192 B. Bandyopadhyaya — Hamir Rasa, [No. 3, 



Chapter II. 



In the fort of Ranthambor Hamir Chohan was born to Rao Jeyat at 

 midday, on Sunday, the twelfth of the wane, in the month of Kar- 

 tika, Samvat 1141.* All the members of the royal family were greatly 

 delighted. A sumptuous feast was given to all the Brahmans of Ajmer 

 and Chitor, and large gifts were distributed among beggars, minstrels, 

 musicians, and others. Rejoicings prevailed in the city. It happened 

 that on the birthday of the child a servant was polishing an iron pot 

 with a stone taken at random from the ground. The pot turned into 

 gold. The man was greatly surprised. He took the stone to the king 

 and informed him of its quality. It was predicted of Hamir that he would 

 wage a terrible war with Ala-uddin Khilji, of Debli. He was married to 

 Asa, the beautiful daughter of Rao Puar of Abu, and, on the death of 

 his father, ascended the throne of Ranthambor. 



The great Ala-uddin was born a contemporary of Hamir. It is said 

 that the princess, his mother, seeing the newly born babe very ugly and ill- 

 shaped, commanded a nurse to carry it away and replace it by a child of 

 handsome appearance. The nurse obeyed her orders, and thus was the 

 boy, who was to be an emperor, brought up in the nursery of a carder. His 

 foster-father called him Ala-uddin. In the days of his boyhood he would 

 sometimes play at king, making of his playmates, one the vizier, another 

 the Bakshi, a third the attendant. He would dismiss some and appoint 

 others. While in the king's palace, the son of the carder would play at his 

 father's profession. 



Ten miles to the north of Dehli there was a temple of the Sharaoji 

 sect of Buddhists. A widow, daughter of a merchant, used to visit it 

 every day. Once Parasnath, the principal tirthanJear, appeared and in 

 heavenly accents said — " Daughter, I am pleased with thy vows ; blest 

 be thou with the enjoyment of two sons." 



The woman replied — " Lord, I am but a poor widow, and therefore if I 

 should be brought to bed of a child, it would bring a stain upon my name 

 and that of my family." 



The heavens opened and the following words were heard. " None 

 shall be able to perceive thy womb. Thou shalt be delivered of twins 

 at the time thou dost please to appoint. They will be very rich, and their 

 names will spread far and wide." 



* This date, as also the one on the preceding page, is wrong. According to 

 Muhammadan historians the siege of Eanthambor took place in A. D. 1299-1300, and 

 according to the Hamir Kasa {infra, p. 203), Hamir was at the time twenty- eight years 

 old, so he must have been born in Samvat 1328, Saka 1193 and A. D. 1271. Ed. 



