Note 19 — The Eleventh New Year’s Feast after the auspicious Accession.

“An ancient sincere slave, Iʿtimādu-d-daulah, by order writes in this auspicious volume19 that on the 11th20 K͟hūrdād the traces of fever were seen in the pure daughter21 of S͟hāh K͟hurram of lofty fortune, for whom His Majesty showed much affection as the early fruit of the garden of auspiciousness. After three days pustules (ābila) appeared, and on the 26th of the same month, corresponding with Wednesday, the 29th Jumādā-l-awwal (15th June, 1616), in the year 1025, the bird of her soul flew from her elemental cage and passed into the gardens of Paradise. From this date an order was given that Chār-s͟hamba (Wednesday) should be called Kam-s͟hamba (or Gum-s͟hamba). What shall I write as to what happened to the pure personality of the shadow of God in consequence of this heartburning event and grief-increasing calamity? Inasmuch as it happened after this manner to that soul of the world, what must be the condition of those other22 servants whose life was bound up with that pure personality? For two days the servants were not received in audience, and an order was given that a wall should be built in front of the house which had been the abode of that bird of paradise, so that it might not be seen. In addition to this he did not adorn the gate of the hall of audience (did not come there). On the third day he went in an agitated state to the house of the illustrious prince, and the servants had the good fortune to pay their salutations and found fresh life. On the road, however much the Ḥaẓrat (the Emperor) desired to control himself, the tears flowed from the auspicious eyes, and for a long time it was so that at the mere hearing of a word from which came a whiff of pain, the state of the Ḥaẓrat became bewildered. He remained for some days in the house of the prince of the inhabitants of the world, and on Monday23 of Tīr, Divine month, he went to the house of Āṣaf K͟hān, and turned back thence to the Chas͟hma-i-Nūr, and for two or three days employed himself there. But as long as he was in Ajmir he could not control himself. Whenever the word ‘friendship’ reached his ear, the tears would drop from his eyes unrestrained, and the hearts of his faithful followers were torn in pieces. When the departure of the cortège of fortune to the Subah of the Deccan took place, he gained a little composure.”