332 AH. OCT 18th 1525 TO OCT. 8th 1526 AD. 525
(d. Babur calls a council.)
, When I knew of this unsteadiness amongst (my) people, I summoned all the begs and took counsel. Said I, "There is no supremacy and grip on the world without means and resources; without lands and retainers sovereignty and comma.nd(pJds/td//lia u anrirliq) are impossible. By the labours of several years, by encountering hardship, by long travel, by flinging myself and the army into battle, and by deadly slaughter, we, through God's grace, beat these masses of enemies in order that we might take their broad lands. And now what force compels us, what necessity has arisen that we should, without cause, abandon countries taken at such risk of life ? Was it for us to remain in Kabul, the sport of harsh poverty ? Henceforth, let no wellwisher of mine speak of such things ! But let not those turn back from going who, weak in strong persistence, have set their faces to depart!" By these words, which recalled just and reasonable views to their minds, I made them, willy-nilly, quit their fears.
(e. Khwaja Kaldn decides to leave Hindustan?)
As Khwaja Kalan had no heart to stay in Hindustan, matters were settled in this way : As he had many retainers, he was to convoy the gifts, and, as there were few men in Kabul and Ghazni, was to keep these places guarded and victualled. I bestowed on him Ghazni, Girdlz and the Sultan Mas'udl Hazara, gave also the Hindustan pargana of G'huram,1 worth 3 or 4 laks. It was settled for Khwaja Mlr-i-mlran also to go to Kabul; the gifts were put into his immediate charge, under the custody of Mulla Hasan the banker (sarraf) and Tuka2 Hindu.
Loathing Hindustan, Khwjja Kalan, when on his way, had the following couplet inscr'bed on the wall of his residence {'imdrati) in Dihll:
\ If safe and sound I cross the Sind, '. Blacken my face ere I wish for Hind !
It was ill-mannered in him to compose and write up this partlyjesting verse while I still stayed in Hind. If his departure
1 in Patiala, about 25 miles s. w. of Ambala.
2 Shaikh Zain, Gul-badan and Erskine write Nau-kar. It was now that Khwaja Kalan conveyed money for the repair of the great dam at Ghazni (f. 139).
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