On the 18th Jumáda-l awwal Aurangzeb reached Ágra, and on the 23rd he again set out. He now learnt that Dárá Shukoh had passed through Kachh to the borders of the province of Ahmadábád. He had collected round him three or four thousand horse. After the troops of Aurangzeb had given up the pursuit of him, he proceeded leisurely, endeavouring to gain over the faujdárs and zamíndárs, and to collect soldiers. By pre­sents of money and jewels he won over the Zamíndár of Kachh, and affianced his daughter in marriage to Prince Sipihr Shukoh. The zamíndár sent him on with an escort through his territory towards Ahmadábád. Upon his arriving there, Sháh Nawáz Khán, the súbadár, one of whose daughters was married to Aurangzeb, and another was in the house of Murád Bakhsh, went out to meet him, accompanied by Rahmat Khán díwán, and others. They presented to him near ten lacs worth of gold, silver, and other property belonging to Murád Bakhsh, which was in Ahmadábád. Dárá Shukoh then exerted himself in collecting money and men, and in winning adherents by presents of robes and jewels, and by promotions in rank and title. He appointed officers, who took possession of the ports of Surat, Kambáyat, Broach, and the districts around. In the course of a month and seven days he collected 20,000 horse, and he sent requisitions to the governors of Bíjápúr and Haidarábád for money and men. He also thought over several plans for going to the Dakhin, and for joining Rája Jaswant Singh. * * On the 1st Jumáda-l ákhir Dárá Shukoh began his march with a well-appointed army and a large train of artillery, for he had obtained thirty or forty guns from Surat. As he pursued his march, he every day received false and delusive letters from Rája Jaswant, befooling him with promises of coming to his assistance.

When Aurangzeb received intelligence of these proceedings, he marched towards Ajmír. Mirzá* Rája Jai Singh had interceded with him on behalf of Rája Jaswant; so he pardoned his offences, and wrote to him a conciliatory letter, reinstating him in his mansab, and restoring to him his title of Mahárája. He at the same time directed the Rája to write to him about the state of affairs, and send the letter by swift messengers. * * Muhammad Amín Khán, who had been commissioned to punish the Rája, was recalled. Rája Jaswant, who had advanced twenty kos from Jodpúr to meet Dárá Shukoh, on receiving the Emperor's letter, broke off his alliance with Dárá, and returned to his own country.

This defection greatly troubled Dárá, who opened a corre­spondence with the Rája, and endeavoured to win him over by promises and flattery, but without effect. When Dárá came to a place twenty kos distant from Jodpúr, he sent a Hindú named De Chand to the Rája; but he artfully replied that he remained true to his engagement, but that it was not expedient for him to move just then. Dárá Shukoh, he said, should go to Ajmír, and open communications with other Rájpúts. If two or three Rájpúts of note joined him, then he, the Rája, would also come to his support. Dárá Shukoh, having no other course open, proceeded to Ajmír, and again sent De Chand to Jaswant; but all his persuasions and remonstrances were in vain, and it was evident that all the Rája's statements were false and treacherous. The fact of his having received a letter of pardon from Aurangzeb was also publicly talked about. It has been said that “Necessity turns lions into foxes,” and so Dárá Shukoh, notwithstanding his knowledge of the Rája's perfidy, sent Sipihr Shukoh to him; but although the Prince flattered and persuaded, and held out great promises, the traitor did not listen, and the Prince, like De Chand, turned empty away.

Deprived of all hope of assistance from Rája Jaswant, Dárá Shukoh was at a loss what course to pursue. Then he heard of the near approach of Aurangzeb, and resolved to fight. But not deeming it expedient to fight a regular battle, he determined to retire into the hills about Ajmír, and to throw up lines of defence. Accordingly he moved into the defiles, blocked up the roads with barriers of stone and earth, and stationed his guns and musketeers so as to make his position secure. * * He him­self took his station with the centre. * * Aurangzeb directed the commander of his artillery to advance his guns against Dárá's lines. * * For three days most vigorous attacks were made, but Dárá's position was very strong, and his men fought bravely, so that the assailants made no impression. Dárá's forces indeed sallied out, and after causing considerable destruction of men and beasts, returned to their positions. The artillery practice of the assailants damaged only the defence works. On the fourth night Aurangzeb called around him some of his most trusty servants, and incited them by strong exhortations and promises to undertake an assault. * * Next day Aurangzeb sent Rája Rájrúp, Zamíndár of Jamún, with his infantry, against the rear of a hill, where an assault was not expected, and where the con­centration of forces was thought to render it impossible. * * But he forced his way, and planted his banner on the summit of the hill. * * The success at the beginning of the battle was due to Rája Rájrúp; but at last the victory was owing to the devo­tion of Shaikh Mír, and the intrepidity of Diler Khán Afghán, who attacked the lines held by Sháh Nawáz Khán. Pride and shame so worked upon Sháh Nawáz, that he gave up all hope of surviving, and died fighting most courageously.

Dárá Shukoh seeing the defeat of his army, and hearing of the death of Sháh Nawáz Khán, seeing also the approach of his victorious foes, lost all sense and self-control, and fled with Sipihr Shukoh, Fíroz Mewátí, and some of the inmates of his harem, in great consternation and sorrow. Of all his nobles none accompanied him but the two above named. He managed to save some jewels and money, and with some of his women, his daughter, and a few attendants, he went off towards Ahmadábád. * * The fact of his flight was not known for certain until three hours after dark, and fighting went on in several parts of the lines until the flight of the enemy and the abandonment of the lines were ascertained. * * Rája Jai Singh and Bahádur were sent in command of a force in pursuit of Dárá Shukoh. * * Aurangzeb made a short stay at Ajmír, and started from thence for the capital on the 4th Rajab, 1069.

Prince Shujá'.

[vol. ii. p. 75.] Prince Shujá' fled before the pursuing force of Prince Muhammad Sultán to Jahángír-nagar (Dacca), and Mu'azzam Khán obtained possession of the fort of Mongír. * * Shortly afterwards the fort of Chunár, which Shujá' had got into his power, was given up to Aurangzeb.

SECOND YEAR OF THE REIGN (1659 A.D.).

[vol. ii. p. 77.] The second year of the reign commenced on the 4th Ramazán, 1069 A.H. * * The Emperor's name and titles were proclaimed in the pulpit as “Abú-l Muzaffar Muhíu-d dín Muhammad Aurangzeb Bahádur 'Álamgír Bádsháh-i Ghází.” In former reigns one side of the coins had been adorned with the words of the creed and the names of the first four Khalífs; but as coins pass into many unworthy places, and fall under the feet of infidels, it was ordered that this superscription should be changed [for certain couplets containing the Emperor's name].

[vol. ii. p. 79.] Since the reign of the Emperor Akbar the official year of account and the years of the reign had been reckoned from the 1st Farwardí, when the Sun enters Aries, to the end of Isfandiyár, and the year and its months were called Iláhí; but as this resembled the system of the fire-worshippers, the Emperor, in his zeal for upholding Muhammadan rule, directed that the year of the reign should be reckoned by the Arab lunar year and months, and that in the revenue accounts also the lunar year should be preferred to the solar. The festival of the (solar) new year was entirely abolished. Mathematicians, astronomers, and men who have studied history, know that * * the recurrence of the four seasons, summer, winter, the rainy season of Hindú-stán, the autumn and spring harvests, the ripening of the corn and fruit of each season, the tankhwáh of the jágírs, and the money of the mansabdars, are all dependent upon the solar reckoning, and cannot be regulated by the lunar; still his religious Majesty was unwilling that the nauroz and the year and months of the Magi should gives their names to the anniversary of his ac­cession.