The Cambridge History of India, Vol. III: Turks and Afghans v3.c20.28

v3.c20.28

Meanwhile Anandpāl had died and had been succeeded by his son, Jaipāl II, who made the fortress of Nandana¹ his chief stronghold, and in 1013 Mahmūd invaded India to attack him. On hearing of Mahmūd's advance he retired into the mountains, leaving his son Nidar Bhīmpāl, or Bhīmpāl the Fearless, to defend his kingdom. The accounts of the campaign are strangely at variance with one another. According to one Bhīmpāl was besieged in Nandana and forced to surrender, while according to another he ventured to meet Mahmūd in the open field, and was with difficulty defeated. Defeated, however, he was, and Mahmūd turned into the hills in the hope of capturing him, but captured only his baggage. Large numbers of the natives of the country, guilty of no crime but that of following the religion of their fathers, were carried off to Ghaznī as slaves, and the remarks of one historian probably reflect contemporary Muslim opinion on this practice: ‘Slaves were so plentiful that they became very cheap and men of respectability in their native land were degraded to the position of slaves of common shopkeepers. But this is the goodness of God, who bestows honour on His own religion and degrades infidelity.’ An officer named Sārugh was appointed governor of Nandana and held that position at the time of Mahmūd's death.