Letters of Aurungzebe/Letter to Amir-ūl-Umará Sháyasta Khán, Governor of Akbarábád

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Letters of Aurungzebe (1659)
by Aurangzeb, translated by Jamshedji Hormasji Bilimoriya

Letter to Amir-ūl-Umará Sháyasta Khán, Governor of Akbarábád

Letters to Umadat-ūl-Mūlk, Madár-ūl-Mahám, Asad Khán

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Letter by Auranzeb to his top military commander, his maternal uncle Shaista Khan

Aurangzeb3403993Letters of Aurungzebe — Letter to Amir-ūl-Umará Sháyasta Khán, Governor of Akbarábád1659Jamshedji Hormasji Bilimoriya

Letter addressed to

Amir-ūl-Umará Sháyasta Khán^[1],
Governor of Akabarábád.^[2]

1659. LETTER XCI.

Faithful friend of auspicious nature, may you live under the protection of the Exalted God. I am anxious for you. On Tuesday, the 20th inst. of Rabi-ūl-Awal^[3]— the day of writing this letter to you—Shūjá^[4], whose lot was defeat, encountered the victorious army which was under the victorious stirrup of this most needy person (i.e., Aurungzebe himself) to God Whose name is glorious, and found the return of evil actions in (his) lap, full of his own misfortunes (i.e., he was defeated by me). (Couplet) "From whose hand and tongue can come out the responsibility of thanksgiving to God fully (i.e., no one in this world thanks God fully for His bounties)?" The details of this great victory^[5] (of Cujwá over Shūjá) will be written to you afterwards. I pursued the cowardly Jasvant Singh^[6] who had joined the enemy (i.e., Shūjá) last night before the battle; but he fled away and went to Akbarábád. Evidently he has gone to his own native place (i.e., Rajpūtáná). He has suffered a great loss in this world (by being a coward) and will suffer it in the next world (by being an infidel; for he will not enter paradise). On hearing the purport of this royal order, this arm of sovereignty (i.e., Sháyasta Khán) should perform the necessary things for joy and pleasure (i.e., should observe the day of victory as a public festival); and should give thanks to the True Giver of Bounty (i.e., God); and should entirely engage in preserving this province belonging to you (i.e., Akbarábád). Immediately I sent my dear son, Muhammad Sultan Bahádūr^[7], in pursuit of this ungrateful man (i.e., Shūjá). I will soon come to Akbarábád.

↑ A general of Shah Jehan and (maternal) uncle of Aurungzebe of whom he was a great supporter in Shah Jehan's court. He was the son of Asaf Khan, Nur Jehan's brother, after whose death Shah Jehan appointed him his minister. 1641. Shah Jehan appointed him governor of Berar in 1638 and governor of Gujarat in 1652. During Shah Jehan's reign he took part in the Deccan War with Aurungzebe who gave him the title of Khan Jehan in 1656. In 1658 his nephew conferred on him the title of Amir-ul-Umara when he came to his side by deserting Shah Jehan and Dara. (Cf. Introd.). He was appointed governor of Agra in the same year. At the time of the victory gained over Shuja at Cujwá he was governor of Akbarabad (Agra) acting for Aurungzebe. Afterwards Aurungzebe made him viceroy of the Deccan (1659) and ordered him to punish Shivaji. At Poona he was surprised, when sleeping at night, by a party of Mahrattas under Shivaji in a marriage procession; and he narrowly escaped death with the loss of some of his fingers. 1663. Then he was recalled from the Deccan by the emperor and made governor of Bengal in place of the late Mir Jumla. 1666. Here he subdued the pirates of Arakan in the Bay of Bengal who used to disturb Bengal. Here he proved himself to be a great tyrant. His name is proverbial in Bengal as a despotic and tyrannous ruler. In 1679 he returned from Bengal to Delhi and was appointed governor of Akbarabad (second time). He died in 1694. (Cf. Let. CXXVII1). His original name was Mirzá Mūrád. "He was, without doubt, by his birth and connections, the first subject of the empire, not of the royal blod; and Aurungzebe treated him as such to the end of his life." He was an invaluable coadjutor of Aurungzebe. "He had the reputation of writing the most insinuating letter, and using the most persuasive eloquence, of any man in Hindostan." (Bernier).
↑ The favourite and frequent abode of the Mogul emperors, esp., of Akbar who rebuilt the city (Agra) and named it after himself. It stands on the Jamna and contains the famous Táj Mahal. Cf. Let. XI.
↑ The third Mohemadan month. Lit. 'the first time of spring or harvest.'
↑ Shah Jehan's second son. He was governor of Bengal in his father's time. When Shah Jehan fell ill in 1657 he marched upon Delhi with a large army; but was defeated at Bahádurpur, near Benares, by Raja Jai Singh and Suliman Shekuh, Dara's son. Afterwards he led an army against Aurungzebe when the latter became emperor; but was defeated at Cujwá, near Allahabad. 1659. This is the victory (of Cujwá) mentioned in the letter. Then Shuja fled away to Assam and was pursued there by Muhammad, Aurungzebe's eldest son, and by Mir Jumla, Aurungzebe's general. At last he died miserably at Arakan, in Burma. 1660. Shuja was a Shiah, a drunkard, and a sensual Mohemadan. "He was too much a slave to his pleasures." (Bernier). "He was more discreet, firmer of purpose, and excelled him (Dara) in conduct and address." (Bernier).
↑ Aurungzebe was on the point of defeat; but the tables were shortly turned against Shuja through the bravery and presence of mind of Mir Jumla. The battle was lost to Shuja through his mistake of dismounting his elephant earlier like Dara at Samugarh. The date of the battle (1659) may be found from the following Persian verse: 'Shavad fateh mubárak bádá' (may the victory be happy).
↑ Raja Jasvant Singh (lit. the glorious or victorious lion), Mahárájáh of Márwár, in Rajputana, was a Rajput general of Shah Jehan with whom he was related. Along with Kásim Khan he was sent by Dara against Murad and Aurungzebe. Had he attacked them soon as they appeared on the opposite bank of the Nurbada, at Dharmatpur, they would have been easily defeated and the course of Indian history would have been quite different. He delayed and attacked them after two days; but was defeated and fled away to Marwar chiefly through the baseness and treachery of Kásim Khán and his Mohemadan followers. 1657. For this disgraceful flight the Raja was severely taken to task by his wife. After Dara's defeat at Samugarh (1659) he deserted him and joined Aurungzebe. Before the fight at Cujwa, near Allahabad, with Shuja, he deserted Aurungzebe and made an attack upon his rear at night; but before Shuja was defeated, he fled away to Marwar through Akbarabad (1659). Shayasta Khan, governor of Akbarabad, was going to poison himself through fear when the Raja came to Agra. Afterwards he was pardoned by Aurungzebe and was again taken into his service. He was made governor of Ahmedabad. Then he was sent into the Deccan against Shivaji. Afterwards he was made governor of Cabul where he died in 1676. Maharajah Jasvant Singh, 'one of the greatest Rajahs of Hindostan,' was not of a firm and constant mind and was a traitor. He did not help the fallen Dara owing to the advice and threats of Raja Jai Singh. A letter written to Aurungzebe, concerning the 'Jizeeá' or poll-tax, on the non-Mohemadans, is generally ascribed to Jasvant Singh.
↑ Aurungzebe's eldest son, born in 1639. He took part in the battles of Samūgarh (1659) and of Cujwá. (1659). It was he who first entered the capital and took possession of it for his father. He, along with Mir Jūmla was sent to Assam in pursuit of Shuja. But after a time he deserted him and went over to his uncle who gave him his daughter in marriage. Nevertheless Shuja was totally defeated by Mir Jumla alone and fled away to Arakan. Now the prince saw his mistake and came over to his father's army; but was imprisoned by his father. He died in prison at the castle of Gwalior in 1676. He was married to a daughter of the king of Golconda.

[1] A general of Shah Jehan and (maternal) uncle of Aurungzebe of whom he was a great supporter in Shah Jehan's court. He was the son of Asaf Khan, Nur Jehan's brother, after whose death Shah Jehan appointed him his minister. 1641. Shah Jehan appointed him governor of Berar in 1638 and governor of Gujarat in 1652. During Shah Jehan's reign he took part in the Deccan War with Aurungzebe who gave him the title of Khan Jehan in 1656. In 1658 his nephew conferred on him the title of Amir-ul-Umara when he came to his side by deserting Shah Jehan and Dara. (Cf. Introd.). He was appointed governor of Agra in the same year. At the time of the victory gained over Shuja at Cujwá he was governor of Akbarabad (Agra) acting for Aurungzebe. Afterwards Aurungzebe made him viceroy of the Deccan (1659) and ordered him to punish Shivaji. At Poona he was surprised, when sleeping at night, by a party of Mahrattas under Shivaji in a marriage procession; and he narrowly escaped death with the loss of some of his fingers. 1663. Then he was recalled from the Deccan by the emperor and made governor of Bengal in place of the late Mir Jumla. 1666. Here he subdued the pirates of Arakan in the Bay of Bengal who used to disturb Bengal. Here he proved himself to be a great tyrant. His name is proverbial in Bengal as a despotic and tyrannous ruler. In 1679 he returned from Bengal to Delhi and was appointed governor of Akbarabad (second time). He died in 1694. (Cf. Let. CXXVII1). His original name was Mirzá Mūrád. "He was, without doubt, by his birth and connections, the first subject of the empire, not of the royal blod; and Aurungzebe treated him as such to the end of his life." He was an invaluable coadjutor of Aurungzebe. "He had the reputation of writing the most insinuating letter, and using the most persuasive eloquence, of any man in Hindostan." (Bernier).

[2] The favourite and frequent abode of the Mogul emperors, esp., of Akbar who rebuilt the city (Agra) and named it after himself. It stands on the Jamna and contains the famous Táj Mahal. Cf. Let. XI.

[3] The third Mohemadan month. Lit. 'the first time of spring or harvest.'

[4] Shah Jehan's second son. He was governor of Bengal in his father's time. When Shah Jehan fell ill in 1657 he marched upon Delhi with a large army; but was defeated at Bahádurpur, near Benares, by Raja Jai Singh and Suliman Shekuh, Dara's son. Afterwards he led an army against Aurungzebe when the latter became emperor; but was defeated at Cujwá, near Allahabad. 1659. This is the victory (of Cujwá) mentioned in the letter. Then Shuja fled away to Assam and was pursued there by Muhammad, Aurungzebe's eldest son, and by Mir Jumla, Aurungzebe's general. At last he died miserably at Arakan, in Burma. 1660. Shuja was a Shiah, a drunkard, and a sensual Mohemadan. "He was too much a slave to his pleasures." (Bernier). "He was more discreet, firmer of purpose, and excelled him (Dara) in conduct and address." (Bernier).

[5] Aurungzebe was on the point of defeat; but the tables were shortly turned against Shuja through the bravery and presence of mind of Mir Jumla. The battle was lost to Shuja through his mistake of dismounting his elephant earlier like Dara at Samugarh. The date of the battle (1659) may be found from the following Persian verse: 'Shavad fateh mubárak bádá' (may the victory be happy).

[raja-6] Raja Jasvant Singh (lit. the glorious or victorious lion), Mahárájáh of Márwár, in Rajputana, was a Rajput general of Shah Jehan with whom he was related. Along with Kásim Khan he was sent by Dara against Murad and Aurungzebe. Had he attacked them soon as they appeared on the opposite bank of the Nurbada, at Dharmatpur, they would have been easily defeated and the course of Indian history would have been quite different. He delayed and attacked them after two days; but was defeated and fled away to Marwar chiefly through the baseness and treachery of Kásim Khán and his Mohemadan followers. 1657. For this disgraceful flight the Raja was severely taken to task by his wife. After Dara's defeat at Samugarh (1659) he deserted him and joined Aurungzebe. Before the fight at Cujwa, near Allahabad, with Shuja, he deserted Aurungzebe and made an attack upon his rear at night; but before Shuja was defeated, he fled away to Marwar through Akbarabad (1659). Shayasta Khan, governor of Akbarabad, was going to poison himself through fear when the Raja came to Agra. Afterwards he was pardoned by Aurungzebe and was again taken into his service. He was made governor of Ahmedabad. Then he was sent into the Deccan against Shivaji. Afterwards he was made governor of Cabul where he died in 1676. Maharajah Jasvant Singh, 'one of the greatest Rajahs of Hindostan,' was not of a firm and constant mind and was a traitor. He did not help the fallen Dara owing to the advice and threats of Raja Jai Singh. A letter written to Aurungzebe, concerning the 'Jizeeá' or poll-tax, on the non-Mohemadans, is generally ascribed to Jasvant Singh.

[7] Aurungzebe's eldest son, born in 1639. He took part in the battles of Samūgarh (1659) and of Cujwá. (1659). It was he who first entered the capital and took possession of it for his father. He, along with Mir Jūmla was sent to Assam in pursuit of Shuja. But after a time he deserted him and went over to his uncle who gave him his daughter in marriage. Nevertheless Shuja was totally defeated by Mir Jumla alone and fled away to Arakan. Now the prince saw his mistake and came over to his father's army; but was imprisoned by his father. He died in prison at the castle of Gwalior in 1676. He was married to a daughter of the king of Golconda.

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