His last great campaign was against the Rajputs; and that was a fight worthy of the warrior who was now about forty-four years of age, and who had begun fighting when he was twelve. It was before this fight that he made “the Great Repentance”.
When Baber was in Kabul he had learnt to drink wine, and had grown to be fond of this indulgence. Walking round his outposts, however, before the Rajput battle, the thought came to Baber that it would be good to mend his life now in this matter, so that he might have something to give in penitence to God.
And he sent immediately for his great goblets of gold and silver studded with precious stones; and there on the battle-field he had them broken to pieces and given to the poor, vowing that he would never drink wine again.
That night and the next, three hundred of his nobles did likewise, pouring upon the ground the wine which they had brought with them. So, “having knocked on the door of Penitence”, did they join battle. And once more victory was theirs.
The last tale which the books tell of Baber is beautiful.
He loved Humayun, the son of his Moon-Lady, as we know, with all his heart. And Humayun was ill.
Everything that the doctors could do, was done; but Humayun was sick unto death. Then a holy man said to Baber: “If some precious thing were given to God in exchange for Humayun, God might let him live.”
And the holy man talked of the Kohinor, which Baber had got from Gwalior, and which is now in the crown of our King-Emperor of Britain.
But Baber, who more than anyone we know had loved being alive, said: “No, that is not the most precious thing I have to give. There is my life.”
And he walked three times round Humayun’s bed, saying: “Oh, God! if a life may be given for a life, I, who am Baber, I give my life and my being for Humayun.” And he went away and prayed and fasted, saying many times: “I have borne it away. I have prevailed.”