By the Divine aid and by the auspicious care of the Shāhinshāh, who is the key of all locks, visible and invisible, an opening took place. As the world-adorning Deity watches over the affairs of this spiritual and temporal lord, it is proper to inquire in regard to every matter which has relation to him what are the arrangements of the superintendents of destiny. The conquest of this fort, which equalled the rampart of Alexander* is a proof of this remark. The manner in which it was taken did not enter into the minds of the wise. Arrangements for the siege, such as no one could imagine, were excel­lently carried out, and the entrenchments were pushed forward on all sides. In some places the batteries closely touched the fort, and among them was an entrenchment which was under the care of the Nāṣir-al-Mulk and in advance of all the others. The egress and ingress of the prisoners of the fort were closed. Though Sikandar relied on the strength of the fort, yet he was disheartened by the appearance of affairs. But in spite of this discouragement, as scoundrels were calculating on the sedition of Mubāriz Khān 'Adalī, of whom a short account has already been given (and hoping), that perhaps he would be able to lift up his head from the eastern provinces of India and march against Delhi, and so the siege of the fort (Mānkot) would not be completed, and that so he (Sikandar) would have an opportunity for commotion in the tranquillised districts, he did not give up defending the fort. But as the doings of the opponents of God-given dominion do not succeed, Mubāriz Khān's measure of life became full. The account of this affair is as follows: The son of Muḥammad Khān who was ruler of Bengal and was called Ṣadr* Khān, took to himself the title of Jalālu-d-dīn, and made great pretensions. He advanced to give battle to revenge his father whom Mubāriz Khān had slain in battle. A great fight ensued and Mubāriz Khān 'Adilī was killed. He had reigned four years and odd. I admire the wondrous fortune which occurred to the empire from the mutual contentions of its ene­mies. They made enterprises against one another, and showed them­selves as auxiliaries of the eternal dominion.

this news came to the garrison they at once became dis­heartened. When Sikandar both witnessed and learnt the uprearing of the standards of daily increasing fortune, and his own defeats upon defeats, despair upon despair fell upon him. Of necessity he entered the lists of suppliants and sent his confidants to implore that H.M. the Shāhinshāh would send to the fort one of his trusty servants to comfort his distracted soul and make him a member of the victorious army. H.M. who was a mine of benevolence, out of compassion sent the Atka Khān, who was distinguished for his wisdom and reliability. Sikandar declared with an ashamed face that he did not possess the wisdom which looks to the end, and that he had adopted short-sighted views. He was not in a condition to do homage and so whiten his face. His case would be properly dealt with if H.M. the Shāhinshāh would be so gracious as to excuse him for a time from service. He now sent his son as a slave and hoped that a place would be assigned to himself where he might stay for a while and prepare himself for the blessing of kissing the threshold. He vowed, by God the Creator of the world, that as long as he lived, he would never remove the neck of submission from the line of obe­dience, and that he would place the necklace of this favour round the neck of his life and make it the jewel of his good fortune. He won over the heart of the ambassador by deceitful blandishments and sub­missions, and also sent presents in money and goods to the Nāṣir-al-Mulk who was the Khān-Khānān's vakil, or rather was the vakīl of the Sultanate, and he, as if* from fidelity, interested himself in Sikandar, and conveyed the purport of his requests to the Shāhinshāh through the instrumentality of the Khān-Khānān.

regarded the sweets of forgiveness as greater than those of revenge, accepted the representations of the Khān-Khānān, and assigned to Sikandar Kharīd and Bihār as jagirs. The latter sent his son 'Abdu-r-Raḥmān along with Ghāzī* Khān Tannūrī, who was one of his confidential officers to the Court, the protection of princes, in order that their good services might be the cause of greater favour on the part of the Shāhinshāh to himself. The agreement was carried out according to the kingly desires. Valuable presents including some choice elephants, such as might be fit for the Court, were sent, and on 11 Murdād, Divine month, corresponding to Saturday, 27th Ramẓān, 24 May, 1557, the keys of the fort were surrendered to the imperial servants. H.M. the Shāhinshāh drew the writing of forgiveness over the schedule of his offences, and shutting his eyes to the record of his deeds, gave him leave to depart. He came out of the prison of the fort, and, after a thousand apprehensions and fears, reached Kharīd and Bihār. After two years he went to the abode of annihilation.

been thus completed and Sulān Sikandar had by becoming a suppliant of the Sultanate con­veyed himself into safety, the charge of the fort was made over to Abu-l-Qāsim, the brother of Muḥammad Qāsim Khān Maujī. On 16 Murdād, Divine month, corresponding to 2 Shawwāl, 31 July, 1557, the army, after a stay of six months odd, left the slopes of the Siwāliks for Lahore, in order that it might proceed to Agra after having arranged the affairs of the Panjab. On the way Bairām Khān's mind became troubled on account of misunderstanding, and of his not appreciating the favour shown to him. The account of this affairs is as follows. During the last days of the siege of Mānkot the Khān-Khānān fell ill. Some boils formed which prevented him from mount­ing a horse. During that time H.M. the Shāhinshāh turned his attention, as a means of diversion, to elephant-fights. Many times did he apply himself to this sport, which has hundreds of nice points involved in it. One day there was a prolonged contest between two of the royal elephants called Fatūḥā and Lagna. By chance these two during their fight came near the Khān-Khānān's tent. The crowd of people and the general uproar caused apprehension and annoyance to the Khān-Khānān, and he came to suspect that perhaps the thing had occurred at the sublime suggestion (of Akbar). He was confirmed in this suspicion by some strife-mongers. He sent one of his confi­dential servants to Māham Anaga with this message. “I am not con­scious of having committed any offence in this sphere-circled thresh­old, and I have not displayed anything except well-wishing respect. Why then have mischief-makers imputed some offence to me, and caused such unkindness as that furious elephants should have been let loose against my tent?” Māham Anaga by soothing expressions quieted his disturbed mind.

happened in relation to the Lord of the Earth, who was keeping himself in the disguise of an incognito, and was giving attention to the concealment of his idiosyncrasy—a mystery which has already been conveyed, as far as my capacity would allow, from the heart to paper. The event, of which the fol­lowing is an account, was the cause of some well-instructed minds coming to a knowledge of truth. One day the world-adorning Shāh­inshāh felt constrained by the presence of short-sighted men, and began to chafe. The power of indignation which in a disposition innately equable is an ingredient deposited by the Lord of power broke out into anger. He became averse to the servants of fortune's threshold who always attended on his stirrup and separated from them, and issued an order that no one of his retinue should be in attendance on him. He even sent away his grooms and such like persons that the solitude of his retirement might not be contaminated by the crowd of this class of men and went out unattended and alone from the camp of fortune. In reality he was engaged in prayerful communion with his God, ostensibly he was angered with men. Among his special horses there was a noble 'Irāqī horse called Ḥairān which Khiẓr Khwāja Khān had presented to him. It had not its like for spirit and swiftness, and was also unequalled for viciousness. When he was left loose no one could come near him, and it was with difficulty that he could be re-caught. The divine hero of the world, owing to his strength and courage, rode him constantly. In this period of solitude he mounted upon this auspicious steed, and set off rapidly, leaving society aside and increasing his glory by the presence of God. When he had gone some distance he dismounted for some purpose, and, becoming heedless of the nature of his steed, assumed the posture of communing with his God. That swift and fiery horse acted according to its custom and rushed off rapidly so that it disappeared from the far-searching gaze of His Majesty. When his holy heart was again disposed to mount, there was no-one in attendance, and no horse at his service. For a little while he was perplexed what to do, when suddenly he saw that this very horse was coming from a distance and galloping towards him. It ran on till it came back to him and stood quietly waiting for him. His Majesty was astonished and again mounted the noble animal. It must be considered as one of the strange faculties of this throne-adorning dominion that a horse, whose habit was not to allow himself to be readily mounted, and who, when he ran off, could with difficulty be re-caught, and who had gone off and disappeared in such a plain, should, merely on the attention of the Shāhinshāh being directed towards him come back of his own accord and quietly submit to be re-mounted. Bravo! what apprehen­sion can there be from solitude to him whom the incomparable Deity favours, and of whom he takes charge? And what improbability is there in such things happening to him? Although it may seem as if the wisdom-erecting Deity makes the world-adorning beauty of this spiritual and temporal visible to him alone, yet in reality it is the setting forth of sundry lamps in the highway of guidance for the direction of the short-sighted and superficial, in that they who know in him a visible lord and king may, what is more and better, know him as a spiritual ruler, and recognising that the pleasing of him is the pleasing of God may arrive at the rose-rendezvous of eternal happiness.

who attains to this knowledge, and joy to the fortunate one who receives such instruction! And what a blind atheist is he who in the presence of such lights of intelligence remains under the veil of irrecognition, and descends into the mire of ignorance! And what a futile wretch is he who in spite of having found this glorious station enters on the no-thoroughfare of hypocrisy and opposition and contends with God the Creator of the world! Let us be brief, for to noble discourse of this kind there is no limit! The Khedive of the earth recognised this mysterious intimation (the return of the horse) as a Divine inspiration and, renouncing his intention of solitude, addressed himself again to the cordial greeting of those loyal officers who were in the camp, and cast the shadow of kindness over these regions. Mankind rejoiced, and H.M. with his retinue reached Lahore on 25 Murdād, Divine month, corresponding to H. 11 Shawwāl (7 August, 1557), before the camp had arrived there. He immediately occupied himself in hunting. After a few days the whole camp arrived.

The Khān-Khānān under the influence of the Sulān of imagin­ings again returned to the old story and began to suspect Shamsu-d-dīn Muḥammad Khān Atka. He said to him: “Although the countenance of my loyalty and devotion to the sublime family be free from the stain of deceit or dissimulation (revu in rīyā) and know that H.M.'s glance of grace and kindness to myself is without flaw and so I have no fear of any breach in the pillars thereof, yet as H.M. occasionally treats me with disfavour I believe this must come from your contriv­ances and calumnies (s'aī s'aāyīt). What have I done that you should gird up the loins of hostility against me and that in thirsting for my blood you should turn the sacred mind against me? And should even go so far as to attempt my life?” Shāmsū-d-dīn was troubled by this attack, and having collected all his relatives and dependants he went before the Khān-Khānān and made protestations, accompanied with solemn oaths, that he had never opened his mouth to speak ill of him, and that he never would do so. At last the Khān-Khānān came to his senses, and his anxiety abated somewhat.

time was Bahādur Khān's being sent to Multan to put his jāgīr in order. As has already been intimated, this had been recently conferred on him. He was also ordered to give a lesson to the Bilūcīs of that neighbourhood, who had raised the head of refractoriness. Bahādur Khān, after arriving in that pleasant country behaved with bravery. A large number of foot and cavalry came to oppose him, and displayed great obstinacy. The fighting lasted for a month, but as the shadow of the fortunes of the lord of the earth had been cast over him, he became victorious by the Divine aid.