The opening part of the expedition is mentioned in more detail by Firishta, than by 'Utbí and Khondamír. His account is as follows:—

“In the year 399 H., Mahmúd having collected his forces, deter­mined again to invade Hindústan, and punish Anandpál, who had shewn much insolence during the late invasion of Multán. Anandpál hearing of his intentions, sent ambassadors on all sides, inviting the assistance of the other princes of Hindústán, who now considered the expulsion of the Muhammadans from India as a sacred duty. Accordingly, the Rájas of Ujjain, Gwáliár, Kálinjar, Kanauj, Dehlí, and Ajmír entered into a confederacy, and, collecting their forces, advanced towards the Panjáb with a greater army than had ever taken the field against Amír Subuktigín. Anandpál himself took the command, and advanced to meet the invader. The Indians and Muhammadans arrived in sight of each other on the plain of Pesh-áwar, where they remained encamped forty days, neither side shewing any eagerness to come to action. The troops of the idolaters daily increased in number, and aid came to them from all sides. The infidel Gakkhars also joined them in great strength, and made extra­ordinary exertions to resist the Musulmáns. The Hindú females, on this occasion, sold their jewels, and sent the proceeds from distant parts to their husbands, so that they, being supplied with all neces­saries for the march, might be in earnest in the war. Those who were poor contributed from their earnings by spinning cotton, and other labour. The Sultán perceived that on this occasion the idolaters behaved most devotedly, and that it was necessary to be very cir­cumspect in striking the first blow. He therefore entrenched his camp, that the infidels might not be able to penetrate therein.

Mahmúd, having thus secured himself, ordered six thousand archers to the front to attack, and endeavour to draw the enemy near to his entrenchments, where the Musulmáns were prepared to receive them. In spite of the Sultán's precautions, during the heat of the battle, 30,000 infidel Gakkhars, with their heads and feet bare, and armed with spears and other weapons, penetrated on two sides into the Muhammadan lines, and forcing their way into the midst of the cavalry, they cut down men and horse with their swords, daggers, and spears, so that, in a few minutes, they slaughtered three or four thousand Muhammadans. They carried their success so far that the Sultán, observing the fury of these Gakkhar footmen, withdrew himself from the thick of the fight, that he might stop the battle for that day. But it so happened that the elephant upon which Anandpál rode, becoming unruly from the effects of the naphtha-balls and the flights of arrows, turned and fled. The Hindús, deeming this to be the signal for flight on the part of their general, all gave way, and fled. 'Abdu-llah Táí, with five or six thousand Arab horse, and Arslán Jázib, with 10,000 Turks, Afgháns, and Khiljís, pursued the enemy for two days and nights, so that 8,000 Hindús were killed in the retreat. Thirty elephants and enormous booty fell into the hands of the pursuers, with which they returned to the Sultán.”*

Seventh Expedition.—Náráin. A.H. 400.—The Tabakát-i Akbarí and Firishta do not mention this expedition at all; but it is recorded in the Yamíní, Rauzatu-s Safá and the Habíbu-s Siyar. The latter gives no name, but mentions an invasion of Hind in A.H. 400, between the transactions at Nagarkot and Ghor.

It is not easy to identify the place. 'Utbí speaks of it as in the middle of Hind, where chiefs were reduced who up to that time had obeyed no master. Mírkhond calls it “Nárín;” S. de Sacy has “Nardin,” which he thinks there is reason to believe was situated in a part of India to the west of the Indus. This would be probable enough had it not been declared by 'Utbí to be in the heart of India, and a country of hill and valley. Hammer-Purgstall speaks of the “Máhárájá of Nardín.” Reinaud confounds the campaigns of Náráin and Nardín.

On his return to Ghazní, after this expedition, Mahmúd received an embassy from the ruler of Hind (Jaipál), offering an annual tribute of fifty elephants, laden with rarities, and an Indian force of two thousand men—a curious stipulation, proving how early Indians became mercenary soldiers, even under their most bitter persecutors. This shows that this particular expedition must have made a great impression on Jaipál, and induced him to sue for humiliating terms.

It is barely possible that the Nárín,* between Inderáb and Kúndúz, may be indicated. It is the same longitude as Kábul, which we know to have been then comprised in India; and, with reference to Balkh and Ghazni, it might have been considered so far to the east­ward and so difficult of access, as to deserve being spoken of as in the heart of Hind. In Istakhrí's map of Khurásán, the position is almost included within “Bilád Hind,” and its neighbourhood to Káfiristán gives colour to the mention of the “chief of the infidels.” What militates greatly against this supposition is, that elephants formed part of the booty; and there are many other considerations also which compel us to look out for Náráin elsewhere.

Under all the circumstances mentioned, I am disposed to look upon Náráin as meant for Anhalwára, the capital of Gujarát, which Abú Ríhán tells us was called Nárána or Náráin in his time. It is to be observed that Mahmúd merely proceeded towards, not to, Náráin, and the country in the direction of Ajmír and Rájpútána was open to his incursions by the previous conquests of Bhátia and Multán. This was, perhaps, merely a preparative to his expedition to Somnát, and the reports he received of its wealth may, on this occasion, have sharpened his appetite for plundering that temple. This expedition would have been sufficient to instil alarm into Jaipál. Náráin was “in the middle of Hind,” and Mahmúd would have advanced towards it “over ground hard and soft,” and there “the friends of God might have committed slaughter in every hill and valley.” It is evident from the statements in the Mir-át-i Mas'údí, that the Musul-máns had some relations with Ajmír previous to 401 H.; and it was, probably, on this particular occasion that it was visited by Mahmúd. The visit which that work makes him pay at a later period, just previous to the conquest of Kanauj, seems highly improbable.*

Eighth Expedition.—Multán. A.H. 401.—In the year 401, after the conquest of Ghor, Mahmúd marched to Multán, where he maimed and imprisoned the Karmatians and other heretics, and brought Dáúd prisoner to Ghazní, and confined him in the fort of Ghúrak for life. The Tabakát-i Badáúní says Ghorí, and as Mahmúd had just conquered Ghor, it is not improbable that he may have confined his prisoner there.

The authorities for this expedition are the reverse of those for the last. It is mentioned in the Tabakát-i Akbarí and Firishta, and it is not mentioned in the Yamíní, Rauzatu-s Safá and Habíbu-s Siyar. This would give reason to surmise that these two were in reality but one expedition, but the circumstances of the two are so different, not admitting in any way of the same construction; and they are so consonant with the vow made by Mahmúd, that he would engage in a religious war every year, that there is no reason to reject either as improbable. The omission by 'Utbí is important, but others of a similar kind will have to be noticed; and while I am prepared to admit that we must not impugn what he actually states; yet he may, perhaps, have omitted, through ignorance or negligence, some trans­actions which actually took place. The Mir-át-i Mas'údí says that after this second capture and plunder of Multán, it was deserted, and that Anandpál, who is there called “the Zamíndár of Multán,” had fled to Uch, where he resided.