As H.M. knew that the chastisement of the presumptuous and rebellious was at the head of the deeds of sovereignty, he sent off Shahbāz Khān Mīr Bakhshī quickly in order that he might turn back the officers who had previously hurried off to put down the Mīrzās, and cause them to join the imperial force. He left Mīr Muḥammad the Khān Kalān, Khwāja Jahān, Shujā'at Khān and Ṣādiq Khān in the camp and in charge of the princes (Akbar's children), and put his foot in the stirrup of victory. He took with him Khwāja 'Abdullah, Jalāl Khān Qūrcī, Raisāl Darbārī, Āṣaf Khān, Jaimal,* Bahādur Khān Qūrdār, Maqbul Khān, Aqā* Sarkh Badakh shī, Mathurā Dās, and Adam Tājband. Dilāwarkhān* was ordered to remain on the edge of the camp and to see that no one else should follow them. H.M. did not judge it proper that more than two* or three servants (mardum) of his companions should go with them lest Ibrāhīm Ḥusain should decamp on account of the crowd of victorious warriors. Though those loyalists who had the privilege of speech implored and lamented, it was of no avail. He said that such was his reliance on God's help that he needed not a large force to quell those wretched insurgents. But out of farsightedness—which is the foundation of conquest and world-rule—he ordered that the army* which had gone in advance should be united with his band.

On the same night that the news of the rebels had been brought, he mounted his swift steed when about two hours of night remained and went off at a gallop. Malik Ashrāq* Gujrātī was added as a guide, as he was acquainted with the country. On that swift journey the guides went wrong owing to a design of Providence. At last the path was found by the illumination of the sun of fortune and they went on still more rapidly.

One of the mysterious indications, which caused joy to H.M.'s comrades, was that when it became morning, and the world-lighting splendour of the great luminary took possession of the world, a deer ¹³ appeared. It passed into the mind of the Shāhinshāh that if he caught this deer it would be a sign of victory. So a cīta was slipped, and immediately the deer was captured. When this became known to H.M.'s followers their hearts were strengthened a thousandfold and they addressed themselves to the march. No trace of the enemy could be seen. It appeared as if they had heard of the victorious, royal army, and had increased their pace. Delay was also caused by the cavalcade's missing its way. When two hours of day remained, they fell in with a brahman and inquired from him about the enemy. He said they had crossed the Bikānīr* river and encamped in large force at Sarnāl, and that the distance was about four kos. H.M. took counsel with his followers. Jalāl Khān said, “Our troops have not come up yet, and the enemy is in force. When we are so few in number it is not advisable to engage in daylight with so many. The proper thing is to halt a while and make a night-attack.” The mine of truth and courage did not approve of a night-attack, which is a form of deception and fraud, and in order to encourage his comrades, said, “Courage is a helper, and many cowards become brave men out of shame. It is far better not to be put off the work of the day till the night, and to fight with the smart­ness and alacrity that we are marching with.” He uttered words of encouragement and said, “Friends, be stout-hearted, and let each one of us overthrow a foe.” Khwāja 'Abdullah said “Your Majesty will remember that you have often said that ‘A good elephant is one who is not satisfied with overthrowing one opponent but addresses himself to the casting down and trampling upon many.’” H.M. commended this speech, and resolved, heaven helping, to fight by day,* and pushed on faster than ever. At last the town of Sarnāl,* which was on the top of a hill, appeared in sight. After H.M. had proceeded a little way further, he drew up his men on the banks of the Mahindrī, and ordered them to put on their cuirasses. At this time, when this Tiger of God was preparing for combat—and not more than forty men had arrived, news came of the approach of his other troops. He was angry at their delay, and said to his compan­ions, “We'll not suffer them to share in the fight with us.” But when it was explained that the cause of their delay was that they had hurried off in an opposite direction and also that Shahbāz Khān, who had been sent to call them, had been long in coming up with them, his wrath was appeased, and he permitted some of them to present ¹⁴ themselves. The Khān 'Aālm, Ṣaiyid Muḥammad Khān Bārhā Rajah Bhagwant Dās, Shāh Qulī Khān Maḥram, Kuar Mān Singh Bābā Khān Qāqshāl, Bhūpat, Salīm Khān Kākar, Bhoj, Hajī Yūsuf Khān and many others of the officers and cavaliers bent forward the head of shame and joined the royal cavalcade. So the number of the troop became about two hundred. At the time of crossing the river Mān Singh petitioned to be placed in the van. H.M. said, “What force have we that we should make a division. To-day we are all one and have set our hearts upon the fight.” He begged, saying, “It is the privilege of devotion to go a few steps in front and to show life-sacrifice.” The just prince granted his desire and allowed him and some experienced warriors to go in front. He himself, proceed­ing on pari passu with the Divine assistance, put his bay horse into the deep river. By the good fortune and miracle of his personality the river became fordable, and all the loyal servants crossed in safety. Ibrāhīm Ḥusain M. had a little while before halted in the town of Sarnāl. When he saw the dust of the victorious army and the horsemen crossing the river he recognised the Divine glory (far Īzdī) and said to his companions, “Evidently the king is here from their crossing so splendidly.” From illfatedness and shortness of vision he immediately prepared for battle and came out of the town and took post on rising ground. When Ḥ.M. had crossed the river the bank was found to be very rugged.* The devoted heroes abandoned prudence and pressed forward. Parties of them came into the broken ground, and sought for a means of success. The lord of the earth and a few of his immediate followers came to the gate of Sarnāl which faced the river, and then some of the wretches tried to oppose him. Maqbul Khān, a Qalmāq slave, and some brave men rushed forward and levelled them with the dust. When they got into the town they found the streets full of baggage, and it appeared that Ibrāhīm Ḥusain M. had gone out with the rest of the rebels by another road and was prepared for battle. The world's lord and a party of kindred spirits got out, with great difficulty, from the narrow and encumbered streets, and he addressed himself to encouraging his followers. Bābā Khān Qaqshāl and his bowmen were driven off by the enemy. The other heroes stood firm. Many of the practised warriors, who had got separated in the ravines, came in from every side and attacked the foe. One of them, Bhūpat* the brother of Bhagwant Dās, became confronted with a number of the enemy, and bravely yielded up his life.

In every corner there was a hot engagement,
There was a dealing with an ill-fated set,
As the troops were few but fortune was friendly
They were better than numbers and difficulties

For in war the result is from the stars
Not from wealth and a large army.

As the ground was rough and there were thorn bushes* two horsemen could not advance abreast. The tiger of the forest of courage displayed the power of God and slowly advanced by the narrow ways. Rajah Bhagwant Dās was close beside him, and when on every side there was hard fighting three daring men rushed from out the ranks of the opponents against the lion-hearted sovereign. One of them made at Rajah Bhagwant Dās and aimed his javelin at him, but the Rajah stood firm in his stirrups and attacked him with his spear. The javelin did not hit its mark, and the Rajah so smote that wretch with his spear that he was over­thrown. Just then the other two attacked H. M. The thorn bushes were an obstacle, and the Khān 'Aālm, Shāh Qulī Khān Maḥram and some others who were near at hand, were so unfortu­nate as not to be able to assist. That tiger-slayer and world-cham­pion, when he saw that those two evildoers were coming near him, urged on his horse and jumped over the thorns and in front of them. The glory of the Divine radiance affrighted them and they fled. Ibrāhīm Ḥusain M. was vanquished by the fortune of the King.

Dost thou not know that when he engaged in combat
Fortune uttered the cry of “Beware”!
What brave man will seek a contest with him?
What courage will he have to look on his brow?
He so fights that heroes, high or low,
Fall down as if drunk with wine.
At each onset he strides thirty paces,
At each wound an elephant falls down.
The soldiers fly in crowds on crowds:
They give themselves to the river and the rock.

All at once they fled in confusion, and the warriors pursued them and killed many. By the blessing of the Shahinshāh's personality such a great victory was obtained by a few.

No one has seen such fighting in the world
Nor has heard of such from the skilled in history.

The account of this great masterpiece is beyond the mould of ¹⁶ language, and so instructive an event has seldom been met with among the feats of the ancients, to wit, that such a great King, at whose beck are a thousand armies, should, in his high courage and greatness of soul, not delay, but with a few of his own followers should make so long a march against so many brave troops, and should, by the Divine help, uprear the standards of victory and drive such haughty ones before him! Assuredly human power cannot account for such deeds, nor comprehend them. Clearly it is the special Divine favour to which they should be ascribed!

His world-conquering mind desired that the pursuit should not be given up till Ibrāhīm Husain should be seized, but as the cup of his life was not yet full the darkness of night threw a veil over him. Of necessity the farsighted Shāhinshāh returned and encamped in the town of Sarnāl.* He returned thanks to God and proceeded to reward his followers. He sent the bulletin of victory, which was full of the wonders of the Divine aid, to the camp by Surkh Badakhshī. Next morning he proceeded towards the camp, and on 12 Dai, Divine month, corresponding to the night of Wednesday the 18th Shāban (24 December 1572), he returned to the camp. The gates of rejoicing and thanksgiving were opened anew.

One of the occurrences of this time was that Shāh Qulī Khān Maḥram, Ṣādiq Khān and some of the chosen heroes were appointed to go to the neighbourhood of the fort of Surat so as to allow none of the besieged to escape. When the news of the royal army reached the besieged in the fort, Gulrukh Begam the daughter of M. Kāmrān, and wife of Ibrāhīm Ḥusain M., took with her her son Moaffar Ḥusain M. and some of her trusty adherents and went off to the Deccan. Though the officers hastened after her they did not succeed,* and that wise woman manfully* got away from them.

Another occurrence was the chastisement* of Shahbāz Khān Bakhshī Begī, and the warning given thereby to all the pillars of the state. The cause of this direction was that Maḥmūd the son of Iskandar Afghan had been made over to his care, and that he man­aged to escape from his guards and go off to the Deccan. H.M. severely censured him. In fact it was kindness in the guise of wrath, so that the servants of the threshold of the Caliphate might not show slackness in the affairs of sovereignty—which in truth is a form of Divine worship—and should not lose hold of vigilance and wariness.