[The author of these Odes, whose real name was Badru-d dín, “the full moon of religion,” was more familiarly known as Badr-i Chách, from his native country of Chách, or Tashkand. He came to India and attracted some notice at the Court of Muhammad Tughlik, as may be gathered from the following extracts of his poems. His Kasáid, or Odes, were lithographed at Lucknow in 1845, and there is a short notice of them in Stewart's Catalogue of Tippoo's Library, and in Sprenger's Catalogue of the Oude Libraries, p. 367. Beyond this, nothing is known of him. The following extracts and notes are entirely the work of Sir H. Elliot.]
Gabriel, from the firmament of Heaven, has proclaimed the glad tidings, that a robe of honour and Patent have reached the Sultán from the Khalífa, just as the verses of the Kurán honoured Muhammad by their arrival from the Court of the immortal God. * * * The Imám has given the Sháh absolute power over all the world, and this intelligence has reached all other Sháhs throughout the seven climates. The Patent of the other sovereigns of the world has been revoked, for an autograph grant has been despatched from the eternal Capital. The wells of the envious have become as dry as that of Joseph, now that the Egyptian robe has been received in Hindústán from Canaan. * * * A veritable 'Íd has arrived to the Faithful, now that twice in one year a khila't has reached the Sultán from the Amíru-l Múminín. * * * Rajab arrived here on his return in the month of Muharram, 746 H.* (May, 1345 A.D.). * * * The king now never mentions his desire of sitting on an ivory throne, since his enemies sit on the point of elephants' tusks.* * * * Be happy, oh Badr, for by the grace of God, and liberality of the king, your difficulties have ceased, and the period of benefactions has arrived.
Yesternight, at the time that the sun, the king with the golden garments, invested itself with a black mantle, and the king of the host of darkness,* whose name is the moon, filled the emerald vault with sparks of gold, a robe of honour and a patent of sovereignty arrived, for the king of sea and land, from the lord Khalífa, the saint of his time, Ahmad 'Abbás, the Imám of God, the heir of the prophet of mankind. An order went forth that the embroiderers of curtains should prepare a beautiful and costly pavilion in the centre of four triumphal arches, which were so lofty that the vault of heaven appeared in comparison like a green fly. Each arch was adorned with golden vestments, like a bride. The floors were spread with beautiful carpets, and there were ponds of water to excite the envy of Kansar, the rivulet of paradise. In the chambers poets recited verses; songsters, like Venus, sang in each balcony. The chamberlains were in attendance, with their embroidered sleeves; the judges, with their turbans; the princes, with their waistbands. All classes of the people assembled round the buildings to witness the scene. This gay assemblage had collected because a khila't and Patent had been sent by the lord Imám. The contents of it were: “May everything on the face of the earth, in the fire and in the water, remain under the protection of the king— Turk, Rúm, Khurásán, Chín, and Shám—both that which is good, and that which is bad! If an azure canopy be granted, the heaven is at his command; if a red crown be desired, the sun will provide it. Let his titles be proclaimed from every pulpit—the Sultán of East and West, the King of Kings by sea and land, the Defender of the Faith, Muhammad Tughlik, the Just, in dignity like Saturn, in splendour like the Messiah!” The Imám has sent a khila't black as the apple of the eye, calculated to spread the light of the law through the hearts of men. For fear of the justice of thy government, the hart and the lion consort in the forest. May the eyes of thy enemies shed tears of blood. May he who raises his head against thy authority, have his face blackened, and his tongue slit, like a pen-reed; and so long as the moon is sometimes round as a shield, and sometimes bent like a bow, may arrows pierce the heart of thy ruthless enemies. May every success attend Badr through thy good fortune, and may he never be visited by any calamities of the time!
Doubtless, this festival appears as if it were held in Paradise, in
which armies of angels stand on the right and left. A thousand
crowned heads are bowed in reverence; a thousand throned warriors
stand awaiting orders; a thousand stars (armies) are there, and
under each star are arranged a thousand banners. In each course
behind the screens are a thousand songsters, melodious as nightingales.
If the palace of a thousand pillars were not like Paradise,
why should rewards and punishments be distributed there like as
on the day of judgment? Certainly this abode of happiness, Khur-
When the sun was in Cancer, the king of the time took the stone fort of Nagarkot, in the year 738 H. (1337 A.D.). * * * It is placed between rivers, like the pupil of an eye, and the fortress has so preserved its honour, and is so impregnable, that neither Sikandar nor Dárá were able to take it. Within are the masters of the mangonels; within also are beauties resplendent as the sun. Its chiefs are all strong as buffalos, with necks like a rhinoceros. Its inhabitants are all travelling on the high road to hell and perdition, and are ghúls, resembling dragons. The exalted king of the kings of the earth arrived at night at this fortress, with 100,000 champions. His army contained 1,000 stars, and under each star 1,000 banners were displayed. * * * Muhammad Tughlik is obedient to the laws of Muhammad, the apostle, and the orders of his vicegerent, Abú-l Rabí' Sulaimán Mustakfí, the essence of the religion of the prophet, the light of the family of Khalífas, the Imám of God, to whom the king is a servant and slave in body, heart, and soul.
On the 1st of Sha'bán, in the year 745, represented by the letters
in “The power of the king,” orders were issued that I should go to
the country of Deogír, and I was thus addressed: “Oh, Badr,
accompanied by Jamál Malik, the poet, and Nekroz, the slave, take
thy departure with a pomp worthy of Rustam. May he who accomplishes
all designs aid thee; may the God of both worlds protect
thee; but speak not of Deogír, for it is Daulatábád to which I
allude, a fort exalted to the heavens! Although it is but a point in
my kingdom, it comprises what is equal to 1,000 kingdoms of Jam-
“When thou, oh Badr, hast delivered this address to the Khán, kiss his hands and bow down, like a pen dipping into an inkstand. Obey every order that he gives, and deem yourself honoured with every gift that he presents. * * * When the equipage of Jalálat Khán proceeds in state to the throne of the Sultán, the king of earth and sea, proclaim to the world that the Khwája is coming, like the resplendent sun, with 100,000 footmen, 100,000 horsemen, 100,000 spears, and 100,000 bows, sitting in his silver ambárí, like the moon in the milky way.”
The inscriptions over its gateway record, in verse, the praise of the Khalífa repeatedly; may his throne be established to eternity, as well as that of the King of the World, who has declared that it is his pleasure to serve the Imám of God. The Sháh has given it the name of Khurramábád, and Zahíru-l Jaiúsh was its architect, the slave of the lord of the universe, the prelate of religion, the most select among the pious. This fortunate building was completed in Muharram, in the year 744 H. (June, 1343 A.D.). Badr has strung the pearl of this ode in one night, and made it worthy of ornamenting the ears of the nobles of the land.
Without, though the courts, full of armies, are raising a tumult and uproar, yet within it is so quiet, that prayers for pardon can be offered up.* * * * All is so still and clear that the ear of man might hear the humming of a fly's wing reverberate like music. * * * Speak not of a fort, speak not of a saráí, for in appearance and stability it is like the Ka'bah of Paradise. Zahíru-d dín erected this blessed structure by the propitious order of the Khusrú of the time, the director of the architects, and in the name of the Khalífa. May his life be prolonged for the confirmation of the religion of Muhammad, the Apostle of God. It was completed on the date, “Enter thou into Paradise,” or, that I may explain more openly, 744 H. I have been entitled by the king, Fakhru-z zamán; call me not by that name, but rather the sweet-noted parrot.
In the year of Arabia, represented by “the power of the king” (745 H., 1344 A.D.), heaven completed the verses which I had strung together. Every line was like a pearl, which dazzled the eye in the dead of night. * * * The whole of the poem is filled with praises of the king, Sháh Muhammad, the defender of the law of the Prophet, and by right the ruler of the earth, by order of the Imám. Everywhere crowned heads swear fealty to him, everywhere celebrated men are the slaves of his behests.