The cavalcade of spring arrived at this auspicious time, and the news of growth was communicated to all, and bodies and souls received fresh bounty. The disposition of the age expanded, the world became equable. The bounteous clouds, like the eyes of those that long, dissolved into rain. The beautiful fountains got into commotion, like the hearts of saints. Verdure spread an odoriferous carpet. The parterre waved with fragrant streamers. The emerald buds put forth flowers of red coral.
The clouds came with world-kindling lightning
Water came up to the waist of vegetation
The cypress showed the standard of Kāūs
The tulip brought the diadem of Darius
The rose kindled a sulphur-flame* in the garden
The water glided like quicksilver.
After eight hours and twelve minutes had elapsed of Sunday 14 Shawwāl 978, 13 March 1571, the Illuminator of time and the terrene cast his ray on the mansion of Aries, and made the earth fresh as the mind of the Shāhinshāh. The atmosphere became aromatic like the delicious nature of the world's lord, and the 16th Divine year from the Accession, viz., the year Tīr of the second cycle, began. In the commencement of this auspicious year H.M. was encamped at Pattan.* The God-worshipping Khedive visited the shrine of Shaikh Farīd and implored strength. Those associated with that warrior against sensuality, and the inhabitants of those environs of the sciences of beauty and excellence, received advancement. He halted for some days in this town for the sake of spiritual and physical benefits. A thing which pleased him here was the spectacle of fishing. The fishermen here dive and catch the fish with their mouths* and hands and also strike them with iron prongs and draw them out of the water.
One of the occurrences was Muḥibb 'Alī Khān (the son of) the Mīr Khalīfa's obtaining permission at the instance of Nāhīd Begam to go and conquer Tatta. The brief account of this is that previous to this, the chaste Nāhīd Begam who was married to Muḥibb 'Alī Khān, had obtained leave to go and visit her mother Ḥājī Begam. Before she arrived, Mīrzā 'Isā had died, and Muḥammad Bāqī had become ruler in his stead. He,* from his want of sense, did not regard the arrival of the Begam as an advantage. On the contrary, he behaved badly to Ḥājī Begam. She was displeased at this, and wicked men of the country, among whom were Khān Bābā and Miskīn Tarkhān, joined with the Begam in trying to lay hold of Muḥammad Bāqī. He got wind of this and endeavoured to extirpate the faction. Khān Bābā and Ḥājī Begam fell into his hands, and he put Khān Bābā to death, and confined Ḥājī Begam till she died. Nāhīd Begam by courage and skill escaped and came to Bakar. Sulān Maḥmūd of Bakar proposed to act in harmony with her, and said that if Muḥibb 'Alī Khān and his son Mujāhid Khān came with a small force, he would join them, and that Tatta would be conquered by the imperial servants. The Begam believed his dissembling words and came to court, and begged that the above-named persons might be allowed to go (to Tatta.) As she used much importunity, she got leave and came to Tatta.
Nāhīd Begam was the daughter of Qāsim Khān Koka who in his loyalty devoted himself for H.M. Getī Sitānī Firdūs Makānī. It appears that in the battle with Ubaidullāh Khān there was an apparent* want of success, on account of a great work in the future. H.M. Firdūs Makānī fell into the hands of the enemy. The brave and loyal servant came forward and said, “I am the king, why have you seized this servant of mine?” By this act of fidelity the king was saved, and as the enemy put the other to death, H.M. took his family under his protection. Ḥājī Begam, who was the daughter of Muqīm Mīrzā, son of Mīr Zū-l-nūn, married (secondly) Mīrzā Ḥasan,* and afterwards Mīrzā 'Īsā, and her daughter was brought up with princely kindness. She was given in marriage to Muhibb 'Alī Khān (the son of) Khalīfa, who had behaved as a faithful servant.
In fine, when they came near to Bakar, Sulān Muḥmūd sent a message to the effect that he had spoken* hastily and that he could not join them in this enterprise. If they were determined to go to Tatta they should do so by Jaisalmīr. Muḥibb 'Alī Khān was in a difficulty. He could neither turn back, nor had he confidence in going forward. As he had auspiciousness in his disposition, and was comforted by the help of so great a support (as Akbar) he resolved upon attacking Bakar and on fighting with Sulān Maḥmūd. The two armies met near the fort of Matila.* What kinds of two armies were there? Muḥibb 'Alī Khān and Mujahid Khān had not more than 200 men with them, and Sulān Maḥmūd had sent 2,000! By the help of God, who looks after the affairs of those connected with the eternal dominion, this small force was victorious after a hot engagement. The other side fled and took refuge in the fort. The gallant victors set themselves to besiege it, and the garrison applied for quarter and came out. When the fort was taken and they had acquired confidence they girt up their loins for the conquest of Bakar. The fortune of the Shāhinshāh brought division among the enemy, and Mubārak Khān,* Sulān Maḥmud's khāṣa khel, and who was his factotum, came and joined Muḥibb 'Alī Khān with 1,500 men. The ostensible reason for this was that the wicked ones of that country had caused his son Beg Ōghlī to be suspected of intimacy with one of Sulān Mahmūd's women. Hence the simpleton (S. Maḥmūd) was, without making inquiry, endeavouring to extirpate his family. He (Mubārak) was not candid. He was suspicious about his treatment and was searching for an opportunity of separating himself (from Muḥibb). Muḥibb 'Alī Khān longed for his possessions and put him to death. He conciliated his men (by bribes)—who were like dogs and flies—and engaged in the siege of Bakar. Merely through his connection with daily-increasing fortune this fort was captured, as will be told in its proper place.*
As the health of Prince Shāh Murād was a little off the path of equability, H.M. stayed some days in that city (Pākpattan). When the prince recovered, the drum of return was beat high on the day of Khirdād 6 Ardībihisht, Divine month, corresponding to Monday 20 Zūlq'ada, 16 April 1571. Every day there was hunting. Worship was performed under the veil of pleasure. One day the huntsmen reported that there were several cītahs, and the Shāhinshāh went in quest of them. Six * cītahs were caught that day in a kheda, and among them was Madan Kalī who became the head of the Shāhinshāh's cītahs. When the standards of fortune reached Dībālpūr, Khān 'Aim Mīrzā Koka, who held this district in fief, begged that H.M. would visit him. H.M. conceded his request and visited his quarters. He exerted himself in preparing a feast and in tendering presents. As a right disposition adorned his loyalty, and as he knew that for an intelligent servant to give a feast is to return a little of what has been bestowed on him, he made this an acceptable entertainment. Moaffar Ḥusain, who was in the Mīrzā's service, made this hemistich as a chronogram of the event. “The Shāh and Shāhzāda were guests of 'Azīz (978).” H.M. went on from there, and hunting and administering justice, he arrived at Lahore on the day of Khirdād 6 Khirdād, Divine month, corresponding to Thursday 22 Ẓīl ḥajja, 17 May 1571. Ḥusain Qulī Khān performed the rites of service and loyalty, and at his petition H.M. visited his quarters which had been newly prepared, and so he received everlasting honour. When the affairs of this country had been disposed of under the guise of progresses and hunting, H.M. desired to go by way of Ḥiṣār in order that he might make that province an alighting-place of illuminations. He also wished to visit* the shrine of M'uīnu-d-dīn (Cistī). Accordingly he in the end of Khirdād, Divine month?? corresponding to 1 Muḥarram 979, proceeded to that district, and on the day of Māh 12 Tīr, Divine month, corresponding to Sunday 1 Ṣafr, encamped at Hiṣār Fīrūza.