Ruhullah Khan II., (whose name was Mir Hasan), petitioned the Emperor, “The fort of Islampuri is weak and your Majesty will soon march [to it]. It requires repair. What order on this point?”

The Emperor wrote, “God pardon us! God pardon us! it was improper for you to write the word ‘Islam-puri’ in a context speaking of ‘weakness’. Its old name was Brahmapuri, which you ought to have used. The fort of the body is even weaker than it. What remedy is there for that? (Verse)

We have adorned ourselves with works of water and mud;
We have pampered ourselves instead of preparing our [heavenly] home.”

The Khan next urged, “If your Majesty orders it, the Government masons may inspect the fort of Brahma-puri.” The Emperor wrote [in reply], “It is a kind of play to you to repeat this request in spite of my former reply. (Verse)

Don't be the architect of your own [self], lest you should ruin the houses.
Be a ruin, so that on you may be raised a lofty structure.
Be level with the dust, draw not your neck [back] from anybody.
It is fitting that the dust should not be raised higher than the ankle of the feet.

If life be yet spared to me and I return, I shall consider the question of repairing [the fort]. If, how­ever, matters end otherwise, what need is there that for [the fulfilment of] the verse, ‘Veril youry property and your children are your enemies,’ I should waste the money of the holy warriors [of Islam]?”

Text.—Ir. MS. 19a, MS. N. 40b & 8a & b.

Notes.—Mir Hasan, successively created Khanahzad Khan and Ruhullah Khan II., was the son of Ruhullah Khan I. (Life in M. U. ii. 315—317). He was 2nd paymaster and khan-i-saman at the time of his death, 9th May, 1704. Aurangzib means that it is an insult to his religion to describe anything bearing the name of Islam as weak, hence the old Hindu name of the place, viz., (Brahmapuri) should have been used! His reply throws light on the overwhelming financial difficulties of the last years of the reign.