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JUNE, 1899.)
HISTORY OF THE BAHMANI DYNASTY.
153
Shah. Daulatabad he assigned to his sister's son, Babrâm Khân (Mazindarani); but when Bahram Khân became established in Daulatâbâd, & vicious disposition and evil imagination became embedded in his vitals (and he said to himself): - "Since DaulatAbad was the coronation-place of the Sultan, and has been assigned to me during his lifetime, it is evidently his intention to give me his place." With this idea in his head Babrâm Khản became antagonistic and hypocritical.
At this time the Sultân had been ill for nearly three or four months, but Bahrâm Khân did not go to visit him, lest the Sultân should obtain an inkling of bis intentions, and by issuing orders counter to his designs, render their accomplishment impossible. Such are briefly the particulars of this matter, which (please God I) will be mentioned hereafter in writing the history of Muhammad Shậh.
After a reign of eleven years, two months and seven days the Sultan died.
Shortly before his death the Sultan summoned his sons to his presence; and four princes like four strong pillars of the state, weeping tears of blood, presented themselves before their illustrious father, who embraced them, and as he looked at them wept bitterly at the thought of leaving them. • The Sultan in his will made Suitan Muhammad Shah (who surpassed all the other sons in understanding and intelligence) his heir, and exhorted all his sons, near relations and army and subjects to obey him.
28[The prince and all the nobles and generals put on clothes of blue and black as a sign of mourning. The lamentation, and cries reached the heavens, and the ceremonies of mourning were duly carried out.]
Sultan 'Ald-ud-Din asan Shah, was a just king and the cherisher of his people and pious. During his reign his subjects and army nsed to pass their time in perfect ease and content; and he did much towards propagating the true faith. He had four sons, the eldest of whom, Muhammad Shah, became his father's heir, and was entitled Zafar Khân, which was the title of the Saltân himself.
[The following interesting aocount of the origin of the Bahmani Dynasty and the reign of *Ald-ud-Din Hasan Shah Bahmani is taken from the Taçkarat-ul. Mulak. It differs considerably from all the other accounts; and is, perhaps, not of much historical value; still I think it would be a pity to omit it.]
Let it not be concealed from the acute that concerning the origin of the Bahmani kings I have seen many relations, some of which say that they derive their origin from Bahman, son of Isfandyår, son of Gushtasb, one of the magnificent kings of Persia.
Another report is that the sovereignty of the Bahmani kings dates from the time of Hasan Ganga. Now this Hasan Gangû was a youth of high descent, who by reverses of fortune was in very reduced circumstances.
One day he was sleeping in the desert under the shade of a tree. Gangů Pandit Bahman was passing near the spot, and saw the youth asleep. A cobra, the bite of which is known to be more deadly than that of the viper, holding a blade of green grass in its mouth close to Hasan Gangu's face, had raised its head from the ground and was driving off the flies from his face. The Brahmin who witnessed this circumstance, by his sagacity discerned that some high dignity was in store for this Hasan. The snake remained there till Hasan awoke from his sleen, when it lowered its head and went on its way. The Brahmin then went up to Hasan
* This passage, enclosed in brackets is omitted in the I. O. MS., probably by mistake on the part of the copyist, but is given in the Br. Mu. MS., fol. 25 b, last line et 189.
