Mas'úd ordered them to bring the bodies of the Faithful slain and cast them into the Súraj-kund, in the hope that through the odour of their martyrdom the darkness of unbelief might be dis­pelled from that spot. They did so, and as soon as the tank was filled, he made them throw the rest into holes and pits. The Prince then dismounted, and performing fresh ablutions, paid his evening devotions with all attention, and went through the burial prayers over the innumerable corpses of the Faithful, with which the tank, the pits and holes were filled, reading the fátiha for their pure souls. He then remounted his mare of sacred blood, and, col­lecting the remnant of his forces, rushed upon the enemy. Although their army appeared like a mountain, yet it was entirely destroyed, as masses of ice are melted by the heat of the sun. Sálár Saifu-d dín had put many of the chief princes to the sword; the remainder the Prince of Martyrs destroyed. The unbelievers who, in the pride of victory, had advanced, fled back. The Prince remained standing on his side of the field; whichever way he looked, nothing met his eye but the bodies of the slain—some wounded, some in the agonies of death, others already defunct, while the survivors were occupied with the dying and the dead. He beheld this heart-rending spec­tacle without emotion; indeed so strong within him was the desire for martyrdom, that he actually rejoiced. * * *

Meanwhile, the Ráí Sahar Deo and Har Deo, with several other chiefs, who had kept their troops in reserve, seeing that the army of Islám was reduced to nothing, unitedly attacked the body-guard of the Prince. The few forces that remained to that loved one of the Lord of the Universe were ranged round him in the garden. The unbelievers, surrounding them in dense numbers, showered arrows upon them. It was then, on Sunday, the 14th of the month Rajab, in the aforesaid year 424 (14th June, 1033), as the time of evening prayer came on, that a chance arrow pierced the main artery in the arm of the Prince of the Faithful. His sun-like countenance became pale as the new moon. Repeating the text in praise of martyrdom, he dismounted. Sikandar Díwání, and the other servants of that loved-one of God, carried him to the shade of the mahúá tree, and laid him down upon a couch. Sikandar Díwáni, taking his honoured head upon his lap, sat looking towards Mecca, weeping bitterly. The Prince of Martyrs opened his eyes but once, then drew a sigh, and committed his soul to God. * * * *

A sound of woe and lamentation broke from the people; they wept aloud, and, brandishing their swords, rushed upon the army of the unbelievers, and gave up their lives, while the enemy kept their ranks and showered their arrows. By the time of evening prayer not one was left. All the servants of Mas'úd lay scattered like stars around that moon. Sikandar Díwání, who sat holding the honoured head of the Prince of Martyrs upon his lap, received several wounds in the breast; but such was the love he bore to that loved-one of the Lord of the Universe, that he never moved his knees from under his head, and yielded his life in his service.

* * * *

Before the author of this work had read the history of which he has spoken, he used often, by order of the Emperor Núru-d dín Muhammad Jahángír, to go into the north country at the foot of the mountains. Achárj Malí Bhadur, who was the representative of the Rája of the Hills, once came that way to meet me, and we chanced to speak of the Prince of Martyrs. That Brahman, who was perfectly versed in the works of Hindu historians, related to me, at length, from his own histories, the account of Mas'úd's ex­pedition, from the time he came into India till his death; and all the wars he waged with the unbelievers. Moreover, he told me, that after Ráí Sahar Deo had slain the Prince of Martyrs, he re­turned to his tent, where the Prince appeared to him in a vision, saying, “Thou hast slain me—dost think to escape? This is not manly.” Stung by this reproach, Sahar Deo came to the field of battle the following morning and was killed, as has been related. Some years after, the Tawáríkh of Mulla Muhammad of Ghazní fell into my hands. I found all that the Brahman had related to me from the Indian histories corroborated there. The Brahman affirms that the family of the present Rája of the Hills is descended from Ráí Sahar Deo, and that he had seen the Indian histories in their library. Thus much detail have I entered into for the sake of my ordinary readers. What I have related in the preface will suffice for those who read with a spiritual object.

After the death of Mas'úd, Muzaffar Khán died also. The unbelievers drove his descendants from Ajmír, and re-established their idols; and idolatry again reigned over the land of India. Things remained in this state for 200 years; but after that time that chief of holy men, the venerable Khwája Mu'ínu-d dín, of Chisht, was walking round the Ka'ba, when a voice reached him from the other world, directing him to go to Medina. Upon his arrival there, the Prophet (the peace of God, and rest be upon him!) appeared to him, and said, “The Almighty has entrusted the country of India to thee. Go thither and settle in Ajmír. By God's help, the faith of Islám shall, by thy piety and that of thy followers, be spread in that land.” That holy man reached Ajmír in the reign of Ráí Pithaura. Through the power of his religious faith, he per­suaded Ajípal Jogí, who was Pithaura's spiritual guide, to become his disciple. But the darkness of unbelief did not rise from the heart of Pithaura, who was a second Abú Jahl; on the contrary, he even encouraged the followers of the holy Khwája to evil practices, till the holy man uttered a curse against that unbeliever.

After some years, Sultán Mu'izzu-d dín, otherwise called Shahábu-d dín Ghorí, made a second expedition from Ghazní, slew Pithaura before Dehli, and placing Kutbu-d dín Aibak on the throne of Dehli, returned himself to Ghazní. Khwája Mu'ínu-d dín, of Chisht, through the powerful assistance of his prayers, brought the whole country of India into the hands of Kutbu-d dín Aibak. * * * The Mír died in Ajmír, and was buried in the old fort there. His sepulchre is a celebrated place of pilgrimage.

Since that time, no unbeliever has ruled in the land of India.

* * * *

Some people say that the Prince of Martyrs came into India in the time of that Khwája. This is quite erroneous. I have examined trustworthy works, and find that the Prince lived in the time of Khwája Abú Muhammad of Chisht, ages before the time that that chief of holy men, Mu'ínu-d dín of Chisht, came into India, and became a martyr. Rather more than two centuries intervened be­tween the two. The date of Mas'úd's death has been mentioned already; Khwája Mu'ínu-d dín died on the 6th of the month of Rajab, in the year 632. He lived 170 years. God knows the truth.

[NOTE.—The following identifications of places mentioned in the foregoing Extract have been kindly supplied by General Cunningham, who visited the locality on his Archæological survey in 1862-3. Satrakh, which is placed at ten days' march on the opposite side of the Ganges from Kanauj, is probably the same as Vesákh or Besákh, a name of Sáhet or Ayodhya (Oudh), Saddhúr and Amethí must be Bhadúr and Amethí, two towns between Karra-Mánikpur. The Súraj-kund, with the idol temple and mahúá tree, is probably at Asokpur, between Ayodhya and Gonda (or Gauda). According to local report, Mas'úd's sister's son Hátila was killed at Asokpur, and a small tomb there is said to mark the spot, though he was buried a few miles E. S. E. of Bahráích. At Asokpur there is a mound which has a mahúá tree upon it, and a tank at its foot, which is probably the Súraj-kund. The name of Sáhar Deo, who is represented as the chief of Mas'úd's antagonists, still survives in the varying forms of Suhal Dhav, Sohil Dal, and Sohil Deo. According to Buchanan Hamilton (ii. 380), this neighbourhood was selected by the Nawab Wazír of Oudh as a favourable spot for a garden.—See Archæological Report for 1862-3.]