Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan, or the Central and Western Rajput States of India v2.c30.t2.81

v2.c30.t2.81

The Sati : Johar.—The friend of Ratansi had a younger brother, who, on the retreat of the royal forces, was carried inside the fort, when, seeing the real state of things, he escaped and conveyed intelligence of it, upon which the siege was renewed. Mulraj reproached his brother as the cause of this evil, and asked what was fit to be done ? to which Ratansi replied, “ There is but one path open : to immolate the females, to destroy by fire and water whatever is destructible, and to bury what is not ; then open wide the gates, and sword in hand rush upon the foe, and thus attain Swarga.” The chiefs were assembled ; all were unanimous to make Jaisalnagar resplendent by their deeds, and preserve the honour of the Jadon race. Mulraj thus replied : “ You are of a warlike race, and strong are your arms in the cause of your prince ; what heroes excel you, who thus tread in the Chhatri’s path ? In battle, not even the elephant could stand before you. For the maintenance of my honour the sword is in your hands ; let Jaisalmer be illumined by its blows upon the foe.” Having thus inspired the chiefs and men, Mulraj and Ratan repaired to the palace of their queens. They told them to take the sohag,¹ and prepare to meet in heaven, while they gave up their lives in defence of their honour and their faith. Smiling, the Sodha Rani replied, “ This night we shall prepare, and by the morning’s light we shall be inhabitants of Swarga ” (heaven); and thus it was with the chiefs and all their wives. The night was passed together for the last time in preparation for the awful morn. It came; ablutions and prayers were finished, and at the Rajdwara ² were convened bala, praurha, and briddhu.³ They bade a last farewell to all their kin; the Johar commenced, and twenty-four thousand females, from infancy to old age, surrendered their lives, some by the sword, others in the volcano of fire. Blood flowed in torrents, while the smoke of the pyre ascended to the heavens: not one feared to die, every valuable was consumed with them, not the worth of a straw was preserved for the foe. This work done, the brothers looked upon the spectacle with horror. Life was now a burden, and they prepared to quit it. They purified themselves with water, paid adoration to the divinity, made gifts [252] to the poor, placed a branch of the Tulsi ⁴ in their casques, the Salagram ⁴ round their neck; and having cased themselves in armour and put on the saffron robe, they bound the mor ⁵ (crown) around their heads, and embraced each other for the last time. Thus they awaited the hour of battle. Three thousand eight hundred warriors, with faces red with wrath, prepared to die with their chiefs.