2nd Hikayat

Hikayat number two is about the Raja’s four sons who were tested to determine their fitness to rule. The three elder sons were given thousands of elephants, horses and camels. These they lost or squandered away. The youngest son was given a kernel and a half of gram which he planted, and from the harvest he was able to buy thousands of elephants, horses and camels, and to build cities of Delhi and Mungipatam besides. The moral seems to be the wisdom of relying on the power of God to produce wealth.

 Zafarnamah  

ææ Beginning ææ Hikayat 2 ææ Hikayat 3 ææ Hikayat 4 ææ Hikayat 5 ææ Hikayat 6 ææ Hikayat 7 ææ ææ Hikayat 8 ææ Hikayat 9 ææ Hikayat 10 ææ Hikayat 11 ææ Hikayat 12 (End of Zafarnamah)) ææ

bani

page 2272: Dasam granth

Copyright Translation of PP Bindra

This is the only translation available of the section. The translation is done by PP Bindra and may contain his personal views. We are not responsible for any error in translation and cannot verify this with any other such work.

Glory to God

Now listen to the Tale of Raja Daleep,

Who was sitting besides the Honourable One (the King).(1)

The King had four sons,

Who had learned the art of fighting and the Royal Court Etiquettes.(2)

In the war they were like the crocodiles and excited lions,

Also they were very proficient horse-riders and adept in the hand-movements.(3)

The King called all his four sons,

And offered them to sit on the gilded chairs.(4)

He, then, asked his prolific ministers,

‘Who among these four is suitable for kingship?‘(5)

When the wise minister heard this,

He raised the flag to answer.(6)

He spoke thus, ‘you are, yourself righteous and wise,

‘You are perceiver and possessor of independent reflections.(7)

‘This, what you have asked, is beyond my faculty.

‘Me suggesting might cause some friction.(8)

‘But, My Sovereign, if you insist, I would say,

‘And present you the reaction (of our council).(9)

‘Because the one who endows helping hand,

‘Gets the (godly) help to gain success.(10)

‘First of all we must test their intelligence,

‘And then we will set them on trial to judge their work.(11)

‘One (boy) should be given ten thousand elephants,

‘And those (elephants) must be intoxicated and tied in heavy chains.(12)

‘To the second one, we will give one hundred thousand horses,

‘On whose backs there will be gilded saddles, as charming as the spring-season.(13)

‘The third one will be given three hundred thousand camels,

‘Whose backs will be adorned with silver trappings.(14)

‘To the fourth one, we will give one seed of moong (lentil) and half a seed of gram,

‘Because that one possesses independent convictions and is endowed with intelligence.‘(15)

The one (the prince), who was wise, brought them (the seeds) to his home,

And also acquired one more whole seed of gram.(16)

It was conceived that he would sow the seed,

And through that his intelligence could be adjudged.(17)

He sowed both the seeds in the soil,

And sought the blessedness of Almighty.(18)

A period of six months had passed, when,

With the dawn of new season, the greenery sprouted.(19)

He kept repeating the process for ten years,

And increased the produce by looking after them skilfully.(20)

By repeating the seeding for ten, twenty times,

He accumulated great many heaps of grains.(21)

Doing so he amassed a good amount of wealth,

Which had come through those mounds of cereals.(22)

Using this (money) he purchased ten thousand elephants,

Which were as tall as mountains and they walked like the water of river Nile.(23)

Also he bought five thousand horses,

Who had gilded saddles and silver trappings.(24)

Three thousand camels, which he had acquired,

All of them had bags full of gold and silver at their backs.(25)

With the monetary strength coming through one seed,

He inhabited a new city called Delhi.(26)

And the money coming through the moong seed he flourished the City of Moong,

Which was extremely admired by his confidants.(27)

Proceeding as such, a period of twelve years had lapsed.

And undiminishable amount of wealth was amassed.(28)

The King was seated on the throne majestically.

When he (the Minister) walked in and the King of seven continents asked,(29)

‘Bring and present to me the papers,

‘Which enumerate what I had endowed to my four sons.‘(30)

The recording scribe picked up the pen,

And to reply, (he) raised his flag.(31)

(The Raja asked,) ‘I had bequeathed them thousands (of rupees),

‘Examine the deed and open your tongue (to speak).(32)

‘Read from the paper and narrate,

‘How much I had given to each of them.‘(33)

When he (the scribe) heard the command of the King,

Who had earned the praises and the status same as the gods.(34)

(King stressed,) ‘Present to me, whatever beneficence I had endowed to,

‘You, the lights of the world and stars of Yaman.‘(35)

The first son replied, ‘Most of the elephants were killed in the wars,

‘And the ones which were saved, I gave them out in charity like you do.‘(36)

He asked the second son, ‘What have you done with the horses?‘

(He replied), ‘I have given out some in charity and rest faced the death.‘(37)

(He) asked the third one to show him his camels.

‘To whom have you denoted them?‘(38)

He replied, ‘A number of them died in the wars,

‘And the remaining I gave in charity.‘(39)

Then (he) asked the fourth one, ‘Oh, you the gentle one,‘

‘You, the one deserving royal canopy and the throne,(40)

‘Where is the gift, which I granted you;

‘One seed of moong and the half that of gram?‘(41)

(He replied,) ‘If your command permits, I may present you,

‘All the elephants, horses and many a camels.‘(42)

He brought forward ten hundred thousand stupefied elephants,

Which were adorned with gold and silver trappings.(43)

He presented ten to twelve thousand horses,

Adorned with numerous gilded saddles.(44)

He brought along steel helmets and armours,

And also gilded animal-blankets, arrows, and expensive swords,(45)

The camels from Baghdad, which were laden with ornamented clothes,

Plenty of gold, great number of clothes,(46)

Ten neelams (precious stones), and many Dinars (coins),

By looking at them even eyes shuddered.(47)

Through one seed of moong, he raised a city,

Which was given the name of Moongi-patam.(48)

With the other, half of gram-seed, he raised another one,

And associating with his name, it was called Delhi.(49)

The King approved this innovation and honoured him,

From then on gave him the name as Raja Daleep.(50)

The omens of royalty, which were depicted in him,

Made him worthy of the throne.(51)

Such a man deserved gilded canopy, royal stamp and coinage,

And thousands of honours were sacrificed on to him.(52)

The (other) three were fools and possessed tarnished minds.

Their language was rustic and their gait was detestable.(53)

He (King) displayed his desire, as he (son) was to be given the kingdom,

He would disclose all his wealth to him (son),(54)

And he would be a suitable person to sit on the throne,

On account of his high intellect.(55)

Then, he (the fourth prince) attained the title of Raja Daleep,

As the King had endowed him the kingdom.(56)

The other three were banished from the territory,

Because neither they were intelligent nor devoid of bad traits.(57)

He (Daleep) was enthroned on the royal seat,

And the door of the treasure was opened for him by the key.(58)

(The King) endowed the kingdom to him, and, himself, became a freeman,

Adoring the ascetic’s garb, he took his way to the jungle (seclusion).(59)

(The poet says),

‘Oh Saki, the bartender, give me the cup full of green (liquid),

‘Which I may need at the time of struggle,(60)

‘And give me this so that at the time of assessment,

‘I may commence the use of my sword.(61)(2)

Tale Two – Completed