The Cambridge History of India, Vol. IV: The Mughul Period v4.c19.21

v4.c19.21

Dārā's eldest son, Sulaimān Shukoh, on his way back from the war with Shujā‘, had heard of the disaster to his father at Sāmogarh, and on being deserted by most of his troops and headed off by Aurangzīb's forces from the west, he failed to reach his father in the Punjab. He therefore sought refuge with the Rājā of Srīnagar in the Garhwāl hills, who gave him a royal welcome. But a year later (July, 1659) Aurangzīb sent a force to coerce or bribe the raja into giving up the refugee. Sulaimān was delivered up by his host and brought to Delhi on 12 January, 1661. He was ordered to be confined in the fort of Gwālior and was there done to death (May, 1662) with overdoses of opium. In the same state prison, Murād Bakhsh was beheaded (14 December, 1661) under judicial sentence for the murder of 'Alī Naqī, his *dīvān* in Gujarāt, whose son, instigated by Aurangzīb, insisted on the retaliation of blood for blood allowed by Islamic law. The very young sons of Dārā and Murād were spared, only to be kept in prison for life. Thus, all possible rivals having been removed from his path, Aurangzīb became the indisputable lord and master of Moghul India.