Travels in the Mogul Empire (Bernier) 2.8.3

2.8.3

Chah-Jehan was most urgent on this point, offering, infirm as he was, to assume the chief command, and to face Aureng-Zebe's army. This scheme was admirably adapted to preserve peace, and to arrest the progress of that haughty prince: neither he nor Morad-Bakche would probably have felt disposed to fight against their father: or, if they had ventured upon such a step, their ruin must have been the consequence; for Chah-Jehan was popular among all the Omrahs, and the whole army, including the troops under the two brothers, was enthusiastically attached to his person. Failing in their attempt to prevent an appeal to the sword, Dara's friends exhausted every argument to dissuade him, at least, from acting with precipitancy, and to induce him to delay the battle until the arrival of Soliman-Chekouh, who was hastening to his assistance. This also was sound advice, the young Prince being generally beloved, and returning at the head of a victorious army, composed of soldiers, as I have before observed, attached to Dara, But he rejected this, as he had done the former proposition, and remained inflexible in his resolution to anticipate Aureng-Zebe and bring him immediately to action. If indeed Dara could have commanded fortune, and controlled events, his own reputation and peculiar interest might have been promoted by such a procedure. These were the considerations that actuated him, and which he could not altogether conceal : — he was master of the King's person ;