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the day of writing this letter to you—Shūjá[1], whose lot was defeat, encountered the victorious army which was under the victorious stirrup of this most needy person (i.e., Aurungzebe himself) to God Whose name is glorious, and
found the return of evil actions in (his) lap, full of his own misfortunes (i.e., he was defeated by me). (Couplet) "From whose hand and tongue can come out the responsibility of thanksgiving to God fully (i.e., no one in this world thanks God fully for His bounties)?" The details of this great victory[2] (of Cujwá over Shūjá) will be written to you afterwards. I pursued the cowardly Jasvant Singh[3] who
- ↑ Shah Jehan's second son. He was governor of Bengal in his father's time. When Shah Jehan fell ill in 1657 he marched upon Delhi with a large army; but was defeated at Bahádurpur, near Benares, by Raja Jai Singh and Suliman Shekuh, Dara's son. Afterwards he led an army against Aurungzebe when the latter became emperor; but was defeated at Cujwá, near Allahabad. 1659. This is the victory (of Cujwá) mentioned in the letter. Then Shuja fled away to Assam and was pursued there by Muhammad, Aurungzebe's eldest son, and by Mir Jumla, Aurungzebe's general. At last he died miserably at Arakan, in Burma. 1660. Shuja was a Shiah, a drunkard, and a sensual Mohemadan. "He was too much a slave to his pleasures." (Bernier). "He was more discreet, firmer of purpose, and excelled him (Dara) in conduct and address." (Bernier).
- ↑ Aurungzebe was on the point of defeat; but the tables were shortly turned against Shuja through the bravery and presence of mind of Mir Jumla. The battle was lost to Shuja through his mistake of dismounting his elephant earlier like Dara at Samugarh. The date of the battle (1659) may be found from the following Persian verse: 'Shavad fateh mubárak bádá' (may the victory be happy).
- ↑ Raja Jasvant Singh (lit. the glorious or victorious lion), Mahárájáh of Márwár, in Rajputana, was a Rajput general of Shah Jehan with whom he was related. Along with Kásim Khan he was sent by Dara against Murad and Aurungzebe. Had he attacked them soon as they appeared on the opposite bank of the Nurbada, at Dharmatpur, they would have been easily defeated and the course of Indian history would have been quite different. He delayed and attacked them after two days; but was defeated and fled away to Marwar chiefly through the baseness and treachery of Kásim Khán and his Mohemadan followers. 1657. For this disgraceful flight the Raja was severely taken to task by his wife. After Dara's defeat at Samugarh (1659) he deserted him and joined Aurungzebe. Before the
