Thereupon, Chach came to the queen and said:—“This enemy is come to the door of the honse and claims the kingdom and the inheritance; what is your coun­sel”? Rai Sahasi's wife laughed and said:—“I am a woman, living behind a curtain. If I am to go and fight, put on my clothes and sit here, and give me your garment that I may go forth (to battle). Have you not heard what the wise men have said, (namely) that when a person is elevated to a responsible post, he conducts it efficiently and ably, only when he acquires the skill and intelligence required for it. When the kingdom has fallen to your lot, what for do you require my advice? Gird up your loins and spring up like a roaring lion. Advance like a hero to the fight, and endeavour to defeat your foe. For death with honour and glory is better than living despised by an equal. Verse—You have elephants as well as armies; you have horses as well as followers. Put con­fusion into the ranks of your enemy and step forth like a man”

Chach was shamed by this her reply; and wearing weapons of war, and drawing up his army in a line, he faced the enemy. He also brought out of prison those of the (adverse) party who still remained there, gave them rewards and encouraging promises for the future, and advanced to meet the enemy. The king Maharat divided his army into the centre. The right wing, the left wing, the advance guard and the rear guard. (Then) valiant warriors from both armies met in fight, tili aiarge number on each side was killed. When the king Maharat saw that brave soldiers on both sides had been mowed down by the blood-thirsty sword, he addressed Chach in the follow­ing words: “I and you are the only two rivals for the kingdom; let us fight with each other, and let him who survives have the kingdom.” Chach confronted him and said: “I am a man of the Brahmin class and am unable to fight on horseback. Fight me (therefore) on foot and lay my head low, if you can.” I he king of Chitor had complete confidence in his own bravery and strength. He thought within himself: “How can a Brahmin dare to measure arms with me in battle? I will pick up his head like a bird and tear it from his body.” He immediately dismounted and advanced on foot. Chach also came down from his horse and instructed his stirrup-holder to bring up the horse be­hind him. When the two came almost to close quarters with each other, Chach jumped upon his horse, made a sudden attack on him and with one blow severed the head of king Maharat from his body. (Seeing this), the army of Chach made an assault on the opposite army of Chitor, and (that army) took to flight. Some of them, seeing the king Maharat slain, asked for quarter and surrendered themselves, and some were put to the sword. Chach re­turned to the fort of Alor with joy and victory.* He ordered triumphal arches to be raised in the city, and he sat on the royal throne, and ordered public feasts to be given, and formed a fresh band of warriors. No stubborn rebel now remained in any of the four divisions of his country.

The author of this narrative and the writer of this fragrant book states as follows:— When that victory was gained, queen Suhandi ordered the chief men and nobles of the city to be called together, and when they all met, she said to them: “As king Sahasi is dead, and I have by him no issue to inherit the country, and as the kingdom has de­volved on king Chach, you must give me away to Chach with proper matrimonial ceremonies and a distinct settle­ment.” The chiefs and nobles agreed to the proposal, and they all came to the royal palace and married queen Suhandi to Chach.* (In course of time), Chach had two sons by her one was named Dáhar and the other Dahar-siah. He had also one daughter whom he called Bai.* At their respective births, astrologers consulted the pre­dominant star of their nativity, and by desire of the king cast their horoscopes, and inscribed the position of the several planets in the different constellations under the influence of the ascendant star, and marked out the bene­ficent and malignant aspects of the stars and their ascent and descent. They declared that both the sons would become kings, and, for a time, would have the entire king­dom of Sind in their possession. Their forecast as to the daughter was that she would not have to go out of the capital to any other place, and that whoever became her husband would become the sovereign and would rule over the length and breadth of the kingdom of Sind, and live on the fat of the land. When the astrologers thus fore­told the fortunes of the princess, the king enjoined them to keep the forecast a secret and not to disclose it to anyone.

Chach now resolved to appoint his brother Chandra* his deputy at the city of Alor. So he sent a trustworthy person to him with the following message:—“Our nearest relations are ascetics, and have always been faithful worshippers of idols in their temples. Their custom of worshipping fire and devotion to God are widely known. Our father Seláij acts on the saying,—“But we saw our fathers doing the same,”* and this is approved by all our learned men ?? philosophers. But it is so written in the books of Hind, that, whenever a person, who has trained his soul to abstinence and austerity, dies, his soul, on its separation from the body, and, in return for his good deeds, trans­migrates to the child of a king or a great man, in whose body it enjoys perfect rest owing to (the presence of) creature comforts and the affluence of fortune. And the God of Selaij has given us sovereignty this time, and a spacious empire has come under my command. Now my judgment demands that I should appoint you as my agent or vicegerent in the city of Alor and make you my heir-apparent. You can assist in the administration of the country by practising religiousness, faithfulness, abstinence and piety here also.” Although Chandra showed great reluctance, he was ultimately brought and appointed to the royal court. The entire administration of Alor was absolutely left in his hands by Chach, who entrusted also to his care his own private as well as State affairs.

(When appointing Chandra to the new post), Chach told him: “When the God of Seláij has made us worthy of the crown and the chrone, and has destined us for rulers of a nation, it is incumbent on us to endeavour, in the highest degree, to treat kindly the innumerable subjects under our sway, who are a trust (committed to our care) by the Creator, and to keep them contented and happy by administering justice and equity in such a manner that the strong should not oppress the weak, and we might not be reprehended in the august court of God for lack of judgment or denial of redress. My brother Chaudra, the crown of all the ascetics, is hereby appointed to this great and delicate office, and he is directed to carry it on whether we are present or absent, and all the people, nobles, commons, and soldiers should render him obedience and in no way deviate from his commands or his guidance.”

Then Chach called the Tákí* wazir Budhiman, and questioned him about the limits of the kingdom of Sahiras. “O able wazir and wise counsellor,” said he, “do you know what the boundaries of the country of Sind were when it was under the rule and sway of the senior Rai Sahasi? What are those four divisions which formed its limits in every direction? Give us all the information you have about them, so that I may go to those limits, and ascertain whether the people there are disposed to be obedient or adverse to me, and, if any­one is refractory or disobedient, I may take measures to remove him, and see that all bring their heads under my yoke, and no opponent or rebel finds his way into my kingdom, or sets my authority at naught.”

Wazir Budhiman bowed his head to the ground and said: “Long life to king Chach ! May it be known to him that this metropolis and the whole kingdom were under the dominion of one king, and his chieftains were obedient and submissive to him, and were always attentive to his orders, and ready to do his bidding. When this kingdom came into the hands of Sahiras son of the senior Rai Sahasi, who was a son of Dewáij, and he was defeated ??nd killed by the army of Fars, the kingdom devolved upon Sáhasi, (the younger,) and he appointed each of the four chiefs to each of the four divisions, in order that they might try their best to collect the revenue for the treasury, and to protect the country. Now that Your Majesty is anxious on this point, and wishes this anxiety to be removed from his mind, the only desirable and final arrangement necessary seems to be to prevent the very POSSIBILITY of any unpleasant occurrence. For, otherwise, owing to the vicissitudes of time, such a terrible disaster might take place as could not easily be suppressed. When (by these precautionary measures) the government of the country is firmly established, and Your Majesty's heart is at rest, the chiefs of the differ­ent divisions, and the kings of the bordering provinces would be favourably inclined to you and render service to you. It is certain that, when by means of a brave army and furious elephants, tranquillity and stability are secured, God, the great cause of causes, will enable you to achieve victory and success, and to overcome your enemies and opponents. I am sanguine that the great God will strengthen the members and quarters of the kingdom; that all the four tributary rulers wil place the chain of subjection on their necks; that all disorders will cease; that all the opponents will, from fear and awe of the sharp and well-tempered sword of Your Majesty, bring their heads to the halter of submission, and that this great and extensive kingdom that you have acquired with renown will abide with you to all eternity, and each day see its expansion. The king should, under all circum­stances, fix his assiduous attention and desire on that end, and place full trust in the decrees of the Almighty, in order that He, with His august will and wisdom, may fulfil his wishes and realise his hopes.”