Karan, the Bard.
These festivities of the new reign were not of long duration, and were succeeded by warlike preparations against Nagor, which, during the contentions between Ajit and the emperor, had been assigned to the descendant of the ancient princes of Mandor.
“When Ajmer was invested by the collective force of the empire,[[8]] Iradat Khan (Bangash), collector of the Jizya,[[9]] took the Indha by the arm, and seated him in Nagor.[[10]] But as soon as the Holi[[11]] was past, the ‘Avatars of Jawalamukhi’[[12]] were consecrated: goats were sacrificed, and the blood, with oil and vermilion, was sprinkled upon them. The tents were moved out. Hearing this, Rao Indra produced the imperial patent, with the personal guarantee of Jai Singh of Amber. Abhai heeded not, and invested Nagor; but Indra left his honour and his castle to the Fearless,[[13]] who bestowed it on Bakhta his brother. He received the congratulations of Mewar, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, and Amber, and returned to his capital amidst the rejoicings of his subjects. This was in S. 1781.
“In S. 1782 he was employed in restraining the turbulent Bhumias on the western frontiers of his dominions; when the Sindhals, the Deoras, the Balas, the Boras, the Balechas, and the Sodhas were compelled to servitude.
Abhai Singh summoned to Delhi, A.D. 1726.
“In 1784 the prince reached Delhi. Khandauran, the chief noble of the empire, was deputed by the emperor to conduct him to the capital; and when he reached the Presence, his majesty called him close to his person, exclaiming, ‘Welcome, Khushbakht,[[16]] Maharaja Rajeswar,[[17]] it is long since we met; this day makes me happy; the splendour of the Ammkhass is redoubled.’ When he took leave, the king sent to his quarters, at Abhaipur, choice fruits of the north, fragrant oils, and rose-water.”
The prince of Maru was placed at the head of all the nobility. About the end of S. 1784, Sarbuland Khan’s rebellion broke out,[[18]] which gave ample scope for the valour of the Rathors and materials for the bard, who thus circumstantially relates it:
“The troubles in the Deccan increased. The Shahzada Jangali[[19]] rebelled, and forming an army of sixty thousand men, attacked the provincial governors of Malwa, Surat, and Ahmadpur, slaying the king’s lieutenants, Girdhar Bahadur, Ibrahim Kuli,[[20]] Rustam Ali, and the Mogul Shujaat.
Rebellion of Sarbuland Khan. Scene at the Imperial Court.
It was at this time the prince of Marwar begged permission to retire to his hereditary dominions. The bard’s description of the court, and of the emperor’s distress on this occasion, though prolix, deserves insertion: