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INTRODUCTION,
17
The reader can see that most of the statements made above in defence of his unreasonable and arbitrary order of banishment, as an outcome of intoxication and a fit of anger, are in absolute contravention of facts.
Mr. Vincent Smith, in his “Akbar” states : "Jehangir, a strange mixture of opposites, was equally capable of intense love and devilish cruelty. He, when safely established with his court at Allahbad, far removed from parental supervision, abandoned himself without restraint to his favourite vices, consuming opium and strong drink to such an extent that his naturally fierce temper became ungovernable. The most fearful penalties were inflicted for trivial offences; pardon was never thought of and his adherents were struck dumb with terror. A news-writer convicted of a plot against the Prince's life was flayed alive while Salim calmly watched his long-drawn agony".
During his reign, he took strong and drastic action against any one, if he had the slightest suspicion that the person in question was acting or speaking against him. Arjuna, the fourth Sikh High Priest, was ordered to be executed by him for political reasons. Manasimha (Jinasimha Sūri of Kharatara Gaccha), was reported to have predicted against him. So, when he received the news of his death, he is said to have made the following remarks about him -
"On Tuesday (Fagan Sud 3, S. Y. 1674 i. e. 17-2-1618 A.D.), I marched 51 Kog, and halted at the village of Jarsima (Chāṇasmā). At this stage, news came to me that Man Singh Sewră surrendered his soul to the lords of hell. The account of this in brief is that, the Sewrās are a tribe of infidel Hindus who always go with their head and feet bare. One set of them, root out their hair, their beards and moustaches, while another set shave them. They do not wear sewn garments, and their central principle is that no living creature should be injured. The Banyāns regard them as their pirs and teachers, and even worship them. There are two sects of Sewrăs; one is called Pata (Tapa) and the other Kanthal-Kartal (Kharatara). Mān Singh was the head of the latter, and Bal Chand (Bhānchand) was the head of the Patas (Tapās). Both of them used to attend upon H. M. Akbar. When he died and Khusrau fled, and I pursued him, Rāy Singh Bhurtiyā, Zamindar of Bikanir, who had been made an Amir by Akbar's kindness, asked Man Singh what would be the duration of my reign, and the chances of my success. That black-tongued fellow, who pretended to be skilled in astrology and the extraction of judgments, said to him that my reign would, at most, last for two years. The doting old idiot (Ráy Singh) relied upon this, and went off without leave to his home. Afterwards, when the glorious God chose out this suppliant and I returned victorious to the capital, he came, ashamed and down-cast, to Court. What happened to him in the end has been told in its proper place.
“In fine, Mān Singh in the course of three or four months, was struck with leprosy (juzām), and his limbs fell off him till he was in such a state that death was by many degrees preferable to life. He was living at Bikanir, and now I remembered him and sent for him. On the road, he, out of excessive fear, took poison and surrendered his soul to
