228 B. Bandy opdclhyaya — Humir Bdsd, [No. 3, 



great Rao, nave fought for twelve years and many times driven the emperor 

 from the wall. Who has put such a vile idea in your head ? What accursed 

 devil has got possession of you that you are uttering such base words ? 

 Understand, my lord, that the greatest glory of man lies in speaking 

 truth and standing by it at any cost. It matters not whether his body 

 be severed to i^ieces, wealth lost and brothers, sons and wife sacrificed. 

 Know that wealth and kingdom are for a few days only, while glory lasts 

 for ever. Fight manfully to the last and keep the glory of your word 

 intact. See, Basaratha was bound by a promise which he had given to 

 his bewitching Kaikayi, and so he was obliged to banish his dearest Rama, 

 whose separation broke his heart and he sank and at last succumbed. What 

 is fated to be must happen, and you can never avert it. Consider, 

 Maha Rao, Muhammad Shah cannot come twice to our door, neither 

 can Ala-uddin twice fall on the fort. If a man fear death, is he worthy 

 to be called a Rajput ? If you break through your resolution, your father- 

 land Ajmir, the seat of your heroic ancestors, will be ashamed of you. 

 Sacrifice your throne, life and fort, but never give our refugee back." 



" See, Rao where is the pious Jagdev Puanr, who cut off: his own head 

 and offered it to his tutelary goddess ? Where are the learned Vikram and 

 Bhoj, who relieved the distress of the poor ? Where is the generous Karan 

 who used to give in charity every morning, on rising from his bed, one bliar 

 (weight) and a quarter of gold ? Where are all these monarchs ? Alas ! 

 they are all gone, all swept away by the grim-looking sweeper, death. 

 None can escape from his all-grasping hand, neither the holy sages, nor the 

 emperors, nay not even the gods. There have been many Chakravarti 

 (paramount) rajas on the surface of the earth, whose sway extended to the 

 shores of oceans, but where are they ? All lost in the deep abyss of time. 

 Wealth, youth and the condition of man do not ever remain the same. 

 The moon even is subject to change. She wanes to nothingness and again 

 waxes to her fulness." 



" You cannot leave the Sheikh, because you have promised him safety. 

 Abide by your word and resolution and never move from it and be cowed 

 by adverse circumstances. The final massacre, as foretold by Siva, is at 

 hand. Bight, fight with the Muhammadan odds, holding your sword with a 

 more determined hand. Be regardless of your life and interests. Birth, 

 death and union come from God. None born in this world can be immor- 

 tal. That which grows must perish, is a universal law of nature which 

 no power can annul. Nothing is stable, neither man nor tree, neither 

 mountain nor village. You have reigned over the territory of Ranthambor 

 as long as your virtues enabled you to do so. Where is Rao Jait, your 

 father, who laid the foundation of the fort ? Where is your grandfather 



