[30]. Another jeu-de-mots on the name Sarbuland, with whose head (sar) the Jodha chief proposes to play at ball.
[31]. The young chieftain of Salumbar, the first of the nobles of Mewar, was sitting with me, attentively listening as I was translating the war against Sarbuland, read by my old tutor. His family possess an hereditary aversion to ‘the cup,’ which is under solemn prohibition from some cause which I forget, and so far did his grandfather carry his antipathy, that a drop falling upon him at an entertainment, he cut out the contaminated part with his dagger. Aware of this, I turned round to the young chief and said: “Well, Rawatji, would you accept the cup from the hand of the Apsaras or would you refuse the munawwar (pledge)?” “Certainly I would take it; these are very different cups from ours,” was his reply. “Then you believe that the heavenly fair carry the souls of those who fall in battle to the Mandal of Surya?” “Who dare doubt it? When my time comes, I will take that cup!” a glorious creed for a soldier! He sat for hours listening to my old tutor and friend; for none of their bards expounded like him the bhujanga (serpentine verse) of the poet. I have rated the Rawat for being unable to repeat the genealogy of his house from Chonda to himself; but the family bard was dead and left no progeny to inherit his mantle. This young chief is yet (A.D. 1820) but twenty-two, and promises to be better prepared.
[32]. ‘The city of immortality.’
[33]. [The Bhīmthadi or Bhīvarthadi horses, which take their name from a division of the Poona District in the valley of the Bhīma River, were highly esteemed by the Marāthas, being middle-sized, strong, good-looking, generally dark bay with black legs (BG, xviii. Part i. 61). It was on a horse of this breed that Mahādāji Sindhia escaped after the battle of Pānīpat (Elliot-Dowson viii. 156).]
[34]. The abode of heroes, the Valhalla of the Rajput mythology.
[35]. Rankund is the ‘fountain of battle,’ and pāni is applied, as we use the word water, to the temper or spirit of a sword: a play on words.
[36]. Chiefs entitled to ride in palkis and on elephants.
[37]. A long list of names is given, which would only fatigue the reader; but amongst them we select a singular one, Nolakh Khan Anglez, ‘Nolakh the Englishman.’
[38]. The bard enumerates with the meed of praise each vassal who fell, whether Rathor or of the contingents of the other principalities serving under the prince of Marwar. The Champawats bore the brunt, and lost Karan of Pali, Kishan Singh of Sandri, Gordhan of Jalor, and Kalyan. The Kumpawats lost also several leaders of clans, as Narsingh, Surthan Singh, Padma, son of Durjan. The Jodha tribe lost three leaders, namely, Hayatmall, Guman, and Jogidas. The brave Mertias also lost three: Bhum Singh, Kusal Singh, and Gulab, son of Hathi. The allodial chieftains, the Jadons, the Sonigiras, the Dhondals, and Khichis, had many brave men “carried to Bhanuloka,” and even bards and purohits were amongst the slain.
[39]. Vijaya daswin.