हम्मीर महाकाव्यम् (रणथम्भौर चौहान वीरगाथा एवं इतिहास)

33 territory of Jâgarâ as a jâhîgîr. Henceforth Pîtama lived here, and the other members of Bhoja's family, while he himself stayed at court. 'Alâ'u'd-dîn's object was to learn Ham- mîra's affairs, and he therefore lavished presents and honours on Bhoja, who gradually became entirely devoted to the interests of his new master. Convinced of Bhoja's devotion to his cause, 'Alâu-d-dîn one day asked him, in private, if there were any easy and practicable means of subduing Hammîra. Bhoja answered that it was no easy matter to conquer Hammîra, a king who was the terror of the kings of Kuntala, Madhyadeśa (Central India), Aṅ- gadeśa and the far Kâñchî—a king who was master of the six guṇas and the three śaktis, and who commanded a vast and powerful army—a king whom all other kings feared and obeyed, and who had a most valiant brother in Vîrama, the conqueror of many princes—a king who was served by the fearless Mon- gol chiefs Mahimsâhi and others, who, after defeating his brother, had defied 'Alâu'ddîn himself. Not only had Hammîra able generals, said Bhoja, but they were all attach- ed to him. Seduction was impossible save in one quarter. One man only had his price in the court of Hammîra. What a blast of wind was to a lamp, what the cloud was to the lotuses, what night was to the sun, what the company of women was to an ascetic, what avarice was to all other qualities, that was this one man to Hammîra—the sure cause of disgrace and destruction. The present time, too, said Bhoja, was not ill suited for an expedition against Hammîra. There was a bumper harvest this year in the Chohân country and if 'Alâu'd- dîn could but snatch it from the peasantry before it could be stored away he would induce them, as they already suffered from the blind man's tyranny, to forsake the cause of Hammîra. 'Alâu'ddîn liked Bhoja's idea, and forthwith commanded Ulugh Khân to invade Hammira's country with an army of E