Sing, minstrel, for the world has ordered itself as I desire.”[101]
In my father’s time it had become established that one of the great nobles should prepare an entertainment on each of the 17 or 18 days of the festival, and should present His Majesty the king with choice gifts of all kinds of jewels and jewelled things, precious stuffs, and elephants and horses, and should invite him to take the trouble to come to his assembly. By way of exalting his servants, he would deign to be present, and having looked at the presents would take what he approved of and bestow the remainder on the giver of the entertainment. As my mind was inclined to the comfort and ease of the army and subjects, I this year let them off their gifts with the exception of a few from my immediate retainers, which I accepted in order to gratify them. In those same days many servants of the State obtained higher rank. Amongst them I raised Dilāwar K͟hān Afg͟hān to 1,500, and I raised Rāja Bāso, who was a landholder of the hill country of the Panjab, and who from the time I was prince till now has kept the way of service and sincerity towards me and held the rank of 1,500, to 3,500. S͟hāh Beg K͟hān, the governor of Qandahar, I promoted to 5,000, and Rāy Rāy Singh, a Rājpūt noble, obtained the same rank. I gave 12,000 rupees for expenses to Rānā S͟hankar.
At the beginning of my reign, a son of that Muz̤affar Gujarātī who claimed to be descended from the rulers of that country lifted up the head of disturbance and attacked and plundered the environs of the city of Ahmadabad. Some sardars such as Pīm[102] Bahādur Ūzbeg and Rāy ʿAlī Bhatī, who were amongst the distinguished and brave men there, became martyrs in that outbreak. At length Rāja Bikramājīt and many mansabdars were provided by me with 6,000 or 7,000 horse, and appointed to assist the army of Gujarat. It was decided that when things had quieted down, by the driving off of those seditious people, Rāja Bikramājīt should be Subahdar of Gujarat. Qilīj K͟hān, who had been previously nominated to this office, should come to Court. After the arrival of the royal troops the thread of the rebels’ union was severed; they took refuge in different jungles, and the country was reduced to order. The news of this victory reached the ear of my state and dignity in the most acceptable of hours (New Year time).
About this time there came a representation from my son Parwīz that the Rānā had left thāna Mandal, which is about 30[103] or 40 kos from Ajmīr, and had run away, and that a force had been appointed to pursue him; and that it was to be hoped the good fortune of Jahāngīr would cause him to become non-existent.
On the last day of the feast of the New Year, many servants of the State were honoured with favours and increase of rank. Pīs͟hrau K͟hān was an old retainer and had come from Persia (wilāyat) with Humāyūn; indeed, he was one of the men whom S͟hāh Tahmāsp had sent with Humāyūn. His name was Mihtar Saʿādat. As under my father he was superintendent (dārog͟ha) and head (mihtar) of the farrās͟h-k͟hāna (store department), and had no equal in this service, he had given him the title of Pīs͟hrau K͟hān (the active K͟hān). Though he was a subordinate(?) servant and had an artificer’s disposition (qalaqchī mas͟hrab), I looked to his claims of service and gave him the rank of 2,000.[104]
The Flight of K͟husrau in the Middle of the First Year of my Reign.
Futile[105] ideas had entered the mind of K͟husrau in consequence of his youth and the pride youths have, and the lack of experience and the lack of foresight of worthless companions, especially at the time of my revered father’s illness. Some of these short-sighted ones, through the multitude of their crimes and offences, had become hopeless of pardon and indulgence, and imagined that by making K͟husrau a tool they might conduct the affairs of State through him. They overlooked the truth that acts of sovereignty and world rule are not things to be arranged by the worthless endeavours of defective intellects. The just Creator bestows them on him whom he considers fit for this glorious and exalted duty, and on such a person doth He fit the robe of honour.
“He who is seized of Fortune cannot be deprived of it;
Throne and diadem are not things of purchase;