192 B. Bandyopidhydya—Hamir Rasa, [No. 3, 
Cuapter 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 Bradhmans of Ajmer 
and Chitor, and large gifts were distributed among beggars, minstrels, 
musicians, and others. MRejoicings 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 Dehli. 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 acarder. His 
foster-father called him Ald-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 tirthankar, appeared and in 
heavenly accents said—‘ Daughter, I am pleased with thy vows; blest 
be thou with the enjoyment of two sons.” é 
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 Ranthambor took place in A. D. 1299-1800, and 
according to the Hamir Rasa (infrd, p. 203), Hamir was at the time twenty-cight years 
old, so he must have been born in Samvat 1328, Saka 1193 and A. D, 1271. Eb. 
