1893.] G. A. Grierson — A specimen of the Padumciwati. 145 
like the sun. His kingdom and tlirone beseem him well ; low on the 
earth have all kings laid their brows before him. By caste a Sur 1 and 
with his sword a hero ; wise is he and full of all skilfulness. In the nine 
regions the sun (or all heroes) hath set (or bent low) before him, 2 and 
the seven continents 3 of the world all bowed before him. All his kingdom 
he won with the might of his sword, as did Alexander, the Zti’l Qarnain. 4 
On his hand is Solomon’s ring, and, with it, he gave gifts to the world 
with full hand. Majestic is he, and a mighty lord of the earth ; like a 
pillar he supporteth the earth and maintaineth the whole universe. 
Muhammad blessed him and said, reign thou from age to age. Thou 
art the Emperor of the World. The world is a beggar at thy door. 
sf)' ii gsfti-’ifd ttsjt l 
3TJT HTt i 
tTfsr Ter rf%f? Jrcrer i 
gf farf WSd | 
gsffl Sf HR HT5H II 
zfk "ttX II 
C\ O. 
HTRH fn&Pc ?T*n || 
W ^yfrl sfl^l II 
1 Here, and in the following stanzas there is a series of puns on the word sura, 
which is not only the name of the Afghan tribe to which Sher Shah belonged, but 
also means a hero, and the sun. 
2 Lit. ‘ In the nine regions there was a bending of sura,’ where, again, there 
is a pun on the word sura, ‘ hero ’ or ‘ sun.’ According to the most ancient Hindu 
Geographers, India was shaped like an eight-petalled lotus. These eight petals, 
together with the central division, formed the nine Tcliandas or regions, viz., Pancala 
(central), ICalirjga fS. E.), Avanti (S.), Anarta (S. W.), Sindhu-Sauvira (W.), Hara- 
haura (N. W.), Madra (1ST.), Kauninda (N. E.). The Puranas give a different list of 
names, viz., Indra (E.), Iiaserumat (N.), Tamraparna, (? S-), Gabhastimat, Kumarika 
(Central), Naga, Saumya, Yiiruna (W.), Gandharva. See Cunningham’s Ancient Geo- 
graphy of India, pp. 5 and 66. 
3 See I, 5. 
■1 7/u’l Qarnain, means ‘ The Master of Two Horns.’ Mnsalmiin tradition varies 
about this name. According to some, the 55ii’l Qarnain was not Alexander the Great, 
but another saint, who lived at the time of Khaja Kliizr, and who was so called from 
his having two curls hanging, one from each side of his forehead, or because he 
reached both sides of the world, or because he was noble by descent from both his 
parents, or because he went through both the light and dark parts of the world, 
or because he died when struck on one side of the forehead, and then was restored 
to life, and again died on being struck on the other side of the forehead, and again 
came to life. 
Beale’s Oriental Biographical Dictionary, (Ed. Keene), says ‘ Master of Two 
Horns, a title of Alexander the Great, probably based on coins representing him in 
the character of Ammon.’ Dr. Hoernle informs me that Alexander’s ooins show his 
head adorned with two ram’s horns. They were widely current in the East, and the 
Muhammadans probably gave him that name after his coins. 
J. i. 19 
