O Shadow of God, may the world be filled with thy light
May the Light of God ever be thy canopy.”
On Mubārak-s͟hamba, the 14th, in reward for this ode, I ordered Saʿīdā to be weighed against money (zar, perhaps gold). At the end of the day I went to walk about the garden of Rustam-bārī,[75] which appeared to me very green and pleasant. Sitting in a boat in the evening, I returned to the palace.
On Friday, the 15th, a Mullā of the name of Amīrī, an old man, came from Mā-warāʾa-n-nahr (Transoxiana), and had the good fortune to kiss the threshold. He represented to me that he was one of the ancient (servants) of ʿAbdu-llah K͟hān Uzbeg, and from the days of infancy[76] and youth was brought up by the K͟hān until his death. He had been included among his old servants, and had been a confidential friend.[77] After the death of the K͟hān until now he had passed his days respected in that country. He had left his native country with a view to visit the blessed house (Mecca), and had come to pay his respects to me. I made him free to remain or go. He asked to remain in attendance on me for some days. Rs. 1,000 for expenses and a dress of honour were given him. He is an old man of very pleasing face, and full of talk and anecdote. My son S͟hāh-Jahān also gave him Rs. 500 and a robe of honour.
In the middle of the garden of K͟hurram (S͟hāh-Jahān’s) residence there is a bench and a reservoir. On one side[78] of that bench there is a Mūlsarī-tree (Mimusops elengi) against which to lean the back. As in one side of its trunk there was a hollow to the extent of three-fourths of a yard, it had an ugly look. I ordered them to cut a tablet of marble and fix it firmly in that place, so that one could lean one’s back on it and sit there. At this time an impromptu couplet came to my tongue, and I ordered the stone-cutters to engrave it on that stone, that it might remain as a memento on the page of time. This is the couplet:
“The seat of the S͟hāh of the seven worlds (kis͟hwar),
Jahāngīr, son of Akbar S͟hāhins͟hāh.
On the eve of Tuesday,[79] the 19th, a bazaar was arranged in the private palace. Up to this time the custom has been for the people of the bazaar and the artificers of the city in every place to bring their shops according to order into the courtyard of the palace (royal abode, whether in camp or elsewhere), and bring jewels and jewelled things and various kinds of cloth and other goods such as are sold in the bazaar. It occurred to me that if a bazaar were prepared in the night-time, and a number of lamps were arranged in front of the shops, it would look well. Undoubtedly it came off well and was unusual. Going round all the shops, whatever jewels and jewelled things pleased me I bought. I gave some present from each shop to Mullā Amīrī, and he received so many things that he was unable to hold them.
On Mubārak-s͟hamba (Thursday) the 21st of the Divine month of S͟hahrīwar, in the thirteenth year from my accession, corresponding with the 22nd Ramaẓān (September 2, 1618), in the Hijrī year 1027, when two and a half hours of day had passed, in prosperity and happiness, the standards of purpose turned towards the capital of Agra. From the palace as far as the Kānkrīya tank, the place of alighting, I passed along in the usual manner, scattering money (nis̤ār-kunān). On the same day the feast of my solar weighment took place, and according to solar reckoning the fiftieth year of the age of his suppliant at the throne of God commenced auspiciously. According to my usual rule I weighed myself against gold and other valuables. I scattered pearls and golden roses, and looking at night at the show of lamps passed my time in the private apartments of the royal abode in enjoyment. On Friday, the 22nd, I ordered that all the S͟haik͟hs and men of piety who lived in the city should be brought in order that they might break their fast[80] in attendance on me. Three nights were passed after this manner, and every night at the end of the meeting I stood up and recited with the tongue of ecstasy: