[“The Conjunction of the Two Auspicious Planets,” the poem in which Khusrú celebrates the meeting of Sultán Kai-kubád, with his father, Násiru-d dín, Sultán of Bengal. This poem was completed in Ramazán 688 H. (September, 1289 A.D.). Professor Cowell has given an account of it, with some specimens, in the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal for 1860, and from that article the following criticisms are quoted: “The style of the poem (as of all Khusrú's works) is full of exaggeration and metaphorical description, but the facts of the history are generally given with tolerable fidelity. In fact, few historical poems in any language adhere more closely to the actual order and character of the events; and when we compare Ferishta's account with the poetical version, we are struck by their great agreement in the main points.” “Every now and then, at the end of many of the chapters, there is given a ghazal, which is supposed to express the poet's feelings contemporary with that part of the story which has just been described, something like the songs introduced between the parts of Tennyson's Princess. These ghazals are in various metres, and serve admirably to diversify the poem, while at the same time they form a running commentary, like the choruses of a Greek play, on the progress of the action, and the hopes and fears which it may be supposed to excite in the minds of the spectators. The poet, having actually been present throughout the campaign, is in this way enabled to throw himself into the scene, and we have thus an interesting mixture of the epic and lyric elements, each portion of the action being represented from an objective and subjective point of view.”]
Praise of God and the Prophet, and panegyric upon Mu'izzu-d dín Kai-kubád, king by virtue of three descents: the first from Sultán Shamsu-d dín Altamsh, the grandfather of his grandmother; the second from Násiru-d dín Mahmúd Sháh, the father of his grandmother; the third from Ghiyásu-d dín Balban, his grandfather. Praise of the city of Dehli, which has three large forts and thirteen gates; of the Masjid-i Jáma' and its lofty minaret, built by Shamsu-d dín; of the Hauz-i Shamsí, the terrace and dome which are in the centre of the Hauz. Praise of Hindústán, and the inhabitants of Dehli, its learned doctors, poets, singers, and chiefs.
When Sultán Kai-kubád succeeded his grandfather Balban on the throne in H. 686, there were nearly five thousand nobles in attendance upon him, with an army of one hundred thousand men. His kingdom extended from the borders of Bengal to the river Sind. Upon receiving the news of his accession, his father, Baghrá Khán, the son of Balban, advanced from his capital, Lakhnautí, to Oudh, with a powerful army, had the khutba read in his name, and proclaimed himself king under the title of Násiru-d dín Sultán.*
Kai-kubád, on receiving intelligence of his father's having marched to Oudh, ordered his officers to collect an army, which amounted to one hundred thousand horsemen. “He despatched his orders to every country, he summoned a chief from every city. The nobles of the land were assembled together; Maliks, Kháns, Princes, and Kings; all the swordsmen of the country of Hind, all the spearmen of the province of Sind. The horsemen were so many that Ekaspas were of no consideration, and Páíks and Afgháns were without number.”
“On the forenoon of Monday, at the close of the month Zí-l hij, the victorious banners were displayed, and the moon-standard was exalted to the heavens. The king rode out from his fortunate palace, preceded by the star-banner and the cow-tail.” His right wing was at Tilpat, his left wing at Indarpat, and the Páígáh-i khás at Sirrí, and his elephants occupied a breadth of three miles at Hápúr. The king mounted his horse and went to Kílokharí to hunt. Praise of the new palace which he built there on the bank of the Jumna, and a description of the festivities he enjoyed there, and the charms of the season of autumn.
“The king was thus enjoying himself at this season, when the report of a Mughal invasion fell upon the earth. Several messengers arrived swift as an arrow from a bow, and kissed the ground like a barb, reporting that the Mughals had arrived from beyond the border, with an army as dense as the sands of the desert, and tumultuous as boiling water in a cauldron; the people of that country were ground down to the dust, and slaughter accompanied the devastators wherever they went. The impetuous torrent of invasion swept on, and the inhabitants of Lahnúr (Lahore) fled to Multán.”
“When the king learnt from his messengers the disobedience of those wretches, he laughed bitterly like a lion in anger, and exclaimed, ‘This is indeed ridiculous that, during my reign, foreigners should dare to make a commotion in my cradle. If my holy warriors should not be able to protect me, infidels may well commit their ravages in my country. Dominion over all the world is mine, why should I feel any anxiety about the designs of others? What will the people of every kingdom say? I am king, and destroy the forts of enemies. How can the owl dare with long talons to snatch prey from the nest of the falcon? A dog may be very bold after a deer, but how can he contend with a lion? It is I who take every year from the ráís of Hind tribute in elephants and money. Sometimes I pay my army by assignments upon Gújarát, sometimes upon Deogír.* All my swift horses I obtain from Tilang, all my vigorous elephants from Bengal. Treasures of mine are deposited in Málwa and Jájnagar. My tunics are obtained from Khitá, the borders of Chín are tied in my waistband. Shall I take the cotton from my ears and attend to this perfidious tribe with their quilted dresses? The bones of their army will I pound into flocks of cotton. Though their hordes be like ants and locusts, I shall tread them under foot like insects on the road. My heart disposes me to leap from my throne and lay the head of Kará Khán beneath my feet; but again I should feel foul scorn that my sword should be tarnished with the blood of a dog. No one would condescend to shoot an arrow at a dead body; it is only a pellet-ball that is fit for such vile game as this.’
“When he had finished these words, the wise 'Áriz summoned the army. The king said, ‘I desire that thirty thousand serviceable cavalry may be told off for the pursuit of the Mughals. At the head of them set the swordsman, Bárbak Khán-i Jahán, the active defeater of armies.’ Then the wise 'Áriz, by order of the Sháh, detached the army in pursuit of the enemy. The Bárbak took post in the centre, and prepared for fight, and a hundred chiefs of lofty stature were under his orders. * * * They proceeded from place to place with such expedition that they outstripped the morning breeze. In that country not a name or vestige remained of any building where the vile feet of the Mughals had trod. From the boundary of Sámána as far as Láhnúr (Lahore), not a house was left standing except at Kasúr.”
“When the army of Islám reached its destination, it was as a river watering a thirsty soil, for the deserted country was again inhabited, and when the ungodly infidels heard of its arrival, they fled swifter than an arrow from a bow. They turned away from their plunder to flight, and thought themselves fortunate in escaping with their lives. Notwithstanding that Tamúr exhibited activity and strength, he became soft as wax, though as firm as steel.* Sarmak, Kílí, Khajlak, and Baidú, fled away hastily and shamelessly all of them, as if a stone had fallen among a brood of chickens. The whole tribe turned up their garments and fled to the foot of the hills in all directions. The Mughals turned their backs to the advancing army, and when their faces were seen they were black and harsh. Bárbak was behind them with relentless revenge, putting all to the sword who fell in his way. * * * Their cheeks were as broad as an inverted bowl, and their eyes and heads looked as if they had been bathed in gore. * * * The army of Islám in pursuit dyed the hills like tulips with their blood. Some few of these ass-bodied fools managed to effect their escape, but the rest, both old and young, were put to the sword, or taken captive. Khán-i Jahán returned happy and triumphant. He bound the Mughal captives in a string, and led them camel-hearted like a drove of those quadrupeds. Not one of those marauding Turks was slain until the skin had been flayed from his head.”