(With this object in view), Rásil, Sahiras and Barhás sent an envoy to Dáhar (Chandar?) to deliver the following message: “We have unanimously decided to return and we are ready to make peace with you on certain solemn conditions. Let this country remain with you as before. If Dáhar comes to visit us (in order to settle the matter personally), we will send him back (to you) quite safe and sound.” Dáhar, taking 500 men selected from the centre (lit. heart) of the army, out of famous warriors, issued forth to settle the terms of peace and to bring about reconciliation between the two parties. To all of his chief men he said: “We have full confidence in your bravery, and courage and watchfulness.” He encouraged them all and won their hearts by splendid promises. Thus, they went on till they arrived at the door of Rasil's palace. Rásil ordered them to be kept at the door. Then he called a chamberlain (hájib) and told him: “Godown with some trustworthy persons and swordsmen, and tell (those people at the door) that I have heard the praise of their swords, and I wish them to send up their arms that I may select one of them and keep it with me as a memento. When they give up their arms, seize their hands and capture them, or else kill them.” Accordingly, the chamberlain came down upon that pretext and, standing under a portico, began to ask the men to hand over their swords. Accident­ally the vault of the portico fell down and the chamberlain remained under it. King Rásil himself then descended, and called all of them to himself, and asked each to show him the weapons. He went on taking and examining the sword of each and throwing it in front of them. When he came to Láhar son of Chach, he told him: “Show me your sword.” Dáhar said: “O king, this poniard belongs to my brother; I cannot part with it. Look at it in my hands.” When he came very close to Dáhar, a swords­man of Dáhar's stepped forward, and said, “O king, of all these swords, mine is the best.” When Rásil went near him in order to take the sword from him, the swordsman bounded like a fierce lion, caught hold of Rásil's beard, threw him down and sat on his chest, and said, “I am going to kill you.” Just then, Dáhar and his men encir­cled him and drew their swords. When Rásil saw that there was no help, he said: “What do you want from me? I am ready to make a solemn promise to you, and will faithfully abide by it and never contravene it.” Dáhar said: “It is evident to me that you had resolved to practise deception on us, and we can't now place any trust in your words or promises. The punishment of treachery and perfidy first fell upon your door-keeper, who died under the vault; then you became a prisoner in our hands. Now give us a hostage that you will return the fort of Dew Dhanaz (Dew Dhanush), and our hostages whom you have detained with you; then we shall return your hostages.” Rasil sent his hostages to Alor. Five chief men among the nobles were detained in the fort of Alor; then Rásil was set at liberty, as he promised to do what he was asked to do Dahar sent the hostages to Brahmanabad. Rasil now departed with his 500 swordsmen, and he took with himself some confidential servants of Dahar. He returned the forts (he had taken) and released the men whom he had imprisoned. When Dahar received letters from his confidential servants, written from the forts that had now been returned to them, be sent back Rasil's hostages, giving them dresses of honour. Then, peace was concluded between them, and they became friends.

Now the (charge of the) kingdom devolved upon Chan-dar, and his subjects were at ease owing to his conciliatory measures; and the business of the State was well-regulated. Chandar's reign lasted for 7 years. In the eighth year he died. Dahar now sat on the throne of Alor and Duraj son of Chandar established himself at Brahmanabad. The reign of Duraj did not exceed one year. Then Daharsiah son of Chach put him­self in possession of Brahmanabad. His sister Bai agreed to live with him, and be under his protection. Daharsiah married Agham's daughter, and remained (at Brahman-ábád) for 5 years. He sent letters to the governors of different divisions of the country, and received promises of allegiance from all. Then, Daharsiah came to Raor* where Chach had laid the foundations of a fort, but had died before its completion. Daharsiah stayed there for some time and completed the construction of the fort.* He collected the country people of the vicinity, and with a number of respectable and well-known persons settled them there. When the place was populated he gave it the name of Ráor. Then he returned to Brahmanábád, and the affairs of the country were thoroughly settled.

When Daharsiah came to know that his sister had reached the age of maturity, he became anxious (to see her married) as she was a grown up woman. The astro­logers declared her horoscope to be an auspicious one. While he was considering (what he should do) the messengers of Sohán king of Bátiah* in the country of Ramal arrived to ask for the hand of the princess. Daharsiah, being the eldest brother, prepared a royal dowry, and sent with her 700 young horses and 500 brave Thakurs, and wrote letters to Dáhar, requesting him to give away Bái to the king of Bátiah who had stipulated that a fort should be handed over to him as her marriage portion. (Daharsiah's) messenger arrived at Alór, and ?? mained there for about a month.

There was an astrologer, out of the wise men of Hind, who ws perfectly acquainted with many sciences. One day, a noble of the place, who had put a question to him and had got a correct answer from him, came to king Dáhar. The latter asked him: “What kept you busy to-day, that you came so late, and considered that business more important than your attendance on me.” The Thakur replied: “Long life to the king! Something had happened about which my mind was very uneasy and anxious. There is a Brahman astrologer, who is a learned man and very clever in the science of the stars. He foretells events readily and correctly, and, by experience, I found his prognostications to be quite accurate.” He then went into details and stated the circumstances fully. Rái Dáhar said: “Go and enquire from him about our foreign and home affairs, the general aspect of the kingdom, and the business of our State.” That man then rose and said: “Long live the king! Victorious and grand kings should not grudge to spend their leisure in the society of wise men, and in bestowing favours on learned men and teachers of morals and Brahmans, for they are our leaders and guides. It should be considered a bounden duty to visit them, and to reverence them. Their content leads to the increase of dignity and rank, and to the perpetuation of greatness and magnificence. It is also a good augury that, the person wishing to know about an event, should himself visit astrologers and put them questions personally and receive answers from them directly.”

Dáhar fell in with this suggestion, and ordered a litter to be put on (his) elephant. He sat (in the howdah), and came to the astrologer's house. When the astro­loger saw the king, he came forward to receive him, and said: “May the king live long! On what business has he come?” Dáhar said: “We have a question to put in connection with some military affairs which we want to take in hand, and we want you (also) to prognosticate the final issue of some State affairs, laws and statutes of the kingdom, and many other matters of importance.” The astrologer said: “All the auspicious stars are gazing at the rising star of your good fortune. There is no sinister quadrangular aspect of stars, nor any ominous aspect in the opposite quarter. This fort and this kingdom are allotted to you for several years and will remain in your possession. If your majesty happens to go on a journey, it will prove to be fortunate, and your majesty will return safe and happy to the throne of glory.” Then the king asked: “What do the stars say about my sister Bái's fortune”; and the astrologer replied: “My calculations lead to the inference that she shall never go out of this fort of Alór and that no one shall be married to her except the king, who shall have the kingdom of Hindustán under his sway and dominion: this girl shall be united to him by the tie of marriage.” When the astro­loger explained this matter to him, Dáhar became sunk in thought as to how that would come to pass. He returned home, and disclosed everything to Budhiman the Tákí Wazír, who was the prime minister of his father.

The wazir said to Dáhar: “The administration of a large kingdom is a delicate matter; and for a king of (many) regions and institutions and armies and servants, to cut off his connection with his kingdom is an affair of pith and moment. Illustration.—There are five things, which, when they shift from their proper places, have a sorry look, viz., 1st a king (when shifted) from his kingdom; 2nd a minister from his ministership; 3rd a (learned) spiritual guide from his disciples; 4th hair and teeth (from their original positions); and 5th the breasts of women (from their position in youth). When these move beyond their proper places, they cease to be grace­ful. For the sake of (their) kingdom, kings bring their brothers and relations to death, or else banish them from their country. They do not allow adherents or depen­dents to intermeddle with or share their sovereignty. When a king retires from his kingdom, he becomes reduced to equality with the common people, and, as the astrologer has thus directed, you ought to marry your sister and seat her with you on the throne. Though you shall have to abstain from her conjugal society she will (still) be called your wedded wife, and the kingdom will (thus) remain with you.” Dáhar called to him those 500 Thakurs, who were (now) among his chief and confidential men, and said: “In all matters I repose full trust and con­fidence in your ability and bravery, and I cannot do with­out your counsel and advice, and my orders are executed, throughout my territories, with your help. Astrologers have now predicted that, the princess Bái shall never go to any other place from this fort, and that he shall be her husband, who shall retain this country in his possession for a long time. It is not meet that this kingdom be transferred to other hands, and you ought to think over this matter. To cut oneself off from a kingdom is a very difficult thing, and what wazir Budhiman considers ex­pedient involves a great disgrace, is immoral and will bring dishonour on our Brahman family. When this disagree­able news reaches the ears of other kings of our time, and is in the mouths of the public, they will excommunicate us, and a confusion will arise in our religion.”