[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Dark Ages](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages) › [Travellers (1500–1858)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel) › [Histoire de la dernière révolution des États du Grand Mogol](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier) › [Travels in the Mogul Empire (Constable)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable) › 3.7 # Travels in the Mogul Empire (Bernier) 3.7 Travels in the Mogul Empire (Constable) 3.7 - **Language:** English ### [3.7.1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable.3.7.1) Another story is this:—Chah-Jehan, displeased with some rude and coarse answer made by the Persian ambassador, was provoked to say, 'Eh-bed-bakt! has then Chah-Abas no gentleman in his court that he sends me such a fool?' 'O, yes! the court of my Sovereign abounds with men far more polite and accomplished than I am; but he adapts the Ambassador to the King.' One day, Chah-Jehan having invited the ambassador to dine in his presence, and seeking, as usual, an occasion to discompose and vex him, while the Persian was busily employed in picking a great many bones, the King said coolly, 'Eh Elchy-Gy (Well, My Lord Ambassador), what shall the dogs eat?' 'Kichery,' was the prompt answer; a favourite dish with Chah-Jehan, which he was then indulging in,—Kichery being a mess of vegetables, the general food of the common people. The Mogol inquiring what he thought of his new Dehli, then building, as compared to Ispahan; he answered aloud, and with an oath, 'Billah! billah! Ispahan cannot be compared to the dust of your Dehli:' which reply the King took as a high encomium upon his favourite city, though the ambassador intended it in sportive derision, the dust being intolerable in Dehli. ### [3.7.2](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable.3.7.2) Lastly, the Persians gave out that their countryman, being pressed by Chah-Jehan to tell him candidly how he estimated the relative power of the Kings of Hindoustan and Persia, observed that he likened the Kings of the Indies to a full moon fifteen or sixteen days old, and those of Persia to a young moon of two or three days. This ingenious answer was at first very flattering to the Great Mogol's pride, but became a source of deep mortification when he had rightly interpreted the ambassador's meaning; which was, that the kingdom of Hindoustan is now on the decline, and that of Persia advancing, like the crescent moon, in splendour and magnitude. ### [3.7.3](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable.3.7.3) Such are the witticisms so much vaunted by the Persians in the Indies, and which they seem never tired of repeating. For my part, I think a dignified gravity and respectful demeanour would better become an ambassador than the assumption of a supercilious and unbending carriage, or the indulgence of a taunting and sarcastic spirit. Even if he possessed no higher principle to regulate his conduct, it is surprising that Chah-Abas's ambassador was not constrained by common considerations of prudence; and how much he had to fear from the resentment of a despot, whom he foolishly and unnecessarily provoked, was seen by the danger he narrowly escaped. Chah-Jehan's malignity grew so violent and undisguised that he addressed him only in the most opprobrious terms, and gave secret orders that when the ambassador entered a long and narrow street in the fortress, leading to the Hall of Assembly, an elephant must, and in a very dangerous state, should be let loose upon him. A less active and courageous man must have been killed; but the Persian was so nimble in jumping out of his paleky, and, together with his attendants, so prompt and dexterous in shooting arrows into the elephant's trunk, that the animal was scared away. It was at the time of the return of the Persian ambassadors that Aureng-Zebe accorded that memorable reception to his quondam teacher Mullah Salé. It is an uncommonly good story. ### [3.7.4](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable.3.7.4) This old man had resided for several years near Kahoul in retirement on an estate presented to him by Chah-Jehan, when he was made acquainted with the termination of the civil war, and the complete success which had attended the ambitious projects of his former pupil. He hastened to Dehli, sanguine in his expectation of being immediately advanced to the rank of Omrah; and there was no person of influence, up to Rauchenara-Begum, whom he did not engage in his favour. Three months elapsed before Aureng-Zebe would even appear to know that such a person was within the purlieus of the court; but weary at last with seeing him constantly in his presence, the Mogol commanded that he should come to him in a secluded apartment, where only Hakim-ul-Mouluk, Danech-mend-kan, and three or four other grandees, who pride themselves upon their accomplishments, were present. He then spoke in nearly the following words. I say nearly, because it is impossible to transcribe so long a discourse precisely in the terms in which it was delivered. Had I been present myself, instead of my Agah, from whom I received a report of the speech, I could not hope to be verbally correct. There can be no doubt, however, that what Aureng-Zebe said was substantially as follows : — ' Pray what is your pleasure with me, Mullah-gy — \[Mulla-Ji\] Monsieur the Doctor ? — Do you pretend that I ought to exalt you to the first honours of the State ? Let us then examine your title to any mark of distinction. ### [3.7.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable.3.7.5) I do not deny you would possess such a title if you had filled my young mind with suitable instruction. Show me a well-educated youth, and I will say that it is doubtful who has the stronger claim to his gratitude, his father or his tutor. But what was the knowledge I derived under your tuition ? You taught me that the whole of Franguistan was no more than some inconsiderable island, of which the most powerful Monarch was formerly the King of Portugal, then he of Holland, and afterward the King of England. In regard to the other sovereigns of Franguistan, such as the King of France and him of Andalusia, you told me they resembled our petty Rajas, and that the potentates of Hindoustan eclipsed the glory of all other kings ; that they alone were Humayons, Ekbars, Jehan-Guyres, or Chah-Jehans; the Happy, the Great, the Conquerors of the World, and the Kings of the World ; and that Persia, Usbec, Kachguer, Tartary, and Catay, Pegu, Siam, China and Matchine trembled at the name of the Kings of the Indies, Admirable geographer ! deeply read historian ! Was it not incumbent upon my preceptor to make me acquainted with the distinguishing features of every nation of the earth ; its resources and strength ; its mode of warfare, its manners, religion, form of government, and wherein its interests principally consist; and, by a regular course of historical reading, to render me familiar with the origin of States, their progress and decline ; ### [3.7.6](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable.3.7.6) the events, accidents, or errors, owing to which such great changes and mighty revolutions, have been effected ? Far from having imparted to me a profound and comprehensive knowledge of the history of mankind, scarcely did I learn from you the names of my ancestors, the renowned founders of this empire. You kept me in total ignorance of their lives, of the events which preceded, and the extraordinary talents that enabled them to achieve, their extensive conquests. A familiarity with the languages of surrounding nations may be indispensable in a King ; but you would teach me to read and write Arabic ; doubtless conceiving that you placed me under an everlasting obligation for sacrificing so large a portion of time to the study of a language wherein no one can hope to become proficient without ten or twelve years of close application. Forgetting how many important subjects ought to be embraced in the education of a Prince, you acted as if it were chiefly necessary that he should possess great skill in grammar, and such knowledge as belongs to a Doctor of law; and thus did you waste the precious hours of my youth in the dry, unprofitable, and never-ending task of learning words!' ### [3.7.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable.3.7.7) Such was the language in which Aureng-Zebe expressed his resentment; but some of the learned men, either wishing to flatter the Monarch and add energy to his speech, or actuated by jealousy of the Mullah, affirm that the King's reproof did not end here, but that, when he had spoken for a short time on indifferent subjects, he resumed his discourse in this strain: 'Were you not aware that it is during the period of infancy, when the memory is commonly so retentive, that the mind may receive a thousand wise precepts, and be easily furnished with such valuable instruction as will elevate it with lofty conceptions, and render the individual capable of glorious deeds? Can we repeat our prayers, or acquire a knowledge of law and of the sciences, only through the medium of Arabic? May not our devotions be offered up as acceptably, and solid information communicated as easily, in our mother tongue? You gave my father, Chah-Jekan, to understand that you instructed me in philosophy; and, indeed, I have a perfect remembrance of your having, during several years, harassed and human experience in the poems of Homer, more complete in every detail than is elsewhere furnished to us of Achaian life. (The right hon. gentleman resumed his seat amid hearty cheers.) ### [3.7.8](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable.3.7.8) The Rev. Dr. Hornby, the Provost of Eton College, then proposed a hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Gladstone for his kindness in coming among them, and the great honour he did to the present generation of his old school in thus addressing them in a lecture so full of matter for careful after-study, and also stated that it would be difficult, at once, to single out any special points for notice. The Provost then ended by saying: — --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable.3.7](https://indike.org/pramana/in.darkages.travel.bernier~en-constable.3.7) · Pramāṇa