome present. So he replied to the Emperor : "Sher Khan is without blame, and does not command a sufficient force to become a cause of uneasiness to Your Majesty. If you arrest him, the Afgháns who are present with you will all become suspicious, nor will any other Afghan trust your faith and promises, and hence will arise disunion." The Emperor was silenced; but Sher Khán sagaciously perceived that the Emperor had spoken something concerning him. When Sher Khán got to his own quarters, he said to his men : "The Emperor to-day looked much at me, and said something to the minister; and cast evil glances towards me. This is not a fit place for me to remain — I shall go away." Mounting at once, he left the army. Shortly afterwards the king missed Sher Khan from among the courtiers, and sent for him. The man who was despatched in search of him came to his quarters, but Sher Khan was gone. The Emperor said to the wazir, "If you had not hindered me, I would have arrested him at once; he is about to do something, God only knows what!"