When the nobles of the tribe of Chaghatáí were defeated, and the royal troops retired disheartened from Dehlí, news of the defeat of the chiefs, and of the skill and bravery of the infidel, reached the high-fortuned and exalted prince. He marched with­out halting, with Bairam Khán, and the remainder of the nobles who accompanied him during that expedition, to Sirhind, where he showed great anger against the chiefs. Tardí Beg was punished. The treasury was opened, and gold distributed, and many people were enlisted. They then marched towards Dehlí. When they arrived at Thánesar, a census was taken of the army, which was found to consist of 26,000 horsemen. Sháh Badágh Khán was sent on ahead with 4000, and directed to keep always one march in front of His Majesty. A halt of some days' dura­tion was made at Thánesar. One day, during the time when accounts of Hímún's vigorous measures were daily arriving, Bairam Khán took the Prince into the presence of the Kutbu-l Aktáb Saiyid Jalál Thánesarí, and procured him the honour of kissing the feet of that most holy individual. When they were about to depart, they begged him to give them the assist­ance of his prayers. They said, “This accursed infidel is coming with an army numerous as ants and locusts; it is proper that your holiness should protect the cause of Islám.” The Saiyid reflected for a short time, and then said to them, “Have you not heard what little boys at play say?” He then dismissed them. On the morrow they marched to a distance of seven kos from Karnál, where they encamped. Hímún, who had taken posses­sion of the Dehlí throne, being informed of the coming of the Mughal forces, went out with regal pomp from Dehlí, with the intention of fighting them. It is related, that when Hímún was proceeding to Dehlí against the nobles of King Humáyún, he encamped near Old Dehlí. The evening preceding the day on which he expected a battle, he went to the sanctified mausoleum of the Kutbu-l Aktáb, His Highness Kutbu-l Hakk, the pole­star of religion and piety, and placing the head of entreaty on the august threshold, vowed that if he were destined to conquer Dehlí,—if the throne of Dehlí were granted him, and the Mughal troops put to flight,—he would become a Musulmán on his return to Dehlí, and diffuse the religion of Muhammad. The Almighty gave him victory. But he perjured himself, and did not become a Musulmán, or forsake his heathen prejudices; nay, he even persecuted the Musulmáns. But at last he saw what he did see.

When he was going to fight on the field of Pánípat, the night before the battle, he beheld, in a dream, a torrent come down and carry away the elephant on which he was mounted. When he was nearly drowned, a Mughal came, cast a chain round his neck, and drew him out. On awaking, he sent for the interpreters of dreams, related his to them, and asked them to explain it. The interpreters, after thinking over the business, looked at one another, and Hímún inferred that there was some­thing unpleasant in the explanation. He therefore said, “Banish fear from your minds, tell what you have discovered.” The interpreters said, “The torrent which you saw is the Mughal army, which comes with such force that it carries away you and the horse on which you are mounted, and the chain signifies the blood which will flow from your body when you are wounded, and cover you entirely.” Hímún became fearful, and said, “The very reverse of this dream will happen.”

On the morrow, when he mounted to proceed to battle, heavy rain fell, and the best elephant of that infidel, which was of gigantic size, was struck in two by lightning.* On account of this, Hímún became very thoughtful, and aware that the good fortune of the Mughals was in the ascendant, and that the victory was not for him, he was much terrified at the explanation of his dream, and set forth unwillingly to the fight. His Highness Akbar Mírzá had before this reached Pánípat. Hímún had encamped two kos west of that city. He had with him a force of 40,000 calvary, while the Mughal army did not exceed 20,000 horse and foot.* The soldiers of both sides had frequent trials of strength during the space of a week. Three days before the battle Bairam Khán gave a great entertainment, and raised a large audience-tent, adorned with embroidered satin, like the flower-beds of a garden in the early spring, or Paradise itself. He spread carpets of various colours, and on them he placed a golden throne, and caused Prince Akbar Mírzá to sit on it; after which, the darbár was opened to the public. The nobles of the Chaghatáí tribe were made joyful by the gift of expensive dresses of honour, and regal presents, and promises of future favour were likewise made to them. Bairam Khán said, “This is the commencement of His Majesty's reign. This infidel has routed the whole royal army, and is now making preparations against us. If you do your best in this business, with one heart and soul, Hindústán is yours. I place my trust in God. If we fail in this, you, whose homes are at a distance of 500 kos, will not be able to find an asylum.”

All the nobles placed their heads at the foot of the throne, and said, “If it please the Most High, we will not be found wanting in the performance of our duty as long so we have breath in our bodies.” After this they said to Ahmad Beg, the madman, who was unequalled throughout the world in foretelling the future by what he saw in the blade-bone of a sheep, “Tell us by means of your art who will gain the victory.” After feasting and eating he tried his art, and then, being filled with joy and gladness, said, “The victory is on our side, but one chief of rank will obtain martyrdom during the fight.”

At length, after two or three days, Hímún, having made ready for action, came out into the plain, and seated himself in a howda on an elephant, in order that he might be able to over­look and superintend his troops. He also caused the golden standards to be displayed. Bairam Khán also drew up the people of Chaghatáí to the right and left in battle array. Sháh Badágh Khán and Sháh Abú-l Ma'álí, with 6000, passed to the left of Pánípat, and came to the rear of the armies. Bairam Khán placed Akbar Mírzá's own private tent in an elevated position, and left 3000 horse to guard him. He then placed his reliance in Him in whose hands all human affairs are, and on whom victory depends, and turned his attention to the battle.

Hímún was excessively arrogant on account of his troops and elephants. He advanced, fought, and routed the Mughals, whose heads lay in heaps, and whose blood flowed in streams. He thus at first vanquished the Mughal army; but as the brilliancy of the star of Prince Akbar's fortune was not destined to be diminished, it chanced that, by the decree of the Almighty, an arrow struck Hímún in the forehead. He told his elephant driver to take the elephant out of the field of battle. When the Afgháns saw that the animal was retreating, they believed that Hímún was flying; but on approaching him they saw how matters stood, and as no benefit is ever derived from disloyalty he sustained a complete defeat. Sháh Abú-l Ma'álí, however, one of the chief nobles, obtained martyrdom on that day.

When Sháh Kulí Beg was told of what had occurred, he came up to the elephant, and brought it into the presence of Bairam Khán. Bairam Khán, after prostrating himself, and returning thanks, caused Hímún to descend from the elephant, after which he bound his hands, and took him before the young and fortunate Prince, and said, “As this is our first success, let Your Highness's own august hand smite this infidel with the sword.” The Prince, accordingly, struck him, and divided his head from his unclean body (Nov. 5, A.D. 1556).*

(Muhammad Sháh 'Ádil was slain in the year 964 A.H.,* in an action with Khizr Khán, the son of Muhammad Khán Gauria. His body, which was not yet quite dead, was, at his conqueror's command, fastened to the foot of an elephant, and dragged about. His miserable reign lasted about three years.)