Storia do Mogor 65.43.2

65.43.2

This Ra'na-dil was of humble birth, a public dancing-girl belonging to King Shahjahan, with whom Prince Dara fell in love through her exceeding beauty, and wanted to take her to wife. The emperor, his father, was opposed to this, not wishing to give offence to Nur Mahal, the principal wife of Dara. The prince took the matter so much to heart that he began to fade away from this passion, and at last reached almost the last extremity. When Shahjahan saw the extremity of the prince, his son, he consented to his taking her as wife. By this she felt she had been so honoured, that on the death of her prince she would accept of no other husband. For the little time afterwards that she lived no one ever saw her in lively spirits or giving any sign of pleasure. After the death of Prince Dara, the common people composed a song about Fortune and the little durability of its glories, it having placed Aurangzeb on the throne, made Shahjahan a prisoner, and decapitated Prince Dara [262]. It said: 'In turn it changed the faqir's (Aurangzeb's) cowl, and beheaded the prince in passing.' When Aurangzeb heard about this ballad, he ordered an announcement to be made that no one should sing it under penalty of losing his tongue. But the song was so pitiful that almost everybody sang it in concealment.