History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v3.c33.s2.6

v3.c33.s2.6

It is needless to enquire who was the aggressor, for the law among kings and even nations or peoples not only in ancient times but even in the twentieth century was and is the law of the brute, viz. that the strong should despoil and even destroy the weak. Utbi simply says "Having completed the conquest of Kasdār, Sabuktagin directed his thoughts towards the conquest of the infidels". "To the desire of conquest was added the zeal of the true believer". "With sincere fervour and pure design of pleasing God he undertook the hardship of that sacred war and possessed himself of many castles and strongholds of those far lands". "By these fortified places and territories he augmented the boundaries of his kingdom". "But when Jaipal king of Hindustan marked these things and saw the line of his frontier continually diminishing and the losses caused every moment in his states, that grievance rendered him inconsolable" (Utbi. p. 34). He, therefore, attempted to muster his full force to oppose Sabuktagin. Utbi relates that a strong force composed of many allies entered into the territory of Sabuktagin who advanced from Ghazni to meet it. There was a terrible conflict lasting for many days. "Eventually Mahmud suggested to his father that in the region where the encampment of the accursed lay, the water of a spring was clean and bright, but whenever any impure thing was thrown into it, furious winds arose and a bitter cold succeeded. Nasiruddin, therefore, commanded that they should cast some wine flasks into the fountain. Immediately a grey mist spread over the land, extreme cold came and the soldiers of Jaipal could not endure their sufferings. He therefore sued for peace and on his threatening that all the Rajputs would die the death of despair on their swords, peace was granted on condition that a large sum of money was given and a number of elephants, as also certain fortresses in the country of Jaipal were handed over to the Moslems. Thereupon Jaipal retired but eventually when in his country he refused to hand over the fortresses and imprisoned the men who had come to take possession. Sabuktagin who had marched back to Ghazni again set out with his army and plundered Jaipal's territory, massacred the inhabitants and carried away the children and cattle as booty" (Utbi. p. 39). He made the territory of Lamghan entirely stript and bare and destroying the temples built mosques in their place.