About this time Sám Narímán,* under the orders of the King of Írán, marched to invade Hindústán, and came up to the Panjáb. The commander-in-chief, Mál Chand, with the flower of the army of Hindústán, went to oppose him; but he was not able to arrest his progress. Being compelled to treat, Mál Chand sent clever envoys with gold and jewels and elephants, and made peace by ceding the Panjáb to Sám Narímán. Some writers maintain that from the reign of Farídún the Panjáb was held by the Kings of 'Ajam, and that the descendants of Gurshasp, among whom were Rustam and his ancestors, held the Panjáb, Kábul and Zábul, Sind and Nímroz in jágír. Mál Chand was a distinguished general, and the country of Málwá derived its name from him. After returning to Mahá Ráj, he marched without delay in great force against the Dakhin. As soon as the enemy heard of his approach, their hearts sank, and they dispersed. Mál Chand so used the sword of retribution upon them, that not a vestige of them was left. He placed garrisons in several places, and on his march he founded the forts of Gwálior and Bayána. Mál Chand brought back with him from Telingána and the Dakhin the sciences of singing and music. He spent much of his time at the fort of Gwálior, and there he had many children by the singers whom he had brought back with him;—so music flourished in that country. After seven hundred years, Mahá Ráj died, leaving fourteen sons, and he was succeeded by the eldest, Keshú Ráj, who took his seat upon the glorious throne of Hindústán.

History of Keshú Ráj, son of Mahá Ráj.—At the very beginning of his reign, he sent his brothers (on service) in various directions while he marched by way of Kálpí to Gondwára. Then he pursued his course to the Dakhin, and rode as far as the boundaries of Singal-díp. There he exacted tribute from the rebellious ráís, and exerted himself in bringing the various tribes into subjection. On his return, the zamíndárs of the Dakhin leagued together, and raised the banner of hostility. Day by day their forces increased, till they became powerful enough to threaten Keshú Ráj. Finding himself unable to resist, Keshú Ráj made peace, and returned home. He sent letters and many gifts to Minuchihr, and begged for his aid. Minuchihr then sent Sám Narímán with a powerful army. Keshú Ráj went to Jálandhar to meet his ally, and after having entertained him, marched with him towards the Dakhin. The ráís of the Dakhin were dismayed at the approach of the army of Írán, and so that country came back into the possession of the Rájá of Hind. Keshú Ráj showed every attention to Sám Narímán, and accom­panied him homewards to the borders of the Panjáb. Then he sent presents and rarities to Minuchihr, and went to dwell in the city of Oudh. There he spread the protection of his justice over the realm of Hind, and secured the happiness of his people. After he had reigned two hundred and twenty years he died, and was succeeded by his eldest son.

History of Fíroz Ráí,* son of Keshú Ráj.—Fíroz Ráí was well versed in the Hindú shástras or sacred books. He was fond of the society of learned and religious men, and took no thought of riding or warfare. He devoted himself entirely to religious men, and be­stowed much money on the poor. He went twice to the city of Bihár, and there dispensed large sums in charity. The city of Munír was built in his reign. One very improper action of which he was guilty was this: When, through the death of Sám Narímán, weakness fell upon the government of Minuchihr, Afrásiyáb, seizing the opportunity, raised a force against him, and defeated him. Fíroz Ráí, then, throwing aside his obligations to Minuchihr and Sám Narí-mán, marched an army to the Panjáb, and wrested that country from the possession of Zál,* son of Sám Narímán. He then made Jálandhar his capital, and sent an ambassador with presents to wait upon Afrásiyáb, and to enrol himself among the numbers of his tribu­taries. The Panjáb remained in the possession of the ráís of Hind, until the reign of Kai-kubád. When Rustam, son of Dastán,* the champion of the world, had won the fame of a hero by his own deeds, he marched to recover the Panjáb. Fíroz Ráí was unable to resist his attack, so he fled to the hills of Tirhút. Rustam having taken Sind, Multán, and the Panjáb, set off towards tirhút. Then Fíroz Ráí, in the greatest fear, fled by way of the desert to the hills of Jhárkand and Gondwára. He never saw another happy day, but died soon afterwards, having reigned five hundred and thirty-seven years.

Account of Rustam's bestowing the sovereignty of Hind upon Súraj.— They say that when intelligence of the death of Fíroz Ráí reached Rustam, son of Dastán, the dishonesty and faithlessness of the deceased Ráí made him averse to permitting any one of his sons to succeed to the throne. Accordingly he raised to the regal dignity one of the chiefs of Hind, named Súraj, who had been early in making his submission. Rustam then returned to Írán. Súraj established his authority, and became a powerful King. From the shores of the sea (daryá) of Bengal to the confines of the Dakhin, his governors and officers sat (in authority). He was very active in promoting the erection of buildings and the spread of agriculture. During his reign, a Bráhman came from the hills of Jhárkand to wait upon him, and as he was deeply versed in the occult sciences and magic, he obtained a complete ascendancy over the mind of Súraj, and converted him to idolatry.

Establishment of Idolatry.—They say that Hind obeyed and worshipped the true God, as he had seen and heard of his father Hám, the son of Noah. His descendants, generation after genera­tion, pursued the same course. At length, in the reign of Mahá Ráj, a person came from Írán, who inculcated the worship of the Sun. That worship spread widely, and some men became worship­pers of the stars, others of fire. But when idol-worship arose, it spread more widely than all. Because that Bráhman told Súraj that whoever made a large image of an ancestor* in gold or silver or stone, would find the way to salvation; so many people, small and great, formed images of the departed, and engaged in the worship of them. Súraj, having built the city of Kanauj on the bank of the Ganges, applied himself to idolatry. This sentiment spread among the people, and every man formed an idol according to his own devices, and paid it his adoration. So ninety tribes, each in its own way, engaged in idolatry. Súraj made the city of Kanauj his capital, and dwelt there for some years. During his reign, it spread to the distance of twenty-five kos. Súraj died after a reign of two hundred and fifty years. He was cotemporary with Kai-kubád, and every year used to send tribute to him. He also acknowledged the claims of Rustam, son of Dastán, gave him his own sister's daughter in marriage, and continually sent him presents and rarities. He had thirty-five sons, the eldest of whom, Bah Ráj, succeeded him.

History of the reign of Bah Ráj, son of Súraj.—When Bah Raj ascended the throne, he built a city, which he called Bahráj,* from his own name. He studied music for many years. He exerted himself actively in completing the city of Benares, which his father had founded in the latter days of his life, but had not been permitted to finish. Showing great affection and kindness to his brothers, he made them happy with suitable jágírs. Some assert that Bah Ráj gave to his brothers, the sons of Súraj, the name of Rájpút. He also gave names to other tribes. But he set at nought the regulations of Mahá Ráj, which had been the mainstay of the State; so the affairs of government fell into disorder, and madness seized upon every brain. A bráhman named Kídár came down from the Siwálik hills, and raised a rebellion against him. After some fighting, the bráhman obtained the mastery, and the sovereignty of Hind fell from the hands of Bah Ráj. His reign lasted for thirty-six years.

Account of the reign of Kídár Bráhman.—When this man took the bride of the sovereignty of Hind to his bosom, he was well acquainted with the science of government, and became a great king. He acknowledged himself tributary to Kai-Káús and Kai-Khusrú, and sent offerings to them. He built the fort of Kálinjar. Towards the end of his reign, a powerful man named Shankal came from Kúch, and raised a rebellion. First he got possession of Bang (Bengal) and Bihár. Then he collected an enormous army, and fought several hard battles with Kídár, over whom he obtained the victory. Kídár reigned nineteen years.