[This is professedly a life of Mas'úd the Ghaznivide, and finds an appropriate place here after the story books. The author of this extraordinary work was by name 'Abdu-r Rahmán Chishtí. He explains the motives which impelled him to its composition, and the sources of his information after the following manner: “The history of the King of Martyrs, Sálár Mas'úd, the facts of his birth, of his coming to Hindustan, and of his martyrdom, are told by different men in various ways, which have not found a place in any historical work of repute. The writer had long endeavoured to ascertain the real facts; and, after much research he obtained possession of an old book written by Mulla Muhammad Ghaznawí. This man was servant of Sultán Mahmúd Subuktigín. He was also in the service of Sálár Sáhú, and of the Prince of Martyrs, whom he survived. The writer perused this old book from beginning to end with the greatest pleasure, and the doubts which he had entertained were dispelled. The book was very long, it entered into details about the wars of Sultán Mahmúd, and Sálár Sáhú, mentioning incidentally here and there the King of Martyrs, and closing with an account of his martyrdom. Several of the beloved friends and attendants of the Martyr Sultán, in the abodes of the blessed, have urged the writer to the task which he has undertaken; but no one has made the same demand on behalf of Sultán Mahmúd. It therefore seemed expedient to him that he should select and commit to writing all that related to the Martyr King. He would not, however, have been able to succeed, even in this, without the directions he graciously received from the spirit of the departed. When he had set about his selection, and had engaged earnestly in the work, one night the spirit of the deceased martyr appeared to the writer in a vision, and most condescendingly expressed, with his blessed tongue, his approval of the work. Being thus graciously honoured, the author humbly replied that he had begun the work, and begged for assistance wherever his narration might be too high, or too low, too short, or too long. The spirit, with great affability, directed the author to write, and that he would attend to him and assist him. The present work is the result, to which the author has given the name Mir-át-i Mas'údí. May the reader of it also be (mas'úd) blessed. This is the author's prayer. The biography of the King of Martyrs having been derived from the aforesaid history, is here related in five chapters (dástáns). Sundry incidents, and miraculous statements, which have been found in trustworthy books, have been selected, and, after being verified by oral communications with the author's spiritual visitors, have been inserted in the present work.”
The book may then be called a historical romance. In it fact and fiction are freely mingled, and the great actions and exploits of other men are appropriated, without scruple, to the hero of the tale. The author quotes the Rauzatu-s Safá, the Táríkh-i Fíroz Sháhí, of Shams-i Siráj, and the Muntakhabu-t Tawáríkh; but he professes, as we have seen, to base his work mainly on the lost Tawáríkh-i Mahmúdí of Mulla Muhammad Ghaznawí. It is much to be regretted that he has quoted so little of that work; for his quotations from the Rauzatu-s Safá are fair, though somewhat abridged, and stripped of redundant ornament. Putting his hero Mas'úd aside, the accounts which he gives of the Musulmán conflicts with the Hindus agree in many respects with what we gather from other sources; his incidents seem to be borrowed rather than invented, and, as he used a contemporary work which is not known to us, it may be that some of his novel statements may be true, or may serve to explain, or elucidate other writers, though no reliance can be placed on them when unsupported.
The work bears no date; but the author tells us that he wrote in the time of Jahángír, a time far too distant for him to have had any personal knowledge of the scenes he depicts. Sir H. Elliot accredits him with another work, the Mir-át-i Asrár. The MS. is a duodecimo of 214 pages, 165 of which were translated by Mr. R. B. Chapman, B.C.S., by request of Sir H. Elliot. The editor regrets that the nature of the book has compelled him to reject a full half of the translation. It may be that even now too much has been printed; but the book is unknown to the European reader, and the extracts given will probably satisfy, rather than excite further curiosity.]
Of the expedition of Sálár Sáhú, general (pahlawán) of the army, into Hindustán, by order of Sultán Mahmúd of Ghazní, to the assistance of Muzaffar Khán; and of the birth of Mas'úd at Ajmír.
Sultán Mahmúd of Ghazní (God make the light of his tomb to shine!) having subdued the kingdom of Rúm and the whole of the countries of Túrán and Írán, spreading everywhere the religion of Muhammad, was seated on his throne awaiting an occasion of further executing the purposes of Allah, when suddenly one day, four men mounted on camels, appeared from the direction of Hindustán, making loud lamentations. The officers of state and the attendants brought word immediately to the Sultán, and they were summoned to the presence.
Bowing to the ground, they spake as follows:—“Sultán Abú-l Hasan attacked us with his army, and slew Hurmuz, the servant of Muzaffar Khán; he also very nearly succeeded in putting to death Muzaffar Khán himself, his wife and children, and all those about him, so that he was obliged to evacuate the place with all his dependants, and escape towards the desert. He has now been living for some years in Ajmír. At the present time Ráí Bhírún and Ráí Súm-giriyá, with four and forty other Hindu princes, have assembled from all sides to attack Muzaffar Khn and destroy the Musulmáns. The infidels surround us on all sides, and we have no hope but in thee, Oh Asylum of the World! For God's sake, give a thought to these poor followers of Islám.” “Be of good courage,” said the Sultán, “I will protect the Musulmáns.” Khwája Hasan Maimandí, the wazír of the Sultán, asked them in whose name they worded their khutba. “Hitherto,” they answered, “in addition to the one sole God Almighty and the glorious Asylum of Prophecy (Muhammad), we have repeated in our khutba the names of the Faithful Khalífas. Now that the Sultán has promised us his assistance, we shall word our khutba in the name of the Sultán Mahmúd of Ghazní.” The Sultán was delighted with this reply, and ordered Khwája Hasan Maimandí to select one of the generals and bring him quickly, that he might be sent with an army.
After a long consultation the command was given to Sálár Sáhú, general of the army, and several officers of importance, and 700,000 (haft lak) veteran cavalry were appointed to the duty, and started off. The Sultán bestowed his own scimitar, girdle, and dagger, together with an Arab charger, upon the general, and the other officers were all honoured with dresses and horses, and were addressed by their lord as follows:—“If you wish to please me, please my brother, Sálár Sáhú; serve him with all your power and do his pleasure. My brother Sálár Sáhú is a careful, just, discriminating man; he will do nothing that is not loyal, considerate, and right.”
It was on the fifth of the month of Zíhijja, in the year 401 (1011 A.D.) that Sálár Sáhú left Kandahár for Ajmír with his army (the Sultán having at that time quitted Ghazní, and taken up his residence at Kandahár).
Making the four camel-riders who had been sent as messengers by Muzaffar Khán their guides, they took the way to Ajmír by way of Thatta. Having traversed the intervening desert, they arrived within three days' march of Ajmír. The General then sent forward the camel-riders to give notice to Muzaffar Khán, while he remained himself encamped by the side of the road. On that night spirits addressed him in mysterious voices, and revealed to him that two pieces of good fortune would befal him during the expedition: in the first place he should be victorious over the unbelievers; and secondly, a male child should be born to him. At this time many spirits appeared to Sálár Sáhú, pouring such like glad tidings into his ears, as is fully related in the Tawáríkh-i Mahmúdí. From that time he perceived a supernatural influence at work within him. * *
When the news of the arrival of the General reached Muzaffar Khán he was overjoyed, and caused music to be played. The unbelievers who had assembled to besiege Ajmír were struck with a panic, and agreed together that since Mahmúd's army had come up on one side, and Muzaffar Khán, taking courage, was preparing to sally out on the other, it would be imprudent to attempt an engagement with two separate armies. Therefore they had better retreat for the present, and determine on some approved plan of fighting after the two forces had coalesced. So they raised the siege of Ajmír, and retiring to a distance of seven kos, encamped near the Koh-pukhar.
Muzaffar Khán then went to meet the General, and, conducting him into Ajmír, besought him that he would permit him to remove his people from the fort and lodge the General there. But Sálár Sáhú would not consent, saying, he had come to his assistance, and it would be very unseemly to turn him and his children out of his fort, and to take up his quarters there himself. So he pitched his tents on the banks of the tank Pukhar,* sacred among the unbelievers; and, having taken a few days rest, again put himself in motion by Muzaffar Khán's advice. The enemy also drew up their forces in line, and the flower of both armies joined in battle. The field raged with the conflict for three days; but on the third the breeze of victory began to blow on the side of the General, and the unbelievers yielded and fled. The Faithful pursued them to a distance of several parasangs, slew a great number of their officers, took a few prisoners, and then returned. The General took possession of the enemy's camp that day, and, having interred such of the Faithful as had been blessed with the honour of martyrdom, and distributed the whole spoil of the unbelievers among the soldiers of his army, he returned the next day towards Ajmír.
He then built a mosque at the gate of the fort of Ajmír, and, having performed a religious service in honour of Mahmúd of Ghazní, he sent an account of all that had happened, together with congratulations on the victory, to the Sultán.
After this he appointed officers to many places in the neighbourhood of Ajmír, which had never been under the sway of Muzaffar Khán, and brought them so under control that the collectors settled down, and revenue began to flow in on all sides.