1879.] or a History of Hamir, prince of Ranthamlor. 209 



the truthful Rajputs will be deterred by adverse circumstances from doing 

 what they consider to be their duty ? Do you think that they fear death 

 and destruction ? Never give place to such a thought. I am a descendant 

 of the heroic Chohans. Rather than live to see my words fall to the 

 ground, I will die a glorious death with my sword drawn on my bosom. I 

 have determined and made it a point in my life never to leave undone 

 what I am resolved upon. I will never go to you and bow down at your 

 feet with proposals of peace, it matters not with how many furies you may 

 be attended. If the Sesh leave supporting the earth on its broad head, 

 if the mountains leave their fixed places and begin to move, if the waters 

 of the Ganges flow from her mouth to the source, if the sun rise in the 

 West and the polar star move in the sky, if the ocean violate the truth. 

 by which he his bound to keep confined within his dominions, if the sati who 

 burned herself with the body of her husband rise from her ashes and begin 

 to live together again in the world, then and yet then I will never break 

 through my resolution. The sky may not bear myriads of stars on its 

 broad bosom, and the beams of the morning sun hide them from the face 

 of the earth, yet Hamir, brave Hamir, will never violate his sacred promise. 

 I assure you, I will never let any one, be he the strongest of all mortals — 

 a saint or a demon — to pull a hair out of Muhammad Shah's head as long as 

 I am alive. 



" Do not forget, Emperor, the truth I point out to you — that lacs of 

 Ala-uddins have been turned to dust on the surface of this frail earth. 

 Do you think yourself the only hero ? Never for a moment give place 

 to such a thought. Nothing has been, and will ever be, stable on earth. 

 Do not blow your own trumpet, Ala-uddin. If it has pleased God to make 

 you a monarch, you are one, and who calls you a slave ? Who knows what 

 will be your condition in the fort of Ranthambor ?" 



Chap tee VII. 



Hamir came to the temple of Mahadeva, worshipped the god in various 

 ways, burnt incense and thus prayed : — 



" I bow down at thy feet, thou Omnipotent, thou wearer of matted 

 hair, holder of the pindJc spear. O thou, that hast three eyes and fire 

 burning and the moon shining on thy forehead ; that hast a garland of human 

 heads around thy neck ; that hast Bhavani on thy left side, and the Ganges 

 murmuring on thy head, hid amidst the knots of thy hair ; that hast Gauri 

 as a part of the body, and devils and serpents attending thee — O thou 

 whose throat is blue with poison, whose son is Ganesa and servant Bir- 

 bhadra, thou mighty lord, have mercy on me, help me in this dire extre- 

 mity and make me fearless now, when Ala-uddin has come at the head of 



