1860.] The Kirán-us-Sa? dain of Mír Khusrau. 229 



oíd man fixed his choice on his grandson, — like Lancaster and Bichard 

 II. in our own history. Bulbun died shortly after, a broken oíd man, 

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

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

 Kai Kobád ; the son of Muhammad contenting himself with the 

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

 to his oíd 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 Násir 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 rnount 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 shali break down Dará. 

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

 I am the heir of Sulaimán's diadem." 



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

 He summons his various governors and jágírdars 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 cali 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 Zúl Hijjah, at 

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

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



* So the MS., the printed ed. reads 



