Later Mughals v2.c14.s14.8

v2.c14.s14.8

At this point some of Nizam-ul-mulk's generals arrived to reinforce Iwaz Khan, and did great execution with their swivel-guns and muskets. Soon came the news that Ghalib Khan was killed. Mubariz Khan, without a muscle moving, said, "I too am ready for this unavoidable fate." Then his son Asad Khan's elephant turned and fled. As they passed Mubariz Khan, he shouted "Asad, the runaway!" Asad Khan replied "It is not my fault, the elephant is frightened." The father angrily retorted, "If your elephant turns, throw yourself, and carry out your duty to your sovereign." The elephant driver, by some severe blows of his iron on the animal's head, brought it into line again. For an hour-and-a-half they were rained on by shot and bullet. At last Asad Khan and Masaud Khan were killed. Mubariz Khan, on being told, exclaimed, "Thanks be to the Almighty, from my first youth until now, I have never been defeated; wounds and death are our portion, to die unshrinking on the battlefield is our salvation; Asad and Masaud have gone from this earth; of what longer use is my valour (mubariz)?" So saying, he drove his elephant alongside those of Ibrahim Khan and the sons of Abdun-nabi and Abdur Rauf. He fought on for nearly another hour, and was at last brought up by the impassable ravine full of mud; he had been wounded and his strength began to fail; at times he fainted, but reviving he seized again the bow and arrow. His elephant driver was killed, he took the dead man's place himself and fought on as before. But at an hour before sunset Mubariz Khan and all his chief men had lost their lives. [Ahwal 192, K. K. 958, M. U. iii. 742.]