التاريخ اليميني 46.17

46.17

وسار من بعد قدما يروم قنوج، وقد اشتق الفأل [223 أ] له من تصحيفه (فتوحا) ، وعده صنعا من الله ممنوحا. وخلف وراءه معظم العسكر تطميعا لراجيبال ملكها في الثبات لخفة الزحام، وتقبيحا له قبل اللقاء صورة الانهزام، إذ كان أمراء الهند على غلب رقابها، وقوة أسبابها وأصحابها، أطواعا لراي قنوج، اعتزازا بمكانه، واغترارا بفخامة شأنه. ولم يعبر على قلعة من قلاع تلك الرباع إلا وضعها بالأرض، وعرض أهلها على الإسلام أو السيف ، وحاز من السبايا والنهاب، والنعم الرغاب ، ما يعجز أنامل الحساب.

and of this collection of idols there were (specially) two, on one of which a jacinth was arranged, such a one that if the Sultan had seen it exposed in the Bazar, he would have considered as underpriced at fifty thousand dinars, and would have bought it with great eagerness. And upon the other idol there was a sapphire (hyacinth) of one solid piece, of azure water, of the value of four hundredweights of fine miskals {five weights of a dram and a-half) each, and from the two feet of an idol they obtained the weight of 400,400 miskals of gold. And the idols of silver were a hundred times more, so that it occupied those who estimated their standard weight a long time in weighing them. They devastated (all that city) and passed therefrom towards Kanuj, and the Sultan took an augury thereon from the Koran, and left behind much of his army, in order that, perchance, Haipal (or Jaipal) Rajah of Hind, when he saw the small number of his chieftains, might return, and consider it disgraceful to pall in resolution, before first engaging in battle or conflict, for he was the chief of the princes of India, and all submitted their necks in obedience to him (bowed their heads) and acknowledged his high rank, and great power and dignity. And, throughout all the extent of this expedition, at whatever region he arrived and whatever fortress the Sultan saw, he took possession of it, and devastated it, plundering and taking captives.