In these elephants the wretched Hindus
Were confident, like the warriors of the elephant.*
Like the evening of Death, the detested and execrable bands,
Darker than night, and more numerous than the stars,
All ascending like fire, nay, rather like smoke,
Raised their heads in hostility to the azure sky:
Like ants they issue from right and left,
Horse and foot, thousands of thousands.

Eager for combat and battle, they approached the camp of the true believers.* The holy warriors of the faith, who are the trees of the garden of valour, advanced in ranks straight as the rows of fir-trees, and exalted aloft their fir-like helmets and basinets, that gleamed in the sun, even as the hearts of those that strive in the way of the Lord. Their array, like the barrier of Sikander,* was of iron hue; and, like the road of the Muhammedan faith, straight and firm, and bearing indications of its strength. And the foundation of the array was like those foundations which are strong,* and supporting* success and victory; and what is written,* They are on the right road on the side of their Creator, and they are successful,* belonged to the men in that army.*

(Masnevi)—

In that array there was no rent occasioned by timid souls; It was firm as the wish of the Emperor and the faith. Their standards all swept the sky, And the banner-staffs were all—of a truth we have given success.*

The far-seeing guardians having concerted measures for the security of the matchlock-men and thunder-darters,* who were in front of the army, made a line of carriages,* connected with each other by chains, according to the practice of the holy warriors of Rūm; and the troops of Islām finally displayed such array and firmness, that old Intelligence,* and our Heaven,* poured down praises on their orderer and arranger; and in making this array and arrangement, and firm front and immovable order, a person­age honoured in the imperial presence, the pillar of the royal state, Nizāmeddīn Ali Khalīfeh, gave all his aid and assistance; and all his ideas were conformable to fate, and all his acts and doings were agreeable to the illuminated mind (of the Emperor). The station of the imperial grandeur was established in the centre; and on his right the cherished brother, the high-in-rank,* the respectable* and favoured of fate, the selected-by-the-kindnesses of the assistance-giving king,* Chīn Taimūr Sultan; and the son high-in-rank, who is distinguished by the gifts of the exalted majesty,* Suleimān Shah; and he who is exalted by pointing the true road, the piety-adorned Khwājeh Dost Khāwend*; and the trusty in* the mighty empire, faithful to the exalted royalty,* the confidential counsellor, the chosen among persons of trust, Yunis Ali; the prop of the grandees, the perfect in friendship, Shah Mansūr Birlās; the prop of the nobility,* the chosen among the attached,* Derwīsh Muhammed Sārbān; the prop of the nobles, the pure in attachment,* Abdallah Kitābdār and Dost Ishik-Agha, were stationed in their posts. And in the left of the centre, the sovereignty-adorned, the Khilāfat-descended* Sultan, Alāeddīn Ālim Khan, the son of Sultan Bahlol Lodi, a prince who has near access to the royal majesty*; and the Dastūr, the most exalted among Sadders* of the human race,* the protector of mankind, the supporter of Islām, Sheikh Zein Khawāfi; and the prop of nobles, the perfect-in-friendship, Muhibb Ali, the son of him who has near access to the royal majesty above mentioned*; and the chosen among nobles, Terdi Beg, the brother of Kūch Beg, who has been received into mercy and purified; Shīr-afgen,* the son of the said Kūch Beg, who has received the divine forgiveness; and the chosen among grandees and nobles, the mighty Khan, Arāish Khan; and the Wazīr, the greatest of Wazīrs among men, Khwājeh Hussain, and a band of grand officers, were stationed, each in his place. And in the right wing, the exalted son, the fortunate, the honourable, befriended-of-fate, the happy, the well-regarded in the sight of the mercies of Creating Majesty, the star of the sign of monarchy and success, the sun of the sphere of Khilāfat and royalty, the praised by slave and free, the exalter of the emperor and empire, Muhammed Humāiūn Bahāder, was stationed. On the right of that lofty prince, who is nearly allied to good fortune, was he whose rank approximates to royalty, who is distinguished by the favour of the king, the giver of all gifts, Kāsim Hussain Sultan; the column of the nobility, Ahmed Yūsef Aghlākchi*; the trusted-of-royalty, the perfect-in-fidelity, Hindu Beg Kūchīn; and the in­trusted-of-royalty, Khosrou Gokultāsh; and the intrusted-of-royalty,* Kewām Beg Urdu-Shah; and the pillar of the royal retainers, the perfect-in-attachment, Wali Kāsim* Karagūzi; and the chosen among attached adherents, Pīr Kuli Sīstāni; and the pillar of Wazīrs amongst mankind, Khwājeh Pehlewān Badakhshi; and the prop of the royal bands, Abdal Shakūr; and the prop of the nobility, Suleimān Agha, the ambassador of Irāk, and Hussain, the ambassador of Sīstān, were stationed. On the victory-clothed left of the fortunate son who has been mentioned, of lofty extraction and Syed race, of the family of Murtiza,* Mīr Hāmeh; and the prop of the household troops,* Muhammedi Gokultāsh, and Khwājehgi Asad Jāndār,* were stationed. And in the right wing, of the Amīrs of Hind, the Umdet-al Mulk (prop of the state), Khan Khanān (Khan of Khans), Dilāwer Khan*; and the prop of the nobility, Malikdād Karrāni; and the prop of the nobility, the Sheikh of Sheikhs, Sheikh Gūren, were stationed, each in his fixed place. And in the left wing of the Islām-exalted armies, the lord of high rank, the protection of the magistracy, the abode of greatness, the orna­ment of the family of Taha and Yasīn,* * Syed Mahdi*; and the exalted, the fortunate brother, he who is well regarded in the sight of the Creating King, Muhammed Sultan Mirza; and the personage near to royalty, the descended of monarchs, Ādil Sultan, son of Mahdi Sultan*; and the intrusted-in-the-state, the perfect-in-attachment, Abdal-azīz Mīr Akhūr; and the intrusted-in-the-state, the pure-in-friendship, Mu­hammed Ali Jeng-Jeng; and the prop of the nobility, Kūt­luk Kadem Kerāwal; and Shah Hussain Yāregi, Moghul Ghānchi, and Jān Beg Atkeh,* extended their ranks. And in this station, of the Amīrs of Hind, of royal race, Jalāl Khan, and Kamāl Khan, the sons of the Sultan Alāeddīn who has been named; and the selected among nobles, Ali Khan Sheikhzādeh Fermūli; and the prop of nobles, Nizām Khan of Biāna, were placed. And as a tulughmeh (or flanking party), two persons of chief trust among the household retainers, Terdīkeh and Malik Kāsim, the brother of Bāba Kashkeh, with a party of the Moghul tribes, were stationed on the right wing; and two persons of trust from among the nobility, Mūmin Atkeh and Rustam Turkomān Bāshlīgh, with a party of the Emperor’s own immediate dependants, were stationed on the left wing; and the prop of the household troops, the perfect-in-friendship, the choice of confidential advisers, Sultan Muhammed Bakhshi, having arranged the nobles and grandees of the warriors of the faith in their suitable stations and places, himself repaired to await my commands; and he sent the tewāchis* to execute their orders, and dispatched directions worthy to be obeyed,* regarding the array and disposition of the army and troops, to the Sultans high in rank, and to the great Amīrs, and to all the illustrious soldiers of the Faith. And when the pillars of the army were made firm, and every person had repaired to his post,* the firmān, worthy to be obeyed, and necessary to be attended to, was published, com­manding that no person should move from his station with­out orders, nor lift his hand to engage without instructions. And of the aforesaid day about one watch and two garis* were past,* when the two opposing armies having approached each other, the combat and battle began. While the centres of the two armies, like light and darkness, stood opposed to each other, so desperate an engagement ensued on the right and left wings, that the ground was shaken with an earthquake, while a tumultuous clangour filled the upper­most heaven. The left wing of the ill-doomed heathen approached the right wing of the faith-clothed armies of Islām, and made a desperate attack on Khosrou Gokultāsh, Malik Kāsim, and* Bāba Kashkeh. Our brave and elevated brother,* Chīn Taimūr Sultan, according to orders, carried a gallant reinforcement, joined in the combat, and having driven back the heathen, pushed on nearly to their centre. And a noble gift has been given to that our exalted brother.* And the wonder of our times, Mustafa Rūmi, from the centre directed by* my exalted, upright, and fortunate son, who is regarded with favour in the sight of the Creating Majesty, and distinguished with the particular grace of the mighty King who commands to do and not to do, Muhammed Humāiūn Behāder, having brought forward the cannon, broke the ranks of the pagan army with matchlocks and guns like their hearts.* And during the battle, Kāsim Sultan Hussain of royal race,* and the pillars of the nobles, Ahmed Yūsef and Kewām Beg, having received orders, hastened to his support: and as, from time to time, armies of the heathen and troops of the rebels came from behind repeatedly to the succour of their men, we also dispatched to the assistance of our warriors, the intrusted-in-the-state, Hindu Beg Kūchīn, and after him, the props of the nobility, Muhammed Gokultāsh and Khwājehgi Asad, and afterwards the intrusted in the high monarchy, the trustworthy in the resplendent court, the most confided-in of nobles, the chosen among my confidential adherents, Yunis Ali, and the prop of the nobles, the perfect-in-attachment, Shah Mansūr Birlās, and the prop of the grandees, the pure-in-fidelity, Abdallah Kitābdār, and behind him, the prop of the nobles, Dost Ishek-Agha, Muhammed Khalīl Aktehbegi.* The heathen* made repeated and desperate attacks on the left wing of the army of Islām, and fell furiously upon the holy warriors, the children of salvation; and each time the high and mighty holy warriors struck some with wounds from their arrows which lead to victory, and sent them to the house of destruction, the worst of abodes,* and part of them they drove back. And the trusty among the nobles, Mūmin Atkeh and Rustam Turkomān, advancing in the rear of the dark and benighted bands of the heathen, who reposed on evil fortune; and the trusty among nobles, Mulla Mahmūd and Ali Atkeh Bāshligh, the servants of the counsellor of the imperial majesty, the trusty in the royal state, Nizām-ed-dīn Ali Khalīfeh,* were sent to support them. And our brother of high rank, Muhammed Sultan Mirza, and the allied-to-royalty,* Ādil Sultan, and the trusty in the state, Abdal-azīz Mīr Akhur, and Kūtluk Kadem Kerāwel, and Muham­med Ali Jeng-Jeng, and Shah Hussain Yāregi,* and Moghul Ghānchi, having engaged in action, maintained a firm position; and we sent the Wazīr, the highest of Wazīrs among men, Khwājeh* Hussain, with a body of our household, to their support; and all the men devoted to holy warfare, exerting every nerve, and straining all their means,* entered into fight with desperate delight, and reflecting on the text of the Korān, Say, Verily they regard me, and place before their eyes one of two blessings,* and incited by the desire of lavishing their lives, displayed their life-destroying banners; and as the combat and battle were drawn out to length and extended in time, the mandate worthy of obedience was issued, when straightway* the bold warriors of the imperial household troops, and the rending warriors, united in mind,* who were standing behind the cannon, like lions in chains, issuing from the right and left of the centre, and leaving in the middle the station of the outer matchlock-men, engaged on both sides, and darted forth* from behind the carriages, like the rising of the van of the true dawn from below the horizon; and spilling the ruddy crepuscle-coloured blood of the infidel* pagans in combat, on the field wide as the rolling firmament, caused many of the heads of the rebels to fly like falling stars from the sky of their bodies; and the miracle of the time, Ustād Ali Kuli, who was stationed with his men in front of the centre, having exhibited great proofs of valour, discharged* huge bullets,* of such a size, that if one of them were placed in the basin of the scale of duty, its master,* then that man whose scale is heavy gains a name among the blessed*; and if thrown against a rooted hill, or a lofty mountain, it would drive them from their foundation like teazed wool.* Such were the bullets he darted on the iron-clad lines of the heathen bands, and from the discharge of balls and guns and matchlocks, many of the suns* of the bodies of the heathen were annihilated. The imperial matchlock-men,* according to orders, having issued from behind the artillery in the heat of the fight,* each of them made many pagans drink the draught of death; and the infantry having advanced into the place of high and fearful conflict,* made their names conspicuous among the lions of the forest of bravery, and the champions of the field of valour. And at the moment while these events were passing, the firmān, worthy to be obeyed, was given to drag forward the guns in the centre. And the pure soul* of the Emperor, on whose right is the victory of the state,* and on whose left are pre-eminence and glory, began to move forward on the Pagan’s troops; which being understood on all sides by the victory-graced armies, the whole raging sea of the victorious army rose in mighty storm, and the valour of all the crocodiles of that ocean was manifested. The blackness of the dust spreading over the sky, like dark clouds, raced back and forward over all the plain*; while the flashing of the gleaming of the sword within exceeded the glancing of lightning*; so that the face of the sun, like the back of a mirror, was void of light. The striker and the struck, the victor and vanquished, mingled in the fray*; the marks of discrimination were concealed from view, and such a night ensued that the firmament was not visible, and the only stars that could be distinguished were the prints of the horses’ feet.*

(Verse)—

On the day of combat, the dew of blood descended to the fish,* and the dust rose above the moon, From the hoofs of the coursers in that spacious plain; so that the earths became six,* and the heavens eight.*