Storia do Mogor 238.8
Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 238.8
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238.8.1
In his reign Aurangzeb gave an order that every prince must come to audience only on the days he had fixed. The cause of these orders was that in one thousand six hundred and eighty (1680), at the city of Ajmer, Shah 'Alam was going to audience. Close to a bridge he saw the train of A'zam Tara rushing in great haste in the hope of passing over first, and fully resolved on resistance if they met anyone. Shah 'Alam, from prudence or timidity, seized his horse's rein and drew up, placing his hand on his dagger to show his people that he was ready if attacked. He also ordered his people to halt and yield free passage to his brother, A'zam Tara. The latter, taking no notice of him, with much haughtiness and making his horse curvet, passed the first without paying any attention or civility to his elder brother. Owing to this the king issued the order stated above, so that there might be no outbreak at the court. For this reason, when the king sends one prince to any province to supersede another, one goes by one route and the other issues forth by another, escorted by court mace-bearers with gold maces. Great care is taken that they do not encounter each other, in order to avoid any mishap or any fresh outbreak. This is the way he deals with these princes. It is by the respect and dread that they have one for the other that the old man has managed to go on reigning ; and if God grant me life, I will record the end of Aurangzeb and the beginning of another reign.
238.8.2
Upon the day of the affair above referred to, Shah 'Alam entered his father's audience followed by so many soldiers, that the doorkeepers sought to hinder the entrance of so many men. In their efforts, involving the use of their sticks, one of them touched the shield of Shah 'Alam. Smiling and slowly turning his head, he ordered them to give the doorkeepers five thousand rupees in proof of his own prudence and generosity, and of the respect in which he held the servants of his father.
238.8.3
I will give a case which occurred at Aurangzeb's court in the year one thousand six hundred and ninety-seven (1697). The foster-brother of Prince Kam Bakhsh treacherously slew one of the king's eunuchs with an arrow. On hearing of this act, the king ordered the man to be seized ; and when the foster-brother knew of the royal order, he appealed to the prince. The latter took him to audience in his train, they clasping each other by the hand. The prince said to the king that first his life must be sacrificed before he allowed his foster-brother to be touched. Enraged at seeing such public imprudence and wrongful attitude, Aurangzeb ordered the man to be carefully taken out of the prince's hands. On this being attempted, the prince laid hold of his dagger and menaced anyone who approached, saying that he would slay him. The plausing disciples of Aurangzeb by honeyed words and false asseverations made him sheath his dagger and deliver up his foster-brother, supposing the latter's life to be safe. The king ordered the prince and his foster-brother to be arrested; but on the petition of Udepuri, his mother, they were released. In the year [one thousand and] seven hundred (1700) the king granted Kam Bakhsh the province of Gulkandah for his allowances, he remaining present at court.
238.8.4
As I have said that the Moguls rear pigeons for amusement (I. 65), it is necessary for me to inform the reader how they employ these pigeons to give intelligence if the king leaves his house or comes into the public hall to hold audience. Let the reader be aware, then, that these nobles are very pleased not to have to move from home uselessly. Many have their dwellings far from the royal palace, about a league away. They order their retinue to be kept in readiness, first of all having sent to court a servant with two pigeons of different colours. If the king leaves his house or holds audience, the noble's servant releases one of these pigeons at court, and by reaching its home it serves as a messenger. If it is the one that denotes the king's leaving home or sitting in audience, the noble at once rides with his cavalcade in all haste to be present, as is his duty. If the other comes, it notifies the contrary: the retinue are dismissed, and the master takes his ease at home. [80] In the year one thousand six hundred and ninety-four (1694), when Aurangzeb was in the kingdom of Bijapur, he fell ill of diarrhoea, so that he was unable to come out to hold audience; and he became so weak that he fainted several times, from which cause it was spread about in the camp that Aurangzeb was dead. A'zam Tara, who was there, wished to profit by the occasion; and assuming the news was true, he mounted his horse, and with all his armed force came to attack his father's enclosure.
238.8.5
He ordered his men to surround the royal tents. He then tried with great determination to force an entrance, intending to suffocate his father in case he should not be dead. He wanted to crown himself king. But it did not fall out as he desired; for Bahadur Khan, learning that he was advancing on the court, being himself nearer, came out at once with all his cavalry, and reached the spot just as A'zam Tara was going into the tents. Taking him by the hand, he said that he was disobeying the royal orders, by wishing to enter without being sent for by his father. With prudence, but showing himself resolute and urging good reasons, he made the prince understand that he would not be allowed to advance further. He gave him assurance that the king was not dead, and he would himself give a report to the king of his arrival to pay him a visit, and would get him called inside. This he did, and the king was found to be very weak. The prince counselled him as to the necessity of showing his royal person to pacify the army, which had begun a mutiny. Thus the king coming forth for a moment or two, the music played as a signal he was holding audience. This allayed the uproar going on throughout the camp, robbery, murder, and revolt having already begun. After this affair, Aurangzeb ordered this prince to pitch his camp at a distance of some leagues, and up to this day the same practice is maintained.
238.8.6
It is necessary for the reader to be aware that these Moguls, admitting that they profess the Mahomedan religion, do not fail at the same time to retain in their habits certain Hindu practices, such as offering up victims on any occasion when they desire to do some work or undertake a journey. Not to be open to reproof, they do this under the title of executing justice. This happened when Aurangzeb wanted to leave Aurangabad to wage war against the Kings of Bijapur and Gulkandah. More than six days before his march began he sent orders to kill on the route that he was about to travel eighty men, under the name of infidels and non-observers of the Mahomedan religion. He ordered them to be placed in a row with hands bound and in a kneeling position, then their heads were cut off one by one. It was observed that among them all, one dead body after six days remained on its knees as if just decapitated; the others lay on the ground at the mercy of animals. The reason that one only among so many remained upright on its knees without falling like the rest, granting that it was inflated and decayed like the others, I leave for the consideration of the reader. As for me, it seems possible to suppose that, out of fear and before they could cut off his head, this victim was stupefied at seeing the others beheaded and thus became petrified. They also maintain some observances which have in themselves some human morality.
238.8.7
Thus was it with the King of Balkh, called Sultan Ebraim Addam (Ibrahim Adham), who had a natural inclination to refinement. Thus, when he wished to sleep it was necessary to fill his room with flowers. Once it happened that, wishing to repose, in conformity with his usual habit, he ordered one of his women servants to knead his body. During this process it happened that he fell asleep; the servant also slumbered, and leant her head on the side of the bed. This act roused the king, and in a great rage he ordered the eunuchs to flog the said servant for her temerity in propping her head on the royal bedstead. He had no mercy for the accident, and at once the eunuchs set to work to execute the king's orders. Instead of weeping and imploring pardon, the woman was laughing. On perceiving this, the king was curious to know what motive she had for laughing, when, on the contrary, by the force and violence of the eunuchs' blows, it would seem she ought to be crying. To his question she replied that it was because he had ordered her to be beaten; for in her judgment, if to have leant her head a little moment on the royal bed, where the perfumes induced slumber, merited her undergoing such punishment even for the little time she had rested herself, what did His Majesty not deserve for having slept all his life in such a bed?
238.8.8
Influenced by such a reproach, the king became a little thoughtful, and at once tore his raiment, renounced his queen and his son, and went off into a wild country to live as a faqir. A fine reproof! for many is the one who condemns his neighbour's little failings without considering the great defects he has within himself. Although the nature of the Hindus is ordinarily inclined to do evil, there have not been wanting at times some who have been most humane and well provided with reason. Such was the King Biguer Magid (Bikramajit). Desiring to see his kingdom increase and merchants frequent the country, he directed that anything the traders could not sell during market-time should be bought by his major-domo. It happened once that a trader brought, among other rarities, an image representing Misfortune; he sold everything except this figure. The king's major-domo, following the orders received from his master, bought it and sent the merchant away. He stored the image along with the other goods, and reported the matter to the king.
238.8.9
Being superstitious, the king did not fail to be affected by such a purchase. However, he said nothing about it. He cared more about keeping his word than about the superstitious presentiments aroused in him by the purchase. The Hindus assert, as a moral and politic lesson, that the figure of Wealth appeared to the king and complained to him that she could no longer stay, being unable to dwell where Misfortune was. After much discussion, the king agreed that Wealth might withdraw herself, rather than that he should break his word. On her departing, she menaced him with a thousand disagreeables and losses; and to all these the king subjected himself rather than break his word.
238.8.10
Then came Victory, and after using the same argument as Wealth, took her leave, the king still remaining constant to the same opinion. Finally, as they tell the story, Faith appeared to him, and, making complaint, prepared to depart like the rest. To this the king would not agree, but embraced her firmly, nor would he on any account permit her to go. Thus the Hindus say that, after many combats with Faith, she was overcome by the king's insistence and remained. With her came Wealth, Victory, and all other good things. This is a fine apologue to teach us that everything may be abandoned — Wealth and Prosperity—but Faith never; for where she is, everything else is naturally attracted also. From this the reader can recognise that these Hindus, granting their blindness in their errors, are not devoid of some of the principles and foundations of morality. [Pp. 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, and 89 are blank. On p. 90 the text is continued in French.] END OF VOL. II.