CHAPTER XVII.
MARCH OF THE WORLD-CONQUERING ARMY OF THE SHĀHINSHĀH TO
DELHI AND ITS ARRIVAL AT THAT WONDROUS CITY.

When the world-subduing mind was at ease with regard to those regions, the sublime army proceeded towards Delhi via Samāna. Stage after stage was marked by the distribution of justice and the bestowal of joy, and on 5 Ardībihisht, Divine month, equal to 25 Jamāda-al-akhirī, the world-adorning standards cast light and shade on the plains of the capital. The grandees of the city hastened to go forth to welcome them and made the dust of the world-traversing army the ornament of the forehead of their own good fortune. The lights of equity and justice, and the radiances of the Shāhinshāh's kindness and favour were shed on high and low. By the aid of the Director of Fortune, affairs military and civil were put anew into proper order. At this time the Khān-Khānān and all the officers and pillars of the empire held a great assemblage in the Shāhinshāh's Diwānkhāna twice a week; whatever was fixed upon there with regard to political and financial matters was humbly represented to the Shāhinshāh, and whatever his world-obeyed command directed, received the royal signature.

heavens brought forth from behind the screen of extraordinary events there was the story* of the loves of 'Alī Qulī Khān Zamān and a camel-driver's son. In consequence of this his intrinsic baseness was revealed, and he became an object of scorn to mankind. The brief account of this is as follows: In the reign of H.M. Jahānbānī Jinnat Āshyānī, Shāham Beg, the son of a camel-driver, and who was conspicuous for exter­nal beauty was one of the special body-guard. From innate depravity, the Khān Zamān fixed his lustful gaze on this camel-driver's son and spent his days in giving to this outburst of concupiscence, and ebullition of bestial desire the name of Love. After the inevitable event of H.M. Jahānbānī, Shāham Beg and Khūshhāl Beg* who also belonged to the body-guard, were honoured by doing homage to H. M. the Shāhinshāh at Jālandhar and were enrolled in the body-guard. At this time Khān Zamān in his folly and wretchedness sent men to entice him, and he being without intrinsic goodness, and proud of his fleeting, unsubstantial beauty took this opportunity to be the making of his fortune and deserted. For in a Court where real beauty was prized and where this is a place also for outward agreeableness when associated with substantive loveliness, what demand was there for this man of outward comeliness, and how could such an one meet with the Shāhinshā's glance of approbation? In fine, that unfortunate fled in foolishness from for­tune's house and presented himself before the Khān Zamān. He made beauty's bazar brisk, and that ingrate (the Khān Zamān) whose evil disposition was supplemented by the intoxication of courage and suc­cess, took to disgraceful courses; and as the wicked spirits of Trans­oxiana in the darkness of their heart have no respect to glory and majesty, and apply a sublime name to impure, tainted wretches, say­ing, “My Pādshāh, my Pādshāh,” so did this depraved one used to address Shāham Beg, and bow down before him and perform the kor­nish.* In the superfluity of his naughtiness, of which only a little may be said, he left the way of auspiciousness and trod the path of destruction. A greater evil was the coming to him of flatterers, whose crooked glances regarded nothing but their own interest. For this reason they continually gave a good complexion to his wickednesses, and worked for their own preferment. Whenever a man of evil nature is in high position, and gives way to intoxication, and a crowd of flatterers beset him, the spiritual and temporal condition of such a man deteriorates, and he ends in the ruin of his health and wealth. The evil ending career of 'Alī Qulī Khān is an illustration of this.

irreverence and shamelessness of those ill-fated ones came to the knowledge of H.M., admonitory letters were sent and wise exhortations and commands were issued. The lofty order was: “Our Court is a sea of pardon and beneficence. The man who by sub­mitting himself to desire and the society of wicked flatterers is over­powered by the lord of lust and passion becomes the mark of various disgraces. Let nothing be said now of virility, truth, loyalty, devo­tion and sincerity, but take hold of the thread of prudence—the safe­guard of the generality of mankind—and repent of your deeds and amend your evil-doings by good service; send that camel-driver's son to Court, so that we may regard your deeds as not done, and exalt you by royal favours. If through folly and immodesty you obey not the royal commands, your punishment will be cast into your bosom, that it may be a warning to other short-sighted and intoxicated ones.” Meanwhile, as the intoxication and evil nature of 'Alī Qulī Khān became more and more manifest, the world-adorning mind determined that a number of brave men should be settled in his neighbourhood, so that he might be removed from his unique position and absolute power, and yet not have the veil of his honour rent. For this reason the town of Sandīla (in Oudh) was given in fief to Sulān Ḥusain Khān Jalāīr. That wicked one (Khān Zamān) had of his own authority given this town to Ism'āīl Khān the son of Ibrāhīm Khan, Uzbeg and a near relation of his own. Whenever the head of a party engages in evil and disloyalty, his followers necessarily become void of auspiciousness. Consequently Ism'aīl Khān did not give up the pargana but proceeded to resist. Sulān Ḥusain Khān, being backed by such a lord of fortune took it from him by force, and the latter took refuge with 'Alī Qulī Khān, and came against him with a large army. Sulān Ḥusain Khān, marched out with his men to put him down, and as he was one of those associated with eternal fortune he was victorious in spite of the numbers of the enemy. A large number of the worst of the evil-doers who had set their lives on dis­loyalty were levelled with the dust of annihilation. Shāh Budāgh Bulāqī* who was nearly related to 'Alī Qulī Khān, and was one of the distinguished of the age for bravery, hastened to the hell of extinction. 'Alī Qulī Khān on account of his innate wickedness wanted to go and encounter Sulān Ḥusain Khān, and to quit once for all the screen of respect, and to blacken his face for ever and ever. A number of wise and far-seeing men withheld him from this improper purpose and engaged him in correcting his evil deeds. He too took the advice and exerted himself to amend. But as he did not possess a happy constitution, he did not separate that camel-driver's son from himself, nor withdraw his hand from other evil deeds. Secretly he plotted wickedness, outwardly he showed improvement. Nāṣir-ul-Mulk continually vituperated his bad behaviour and strove for sending an army against him and for chastising him, while Bairām Khān took the part of 'Alī Qulī Khān and from his magnanimous nature regarded his lawless acts as unacted. His friends at court gave him weighty admonitions, and as that evil-doer could not turn back from his deeds he had recourse to tricks and stratagems. He sent a confidential servant named Burj 'Ali to Court in the hope that he might perhaps put his affairs straight, and find a remedy for the agitations at Court. In those days Nāṣir-ul-mulk was all powerful, and political and financial affairs were committed to his weighty judgment. He followed loyalty from the bottom of his heart and did not regard the partiality of Bairām Khān. One day Burj 'Alī, who belonged to the turbulent set of 'Alī Qulī Khān's society, went to Nāṣīr-ul-mulk, and uttered words which were out of all bounds. Accordingly the truth-recognising soul of Nāṣir-ul-mulk became indignant, and he ordered Burj 'Alī to be stretched out and beaten with rods, and that he should be thrown from the tower of Delhi fort and flung into the moat of annihilation. Then he said, “This fellow is now an illustration* of his own name (Burj, a tower).” Baīrām Khān was much vexed at this. He cherished revenge for it in his heart, and put off the punishment to another time.

to pass in Delhi at this time was the bringing to capital punishment of Muṣāḥib Beg the son of Khwāja Kilān Beg. This was effected by the loyal exertions of Nāṣir-ul-mulk, and it relieved mankind from his (Muṣāḥib's) seditiousness. The brief account of this is that his futile soul was ever crammed with hypocrisy and his disposition compact of wickedness. Both in the time of H.M. Jahānbānī Jinnat Āshiyānī and at the emergence of the world-adorning sun of H.M. the Shāhinshah improper actions of his came to light. H.M. Jinnat Ashiyānī used to call him Muṣāhib-i-Munāfiq (the hypocritical com­panion), as has already been mentioned.

he spent part of his worthless days in the society of Abu-al-M'aālī, and in evil plottings, and another part in the Eastern Districts as one of the evil companious of 'Alī-Qulī Khān. He made his son 'Alī Qulī's muhrdār (Sealer), and as the measure of his life was nearly full he came with evil intentions from there to Delhi. Bairām Khan imprisoned him and then sent him off to Mecca in company of trustworthy men. He had come out of his lodging (qadmgāh),* and was proceeding on his way, when his business was settled and his foot (qadm) went down to extinction. Nair-ul-Mulk was the cause of this. By skilful management he brought Bairām Khān to have two pieces of paper, on one of which was written “Death” and on the other “Release” These were to be spread* out, and whichever of them should come out and fall face upwards should be regarded as the Divine Command, and acted upon accordingly. Fate favoured his design, and immediately persons were sent and he was brought to punishment.

this year was the slaying of Khwāja Jalālu-d-dīn* Bujuq. The brief account of this is that he was Pādshāh Qulī, i.e., he was the king's slave and did not go out of his way to pay homage to other men. Now the great men of the world look to the establishment of their own position, and like everyone to court and flatter them. Consequently many grandees of the empire did not like him. Moreover he had the fault of levity and of making jokes, which perhaps is the worst of offences in the eyes of the great. He uttered pleasantries about the leaders of the age, and under the guise of witticisms—which the ignorant call agreeable facetiousness—he said things which were far from being proper, so that there was no one who did not carry in his side a wound from the thornbrake of his jesting. At this time when Ghaznīn had been entrusted to him on the recommendation of Muḥammed Qulī Khān Barlās, designing persons got their opportunity and both embittered Mun'im Khān's mind, and revived his old desire of being revenged upon him. In India too they stirred up Bairām Khān to kill him, and so were the cause of still further troubling Bairām's mind. Where is that far-seeing and good man who regards his master's welfare and does not for his private ends make useful servants the target for the arrows of revenge, and who casts out of view his own loss or gain and exerts himself in bringing forward men of ability? When the Khwāja heard that Mun'im Khān had given up his intention of going to India and that he was meditating revenge, he fell into great perplexity. He could not go to India for the Lord of the Age was behind the screen of insouciance, and Bairām Khān was very powerful. Considering that in the time of H. M. Jahānbānī Jinnat Ashiyānī on account of some improper expression which had been conveyed to Bairām Khan the latter had taken the opportunity of finding Jalālu-d-din alone in the bath and had treated him with great ignominy, and in his anger had not had respect to H. M. Jahānbānī; now that his status was so high, and that the Lord of the Age was under the veil of inattention, how could he go before him? And what accusations the evil-hearted and oppressive would produce! Nor could he prevail upon himself to go to Kabul and see Mun'im Khān who affected to be well-disposed towards him. Disloyalty too was in Jelālu-d-din's estimation the worst of faults, and so he could not endure to turn away from the dominion conjoined with eternity to another country. Munīm Khān sent a number of people to give him confidence, and after having induced him to come by promises and agreement he put him in prison. After that they at his instigation lanced his eyes several times, but as his fate had not arrived, the brightness of his honest eyes was not dimmed. After some time when he was let go on the supposition that he was blind, he proceeded to Bangash and under the guidance of a Bangashī was on his way to India, so that he might by whatever means were possible, convey himself to the threshold of dominion; and that whatever unavoidable order might issue from his enemies (Bairām and others) he might at least be under the foot of his master. When Mun'im Khan heard of this he sent off some swift inquisitors. They caught him and his younger brother Jalālu-d-dīn Mas'aūd, and Mun'im Khān bound and imprisoned them. He was thinking how to get rid of them. At last he one night sent people to them and spilt the blood of these loyalists for his own shameful private ends! Bairām Khān too had drawn up and sent an order for putting them to death. H.M. the Shāhinshāh who in order to test the powerful, and for other reasons, was under the veil of inattention, was inwardly indignant on hearing of this proceeding, but left the retribution for it, as well as for other matters, to God the Creator and Adorner of the world, and in his wisdom said nothing. May Almighty God long preserve this exhibition of endurance in order that he may govern spiritually and temporally.