हम्मीर महाकाव्यम् (रणथम्भौर चौहान वीरगाथा एवं इतिहास)

38

Hammîra's. people allowed the invading army to cross the dangerous pass unmolested. The Khân now posted his brother on one side of the road known as the Maṇḍi Road, and he him- self occupied the fort of Śrî Maṇḍapa. The forces of the allied princes were stationed all round the tank of Jaitra Sâgara. Neither party was sincere. The Muhammadans thought they had artfully secured an advantageous position from whence to commence their operations; whilst the Râjputs were of opinion that the enemy had so far advanced into the interior that he could not now possibly escape them. The Khân's ambassador at Raṇathambhôr, admitted into the fort by the king's order, from what he saw there, was inspired with a dread of Hammîra's power. However, he attend- ed the darbâr held to receive him, and, after the exchange of the usual courtesies, boldly delivered himself of the message with which he was charged. He said that he was deputed to the king's court as the envoy of Ulugh Khân and Nusrat Khân, the two brothers of the celebrated 'Alâu'd-dîn; that he had come there to impress on the king's mind, if possible, the futility of any resistance that he could offer to so mighty a conqueror as 'Alâu'd-dîn, and to advise him to conclude a peace with his chief. He offered to Hammîra, as the conditions of peace, the choice between paying down to his chief a contribution of one hundred thousand gold mohors, presenting him with four elephants and three hundred horses, and giving his daughter in marriage to 'Alâu'd-dîn; or the giving up to him the four in- subordinate Moṅgol chiefs, who, having excited the displeasure of his master, were now living under the protection of the king. The envoy added that if the king desired the enjoyment of his power and kingdom in peace, he had the opportunity at hand of securing his object by the adoption of either of these conditions, which would equally secure to him the good graces and assistance