Storia do Mogor 65.38
Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 65.38
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65.38.1
All these efforts of Dara were fruitless. For when the rajah heard that the son of Dara was coming to see him, he sent out men upon the road to force him to turn back, proffering a thousand excuses for his non-ability to join, or on this occasion to render aid to, Dara. I leave it to the reader to imagine the affliction of the unfortunate Dara at this disappointment; his hopes were frustrated, and he knew not what course to adopt after this desertion. For to return to Ahmadabad was impossible. The distance was too great, the road lay through sterile country, and it was the commencement of the hot season. Again, if the soldiers found that Dara was in retreat, the greater part would most certainly desert. Thus he held it best to entrench himself among some low hills, the tops of which he occupied with his army, and dug trenches in the valleys, disposing his artillery in the most effective way, under the command of Xanevascan (Shah Nawaz Khan) and Barcandascan (Barqandaz Khan).
65.38.2
Aurangzeb advanced by double marches with Daler Khan, whom he had sent for at this juncture. On arriving within view of Dara's force, he saw that it would be difficult to win a victory, owing to the strength of the position. He forbore a resort to arms, and sought the help of his usual craftiness. He ordered Daler Khan to open a correspondence with Dara, displaying a desire to take his part, seeing that Jaswant Singh had broken his promise. The proposal was that on the day of battle he (Daler Khan) should be allowed access to his (Dara's) army, when, incorporating himself with it, they would jointly put Aurangzeb to the rout. He pledged his word with an oath on the Quran to be faithful to him. Dara, in his simplicity, gave easy credit to the false vows of Daler Khan, and ordered his officers on the day of battle not to fight against that general's division. When Aurangzeb learnt of this knavery, he felt already assured of Daler Khan's entry into the army of Dara, and made ready to give battle on the following day.
65.38.3
The day before the battle, which was on the fifteenth of May of one thousand six hundred and fifty-seven (correctly, 1659), an astrologer named Cubatbeg (? Qutb Beg), a Mahomedan of Osbec (Uzbak) race, who had studied mathematics under Padre Buzeo, said privately to Aurangzeb that, according to the influences of the stars dominating the next day, there existed danger to the life of him who occupied the chief place in the army. Therefore he besought His Majesty not to occupy the place assigned to a king — that is, upon an elephant and covered by an umbrella, as is the usage in this kingdom of the Mogul. Since this mathematician had a great name, and was revered by everybody as a great astrologer, Aurangzeb took counsel with the leaders of his army. Among them was one called Secmir (Shekh Mir), his tutor, who offered to take the seat on the royal elephant and represent His Majesty's person. He held it to be an honour to give his life to save that of his royal master. Since he had given him his first instruction, he desired now, as a final sacrifice, to lose his life in his service, like a loyal subject. But it was absolutely necessary to keep the matter secret; and it were well that no one within or without the camp got any inkling of it. Aurangzeb accepted the offer of his tutor, and then directed orders to be issued throughout the camp that on the next day at dawn they must be ready to attack the enemy.
65.38.4
When the time to move had come, Shekh Mir rode the king's elephant, clad in full regal array, everybody supposing that it was the very Aurangzeb, a deception that was easily believed, as daylight had not yet appeared. The trenches of Dara were attacked with great fury, and he repelled the assailants with still greater vigour, doing great execution with his artillery and musketry. In this first conflict the tutor of Aurangzeb, Shekh Mir, was shot down by a musket-ball, thus gloriously yielding up his life an offering for the safety of his disciple. But the attendant seated behind him on the elephant performed a feat highly thought of at the time. To prevent the army losing heart by supposing that Aurangzeb, whom Shekh Mir represented, had been slain, this man held the body up, and holding its arms, moved them about, encouraging his own side to come on. He ordered the elephant-driver to used his goad to the elephant. His exertions were quite as important as Shekh Mir's resolve, whereby he offered up his life for Aurangzeb. This attendant's name was Mirtaque (Mir Taqi), who gained for Aurangzeb the victory, and as the winner thereof he was rewarded for his great courage and exertions. Aurangzeb at once changed his name of Mir Taqi into that of Fatenuma (Fath-numa) — that is to say, 'Displayer of Victory.' Although I was not in this battle, I have special knowledge of it;
65.38.5
for I was intimate for a time with the said Fath-numa and other principal men who were present, and the above facts are notorious throughout the Mogul realm. Daler Khan, to whom was made over the right attack, signalled to Dara to have the trenches vacated for his passage with his division of twelve thousand horsemen, all Pathans, in order that he might join Dara's army in conformity with the letter he had written. Dara, ignorant of the intended treachery, ordered him to be allowed a passage through the entrenchments without any opposition. In spite of this, a great many of Dara's men declined to let him through, but Daler Khan made his way past them. At that time Dara's army was busy in repulsing the enemy. Daler Khan and his men began at once to fall upon those in advance, putting them to the edge of the sword, and continued to do all the harm they could. Dara's army fell into the greatest confusion, and without making any stand or resistance the whole of them took to flight. Thus within less than three hours, the time for which the fighting on both sides lasted, the defeat of Dara was accomplished.
65.38.6
If Dara had foreseen the treachery of Daler Khan, and had not allowed himself to be deceived by his pretences, there cannot be the slightest doubt that he would have given a great deal of trouble to Aurangzeb. For, although his numbers were fewer, he had a great advantage from the position he had selected. Thus, during the short time that the contest lasted, the army of Aurangzeb had suffered considerable loss; and, judging from the happy beginning of his defence, Dara could promise himself the victory. In that case he would have had renewed hope of Jaswant Singh's adherence and that of the other rajahs. But just as Fortune inclined benignantly towards Aurangzeb, she equally withdrew from the unlucky Dara. Finding his army defeated and hurriedly taking to flight, he himself also devoid of further hope, he resolved to flee, and retire upon the city of Ahmadabad, whence he had come. This he did with such precipitation that it was impossible to save his baggage, for Daler Khan and his men were already going about the camp destroying everything, and the fallen prince had barely time to carry off his family and the chief valuables lying in his tents. Aurangzeb then ordered Rajah Jai Singh and Bahadur Khan to pursue Dara; their orders were to seize him, dead or alive.
65.38.7
After the flight of Dara, Shah Nawaz Khan was left under the shade of some trees somewhat distant from the battle-field, believing that no one would interfere with him in such a place, where he was quite passive. For he neither wanted to fight nor to defend himself, nor to fly along with Dara. His great reliance was on his being Aurangzeb's father-in-law. For all these reasons he held that he would not be interfered with. But one who did not blush at tyrannizing over his own father, his brothers, and his sons, would hardly forgive his father-in-law for having allowed Dara into Gujarat and having followed him into the field of battle. For this reason Aurangzeb had given express orders to Daler Khan that, wherever he might find the old man, Shah Nawaz Khan, he should take his life without any compunction. Daler Khan learnt that the old man was at the spot mentioned, and went at once with his soldiers, to whom he gave orders not to harm any of those in Shah Nawaz Khan's suite. On beholding the unhappy old man seated upon a carpet spread on the ground, he hastened his elephant's pace, and when near enough killed him impiously and cruelly by repeated arrow-shots.
65.38.8
It happened at this time that the victorious soldiers who were pursuing Dara lighted upon a carriage in which was the Dutch factor who had come in Dara's train, hoping that if he took the field he would be rewarded for this extra devotion. He was now retreating on his way to the city of Ahmadabad. The soldiers attacked the carriage on all sides, ordering him to give up his arms and all he had with him. The factor imprudently attempted resistance, and putting hands on his two pistols, made as if he intended to fire, imagining that thereby he would frighten those surrounding him. But at that moment these let fly at him a shower of arrows, and thus he came to lose his life and the goods that he had meant to protect.