And when the Amír Násir-ad-dín perceived this he began the work vigorously, and marched from Ghazna against Jaipál. They came together upon the frontiers of each state. Each army mutually attacked the other, fought and resisted in every way, until the face of the earth was stained red with the blood of the slain, and the lions and warriors of both armies and nations were worn out and reduced to despair. Then the Sultán Yamín-ad-doulah Mahmúd,* in this contingency, remarked that all skill and intelligence was unequal to the subjugation of this fort, and that all human power fell short against it. And he remarked, further, that in that region, wherein was the encampment of the accursed, the water of a spring was pure and bright, whilst free from any unclean substances, but whenever any impure thing* was thrown therein a great flash of lightning shone forth, and furious winds arose, and a bitter cold succeeded, so that no one could at all endure to remain there. The Amír Nasir-ad-dín therefore commanded that they should cast some wine-flasks into the fountain.* Immediately a great darkness spread over the land and the bright day became obscured, and the atmosphere, from the sharpness of the extreme cold, drew over itself a grey mist, so that patience could no longer endure such sufferings, and they were near unto the fate of death. Hereupon Jaipál sent a messenger, seeking a truce and asking pardon, and engaged to surrender at discretion, and to send every year a fitting tribute to the Treasury, and accept the authority of the Amír over his States, and to present gifts of homage, such as a marbit (yoke) of elephants, or any other propitiating gifts he might command. The Amír Nasir-ad-dín, through his ingenuous and generous disposition, was content with this proposal, and wished to compose this affair, and to grant unto his chiefs and army some gratifying gifts out of these splendid cessions. But the Sultán Yamín-ad-doulah Mahmúd gave not in to this, but resolutely refused, and said, You cannot bring this affair to an end, except by storming out, and to grant a truce in their calami­tous state would be unbecoming and unworthy the glory of Islám. “Cry not for peace nor demand it, for you are the highest and God is with you, and will not suffer your affairs to fail.” When then the messenger returned hopeless, and inti­mated the state of things, exposing the reply he had received and the disappointment of their expectations, Jaipál saw that there was no resource except in returning to means of extremity and despair. He sent back the messenger and said (in accordance with the proverb) “When they desire terms grant terms, for that is better than fighting. Do not by fighting deliver them from their weakness (difficulty) for they can destroy lives but once.”

The substance of his message was as follows: “You have heard and know the nobleness of Indians, how that, in seasons of extremity, they fear not death or destruction. They run the edge of the sword over those who wrong them, when there is no means of escaping the blade. In affairs of honour and renown we would place ourselves upon the fire like roast meat, and upon the dagger like the sunrays.” If this disinclination to show us the favour of a truce and capitulation proceed from desire of the enjoyment of our wealth, our elephants, our damsels, or our children, then, when the crocodile (of extreme distress) arrive and the wish for safety becomes a (frustrated) desire, then we shall throw all that pertains unto us, our riches and our possessions, alive and dead, into the fire, and destroy them, and afterwards kill ourselves, so that nothing but dust and ashes will remain. “The fire will consume, nor will they war with the dead and the refuse.”

The Amír Nasir-ad-dín hearing this, and thinking it horrible that they should fulfil their threat, diverted his views from the project of expulsion by storm and directed them towards peace and kindness. He interceded with Yamín-ad-doulah Mahmúd and prevailed upon him to give up his project of revenge. He was content that the enemy should present, by way of ransom, one thousand packets each of one thousand dínars sterling, and five stables full of elephants, and should cede some cities of Hindustán and some fortresses within the heart of his kingdom, and that both himself, his courtiers, and the principal officers of his army should give their sons as hostages, until the terms of the treaty should be carried into effect and the chiefs and dependants of the conquered party should have acceded to them, when the territories and fortresses should be restored.

To the whole of this they agreed, and both sides separated from one another, and, when Jaipál had gone a few stages and was in safety, and was secure in the midst of his kingdom, his base and evil nature led him to infringe the treaty. He entered upon measures contrary thereto, and as certain persons were with him, by way of doing him honour and for the purpose of taking posses­sion of the fortresses and territories ceded by the agreement, he threw them into prison, by way of reprisal for some of his comrades and company, who were detained at the Amír’s Court, as a measure of retaliation. When intelligence of this was brought to the Amír he would not receive it, but thought it a mere rumour, until the news was repeatedly confirmed, when the deceit and treach­ery of that belier of kindness was manifested, and the truth of his perfidy came forth from the veil of report.

The fire of jealousy then rose high in his heart, and the purpose of revenge wholly pos­sessed him. He proceeded to the country of the infidel traitor, and wheresoever he came he plundered and sacked the country until it was annihilated. He dug up and burnt down all its buildings, and killed those deceivers and infidels, carrying away their children and cattle as booty. He made the territory of Lamgan (in Kashmir), which had been the most populous and flourishing of all that country, entirely stript and bare. He mastered several other territories, and, destroying their temples, their sacred buildings, and their churches, built mosques in their stead, making the light of Islám visible.

News of these victories and intelligence of these exploits spread through all the world, and all the people of Islám rejoiced exceedingly, and he returned to Ghazna, on the wing of victory and of success (Verse)

And when Jaipál witnessed the destruction of his kingdom and experienced the consequences of his treacherous infraction of the treaty, seeing the glory of his kingdom taken from him and his con­federates made a prey to the lion, he was deeply chagrined and perplexed in finding a remedy for this misfortune. He found himself powerless to do anything, except to invoke help, and therefore dispatched letters, seeking succour, to the various provinces of India, imploring aid. He thus assembled nearly 100,000 horse and directed his march towards the capital of Islám. When the Amír received intelligence of his return he, in full and strong hope, advanced the standards of Islám to meet him, resolute and relying upon the goodness of the Creator (His name be magnified) and looking for the fulfilment of His promise made respecting the gift of success to His Word and exalting the standard verses of the faith, i. e., “Kill them, God will chastise them by your hands and will pierce them through, and give you victory over them and comfort the hearts of believing people.” And when the armies were near to one another the Amír went into a thicket, in disguise, in order to reconnoitre the number of these accursed people. He saw that they were like an immense ocean, and their army like a host of innumerable ants and locusts. However he was like a lion, who foresees a feast when he beholds numerous huntsmen, or like a wolf, more bold as the company of horsemen is greater. Assembling his ardent and brave warriors he intimated to them their glorious and noble lot, exhorting them to destroy and vanquish those wretches. All appeared ready and eager for the affair, all hearts being encouraged by a liberal distribution of rewards, honours, and promotions. The Amír Násir-ad-dín commanded that a company of five hundred men, a portion of similar successive reserves, should make an attack upon the enemy, and should maintain their position with their utmost efforts and exertions, and that when these had done their utmost and had fulfilled their designed duty another company of five hundred should succeed in their room, and that all should push forward in that manner. They followed his directions, and in this manner, they made their way onward, until they terrified the infidels. Then they made one simultaneous charge upon them and made some prisoners, but the rest betook themselves to flight, throwing away all their arms, and weapons, and incumbrances, and so quitted the land. “The judgment of God is upon those who stray from him and this judgment cannot be evaded.”

From this time the Hindús drew in their tails and sought no more to invade the land, and were content that they were suffered to dwell in peace in the more distant parts of their country, in order that no trouble should happen to them from the house of Islám. And this territory was entirely annexed to the lands of Islám, was adorned by the brilliancy of the true worship, and its inhabitants included in the efficient, excellent, and prosperous vice-royalty of Násir-ad-dín, being brought beneath the wing of his pastoral care. And all his subjects and servants girded up their loins in his behalf, and whenever he needed aid, or entered upon any design or expedition, a thousand horse attended his stirrup and were bound to follow his victorious banner.

This affair being concluded the Amír Ridha-Abul-Kasím-Núh, Ibn Mansúr, Sámány, King of Khurásán, cast his eye upon Nasir-ad-dín, and sought assistance, in order to meet an army which was troubling him, which proceeded from the Turkish provinces, which was disturbing him in his enjoyment of territories that had long belonged to his throne, and was coveting his hereditary kingdom, that, by such aid, he might confirm that kingdom to his race. The Amír Násir-ad-din, induced by that generosity which God had implanted within his august nature, thought himself obliged to assent to this request, and to aid a king thus unjustly exposed to be shaken from his ancient house, to restore his kingdom, to avenge him upon his enemies, and, by coming to his succour, to fulfil the just obligation of repressing those who injure one’s connexions, thus perpetuating the record of his glory in the volume of time. Doubtless the Creator made his zeal to be the cause of the confirmation of the empire unto him and unto his posterity, poured constant benefits upon this energetic warrior and his children, and retained his successors in the possession of that dominion. “God, the possessor of the greatest good, grants His favours unto whomsoever He willeth.”