Some historians from amongst the religious Brahmans have narrated respecting the death of Dáhir and adventures of Muhammad Kásim, that when the accursed Ráí Dáhir went to hell, Jaisiya took refuge in the fort of Brahmanábád, and Ráwar was taken, Jaisiya made preparations for war and sent letters in all directions; viz.: One to his brother Fúfí,* son of Dáhir, who was in the fort of the capital of Aror; the other to his nephew Chach, son of Dharsiya, in the fort of Bátiya; and the third to his cousin, Dhawal, son of Chandar, who was in the direction of Budhiya and Kaikánán. He informed them of Dáhir's death and consoled them. He himself was in Brahmanábád with his warriors ready to fight.
Muhammad Kásim now determined to march to Brahmanábád. Between Ráwar and that city there were two fortresses called Bahrúr* and Dhalíla which contained about sixteen thousand fighting men. When Muhammad Kásim reached Bahrúr he besieged it for two months. After the war had been protracted so long, Muhammad Kásim ordered that part of his army should fight by day and part by night. They threw naphtha and plied their mangonels so that all the warriors of the adverse party were slain, and the walls of the fort thrown down. Many slaves and great plunder were taken. They put the fifth part of it into the public treasury. When the news of the capture of Ráwar and Bahrúr reached Dhalíla, the inhabitants knew that Muhammad Kásim possessed great perseverance, and that they should be on their guard against him. The merchants fled to Hind, and the men of war prepared to defend their country. At last, Muhammad Kásim came to Dhalíla, and encamped there for two months, more or less. When the besieged were much distressed, and they knew that from no quarter could they receive reinforcements, they put on the garments of death, and anointed themselves with perfumes. They sent out their families into the fort which faces the bridge, and they crossed over the stream of the Naljak,* without the Musulmáns being aware of it.
When the day dawned through the veil of darkness Muhammad Kásim learnt that they had fled, so he sent some men of his army after them, who overtook part of them as they were passing over the river and put them to the edge of the sword. Those who had crossed previously fled to Hindustán through the country of Ramal and the sandy desert to the country (bilád) of Sír, the chief of which country was named Deoráj. He was the son of the uncle of Dáhir Ráí.
When Muhammad Kásim had fought the battle of Dhalíla and conquered, the fifth part of the plunder was deposited in the treasury to be sent to the capital, and he sent a report of the conquest of Bahrúr and Dhalíla to Hajjáj, with all the particulars.
Muhammad Kásim sent letters to the chiefs of the different parts of Hind, and invited them to make submission, and embrace Islám. When Sísákar, minister of Dáhir, heard of this, he sent some confidential servants, and sued for protection. He brought the Muhammadan women who were in his possession, and said that they were those women who cried out for help to Hajjáj.*
Muhammad Kásim showed him much respect, and sent his chief officers to receive him. He paid him great honour, and treated him with much kindness, and conferred upon him the office of Wazir. Sísákar now became the counsellor of the Muhammadans. Muhammad Kásim told him all his secrets, always took his advice, and consulted him on all the civil affairs of the government, his political measures, and the means of prolonging his success. He used to say to Muhammad Kásim that the regulations and ordinances which the just Amír had introduced would confirm his authority in all the countries of Hind. They would enable him to punish and overcome all his enemies; for he comforts all the subjects and málguzárs, takes the revenue according to the old laws and regulations, never burthens any one with new and additional exactions, and instructs all his functionaries and officers.
It is said by some people that when Dhalíla was conquered, Muhammad Kásim called Núba, son of Dháran, and having made a compact with him, invested him with honours, and conferred on him the entire governorship of the fort, and its dependencies from the eastern to the western boundaries. From that place to Brahmanábád there was distance of one parasang. Jaisiya, son of Dáhir, received intelligence that the Muhammadan army was coming.
Muhammad Kásim marched from Dhalíla, and encamped on the banks of the stream of the Jalwálí* to the east of Brahmanábád. He sent some confidential messengers to Brahmanábád to invite its people to submission and to the Muhammadan faith, to preach to them Islám, to demand the Jizya, or poll-tax, and also to inform them that if they would not submit, they must prepare to fight. Jaisiya, son of Dáhir, before the arrival of the messengers, had gone to Chanír.* He had chosen sixteen men from among the chiefs of that city, and had placed four of these men as wardens at each of the four gates of the city, with a part of his army. One of these gates was called Jawetarí, and four men were stationed at it. One of them was Bhárand, the other Sátiyá, the third Máliya,* and the fourth Sálha.
When Muhammad Kásim reached there, he ordered entrenchments to be dug. The battle commenced on Saturday, the first of Rajab. The infidels came out every day, and engaged and beat their drums. There were about forty thousand fighting men. From the dawn of day till sunset the battle was fought with great fury on both sides. When the king of the stars disappeared they also returned. The Muhammadans entered their entrenchments, and the infidels went into their fort. Six months passed in this manner. Kásim despaired of taking the fort, and became very pensive. On Sunday, in the end of the Zi-l Hijja, A.H. 93 (October, 712 A.D.), Jaisiya, who had fled to the country of Ramal, which is called Bátiya, came back from that place, infested the roads, and distressed the Muhammadan army.
Muhammad Kásim despatched one of his confidential servants to Moka Bisáya, and informed him that he was perpetually harassed by Jaisiya, who prevented the supply of fodder, and put him to great trouble. He enquired the remedy. Moka said that as Jaisiya was very near, there was no alternative but that he should be made to depart. So he sent from his own force a large body of trusty men to drive him off.
Banána, son of Hanzala Kalábí, 'Atíyá Sa'lbí, Sáram son of Abú Saram Hamadání, and 'Abdu-l Malik Madanní, with their horsemen, and Moka Bisáya at their head, and also Jazím, son of 'Umar Wáladíhí were sent with an army and supplies of provisions. Jaisiya was informed of the march of the Arab army. He therefore left his place with all his property and family, and went by way of the sandy desert to the places called Jankan, 'Awará, and Káyá, in the territory of Jaipúr. The 'Alláfí deserted him. He thence proceeded to the territory of Tákiya, and went away and determined to do homage to the king of Kashmír, which is towards Rostá on the boundary of Royam. This territory is all waste and desert. From that place he wrote to the Ráí, whose capital lay amidst the hills. He stated that of his own free will, and with a sincere heart, he had come to wait upon him.
The letter was read before the Ráí of Kashmír, who issued orders
that, from among the dependencies of Kashmír, a place called Shá-