CHAPTER VII.
BEGINNING OF THE FIRST DIVINE YEAR AFTER THE HOLY ACCESSION OF
H.M. THE SHĀHINSHĀH, viz., THE YEAR FARWARDĪN
OF THE FIRST CYCLE.

As the world assumed splendour from the justice-illuminating sovereignty of this nursling of divine light, and the terrene and terres­trials uttered rejoicings with the tongue of speech and of ecstacy, and gratefully expressed a vernal joy, and the outward and inward world received a new glory and lustre, the spring-time of soul and body burst forth into invocations of blessings. Twenty-five days after the auspicious time of the accession, viz., on* Wednesday 28 Rabī'-a-ānī 963, there was the world-illuminating New Year, and the Sultan of the East confronted Aries with his world-adorning banners.

Verse.

The world was freshened by the spring-breeze
The rain increased the glory of the earth
The sun joyful of soul, and a lover of joy
Tore in his delight the sheaths (lit., skin) of the flowers.
The rose (gul) brought out of the clay (gil) Kāūs's throne
The violet put on peacock (Ṭāūs) plumes
A young spring burgeoned on every bough
And his scattering hand held every flower.

As the great luminary gave new spirit to the age's sorrowful ones, so did the joyful news of the Shāhinshāh's sacred accession give thousands of life-conferring messages to the discerning and to the expectants cognisant of mysteries. The outer world received happi­ness, and the inner world glory. The visible and invisible kingdoms harmonised and heaped radiance upon radiance.

Whoever* has received felicitations from those who have been nurtured in this light-increasing gathering of the spiritual and the temporal, well know what good wishes for long life, inward and out­ward prosperity, and spiritual and temporal balance are conveyed by them, and there are descriptions of them in ancient chronicles.* But who can tell the inner and outer bliss of a nursling of light whose felicitations are conveyed by Light in person, without man's interven­tion and by the effectual voices* of action, to wit that of world-adorn­ing spring?

Inasmuch as the wise of the past and the present are agreed that whenever some glorious event is made the foundation of an era, the latter should begin from the proximate New Year,* without regard to a discrepancy either in previousness or in lateness; the sundry days before the New Year were reckoned as included in the New Year, and the latter was made the beginning of the Divine Era. Accordingly this has been recorded in the proclamation which has been set forth above. Whenever the Divine Era be referred to, it shall be under­stood as commencing from the heart-expanding Spring.

Among the great boons conferred by H.M. the Shāhinshāh in the beginning of this year was the remission of taxes* (bāj u tamghā). How can the amount of these be estimated? Undoubtedly it was more than a clime's revenue. The Lord of the Earth prescribed those great blessings as a thank-offering for Divine favours, and thereby made glad the caravans of merchants' hearts, who bring abundance to the world of interdependence, and the minds of the crowds of men who are exponents of divinely fashioned arts. This excellent regulation drew after it bāj u tamghā blessings. Although the circumstance of the ruler of the age's being under a veil, and the cupidity of officials weakened for a while this excellent foundation, yet as the Shāhinshāh was determined on perpetuating the boon, though for some time it was not carried into effect, the blessings, that is, the good results thereof, were in a manner made manifest by the superintendents of fate. God be praised! At the present day, when the world-adorner of the Caliphate personally conducts everything, whether in whole or in detail, and when men are tested, and every­one attains success proportionate to his aptitude, this best of gifts has obtained currency throughout the dominions, and although eloquent servants have in seducing language represented to H.M. the advan­tages and profits of the tax, yet as the right-choosing mind of H.M. the Shāhinshāh is strongly attached to the acquiring of the Divine favour, and had therefore issued the order for the great boon, they have not been listened to, and have not withdrawn the classes of mankind from the obligation of returning thanks for this one out of thousands of benefits. May Almighty God grant to H.M. the Shāh­inshāh increase of years, and of gradations of dominion and joy, in proportion to the fruitful blessings of this gift and to the gladdening of so many souls and hearts which have attained rest owing to this favour!

One of the occurrences of those fortunate days was that Mīr 'Abdu-l-laīf, the cream of the great men of Persia, and a mine of laudable dispositions came from Qazwīn and was introduced at Court, and became the recipient of various favours. His excellent son, Mīr Ghīāu-d-dīn A'lī, who received royal favours, and was exalted by the title of Naqīb Khan, accompanied him. Mīr 'Abdu-l-laīf was distinguished for science, eloquence, trustworthiness and other noble qualities. From his lack of bigotry and his broadmindedness he was called in India a Shīa and in Persia a Sunnī. In fact he was journey­ing on towards the serene city of universal tolerance, and so the zealots of each sect used to censure him.

When the world-adorning standard spread the shade of victory over the environs of the town of Dahmīri* the victorious heroes and rank-breaking ghāzis, who had gone as an advance-guard under Pīr Muḥammad Khān, reached the foe in the Sivālik hills. They went firmly forward and with proper precautions, but as they were relying on the Divine fortune, whereas Sikandar was only supported by rash­ness, he broke off without actual fighting and threw himself into the defiles. The victorious soldiers returned to the Court and were recipients of favours. The army in order to strengthen the foundations of caution spent about three months there in hunting. Many land­holders came and did homage, and thereby acquired glory for them­selves. Among them was Dharm* Cand, the Rajah of Nagarkot, who, on account of the high estimation in which he was held, and of the number of his followers, cocked the cap of superiority over his con­temporaries. He by the destiny of eternal auspiciousness experienced the blessing of kissing the lofty threshold. By his alacrity in this service he made himself foremost in the hippodrome of obedience, and was exalted by attentions from H.M. the Shähinshāh.

One of the victorious things that happened at this time was Ḥājī Khān's siege of Nārnaul. The story of this is that, when the unavoid­able event of H.M. Jahānbānī's death became known, Ḥajī Khān, a distinguished slave of Sher Khān, besieged Nārnaul with a large force. Rajah Bihārī Mal* Kacwāha, who by the favourable grace of the Shāhinshāh, became one of the officers of the Sultanate, and rose to a rank superior to that of all the Rajahs and Raises in India, and whose sons and grandsons and whole clan rose to high rank and great office, as will be stated in their proper places, was then with Ḥājī Khān. Majnūn* Khān Qāqshāl, the jāgīrdar, was shut up in Nārnaul, and the garrison had become straitened. The Rajah on account of his goodness and foresight interposed, and having got peaceable possession of the fort, he sent Majnūn Khān to Court. When H.M. the Shāhinshāh ascended the throne and Delhi was being governed by Tardī Beg Khān, the latter proceeded against Ḥājī Khān, and after delivering Nārnaul followed him into Mewāt. There he chas­tised many of the wicked and obstinate, and then returned to Delhi where he managed affairs with the courage of prudence. At the same time Shaikh Gadāī* Kambū, of Delhi, came from Gujrāt and entered into service. As during the time of the sojourn in Gujrāt he had behaved well to Bairām Khān and shown him kindness, he was recompensed, now that Baīram Khān had the reins of power in his hand, by being promoted to honour, and by being made Ṣadr, and spent his days with respect among his contemporaries.