हम्मीर महाकाव्यम् (रणथम्भौर चौहान वीरगाथा एवं इतिहास)

9 The hero of the poem is Hammîra Chohân of Raṇaṣ- thambhapura (Raṇathambhôr), a name celebrated in Hindî song. Hammîra is one of those later heroes of India who measured their swords with the Muhammadan conquerors and fell in the defence of their independence. Even the history of the conquered is not without interest. The man who fights against hope,—fights because he thinks it his duty to do so,—who scorns to bow his neck before the oppressor, because he thinks such a course opposed to the ways of his ancient house, deserves our sympathy and our admiration. Hammîra is such a character. The poet places him on a par with Mândhâtâ, Yudhishṭhira, and Râma. This is poetical exaggeration, but we have no mean measure of praise in the following verses; and the grounds of eminence mentioned are some of the proudest that a Râjput can cherish, and a rigid maintenance of which singles out the race of the Sisodyâs of Udayapur and the Hârâs of Kotâ and Buńdi as the noblest among the chivalry of Râjasthân:— "सत्त्वैकदृप्तेः किल यस्य राज्यश्रियो विलासा अपि जीवितं च। शकाय पुत्रीं शरणागताँश्चाऽप्रयच्छतः किं तृणमप्यऽभूवन् ॥" Born in the noble house of the Chohâns, to whom, as Tod observes, "the palm of bravery amongst the Râjput races must be assigned," Hammîra tried to uphold the independence of his race and to make its usages respected, and was for a time preëminently successful in his wars against his enemies. Some of these were undertaken to protect those who had sought refuge with him (śaraṇa), and so far were disinterested. Indeed, he fell in a war undertaken to protect a Mongol nobleman who had fled to him from the tyranny of 'Alâ u'd-dîn. "In the third year of the reign of 'Alâu'd-dîn, a nobleman whom he had disgraced took refuge with Hammira, the Chohân prince of Raṇathambhôr, one of the strongest forts in India. 'Alâu'd-dîn demanded the delinquent of the B