The world-conqueror chose the river route, in this season full of turbulence, and with constant rain and tempest. With a tranquil heart he halted at the desired place on the day of Bād 22, Amardād, Divine month, corresponding to Wednesday 15 Rabī-us-ānī, 3 August, 1574. At a distance of two kos from this station the Khān-Khānān paid his respects, accompanied by boats containing various kinds of fireworks, and gunners and cannoneers. He was distinguished by favours, and in accordance with H.M.'s signal those in charge of the pyrotechnics fired the guns. The noise, the smoke, and the con­cussion shook the earth, and the neighbourhood for several parasangs became dark as the fortunes (lit. day) of the enemies of domi- ⁹⁶ nion. The horrific noise wound its way into the brains of the dark­ened foe, and their gall-bladders became as water. Their liver-less souls were upset, and there was a loud sound of the tocsin of vic­tory. Trumpets conveyed to men the news of victory. In an auspi­cious moment H.M. turned his face to the shore and mounted the steed of fortune. He alighted at the quarters of the Khān-Khānān, where lofty platforms had been erected, and there he received presents of jewels and other rarities, and also distributed them. Muḥammad Qulī Khān Birlās, Qīyā Khān, Ashraf Khān, Majnūn Khān, Khān 'Ālam, and other great officers who belonged to the army, paid their respects. After them other sirdars and noted men were exalted by the bliss of prostration. Each of them was distinguished by special favours.

Next day H.M. surveyed the fort, and as he perceived that the taking of Ḥājīpūr would be the means of subduing it he applied his genius to this enterprise. That fort is opposite Patna, and the river Ganges which is about two kos broad flows between the two cities with great force and turbulence. Next day M. 'Alī 'Alam Shāhī, Saiyid Shams Bokhārī and his sons, Rajah Gajpatī and an army of brave men were appointed, under the command of Khān 'Ālam, to mount upon the river-traversing camels of boats, taking with them a suitable park of artillery, and to take that fort, which was a great support of sedition.

Also on this day Dāūd's ambassdor attained an interview through the intervention of the Khān-Khānān. Before the royal stan­dards had been reared in those parts, the Khān-Khānān had sent Khāldīn Khān to Dāūd and given him good counsels: the gist of them was that the thread of affairs was still in his hand, that he should consider his position, and should look well to the might of fortune, and the daily-increasing dominion of the Shāhinshāh, and so be merciful to himself. He should not be the cause of the shedding the blood of so many men, and of the ruin of the property and honour of so many. There was a limit to the intoxicating power of the world. Why did he not come to himself, and why did he not attach himself to the saddlestraps of God-given fortune? He after much meditation, from feline treachery, sent one of his officers along with Khāldīn Khān, and made various supplications. He represented that he did not for himself approve of the title of sovereign. Lodī who ⁹⁷ had brought him into this whirlpool of notions had received the pun­ishment of his deeds. Now obedience to the Shāhinshāh had taken possession of his whole heart. Whatever extent of territory should be vouchsafed to him would be considered by him as a piece of good fortune. As owing to his youth and infatuation faults had been committed by him he could not agree to kiss the threshold until he had amended them by good service.

The wise sovereign understood his secret ambushes and answered as follows: “We, by virtue of our being the shadow of God, receive little and give much. Our forgiveness has no relish for vengeance, provided that Dāūd has, in this word-weaving, light from the torch of truth and will rub his forehead on the threshold of fortune, so that the hand of our grace may disperse the dust of destruction from the crown of his fortune. Otherwise let him do one of three things so that the lives and goods of so many thousands may not be an offering to ruin. First, let some one of his party come to our camp and be a spectator, and some one from our side go to his army and be a sentinel, so that no one on either side engage in war, and let us two come into the field of battle and fight with one another with all the arms that he knows, so that whoever by the Divine decree, and the help of heaven, shall be the conqueror shall have the kingdom. If his courage be not equal to this, let him choose some one of his soldiers who is distinguished for valour and strength of arm, and skill in combat. We also shall send one of our strong-armed ones, whose countenance shall be decked with might, against him. These two combatants will contend in the arena. The army of whichever of them conquers shall be victorious. If in his army there be no such lion-heart, then let him choose one of his host of elephants, and we too shall produce an elephant majestic as heaven. Victory shall be on the side of whichever of them prevails.” The gall-bladder of that son of an Afghan was rent by the majestic utterance of the tiger-hunter (Akbar), and his sense was destroyed. As his soul was rusted he did not grasp the bliss of obedience, and and as he had no spirit he did not accept any of these just proposals!

One of the occurrences was that H.M. mounted an elephant and went to survey the height of the Panc-pahārī which is over against the fort. These are five solid* brick domes (mounds) (?) which ancient rulers have left as a memorial, and pahārī is the Hindī word for a little hill. That is to say, there are five mounds (gūmbaz) which resemble in height five hillocks. The black-hearted Afghans in their shameless­ness and wickedness discharged cannon (at Akbar) and so worked their own eternal ruin. H.M. the Shāhinshāh was in the fort of ⁹⁸ the divine protection and contemplated the wonders of creation. Friends and strangers recognised that he was guarded by God, and were impressed by the amount of his reliance upon Him.

One of the fortunate events was the falling into possession of Ḥājīpūr. The brief account of this is as follows: On the day of Arād 25 Amardād, Divine month, at break fast-time, it appeared that the ocean of battle was in agitation in the direction of Ḥājīpur. The far-seeing prince went to the battery of Shāham Khān, from where Ḥājīpūr was visible, and watched the victory of the imperial servants. Though the efforts of the heroes could not be fully made out, yet so much was clear that the flames of war were blazing. While the result was in the balance, and a watch of the day remained, H.M. the Shāhīnshāh sent some experienced troops in war-boats to help the army. The garrison of Patna on seeing this placed some ghrābs (boats) on the route and prepared for battle. The imperial troops by God's help defeated them, and before they reached the besiegers the fort had been taken. The majesty of the Shāhinshāh's might turned to water the gall-bladders of the men of iron courage, and a large number of the wretches were slain.

The account of this is as follows: When the Khān 'Ālam was honoured by this service, a number of boatmen became his guides. At the end of the day of Dīn 24 Amardād, Divine month, he embarked, and his guides took him up stream and at night brought him, in such manner that the enemy did not know of it, into the channel which separates from the Ganges and flows close by Ḥājīpur. The presumptuous garrison fell into the whirlpool of anxiety but were compelled to fit out boats carrying guns. At first they fired guns and culverins. There was a tempest of fire, and it seemed to the spectators as if the garrison would have the best of it. Just then the ships* (ghrābhā) of the Shāhinshāh, which carried victory with them, cast a ray of conquest. At once the firmness of the wicked gave way. But, as owing to the force of the current, it was diffi­cult for the boats to come up, the enemy could not be disposed of. Guides took the boats up towards the Gandak and then brought them to Ḥājīpūr. Though there was a rain of cannon (balls) from ⁹⁹ the top of the fort, yet what could the evil imaginings of the motes of contingent existence do against the Divine aid which was support­ing dominion? The warriors came out of the boats and entered the arena. Fatḥ Khān the son of Ghāzī* Khān, Ibrāhīm Khān and Ilhadiyah Sarwālī, who were the sirdars of the garrison, barricaded* the lane of access and made a hot resistance. Fatḥ Khān and many of the enemy fell in that fight, and many escaped as quickly as possible from that whirlpool of destruction. Sundry vagabonds set fire to the city and plundered it. By the help of the mystic hosts the fort came into the possession of the imperial servants. Rajah Gaj­patī, Piyāda Rawān (?), the* gladiator, and M. 'Ali Beg* 'Alamshāhī, and Saiyid Shamsu-d-dīn Bokhārī with his sons rendered valuable help to the Khān 'Ālm in this battle. All the heroes exerted them­selves, and by celestial help a difficult task ended by becoming easy.