CHAPTER XVI.
BEGINNING OF THE THIRD DIVINE YEAR FROM THE DATE OF THE ACCESSION OF
H.M. THE SHĀHINSHĀH TO WIT THE YEAR KHURDĀD OF THE FIRST CYCLE.

God be praised! The talisman of the second year of the Divine Era which was decked with the jewels of joy and pleasantness became a pendant on Time's ear, and an adornment of the necks of years and months, whilst the vernal star of the third Divine year took with greatness the fields of dominion and fortune. After four hours, twenty-eight minutes of Friday, the 20th Jamāda-al-awwal 965 (10 March, 1558), the enthroned one of the fourth heaven (the sun) burnished the gloom of the seven spheres and entered the sign of Aries. He gave fresh vigour to the outer and the inner world. Indescribable cosmos was bestowed on the faded earth and the aged sky. Hearts closed against joy received pleasure upon the apparition of the auspicious lights of this year, and the longers after happiness drew in peace and hope from the New Year gale.

Verse.

By the vernal fragrance, the world's brain
Made* the air the aloes of Qimār,
From the musk-scattering of the joyous breeze
The earth's navel grew full of perfume,
Musk was strewn on the earth in tons*
The air was like a shell strewn with civet
From faintness the moon did not shed her light,
Blood dripped from the tulip, and tears from the jasmine
The violet, to baffle the evil eye, swiftly
Marked with blue* the ear-lobe of the parterre.

After the New Year rejoicings, and the outspreading of victory and conquest, the auspicious fruit-trees of the Divine Gardens, to wit the victory-marked standards of the Shāhinshāh advanced from Jālan­dhar towards Delhi, hunting and destroying wild beasts on the way.

the Satlaj, upon the banks of which the town of Lūdhiāna is situated, swift messengers brought the news that Ḥājī Khān, of whom a short account has already been given, was opposing strenuously and on equal terms the force which had been sent to quell him. It was therefore resolved that the army of fortune should proceed to Ḥiṣār and ascertain the condition of the force which had gone forth. If it was necessary to despatch a second body of troops, this army was to proceed to the scene of action and put H.M.'s mind at care about that country. In accordance with this excellent plan the whole of the sublime camp was sent to Ḥiṣār under the charge of Nāṣir-al-mulk rapidly, while H.M. the Shāhinshāh went to Sirhind in order to pay the respects of devotion, and that he might rejoin the army after having visited the shrine of H.M. Jahānbānī Jinnat Ashiyāni. May his proofs be illuminated! For when the officers were defeated, and Hemū was predominant, Khanjar* Beg and a number of the servants of the Court had brought that monarch's holy corpse to Sihrind and the coffin was now lying there, shrouded in curtains. In a short space of time he had paid his devo­tions, and gone on to Ḥiṣār and illuminated the camp there by his presence. Bāirām Khān-Khānān was at his own request, permitted to accompany H.M. in the expedition (to Sihrind). While the stan­dards were in Ḥiṣār a quarrel arose between Nāṣir-al-mulk and Shaikh Gadai. As Bāirām Khan was much inclined to the Shaikh he took his part, and Nāṣir-al-mulk was grieved of heart for some days and did not come to court. In a short time a number of good men interposed and produced a reconciliation.

reached Ḥājī Khān and his men, they separated without fighting and every one went to his own place. Ḥājī Khān hastened to Gujrāt and M. Qāsim Khān of Nīshāpur, marched to Ajmīr and took charge of that quarter.

Khān Maḥram and a numbers of others were sent to take Jitāran (a fort in Jodhpur, Jarrett II. 276, and Blochmann, 389 n.) The victorious heroes by the strength of their swords and the might of their courage conducted many of the stiff-necked Raj­puts to the abyss of annihilation and took possession of the fort. The surface of that country was cleared from the rubbish of stubborn rebels.