At this time of the smiling of the spiritual and physical Spring, there was a tumult of joy in the kingdoms of nature. Each of them unfolded in a wondrous manner. It occurred to the ever-vernal mind of the decorator of fortune's garden to celebrate ancient festivals, and to knit together the external world. Although H.M. always reverenced that noble season (Spring), yet on account of the prevalence of custom and the general ignorance, his feelings were not manifested. As the eyes of the hearts of the enchained in bigotry were purblind, and sound reason had the rust of disuse, the truth-choosing Shāhinshah had regard to the disposition of his con­temporaries, and did not bring forward his views from the closet of the soul to the hall of manifestation. The physicians of the world and enlightened rulers know that it is indispensible to refrain from forms of worship which cause disturbance among men, and they regard the soothing of the various sections of mankind as one of the greatest methods of piety to God. At this day, when reason was exalted, and small and great were searching for proofs, and when enlightened old men and felicitous young men and alert sages were impledging their hearts to demonstration and seeking for certitude, the holy thoughts of the Shāhinshāh turned to ancient usages and pre­ferred wisdom to custom.

Hail the carriage (jambash) of the guides of faith
For they kindle the lamp of certitude:
Hail to the cavaliers who traverse the horizons
For they carry off the ball in realm and religion.
Among those arena-adorning cavaliers there is one
Of whom great praise is but little,

Two words may sum up my adoration,
He is Afẓal* by quality, Akbar by name.

On account of the glory of piety in his soul linked with heaven he does not highly regard orators* (perhaps eulogists) nor does he attach much importance to writers.* However insignificant out­wardly one may be, he receives honour if he utter words of choice wisdom, and however grand one may be outwardly, if his utterances do not accord therewith, the hand of rejection (dast-i-radd) is laid upon him. In his splendid equity, if some account of the ancients please him, he brings it into prominence, and does not take into con­sideration the charge of following others. He regards the orders of ³⁷⁹ Sultan Wisdom as the Divine commands, and is active in carrying them out. It is clear that awakedness does not learn from slumber, nor is light sought from darkness.

From this* year there was the commencement of New Year feasts and other ancient festivals, and they became current through­out the world. Fresh glory was given to the holy spirits of former times, and the great men of the Age obtained their desires both in spiritual and physical matters. The rising generation too which sought for enlightenment received a great boon. Divine worship assumed its place, and under the guise of appearances, spirituality developed. The season of the equability of tempers, and the periods of other feasts of the Persian months, which former sages had devised for the worship of God and the subjugation of hearts, became resplendent—as has been in some measure stated in the beginning of this palace of enlightenment (the Akbarnāma)—and in the last volume. When the New Year was approaching, H.M. gave orders that the able workmen of the Court should decorate* the great Daulat-Khāna (hall of audience) which is surrounded by 120 stone verandahs (aiwān). The great officers and other blissful ser­vants applied profound thought to the adornments thereof. Gold-embroidered stuffs of great price were used, and there were varieties of jewels. On Sunday 15 Ṣafr 990 of the lunar year, 11 March 1582, after the passing of 14 minutes, and 37 seconds, the sun con­ferred fresh glory on the Sign of Aries, and the flush of exuberance adorned Time. The beginning of the year Khurdād of the third cycle took place. The enlightened Shāhinshāh mounted on the throne of fortune, and there was fresh splendour, outward and inward. The jewel of theology was displayed, and there was a new beginning for talent and love.* (Verse.) The lock was taken off the Treasury, and the coin of hope was scattered among mankind. It was arranged that every year from the time of transit (to Aries) to the time of culmination there should be a great festival and that each day an auspicious servant should have charge of the glorious banquet.

In this great assembly he announced, “On this day every one will do some special thing, and make the adornment of felicity.” The first to speak was the world's lord who said with his pearl-filled tongue, “Lordship (Khudāwindī) in truth is only applicable to the Incom­parable Deity, and Service (bandagī) is appropriate to the man-born. What strength has this handful of weakness to take upon itself the name of Mastery (ṣāḥibī) and to make slaves of the sons of men?” At the same time he set free many thousands of slaves and said, ³⁸⁰ “How can it be right to call those seized by force by this name, and to order them to serve.” And he directed that this happy band should be distinguished by the name of Celās* (disciples).

H.M. had previously directed that the illuminated ones of the presence should submit their sentiments,* but owing to the brisk­ness of the market of dissimulation, and the want of justice on the part of the guardians of orders, this had not been carried into effect. Among these representations was that of Prince Sulan Selīm. He represented that marriage should not take place before the age of twelve, that much harm and little advantage accrued from the con­trary practice. The Khān A'zim M. Koka represented that the governors of the imperial provinces should not have the boldness to cut the thread of life, and that until they had laid the matter before H.M. they should not stain their hands by destroying what God had built. Where could deep discernment and far-sightedness, both of which were rare, be found conjoined with absence of motive and of malevolence? M. Khān-Khānān said it would be good if fragments of life such as small birds and creeping things* were not taken, and if many lives were not destroyed for a small benefit. Rajah Todar Mal said, every day, charities should be distributed at the palace, and that it should be an order that the officers also should every week, month, or year have a care of the empty-handed. M. Yūsuf K. (No. 35 of B.) represented that a daily journal of events should be obtained from all the cities and towns. Rajah Bīrbar expressed a wish that some right-minded and energetic men should act as inspec­tors in various places, and should represent impartially the condi­tion of oppressed people and seekers after justice, and report unavoidable calamities. Qāsim K.'s* suggestion was that serais (rest-houses) should be established on the routes throughout the empire so that travellers might obtain repose. S. Jamāl (No. 113 of B.) represented that some disinterested and experienced men should be appointed who should bring to court those who were in distress and want. S. Faiẓī begged that some experienced and sympathetic persons might be appointed in the cities and bazars who should fix the price of articles. Ḥakīm Abū-l-fatḥ wished for the establish­ment of hospitals. The writer of the noble volume petitioned that the dāroghas of every city and town should record the householders thereof, name by name, and trade by trade, and should always keep a close eye on their income and expenditure, and should expel the do-nothings, the mischievous, and the bad. When they had made their suggestions to H.M. he accepted all their representations. The dejected world assumed a new face. The door was opened for the Divine bounty and a collyrium was applied to the eye of seeing. The earth rose up to give praise, and the heavens joyfully uttered thanksgiving. Every day one of the great officers had charge of the assembly. The world's lord cast the shadow of graciousness on that ornamented place and gave voice to bounteousness. Prayers to God were arranged according to excellent rules, and every one of the fortunate servants gave a little out of much as peshkash, and ³⁸¹ heaped up eternal bliss. The delicate-minded Shāhinshāh received a small thing and made it the material of (conferring) great rank. When the time of the culmination (of the sun) drew near, the special hall of audience (daulat khāna khāṣ) was decorated. Wonder-working magician-like men performed marvels, and wisdom had a daily market. The souls of the sages of old times revived, and an excellent excuse (for liberality) was furnished to the bounty-loving Shāhinshāh.