Lawforms

Digitised Legal Documents from the Indo-Persian World

Copy of a letter of Raja Jai Singh I to Prince Dara Shukoh regarding troop movements and revenue assignments

Maharaja Jai Singh I writes to the Mughal prince Dara Shukoh, acknowledging the orders received in the prince's earlier order. He confirms that he will not halt more than a couple days in Allahabad, expresses approval regarding the appointments of nobles, promises to reprimand a rebellious group in Patna, and thanks the prince for granting the district (pargana) of Niwai as part of his revenue assignment (jagir).1

Functional document type: Letters

Formal document type: ʿArzdasht

Themes: Administration, Grants, War

Date:
Hijri-qamri calendar: 20 Rabi al-awwal 1068
Gregorian calendar: 26 December 1657

[Page 35r]

later addition (top right): Persian

عرضداشت راجه جیسنگه بخدمت شاه بُلند اقبال محمد دارا شکوه

ʿArzdasht of Raja Jai Singh in the service of Shah Buland Iqbal Muhammad Dara Shukoh

main text: Persian


1تحریر
2 هشتم ربیع الاول سنه ۱۰۶۸ آنکه عرضداشت کمترین بندهایی دُرست اعتقاد جیسنگه آنکه
3مراسم تسلیمات بندگی و غلامی بجا آورده بعرض بار یافتگان نواب اقدسی القاب
4جهانبانی و کشور ستانی صاحب عالم و عالمیان بادشاهزاده جهان و جهانیان
5میرسانید که نشان عالیشان مرحمت عنوان قدرتو امان که بسرفرازی پیر غلام
6شرف صدور یافته بود بتاریخ نوزدهم ۱۹ شهر ربیع الاول بمنزل راجپور سایه وصول
7انداخت قواعد تسلیمات بندگی بجا آورده بر سر نهاده فرق عزت و سعادت
8برافراخت صاحب جهانیان سلامت امر و الا قدر که حسب الحکم اشرف اقدس
9شرف نفاذ پیوسته که بعد از رسیدن اله آباد زیاده بر سه چهار روز مقام نکرده [Page 35v]
10روانه پیش شوند صاحب عالمیان سلامت بموجبی که امر شده زیاده
11از سه چهار روز نخواهد ماند و جمعی که از منصبداران برکاب ظفر انتساب نواب قدسی القاب
12صاحبزاده جهانیان متعین شُده اند امر والا قدر بتاکید شرف نفاذ باید که انمردم
13بزودی شرف از مُلازمت صاحبزاده عالمیان یابد از افراد وقایع [چنین]
14ظاهر شُد که سُجانسنگه بُندیله را تعینات مالوه کرده اند اگر چندی از [ریزه] منصبداران
15در عوض او نگاهدارند مُناسب است چون او بنده بکار است و جمعیت خوب دارد
16و مُلکش باین ضلع نزدیک و مُتصل است درین مهم بوُدن از صلاح دولت است
17و امر جلیل القدر شرف صدور یافته که جمعی که از بنگاله به پتنه آمده اند تنبه و کوسمال
18واجبی داده از انجا برارند صاحب جهان و جهانیان سلامت از رسیدن انجا

19بموجبی که [Page 36r]
20بموجبی که امر است بعمل خواهد آورد و از روی کمال عنایات و توجهات
21امر رفیع القدر شرف ایراد یافته که پرگنه نوائی را در اضافه جاگیر گرفتم
22شُکر مُراحم بیکران بکُدام زبان عرض ایستادهای مجلس حضور رساند از
23درگاه الله تعالی امیدوارم که بخدمتی سرفرازی یافته سُرخروی دارین
24حاصل نماید الهی ظل ظلیل آن صاحب جهانیان را بر مفارق بندهای درست اعتقاد
25مخلد و مستدام داراد زیاده چه عرض نماید آفتاب عُمر و اقبال دُرخسده و داراد


1Written
2the eighth of Rabiʿ al-awwal of the year 1068.2 This, that the ʿarzdasht of the humblest servant of true belief Jai Singh, who had
3performed the rituals of the greetings of devotion and servitude, shall be presented to the audience of the Nawab of the Most Pure Titles,
4the Ruler of the World and Conquerer of the Countries, Lord of the Universe and of Mortal Creation, Prince of the Earth and Mortals [i.e., Dara Shukoh],
5[stating] that the imperial nishan of the exalted mercy of power and grace, which had been issued for the exaltation
6 of [your] oldest slave, cast the shadow of arrival on the date nineteen, 19, of the month Rabiʿ al-awwal in the place of Rajpur3 .
7Enacting the rules of the obeisance of servitude, on the bowed head the height of honour and prosperity
8was elevated. The Lord of Mortals [be] well. The command of the exalted rank, which was implemented according to the noble, eminent order,
9[was] that after arriving in Allahabad, they should depart after halting no more than three or four days.
10Lord of Creation [be] well. By reason that it was ordered, they will not stay
11more than three or four days. And the assembly, which from among the mansabdars had been attached
12to the victorious stirrup of the Nawab of Eminent Glory, the Prince of Creation, shall diligently implement the command of the exalted rank so that those men
13quickly shall attain honour from attendance [on] the Son of the Lord of Mortals. From the news-writers thus
14it became known that they had made the appointment of Malwa to Sujan Singh Bundela. If they keep some of the [crumbs] of the
15of the mansabdars in his compensation, it is appropriate because he is a useful servant and has a good assembly [of troops]
16and his land is near and abutting this district. In this is the necessary work of the good of the state.
17And the illustrious order had been issued that the assembly [of people]4 that had come from Bengal to Patna
18should be given appropriate admonishment [and] return from there. The Lord of the World and Creation [be] well. When [they] arrive there,

19in accordance with5

20in accordance with what is ordered, it will be implemented. And from the perfection of favours and kindnesses
21the command of the sublime rank produced the honour that I received the pargana Niwai in the increase of [my] jagir.
22By what tongue shall thanksgiving for the boundless favours be offered standing in the assembly of the Lord?
23From the court of the glory of God, I hope that attaining honourable service, contentment
24will be attained in this. May he, the Divine, the Shadow of Shadows, keep that Lord of Creation, forever and perpetually among the distinguished servants of the true faith.
25What more can be asked. May he remain the Sun of the Age and the Resplendent Prosperity and.

Notes

1. This petition was written during the War of Succession during a period when Jai Singh I was allied with Dara Shukoh. This letter was copied in a manuscript miscellany that was acquired and likely produced in a colonial context, possibly for James Tod. It appears to be a response to the order (nishan) of Dara Shukoh to Jai Singh I dated 7 Rabiʿ al-awwal 1068, which is held in the Rajasthan State Archives. See A Descriptive List of Farmans, Manshurs and Nishans, p. 35, S.No. 226. [BACK]

2. Here, there is likely a scribal error, writing eight (hashtom) instead of twentieth (bistom), given that the document references the nineteenth of the same month. [BACK]

3. The location of this place is unclear as it is a very common placename. It was likely somewhere in the Gangetic plains between Delhi and Allahabad. [BACK]

4. This likely refers to the prince Shah Shuja and his army. [BACK]

5. This is a catchphrase used to indicate the order of folios. It matches the first few words of the first line of the next folio. [BACK]

petition (used for any formal address from an inferior to a superior)

petition (used for any formal address from an inferior to a superior)

title of a high-ranking noble or governor

holder of a mansab or imperial rank, a noble (usually also a jagirdar)

title of a high-ranking noble or governor

holder of a mansab or imperial rank, a noble (usually also a jagirdar)

district

rights to collect taxes from a certain area as payment for imperial services and associated expenses

Language(s)

Persian

Source

Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, Persian mss. 173, f. 35r-36r
Archival Collection: James Tod collection

Transcribed from manuscript image.

Edited by Elizabeth Thelen

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