After the conclusion of the rains, he consulted his nobles of
name, and the wise among his courtiers, saying that he was
quite at ease concerning the kingdom of Hind. * * * The
nobles and chiefs said, “* * * It seems expedient that the
victorious standards should move towards the Dekhin, for certain
rebellious slaves have got the country out of the power of
their master, and have revolted, and following the heresy of
the people of dissent (Shía'), abuse the holy posterity. It
is incumbent on the powerful and fortunate to root out this
innovating schism from the Dekhin.” Sher Sháh replied:
“What you have said is most right and proper, but it has come
into my mind that since the time of Sultán Ibráhím, the infidel
zamíndárs have rendered the country of Islám full of unbelievers,
and have thrown down the masjids and buildings of the believers,
and placed idol-shrines in them, and they are in possession of the
country of Dehlí and Málwá. Until I have cleansed the country
from the existing contamination of the unbelievers, I will not go
into any other country. * * * First, I will root out that accursed
infidel Máldeo, for that he was the servant of the ruler of
Nágor and Ajmír, who placed the greatest confidence in him.
The evil-minded and ungrateful infidel slew his master, and by
violence and oppression possessed himself of those kingdoms.”
The chiefs and nobles assented, and it was so settled. In the
year 950 A.H. (1543-4 A.D.),*
the king ordered that his conquering
forces, beyond all calculation or numeration, should, under the
shadow of his victorious standards, march towards the country of
Nágor, Ajmír, and Júdhpúr. I have heard from the mouth of
the respectably descended Shaikh Muhammad, and of the Khán-
When Sher Sháh marched from the capital of Ágra, and arrived at Fathpúr Síkrí, he ordered that each division of the army should march together in order of battle, and should throw up an earthen entrenchment at every halting-ground. On the way they encamped one day on a plain of sand, and in spite of every labour, they could not, on account of the sand, make an entrenchment. Sher Sháh considered by what contrivance the entrenchment could be completed. Mahmúd Khán, grandson* of Sher Sháh, said: “Let my lord order that sacks should be filled with sand, and that they should make the entrenchment with the bags.” Sher Sháh praised his grandson's contrivance, and was greatly delighted, and ordered that they should make the fortification of bags filled with sand, and, accordingly, at that halting-place they did so. When he approached the enemy, Sher Khán contrived a stratagem; and having written letters in the name of Máldeo's nobles to this effect, viz., “Let not the king permit any anxiety or doubt to find its way to his heart. During the battle we will seize Máldeo, and bring him to you,” and having inclosed these letters in a kharíta or silken bag, he gave it to a certain person, and directed him to go near to the tent of the vakíl of Máldeo, and remain there, and when he went out to drop the kharíta on his way, and conceal himself. Sher Sháh's agent did as he was ordered; and when the vakíl of Máldeo saw the kharíta lying, he picked it up, and sent the letters to Máldeo. When the latter learnt their contents, he was much alarmed, and fled without fighting. Although his nobles took oaths of fidelity, he did not heed them. Some of the chieftains, such as Jaya Chandel and Gohá, and others, came and attacked Sher Sháh, and displayed exceeding valour. Part of the army was routed, and a certain Afghán came to Sher Sháh, and abused him in his native tongue, saying, “Mount, for the infidels are routing your army.” Sher Sháh was performing his morning devotions, and was reading the Musta'ábi-i 'ashr. He gave no reply to the Afghán. By a sign he ordered his horse, and mounted, when news of victory was brought, to the effect that Khawás Khán had slain Jaya and Gohá with all their forces. When Sher Sháh learnt the valour and gallantry of Jaya and Gohá, he said: “I had nearly given the kingdom of Dehlí for a millet (bájra) seed.”* He left Khawás Khán and 'Ísá Khán Níází, and some other chiefs, in the country of Nágor, and himself returned. Khawás Khán founded a city in his own name near the fort of Júdhpúr, and called it “Khawáspúr,” and brought into his power and possession the whole country of Nágor and Ajmír, the fort of Júdhpúr, and the districts of Márwár. Máldeo went to the fort of Siwána, on the borders of Gujarát.
Sher Sháh's nobles represented to him that, as the rainy season was near at hand, it was advisable to go into cantonments. Sher Sháh replied, “I will spend the rainy season in a place where I can carry on my work,” and marched towards the fort of Chitor.* When he was yet twelve kos from the fort of Chitor, the Rájá who was its ruler sent him the keys. When Sher Sháh came to Chitor, he left in it the younger brother of Khawás Khán, Míán Ahmad Sarwání, and Husain Khán Khiljí. Sher Sháh himself marched towards Kachwára. His eldest son 'Ádil Khán took leave to go and visit Rantambhor. Sher Sháh said: “I give you leave in order to please you, but come again quickly, and do not remain for a long time at that fort.” When Sher Sháh came near Kachwára, Shujá'at Khán went towards Hindia. Certain persons who were envious of Shujá'at Khán, said that Shujá'at Khán kept up no troops, though he had to maintain 12,000 horse, and on this account he dared not come into the presence, and made a pretext of going to Hindia. The sons of Shujá'at Khán, Míán Báyazíd and Daulat Khán, were with Sher Sháh, and wrote the true state of the case to Shujá'at Khán. On hearing the news, Shujá'at Khán came to Kachwára, to the king, and requested his horses should be branded. 7500 he passed under the brand, and he said that the rest were in his districts on duty, and if ordered he would send for them and pass them too under the brand. Sher Sháh replied: “There is no necessity for branding them, for your force is with you; and as to the persons who have defamed you, their faces are blackened.” When he dismissed Shujá'at Khán, he said: “As soon as you receive news that Kalinjar* has fallen, do you, without fail, set off for the Dekhin with all haste. Do not delay or linger at all.”
Sher Sháh himself marched from Kachwára towards Kalinjar. When he reached the stage of Sháhbandí, news came that 'Álam Khán Míána had created a disturbance in the Doáb, and having raised the province of Mírath (Meerut), had ravaged great part of the neighbouring country. Sher Sháh turned from Sháhbandí, and had gone two marches, when news arrived that 'Álam Khán had been conquered; for Bhagwant, the slave of Khawás Khán, and governor of Sirhind, had slain him near Sirhind. Upon this, Sher Sháh turned again towards Kalinjar.* The Rájá of Kalinjar, Kírat Sing, did not come out to meet him. So he ordered the fort to be invested, and threw up mounds against it, and in a short time the mounds rose so high that they overtopped the fort. The men who were in the streets and houses were exposed, and the Afgháns shot them with their arrows and muskets from off the mounds. The cause of this tedious mode of capturing the fort was this. Among the women of Rájá Kírat Sing was a Pátar slave-girl, that is a dancing-girl. The king had heard exceeding praise of her, and he considered how to get possession of her, for he feared lest if he stormed the fort, the Rájá Kírat Sing would certainly make a jauhar, and would burn the girl.