212 B. Bandyopddhyaya—Hamir Rasd, [No. 8, 
emperor of Balkh, while that on the side of the Chohan was 10,000 only. 
The goddess Kalikéd danced and laughed, and her attendant she-devils 
feasted on the flesh and blood of the slain. All who fell on the field were 
translated to heaven. 
When the troops fled away from the field, when “ Fly away for life” 
was the only expression heard, the emperor burst with anger. He said 
“Fy! Fy! cowards, why do you leave the field? Is it for this act of 
shame that I allowed you the enjoyment of many comforts? Is it for 
this that you have eaten my salt? Now the love of life overcomes faith- 
fulness. Come, come along to me, I shall cut you to pieces with my own 
hand.”” The scattered soldiers became united, and again they rushed to 
the field. Their shouts were heard to a great distance. Badat Khan, the 
principal Mir of Ghazni, bowed down to Aldé-uddin. He said, “ See my 
dexterity and military talents, Royal Master, see how I fight and kill the 
hostile troops one and all.” 
Badat came to the field with great fury ; so great were his bravery and 
ferocity that it seemed as if the fire of death and destruction shone forth 
from every pore of his body. The air resounded with the high peal of 
drums. Colours were unfurled. Clad in mail and armed with all the 
weapons of ‘attack and defence, the Muhammadan Mir thought himself 
invulnerable. The enraged emperor gave orders, anda second battle was 
fought, Again the martial music of séndhds (pipes), trumpets and drums was 
sounded ; shouts and cheers were heard from all sides. Cannons roared, and 
thereby the earth shook, the waters of tanks and wells became dry, and 
women miscarried. Arrows flew fast in large numbers. Darkness spread 
over the field, so that the hands of the archers could neither be seen nor dis- 
tinguished. Badat Khan and Randhir met. They seemed as if two mighty 
Rudras came face to face. The Muhammadan was at the head of 20,000 
soldiers who surrounded the Rajptit. The troops of the latter rode for- 
ward. Swords clashed, and the Choban warriors, by a masterly feat of 
arms, failed not in cutting the bodies of their adversaries in ten thousand 
pieces. There wasaplay of sharp spears. ‘The heroic Randhir commenced 
a wholesale massacre, and almost all the Muhammadans were put to the sword. 
With a wild hurrah, out rushed Badat Khan and fell on the great Chohan. 
He raised a guraz (a club with a ball of steel at one end) on the head of his 
enemy, who shifting wisely warded off the blow by his shield. Then Randhir, 
furious with rage, struck Bddat Khan dead by one stroke of his sword. 
The head dropped down, but behold! the body rose and rushed at the Rao, 
who immediately divided it into two equal parts. 
The emperor became greatly sorry at the fall of Badat Khan and that 
of his 20,000 men. Mihram Khan having joined his hands, thus spoke: 
