My wazírs informed me that the whole amount of the revenue of India is six arbs; now each arb is a 100 krors, and each kror is a 100 lacs, and each lac is a 100,000 miskáls of silver. Some of the nobles said, “By the favour of Almighty God we may conquer India, but if we establish ourselves permanently therein, our race will degenerate and our children will become like the natives of those regions, and in a few generations their strength and valour will diminish.” The amírs of regiments (kushúnát) were disturbed at these words, but I said to them, “My object in the invasion of Hindustán is to lead an expedition against the infidels that, according to the law of Muhammad (upon whom and his family be the blessing and peace of God), we may convert to the true faith the people of that country, and purify the land itself from the filth of infidelity and polytheism; and that we may overthrow their temples and idols and become gházís and mujáhids before God.” They gave an unwilling consent, but I placed no reliance upon them. At this time the wise men of Islám came before me, and a conversation began about the propriety of a war against infidels and polytheists; they gave it as their opinion that it is the duty of the Sultán of Islám, and all the people who profess that “there is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the prophet of Allah,” for the sake of preserving their religion and strengthening their law, to exert their utmost endeavour for the suppression of the enemies of their faith. And it is the duty of every Muslim and true believer to use his utmost exertions in obedience to his ruler. When the edifying words of the wise men reached the ears of the nobles, all their hearts were set upon a holy war in Hindustán, and throwing themselves on their knees, they repeated the Chapter of Victory.
When I girded up my loins for the expedition, I wrote to Hazrat Shaikh Zainu-d dín to the effect that I had determined on a religious expedition to Hindustán. He wrote in the margin of my letter: “Be it known to Abú-l Gházi Tímúr (whom may God assist) that great prosperity in this world and the next will result to you from this undertaking, and you will go and return in safety.” He also sent me a large sword which I made my sceptre.
In the meanwhile there came a petition from the Prince Pír Muhammad Jahángír, from the confines of Kábulistán, the government of which country, from the boundaries of Kunduz and Bakalán and Kábul and Ghazní and Kandahár, was vested in him. When I looked at this petition it was thus written: “Since, according to your order, I arrived in this country, I have acted towards all the people conformably to the exalted order and wisdom-increasing counsels of the great king. When I had satisfied my mind with the conquest and settlement of this kingdom, I turned my thoughts towards the acquisition of some of the provinces of Hindustán. I enquired concerning the condition of that country, and received the following account: that the city of Dehlí is the capital of the sovereigns of India, and after the death of Sultán Fíroz Sháh, two brothers among his nobility, of whom one was named Mallú and the other Sárang, becoming very powerful, established their independence, giving the nominal sovereignty to one of the sons of Sultán Fíroz Sháh, by name, Sultán Mahmúd, they kept the real power in their own hands, and virtually governed the empire. Mallú, the elder brother, lives at Dehlí, about the person of Sultán Mahmúd, and Sárang is established in the city of Multán, for the protection of that country. When I became acquainted with these matters, acting according to the practice of the great king, I wrote a letter and sent it to him (Sárang) by an ambassador, purporting that since the fame of the victories and conquests, and of the extensive empire of the great king is spread all over the world, it is certain that it must have reached him also. The great king has appointed me to the government of those provinces which lie on the borders of Hindustán, and has ordered that ‘If the rulers of Hindustán come before me with tribute I will not interfere with their lives, property, or kingdoms; but if they are negligent in proffering obedience and submission, I will put forth my strength for the conquest of the kingdoms of India. At all events, if they set any value upon their lives, property, and reputation, they will pay me a yearly tribute, and if not, they shall hear of my arrival with my powerful armies. Farewell.’ When the ambassador reached the presence of Sárang at Multán, he was treated with great respect and consideration; but in reply to his letter, Sárang said, ‘It is difficult to take an empire like a bride to your bosom without trouble and difficulty and the clashing of swords. The desire of your prince is to take this kingdom with its rich revenue. Well, let him wrest it from us by force of arms if he be able. I have numerous armies and formidable elephants, and am quite prepared for war.’ With these words he dismissed the ambassador. But when this unsatisfactory answer was brought back to me, I issued immediate orders for the armies to assemble from all quarters, together with such of the nobles as were in my province, such as Amír Sáikal Kandahári, and other amírs,* and soldiers. I got ready for the invasion of Hindustán. I plundered and laid waste the country of the Aghánís who inhabit the mountain Sulaimán, and marching steadily forwards I crossed the river Indus, and assaulted the city of Uch, and through the good fortune of the great king, I took it. Leaving a body of men there as a garrison, I proceeded to Multán, which I besieged; but as Sárang had carefully fortified and strengthened this fortress, the siege has been protracted for some days, and, indeed, I am at this moment engaged in the siege, giving an assault twice every day. All the nobles have displayed great valour and intrepidity, more especially Tímúr Khwájah, the son of Amír Ákúghá, and I am now waiting for further instructions.”
When I had read this letter, my previous resolution was confirmed and strengthened.
I acted in such a manner that by the spring of that year I had collected the soldiery from all parts of the countries under my sway; and in the auspicious month Rajáb, A.H. 800 (March, 1408), which may be expressed according to the rule of Abjad, by the words karíb fath, appointed the prince 'Umar, the son of Prince Mirzá Sháh, my viceroy in Samarkand, and leaving him some of the nobles and soldiery, I placed my foot in the stirrup at a lucky moment, and quitting my capital Samarkand, directed my course towards Hindustán. Marching on, hunting as I went, I reached Turmuz, and ordering the construction of a bridge of boats over the Jíhún, I crossed that river with my whole army and encamped at the village of Khulm. Beating the drum of departure from that place, and passing in my march Ghaztík and Samankán, I arrived at Indaráb, and the nobles and people of that place, high and low, pouring out in crowds to meet me, all at once set up a great cry and lamentation, demanding justice. I sent for a number of the nobles and chief men among them and instituted an enquiry into this matter.
On their knees they made representation demanding protection from the infidel Kators and the Siyáh-poshes, saying, we have brought our petition against these oppressive infidels to the presence of the king of Islám, for the infidel Kators and the Siyáh-poshes exact tribute and black mail every year from us who are true believers, and if we fail in the least of our settled amount, they slay our men and carry our women and children into slavery, so that we helpless Musulmáns fly for protection to the presence of the great king that he may grant to us oppressed ones our hearts' desire upon these infidels. On hearing these words the flame of my zeal for Islám, and my affection for my religion, began to blaze, and I addressed those Musulmáns with the following consolatory words:—By the help and assistance of Almighty God I will grant you your hearts' desire on these oppressive infidel Kators and Siyáh-poshes, and I will relieve you who are Musulmáns from the tyranny of these unbelievers. They all lifted their hands invoking blessings on me.