HIS MAJESTY JAHĀNBĀNĪ JANNAT-ĀSHIYĀNĪ NAṢĪRU-D-DĪN MUḤAMMAD HUMĀYŪN PĀDSHĀH-I-GHĀZĪ.
Theatre of great gifts; source of lofty inspirations; exalter of the throne of the Khilāfat of greatness; planter of the standard of sublime rule; kingdom-bestowing conqueror of countries; auspicious sitter upon the throne; founder of the canons of justice and equity; arranger of the demonstrations of greatness and sovereignty; spring of the fountains of glory and beneficence; water-gate for the rivers of learning; brimming rain-cloud of choiceness and purity; billowy sea of liberality and loyalty; choosing the right, recognizing the truth; sole foundation* of many laws; both a king of dervish-race* and a dervish with a king's title; parterre-adorning arranger of realm and religion; garland-twiner of spiritual and temporal blossoms; throne of the sphere of eternal mysteries; alidad* of the astrolabe of theory and practice; in austerities of asceticism and spiritual transports, a Grecian Plato* (Aflāūn-i-Yūnānī); in executive energy and the paths of enterprise, a second Alexander (Iskandar-i-ānī); pearl of the seven oceans and glory of the four elements; ascension-point of Suns and dawn of Jupiter; phœnix (Humā) towering to the heights of heaven,—Naṣīru-d-dīn Muḥammad Humāyūn Pādshāh-i-Ghāzī,—May God sanctify his soul!*
Great God! 'twas as if the veil of humanity and the elemental screen had been cast over a holy spirit and a sacred light. The open plain of language narrows in the quest of his praises, and the parade-ground of indication remains league upon league distant from the city of his virtues. God be praised that the time is night when I may withdraw my hand from lofty genealogy and plunge it in the skirt of my real intent. I now essay an abridged account of the astonishing actions of his Majesty Jahānbānī Jannat-āshiyānī for this is at once a preliminary nigh to my far-seen goal and a commentary forming part of the history of my saint and sovereign (Pīr ū Pādshāh). By unveiling the reflected godhead* of the divine lord, I shall satisfy the thirsty-lipped* with the sweet waters of knowledge and bring my own parched heart near the shore of the sea of the comprehension of the holy virtues of the exquisitely perfect one. Avaunt! Avaunt! How may the praise of the perfections of this unique pearl come from one like me? It behoves his panegyrist to be like himself but alas, alas! where is anyone like that unique pearl of the ocean of knowledge? I confer a lustre on my own words and I compass an achievement for myself inasmuch as I make my heart familiar with sacred knowledge and give unto my tongue the glory of spirituality.
O searcher* after the knowledge of events, arouse thyself, and receive the announcement that the auspicious birth of his Majesty Jahānbānī Jannat-āshiyānī occurred on the night of Tuesday, 4th Ẕīqa‘da, 913 (6th March, 1508) in the citadel of Kābul and from the holy womb of her chaste Majesty Māham Bēgam.*
That pure one was of a noble family of Khurāsān and related to Sulān Ḥusain Mīrzā. And I have heard from some reliable persons that just as the honoured mother of his Majesty, the king of kings, was descended from his Holiness Shaikh (Aḥmad) Jām, so also was Māham Bēgam connected with him. His Majesty Gītī-sitānī Firdūs-makānī married her when he was residing in Herāt to condole with the sons of Sulān Ḥusain Mīrzā. Maulānā Masnadī found the date of his Majesty's birth to be Sulān Humāyūn Khān; and Shāh-i-fīrūz-qadr (Victorious Prince) and Pādshāh-i-ṣaf-shikan (Rank-breaking king) and also the saying “Khush bād” (May he be happy) give the date of this fortunate epoch, as discovered by the learned of the Age.* Khwāja Kilān Sāmānī* has said:—
Verse.It is the year of his fortunate birth,
May God increase his glory.
I've taken one alif from his date,
That I may blind two evil eyes.
The accession of his Majesty took place in Agra on 9th Jumāda'l-awwal, 937 (29th December, 1530), and Khairu-l-mulūk (Best of kings)* is the chronogram. A few days later, he made an excursion upon the river and placing the barks of pleasure in the stream of joy, gave away on that day, a boat full* of gold, and by the largesse laid a golden foundation of dominion. Bravo! the first grace bestowed on him upon whom is conferred the sovereignty of the world, is munificence and liberality.
Verse.Not every man is exalted.
He becomes head who is kind to men.
The lion became king of all beasts
Because he was hospitable in the chase.
And one of the learned found the date of this wave of giving in the words kishtī-i-zar (boat or tray of gold=937).
From the commencement of his career till his accession when he had arrived at the age of 24,* the notes of success and fortune were conspicuous on his destiny's forehead and the lights of glory and empire streamed forth from the tablets of his greatness and glory. How should not his lustrous temples radiate greatness and magnanimity when he was carrying the light of the king of kings and was the custodian of the granary of Divine knowledge? It was the same light which was shewn forth in the victories of his Majesty Gītī-sitānī Firdūs-makānī and that gloriously appeared in the dawnings of the world-conquering rays of his Majesty Ṣāḥib Qarānī. And it was this same light which from the time of the ocean pearl-shell Alanqūā, displayed itself from the royal shells and pearls under the veils of women in travail. It was the same light by whose splendour Ughaz Khān was made glorious, and it was the same light which was preparing and increasing from Adam till Noah. The secrets of the revelation of this light, and the strange notes of its manifestation are beyond the circle of restraint and limitation, nor is everyone capable of recognizing this secret substance or of understanding its subtleties. To sum up; His Majesty Jahānbānī was illuminating the world with the power of this Divine light, which through so many cycles and epochs had been concealed under various garbs, and the time of its apparition was now at hand. Accordingly the glory of spiritual and temporal greatness was radiating from the arch of his Majesty's shining forehead. Perfect modesty and exceeding courage were conjoined in his holy nature, and all his lofty energy was devoted to fulfilling the desires of his great father; and the excellence of intrepidity being united with consummate majesty and dignity, out of his magnanimity and high-thoughtedness, he paid no regard to self and held himself of no account. Consequently he was glorious for right-mindedness and lofty courage in every enterprise that he engaged in and every service that he undertook. In the whole of his auspicious life, he adorned the world by joining knowledge with power, and power with compassion and clemency. In many sciences and especially in mathematics, he had no rival or colleague. His noble nature was marked by the combination of the energy of Alexander and the learning of Aristotle. He displayed great justice in carrying out the provisions of the will for the distribution of territories and exhibited thorough equity or rather exceeding kindness and beneficence therein. But superiority in spiritual perfections (which is real sovereignty), that was his own by God's grace; none of his brothers shared in the dainties of that table of inheritance.
Everyone connected with the Court received offices and pensions. Mīrzā Kāmrān obtained Kābul and Qandahār as his fief: Mīrzā ‘Askarī, Sambal; Mīrzā Hindāl, Sarkār Alwar. Badakhshān was made over and confirmed to Mīrzā Sulaimān; and the nobles and great officers and the whole of the victorious army were brought into obedience by proper measures. Everyone who breathed disaffection, e.g., Muḥammad Zamān Mīrzā, son of Badī‘u-z-zamān Mīrzā, son of Sulān Ḥusain Mīrzā (who had been in the service of his Majesty Gītī-sitānī Firdūs-makānī and been distinguished by being made his son-in-law,* but who had from short-sightedness and deficiency of judgment opened the sleeve of contumacy), bound the cincture of service on the waist of obedience. His Majesty, after five or six months, turned his attention to the conquest of Kālinjar* and besieged that fort for about a month. When the people within became distressed, the governor submitted and sent twelve mans* of gold with other presents. His Majesty had regard to his supplications and entreaties and forgave him. From thence he proceeded towards Cunār and besieged it.
Let it not be concealed that this sky-based fortress was in the possession of Sulān Ibrāhīm and was held for him by Jamāl Khān Khāṣṣa Khail Sārangkhānī.* After the catastrophe of Sulān Ibrāhīm, Jamāl Khān's life came to an end from the evil design* of a worthless son, and Shēr Khān sought the widow (who was called Lāḍ Mulk, and was adorned with beauty and charm) for his wife and by this contrivance got possession of the fortress. When Shēr Khān heard of the approach of the conquering army, he left his son, Jalāl Khān* with a number of trusty persons, in the fort, and came out himself. He sent clever ambassadors and wove crafty speeches. His Majesty, recognizing the circumstances of the time, accepted his proposals and Shēr Khān sent his son, ‘Abdu-r-rashīd* to serve his Majesty Jahānbānī so that he might himself remain guarded from the blows of the imperial armies and might arrange the materials of pride and presumption. This son was for a long time in the service, but when his Majesty came to Mālwa, to subdue Sulān Bahādur, that worthless one fled from the imperial army. In 939, when Biban and Bāyazīd the Afghāns rose in rebellion, his Majesty proceeded to the eastward. Bāyazīd was killed in battle against the warlike heroes and this rubbish was cleared away, and Jaunpūr and the neighbouring territories, having been given to Sulān Junaid Barlās, his Majesty returned to the capital.
As the echo of his Majesty's victories and conquests was high-sounding in various kingdoms, Sulān Bahādur, the ruler of Gujrāt, sent, in 940, experienced ambassadors bearing valuable presents to him and set in motion the processes of friendship. His Majesty received his overtures with imperial kindness and set his heart at rest by sending him diplomas of amity. In the same year, a city was founded on the banks of the Jumna, near Delhi, which received the name of Dīnpanāh.* One of the learned of the Age found the chronogram Shahr-i-pādshāh-i-dīnpanāh (City of the King, Defender of the Faith=940). After that, Muḥammad Zamān Mīrzā and Muḥammad Sulān Mīrzā with his son, Ulugh Mīrzā, took the path of hostility and rebellion. His Majesty turned the reins of resolution against them and encamped on the Ganges near Bhūjpūr. Yādgār Nāṣir Mīrzā was sent across the river with a large force against the rebels, and by Divine help, he gained a victory. Muḥammad Zamān Mīrzā, Muḥammad Sulān Mīrzā and Walī Khūb Mīrzā were made prisoners. Muḥammad Zamān was sent to Bīāna and the other two were blinded and thereby cast down from the pillar of respect. Muḥammad Zamān Mīrzā did not recognize the kindness with which he had been treated, but got out of prison by presenting a forged order.* He then fled to Gujrāt to Sulān Bahādur.
Many of the delightful countries of India which had not been conquered in the time of his Majesty Gītī-sitānī Firdūs-makānī on account of want of leisure and shortness of time were subdued by his (Humāyūn's) arm of dominion and strength of fortune.