I860.] The Eir&n-us-Sd 'dctin of Mir Klmsrau. 229 



old man fixed his choice on his grandson, — like Lancaster and Kiehard 

 II. in our own history. Bulbnn died shortly after, a broken old man, 

 and civil war seemed imminent, when the dispute was settled by both 

 the rivals retiring and leaving the vacant throne to Nasir's own son, 

 Kai Kobad; the son of Muhammad contenting himself with the 

 Government of the Punjab, and the young King's father returning 

 to his old province of Bengal. But his ambition was only stifled for 

 the time, and the tidings of his son's incapacity and follies stirred it 

 into new life ; and he prepares to wrest the sceptre from his feeble 

 hands. 



Fierce blew the rumour that the Sun of the East 



Has blazed like lightning across his meridian, 



The Nasir of the world, the conqueror of kingdoms, 



Has drawn his sword seeking revenge. 



He marched his army to the river of Hind, 



That his host might raise up the dust of Sind.* 



See his fortune what ambition it awoke, — 



The descending water inclines to mount up ! 



His army proceeds by land and by water into Oude and occupies 

 the province.f 



Night and day, his one speech is this, 

 " I am the Sekandar that shall break down Dara. 

 If my father is gone, then am I the world's keeper, 

 I am the heir of Sulaiman's diadem." 



The King awakes from his dream, and prepares for the contest. 

 He summons his various governors and jagirdars to supply their con- 

 tingents, and a large army is soon collected from every quarter. If 

 we could rely on the poet's accuracy in statistics, we could copy a 

 roll call which he gives us ; but we fear his laks are somewhat in- 

 definite, like the sands and " sandillions" of older poets ! Khusrau 

 concludes his chapter by a warlike ghazal. 



On " Monday in the early morning, in the month of Zul Hijjah, at 

 the end of the moon," the king first shakes his banner to the breeze, 

 and begins his march from Dehli. He proceeds leisurely by slow 



* So the MS., the printed ed. reads 



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