chap, x A TRAGIC SCENE AT COURT 171
Rajas,
who were together under the gallery of the palace, in the presence of
the Emperor, that this was not the sort of demeanour that should be
observed towards so great a monarch as the Emperor his master. As this
Raja regarded himself as a King and a great Prince, and had brought
15,000 or 16,000 horse in his suite with the other Raja, his brother,
he was offended by the boldness the Grand Master showed in reprimanding
him in that fashion, and drawing his dagger slew him on the spot, in
the presence of the Emperor, who witnessed the deed from an elevated
position, where, as I have elsewhere said, he generally administers
justice. The Grand Master fell at the feet of his brother, who was
close to him, and the latter immediately set himself to avenge his
death, but was anticipated by the brother of the Raja, who stabbed him
in the breast with his dagger and flung his dead body on that of the
Grand Master. The Emperor, who beheld these two murders, one after the
other, was frightened and withdrew into his harem ; but forthwith all
the Omrahs and other people who were present under the gallery, threw
themselves on the two Rajas and cut them to pieces. The Emperor,
indignant at such an action being committed in his palace and in his
presence, ordered the bodies of the Rajas to be thrown into the river ;
but as soon as the troops they had left near Agra heard of the affront
which was intended to the memory of their Princes, they threatened to
enter the city and pillage it; this caused the Emperor, rather than
expose the city to this danger, to order that the bodies should be
handed over to them. This was done, and the Rajputs were appeased by
this means. As they went to burn them they beheld thirteen women of the
households of these two Rajas approaching, dancing and leaping, who
forthwith encircled the funeral pile, holding one another by the hand,
mounted it, and being immediately enveloped in the smoke, which
suffocated them, they all fell together into the fire. The Brahmans
then threw upon them a quantity of wood, pots of oil, and other drugs,
according to custom, in order that the bodies should be quickly
consumed.1
1
This refers to the famous tragedy of the assassination of Salabat Khan
in the Palace at Agra, on 5th August 1644. See the narrative, with
references, in Tod, Annals of Rajaslhan, ed. 1920, ii. 976 fi.
