History of Aurangzib, Based on Original Sources v2.c27.67

v2.c27.67

On the margin of the petition Aurangzib wrote in his own hand in Arbic, "You first acted as a usurper, and you were a mischief-maker."* For Dara there could be no pardon from Aurangzib. For more than sixteen years Dara had been a blighting shadow on Aurangzib's life : he had robbed his younger brother of the sunshine of their father's favour; he had thwarted his plans and backbitten him at the Imperial Court; his had been the secret influence behind the throne that accounted for Shah Jahan's attitude of coldness and undeserved censure towards the able Viceroy of Multan and the Deccan; he had intrigued with Bijapur and Golkonda in open opposition to Aurangzib in the wars against them sanctioned by the Emperor himself; every enemy of Aurangzib had found a ready patron in Dara; Dara's officers had insulted and calumniated Prince Aurangzib without any punishment from their master; his sons had monopolised all the favours of Shah Jahan, leaving none for Aurangzib’s offspring. All these Aurangzib had borne with patience and even with affected humility for sixteen long years. Now at last he had got his chance of revenge; and he was not the man to give it up.