As the world-seeing eye and auspicious glance of his Majesty Jahānbānī Jannat-āshyānī was looking for the glorious vision of the king of kings, a gracious order was issued that he should be brought to the curtain* of honour and encampment of fortune, in charge of her Majesty Maryam-makānī. Khwāja Mu‘aam,* Nadīm Kūkal-tāsh and Shamsu-d-dīn Mu. of Ghaznī were sent to be in attendance on the auspicious litter. Accordingly his Majesty left Amarkoṭ, on the 11th Sha‘bān* in a fortunate hour, under the care and in the arms of her Highness Maryam-makānī and departed in a travelling litter.*

Verse.

Ere the cradle had fulfilled its season,
His exalted fortune (bakht) sat on a throne, (takht)*
Eye unopened, but with the eye of the mind,
He looked to the ordering of religion and realm;
Hand unopened, but his heart desiring
To put the world 'neath his signet-ring,
Of his thousand roses, not one in bloom,
Yet the world was culling flowers from the garden of his fortune.

When the travelling litter of his Majesty, the king of kings, the ambulatory treasury of Divine knowledge, had nearly arrived and but two stages remained, a world-obeyed order was issued that the chief officers* and pillars of the State and the general public, small and great, should turn towards the altar of fortune and go to meet the ka‘ba of hopes. Avant-couriers of good tidings were arriving every minute and bringing, from time to time, the news of the appro­pinquating of the glorious advent.

Verse.

The cavalcade approaches with the king of both worlds in its wake,*
The caravan of joy goes forth to meet him.

And on the last day of Sha‘bān which was the day for the glorious alighting, and when the camp of good fortune was only one stage distant, his Majesty (Humāyūn) was pleased to observe “Assuredly the child is compact of auspiciousness, of potent horoscope and has the good fortune of the two worlds enfolded in him, for, as he draws nigh, there is another* assemblage of spectators in the upper world who exhibit a virgin joy.” What marvel is it that the pure soul and illumined intellect of his Majesty Jahānbānī Jannat -āshyānī should be cognizant of the Divine secrets and be aware of the truths hidden in celestial treasuries? Or how is it strange that there should be an epiphany on the apparition of his Majesty, the king of kings, the shadow of God, the archetype of the strange frontispieces of the universe, and collection of the catalogues of the perfections of the sons of Adam? And in an hour which held the auspicious influences of the conjunctions of the two Fortunes* and of the two luminaries (the Sun and Moon), his Majesty (Akbar) alighted with felicity and dominion at the majestic and glorious enclosure, and became fortunate by arriving at the station of light and took repose under the shadow of the phoenix (humā) of eternal prosperity. The blessed crown (tārak, i.e., crown of the head) of his Majesty, the king of kings, was made fortunate by touching the throne-brushing feet of his Majesty Jahānbānī and by becoming united to a perfect saint (pīr). The latter took him lovingly in his arms and kissed him on the luminous brow, the tablet of the fortunes of the two worlds and title-page of happiness everlasting.

Verse.

Whiles he held him to his lip, whiles to his heart, and whiles to his head.

After gazing on this holy light, the inspired tongue engaged in returning thanks to the Lord God, Most High and Most Glorious, and the pole-star-like* head was lowered in supplicating prostration at the portals of the All-sufficient One.

Verse.*

Not only was the head ever bowed,
Each hair of his body also bent in adoration.

The guardians of the Divine bounty and the treasurers of infinite auspiciousness delivered that deposit of eternities—past and future—into the king's gracious bosom and warbled, sweet and low, this strain of thanksgiving.

Verse.

This is the Divine deposit.
Ask of this treasury whatever thou desirest,
This is he in whose heart they placed
Essential substance, verity absolute.
This is he whose threshold's ka‘ba*
Is seized upon by kings as their altar (qibla).
This is he who hath the foot of dominion,
Enlightener of the throne royal.

Readers of the page of the human countenance beheld him with the eye of meditation and reflection and physiognomists perused him with the glance of consideration and contemplation.

Verse.

What did they see? A picture such as never
Did they see in Creation's tables.
From astonishment naught did they say, save
Hail, Light of Wisdom, Eye of Insight, hail.

Kingly lights shone from his lustrous brow. The letters “Shadow of God” were apparent in the lines of his palm. The witnesses of Reason were visible in the composite of his substance. The notes of Theosophy were manifest in his whole being. Justice was demonstrated in the evenness of his temperament. Proofs of beneficence were revealed in the essence of his nature. The characters of a Lord of Conjunction shone out from the fair schedules of his ephemeris. Knowledge of occult sciences was evidenced in the illumined records of his constitution. Remote mysteries were revealed by his keen sight. Far-reaching thoughts streamed out from his lofty glance.