| [[104]] Among the
wonderful things which the juggling heavens brought forth from behind the
screen of extraordinary events there was the story of the loves of Ali
Quli Khan Zaman 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. Jahanbani Jinan-Ashiyani
[Humayun], Shaham Beg and Khushhal Beg who also belonged to the [[105]]
bodyguard, were honoured by doing homage to H. M. the Shahinshah [Akbar]
at Jalandhar, and were enrolled in the bodyguard. At this time Khan Zaman
in his folly and wretchedness sent men to entice him, and he being without
intrinsic goodness, and proud of his fleeting, un-substantial beauty, took
this opportunity to be the making of his fortune and deserted.... In fine
that unfortunate fled in foolishness from fortune's house and presented
himself before the Khan Zaman. He made beauty's bazar brisk, and with that
ingrate the Khan Zaman 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 [give] a sublime name to impure, tainted, wretches,
saying My padshah, my padshah, so did this depraved one use to address
Shaham 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....
When the irreverences 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 [[106]] 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; sent 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 Ali Quli Khan 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 Sandila (in Oudh) was given in fief to Sultan Husain Khan Jalair. That wicked one (Khan Zaman) had of his own authority given this town to Isma'il Khan the son of Ibrahim Khan Uzbeg and a near relation of his own. Whenever the head of a party engages in evil and disloyalty, his followers necessarily vecome void of auspiciousness. Consequently Isma'il Khan did not give up the pargana but proceeded to resist. Sultan Husain Khan, being backed by such a lord of fortune, took it from him by force, and the latter took refuge with Ali Quli Khan and came against him with a large army. Sultan Husain Khan 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. Shah Budagh Bulaqi who was nearly related to Ali Quli Khan and was one of the distinguished of the age for bravery, hastened to the hell of extinction. Ali Quli Khan on account of his innate wickedness wanted to go and encounter Sultan Husain Khan, and to quit once and 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 [[107]] did not possess a happy constitution, he did not separate that camel-driver's son from himself, nor withdraw his hand from other evil needs. Secretly he plotted wickedness, outwardly he showed improvement. Nasir-ul-Mulk continually vituperated his bad behaviour and strove for sending an army against him and for chastising him, while Bairam Khan took the part of Ali Quli Khan and from his magnanimous nature regarded his lawless acts as un-acted. 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 Nasir-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 Bairam Khan. One day Burj Ali, who belonged to the turbulent set of Ali Quli Khan's society, went to Nasir-ul-Mulk and uttered words which were out of all bounds. Accordingly the truth-recognising soul of Nasir-ul-Mulk became indignant, and he ordered Burj Ali to be stretched out and beaten with rods, and that he should be thrown from the tower of Delhi fort and flung into the mist of annihilation. Then he said, "This fellow is now an illustration of his own name (Burj, a tower). Bairam Khan was much vexed at this. He cherished revenge for it in his heart, and put off his punishment to another time. ===========
|
== Akbar-nama
vol. 2 == Abu'l-Fazl == Glossary
== fwp's main page ==