CHAPTER LVI.
HIS MAJESTY JAHĀNBĀNĪ'S JOURNEY TO QANDAHĀR AND HIS RETURN
THEREFROM.

In the beginning of the winter of this year, His Majesty deter­mined to go to Qandahār rather than to India, as a number of strife-mongers had made false representations about Bairām Khān. Accordingly he went there. The government of Kābul was entrusted to ‘Alī Quli Khān of Andarāb, and the Divine nursling, eye-pupil of the Khilāfat, prop of glory, His Majesty the Shāhinshāh accompanied his father as far as Ghaznīn. The prince's vakils, who were in charge of Ghaznīn, were assiduous in discharging the duties of hospitality. When the royal standards moved onwards from Ghaznīn, the prince returned to Kābul. Bairām Khān recognised the advent of the king as a great favour and returned thanks for it, with a heart full of loyalty, he did homage at the village of Shorāndām, ten* leagues out from Qandahār, and His Majesty was convinced that the reports about him were not true. He arrived at Qandahār in an auspicious hour. Splendid feasts were held. Among the distinguished servants present there were Shāh Abū'l-ma‘ālī, Mun‘īm Khān, Khiẓr Khw. Khān; Muḥibb ‘Ali Khān, (son of) Mīr Khalīfa, Ism‘aīl Dūldai and Ḥaidar Muḥammad ākhta-begī. Of the Ahl-i-Sa‘ādat (learned or literary men) there were Khw. Ḥusain of Merv, Maulānā ‘Abdu-l-bāqī the Ṣadr and others. Bairām Khān neglected no punctilio of civility and the whole winter was spent in Qandahār in enjoyment. And during this time, whatever was necessary for the king's privy purse, was all defrayed by Bairām Khān. He had all the court servants brought into the houses of his own servants, where their entertainment was provided for. All this time His Majesty Jahān­bānī enjoyed sensual and mental recreations* and pleasures spiritual and temporal and had feasts and entertainments and visited the hermitages of dervishes and the cells of pure religionists, and distributed largesse in accordance with their conditions. Among others, he frequently visited Maulānā Zainu-d-dīn Maḥmūd Kamāngar* (the bow-maker) who was one of the determined opponents of sensuality, and holy words were spoken on both sides. There were conversa­tions about the attainment of desires in time and eternity.

Khw. Ghāzī, who had gone on an embassy to Persia and had come to Qandahār with presents before His Majesty had arrived there, returned to employment and was, on account of his meritorious services, raised to the lofty office of dīwān. About the same time Mu‘aam* Sl. came from Zamīn-Dāwar and entered into service. Mihtar Qarā, who was one of the trusted followers of Muḥammad Khān of Herāt also came with valuable offerings and was received into service. He brought representations of fidelity and was encompassed with favours. And for the sake of the State and for the delight of hearts, he had a qamargha hunt in the neighbourhood of Shōrāndām. This pleased the officers and His Majesty took an omen from it for the capture of his desires.

One of the evil things which happened in Qandahār was the killing of Sher ‘Alī Beg by Shāh Abū'l-ma‘ālī. A brief account of the affair is, that about this time, Sher ‘Alī Beg, the father of Qarā Beg mīr shikār, came without leave from Shāh ahmāsp, the ruler of Persia, and entered the royal service. Shāh Abū'l-ma‘ālī, being intoxicated by Court favour and by his honours and courage, set his foot outside the circle of moderation, and did extravagant things. And as the evil bigotry of rebellious people had damaged the brain of his faith, he frequently and openly said in the court of His Majesty Jahānbānī, that he would kill this heretical fellow. Out of the favour he bore him, His Majesty regarded this as a pleasantry and gave no heed to the matter. At length, Abū'l-ma‘ālī, being drunk with the wine of bigotry, one night attacked that stranger and poured his blood upon the ground! His Majesty was much displeased, but the close, though superficial relationship* was a veil of faults and prevented him from punishing the evil deed.

When the excellent loyalty of Bairām Khān was made clear and it became apparent to all that his foot was firm in the path of obedience and good service, His Majesty confirmed him in the gov­ernment of Qandahār which it had been his recent intention to give to Mun‘im Khān. He took Zamīn-Dāwar from Khw. Mu‘aam and gave it to Bahādur Khān, the brother of ‘Alī Qulī Khān. His mind being now at rest about the affairs of his kingdom, he returned to Kābul with the intention of conquering Hindustān. He gave leave of absence to Bairām Khān in order that he might make prepara­tions for this expedition and join him as soon as possible. His Majesty took Walī Beg* and Ḥājī Muḥammad Sīstānī with him because people were continually telling tales of them and putting together the materials of strife. Near Ghaznīn, he was met by His Majesty the Shāhinshāh and it was a meeting like the conjunction* of favourable planets. Muḥammad Qulī Khān Barlās and Atka Khān (Shamsu-d-dīn) and many others did homage and at the end of 961 (Oct., 1554), Kābul received celestial glory by his advent.

At this time, Mun‘im Khān was raised to the office of guardian of His Majesty the Shāhinshāh. Though, from use and wont, His Majesty gave the name of guardian (atālīq) to the elder man, yet in reality he sent him like a child, to learn wisdom from that exhibitor of universal reason. Mun‘im Khān returned thanks to Heaven for this great gift and prepared a glorious feast. He also tendered fit­ting gifts and arranged the materials of his own exaltation. In this year, Ulugh Beg, the son of Halhal Sl. arrived on the part of the ruler of Persia, and tendered gifts which were a cause of increasing joy. His Majesty continually looked after the administration of justice and also engaged himself in preparations for the conquest of Hindūstān. At this time one of the dervishes who was famous in foreign lands (wilāyat) had sent a pair of boots as a gift: His Majesty Jahānbānī said that he drew an omen from these boots favourable to the conquest of Hindūstān for it was a common saying that Turkistān is the head, Khurāsān the breast and Hindūstān the foot (of the world). He said this omen was like that mentioned by His Majesty Ṣāḥib-qirānī, viz., that in the year in which he moved from Transox­iana to conquer Khurāsān and when he arrived at Andarkhūī, a village in which lived a dervish named Sangī Atā* who was famous for purity of heart and for his miracles,—His Majesty Ṣāḥib-qirānī went to visit him. By way of already-made (mā ḥaar) breakfast, the dervish placed before him the breastbone of a sheep. His Majesty (Tīmūr) observed to his courtiers that he drew an omen, from this breast, for the conquest of Khurāsān because Khurāsān was called the breast of the world.

Bairām Khān arrived on the day following the feast of Ramẓān (the ‘Īd,—2nd Shawwal,—31st August). His Majesty, for the sake of giving greater pleasure and out of the affection he bore him, had the feast repeated and gave an entertainment more splendid than that of the ‘Īd. On this joyful day, which was made the test day for horsemen and dextrous archers, the royal cavalier of the plain of fortune and nursling of the spring of glory, to wit, His Majesty the Shāhinshāh, felt disposed to engage for a time in shooting at the qabaq and to show his archer's skill to the generality and thus to lead them on the way of devotion. The first time he aimed at the qabaq,* — which experienced marksmen had failed to hit,—his arrow struck the ligature of the golden ball. At this all the people shouted. Such a thing appeared wonderful to the superficial, but what marvel was there in it to those who have beheld with awakened eyes the real spectacle of the mysteries of the lord of the world. How is it strange that he who is a mine of substantial wonders, should display external marvels? Bairām Khān composed an excellent ode on His Majesty's qabaq-shooting and presented it at the feast. The opening couplet is as follows;—

Thine arrow has snatched the fastening of the ball from the crook:*
It has made the curve like a meteor grazing the Pleiades.

During this time of enjoyment when the thought of the con­quest of Hindūstān was lighting up the hearts of loyal servants,— petitions came from the faithful in Hindūstān and brought to the royal ears news of the death of Salīm Shāh and of the confusion of the country.