Towards the end of the month Zí-ḥajjah of this year the Author by reason of destiny, which is a chain round the foot of decision, having parted with Ḥusain Khán, and come from Badáún to Ágrah, was introduced at Court by Jamál Khán Qurchí, and the late Galen-like physician Ayn-ul-mulk.* And since in those days the chattles of learning had considerable currency, I was dignified with the honour of a conversation the moment I came, and was enrolled in the number of the attendants at his assemblies. The Emperor made me dispute with sages, who boast of their depth of science, and who admit no uninitiated into their presence, and was himself the arbiter. By the grace of God, and the strength of my natural talent, and the sharpness of my intellect, and the courage, which is inherent in youth, I overcame most of them. When at the time of presentation they described me as follows: (P. 173) “This worthy of Badáún has broken the head of Ḥájí Ibráhím Sirhindí,” the Emperor desired that I should be presented at once, and his commands were issued to that effect. Shaikh Abd-un-Nabí, the Chief Çadr,* was very much offended with me because I had not made use of him to obtain my introduction. He used to take the opposite side to myself in disputation, but the proverb came true “He that is bitten by a snake takes opium,” so that enmity by degrees turned into friendship.

About this time Shaikh Abu-l-Fazl, son and heir of Shaikh Mubárak of Nágór, the star of whose knowledge and understanding was brilliant, came to Court, and received many marks of distinction.

In this year a lofty college and high and spacious palaces were built on the road to Ajmír. And the cause of this was as follows: His Majesty's extreme devotion induced him every year to go on a pilgrimage to that city, and so he ordered a palace to be built at every stage between Ágrah and that place, and a pillar to be erected and a well sunk at every coss. Ever so many hundreds of stags' horns, which the Emperor had killed during the course of his life were placed on these pillars as a memorial to the world. And Míl-shákh * “Mile-horn” gives the date. Would that instead of these he had ordered gardens and caravansarais to be made!

In this year at the instigation of Shahbáz Khán Kambú the custom of branding* the government horses came into practice. And with one stroke of the pen he commanded the appointment of tax-gatherers throughout the whole empire, and that lands should be held directly from the Crown, as shall be narrated, if God (He is ex­alted!) will.

In the latter part of the month Çafar* of the year nine hundred and eighty-two (982) the Emperor embarked on board the crocodile-prowed vessel with the intention of conqueriug Bengál. The reason for this journey was as follows: When Sulaimán Afghán Kararání died, who from the time of Islím Sháh had held the district of Bengál and become quite independent, his son Báyazíd succeeded him for a time, but on acconnt of his bad conduct after a short (P. 174) space of time he was murdered by the contrivance of his brother-in-law Hansú and other Amírs. Then Dáúd the younger son of Sulaimán, who was his heir, took upon himself the title of king, and omitted the custom observed by Sulaimán of sending mes­sages to inform the Emperor of his accession to power, and to assure him of his loyalty. News of the death of Sulaimán reached the Emperor at the fortress of Súrat, and he immediately issued a far­mán to the Khán Khánán, Mun'im Khán, who was at that time at Jounpúr, to chastise Dáúd and conquer the kingdom of Bengál. The Khán Khánán levied a large army, and having seized two lacs of rupees and other goods and precious things as tribute settled the matter peaceably, and returned. Dáúd, who was then at Hájípúr, at the instigation of Katlú Khán, governor of Jagannáth, by cun­ning management in exciting his cupidity for an elephant, got Lodí into his power and imprisoned him. He had been governor of Orissa, but had since taken a hostile course and had assumed independent and absolute authority in the Fortress of Rohtás. They tell the story that one day Dáúd went out hunting with a small escort, and that Lodí with 10000 horsemen of Sulaimán's formed the design of put­ting down Dáúd. But Dáúd went back to the city, assembled his forces, and scattered Lodí's followers. By his crafty management he got Lodí into his power, and appropriated all that he possessed. Lodí, knowing his death to be certain, did not withhold his advice from Dáúd. He said: “Although I know that you will be very sorry after my death, and that you will derive no benefit from it, still I give you one piece of advice, which if you act upon, you will prove victorious. And that is (P. 175), that you place no reliance upon that peace which I effected not long ago by means of two lacs of rupees. The Moghuls will never let you alone for this trifling sum. Be beforehand with them, and make war on them immediately, for there is nothing like the first blow.” Dáúd thought that he had an evil design in what he said, and proud of the hollow peace which he had made with the Khán Khánán, but which was no better than a mirage, he put the devoted Lodí to death. Thus he struck his own foot with the axe, and at the same time uprooted the plant of his prosperity with the spade of calamity. When the Khán Khánán heard this news, his loaf fell into the butter* and he turned towards Patnah and Hájípúr. Then Dáúd began to recognize the worth of Lodí, and repented of having put him to death; but what was the good of it!