Travels in the Mogul Empire (Bernier) 2.5.1

2.5.1

Aureng-Zebe also published his proclamations, and put his forces in motion, much at the same time as Sultan Sujah. He, too, was meditating an advance on Agra when he received a similar prohibition, both from the King and from Dara ; the latter of whom menaced him with punishment if he quitted the Decan. He dissembled, however, like his brother of Bengale, and returned a similar answer ; but as his finances were not abundant, and his army was comparatively small, he endeavoured to obtain by fraud what he could not hope to gain by arms. The immediate dupes of his artifice were Morad-Bakche and Emir-Jemla. In a letter to the former he said : — ' I need not remind you, my brother, how repugnant to my real disposition are the toils of government. While Dara and Sultan Sujah are tormented with a thirst for dominion, I sigh only for the life of a Fakire. But, although renouncing all claim to the kingdom, I nevertheless consider myself bound to impart my sentiments to you, my friend, whom I have always tenderly loved. Dara is not only incapable of reigning, but is utterly unworthy of the throne, inasmuch as he is a Kafer — an idolater — and held in abhorrence by all the great Omrahs. Sultan Sujah is equally undeserving the crown; for being avowedly a Rafezy — an heretic — he is of course an enemy to Hindoustan. Will you then permit me to say that in you alone are to be found the qualifications for ruling a mighty empire? This opinion is not adopted by myself only;