Akbar Stories...

Page

Arya75

@Arya75

Voyager

Posted: 11 years ago

The Birth of Akbar

When Humayun was forced to abdicate by Sher Shah, he fled into the deserts of Rajputana with a small group of followers. On the way, he married Hamida Begum. One morning he was engaged in fighting a terrible battle against his enemy. The battle was raging and Humayun was leading the attack. Suddenly Humayun saw his faithful palace messenger trying to make his way towards him, but the soldiers were not allowing the messenger to come to the front of the army. Humayun issued an order that the messenger be allowed through.

Humayun took shelter for a moment in a secluded place to receive the messenger. The messenger bowed to the Emperor and said, "O great Emperor Humayun, I have just come from Umarkot. The Empress Hamida Begum has delivered a son."

Humayun was so delighted and excited. Across the battlefield, he called out, "Allah be praised! My son and heir has been born. We shall name him Akbar."

Then he said to the messenger, "Alas, this is my fate! My son has been born, yet I am still fighting my enemies and no victory is in sight. I have nothing of value with me to give you, O messenger, for bringing me the happiest news. All I have is a small quantity of musk in this tiny box. This is the only thing I have to offer you. But I tell you, one day my son's fame will cover the length and breadth of the world as the fragrance of the musk fills the air here. Like perfume, my son's fame will one day spread throughout the world."

It was the twenty-third day of November 1542. Humayun and his soldiers continued on and seized the town of Jun. A few weeks later, Hamida arrived with Akbar and Humayun saw his son for the first time. He said, "My father gave me the name Humayun', which means Fortunate'. He was right. I am truly fortunate, for I see in you, my child, all the world's fortune. I clearly see that you will be the greatest of all Moghul Emperors. I see it and I feel it."

Then he said to his wife, Hamida Begum, "I am once more leaving for the battlefield. I am a warrior. I fight with the outer enemy, while religious mendicants, spiritual people, fight with the inner enemies: anger, pride and so forth. I do not have time to fight against the inner enemies. Outer enemies are more than enough for me to cope with. But our son, Akbar, will also fight against the inner enemies. He will inwardly and outwardly be divinely great and supremely good."

Akbar Prays for a Son

Akbar was so sad that he had not been blessed with a son and heir. He began to despair of the future of the Moghul Empire. He knew that a Sufi saint named Sheikh Salim Chishti lived in some rocks near the village of Sikri, a distance of some twenty miles from Agra. Akbar decided to go to this saint and ask him for a boon.

On the chosen day, Akbar dressed very simply and walked with bare feet all the way to Sikri. He approached the saint and said, "O saint, please grant me a boon. I have brought peace to this vast empire, but I lack one thing: I am childless. Allah has not blessed me with a son. I have made many pilgrimages to holy shrines, I have prayed most sincerely but, alas, my prayers have been denied. You are an ascetic, a saint. I am sure that if you pray to Allah on my behalf, He will definitely listen to you."

The saint replied, "O Emperor, be patient. Allah will definitely grant you your heart's desire. Not one, but three sons will soon be born to you."

Akbar returned to the palace with great joy and in a short time he came to learn that his Hindu wife, the daughter of the Rajah of Amber, was with child. Akbar sent her to stay with the saint until the child was born. In August 1569 a boy was born and Akbar gave him the name Salim after the saint. The following year, his son Murad was born and later his son Daniyal.

In gratitude to the saint who made the happy prophecy, Akbar decided to leave Agra and move his court to Fatehpur Sikri, meaning the City of Victory'. In 1571 he undertook the construction of a new capital which was a synthesis of Muslim and Hindu styles of architecture. Akbar personally supervised the throngs of builders, stone-carvers and other workmen. At times he even quarried the red sandstone himself. The barren land was transformed by palaces, pavilions, gardens and ornamental pools of water.

Upon the great portal of the mosque, Akbar had an immortal utterance of the Christ inscribed:

"So said Jesus upon whom be peace: The world is a bridge; pass over it, but build no house upon it."

Akbar lived at Fatehpur Sikri until 1585 when lack of water forced him to abandon it for the more strategic location of Lahore.

The Immeasurable Wealth of the Moghul Empire

Once the Emperor Akbar wanted to know how much wealth he had in the treasuries of all the cities in his empire. First he wanted to see how much jewellery and gold he had in the treasury of his famous capital, Agra.

He asked his treasurer to give him a report as soon as possible. The treasurer hired one thousand men who used four hundred pairs of scales, day in and day out.

After five months, Akbar called in his son and asked, "What is the report?"

His son replied, "Father, the treasurer and his men are nowhere near the end of this monumental task. There is still so much wealth left to measure!"

Akbar asked, "How much longer will it take? How much more time do they need?"

His son said, "They have no idea how many more months it will take."

Akbar remained silent for a moment. Finally, he said, "Please tell them to stop." He realized that even the wealth of just one city, Agra, was immeasurable.

The Emperor's Hidden Gift

Like his grandfather Babar, Akbar liked to wander incognito in the streets. He did this in order to be alone. At his court, people were always around him and he never had his freedom. But when he wandered outside among his subjects, he was all alone.

One day, while he was walking, he saw an old lady holding a dagger. He approached her and asked, "What are you doing with a dagger? Let me see what it looks like and how sharp it is."

The old lady handed Akbar the dagger and he held it for a few seconds. "What a shame!" the old lady said. "Had you been the Emperor, then this metal dagger would have been transformed into a golden dagger. Now it is ordinary metal, but I had a dream that if ever the Emperor himself touches it, then definitely it will be transformed into gold. I have been waiting and waiting for the Emperor to appear. I know that from time to time he likes to walk outside the palace. I am praying to Allah that he will come this way. For years I have been here, waiting in the street for Akbar. I am so sad that still I have not been blessed with his presence."

The following day, Akbar summoned the old lady to the court. Now he was wearing his robes and his crown. He said, "Here is Akbar. He does not have the capacity to transform a metal dagger into a golden one, but he does have the capacity to change your life for good. How much money do you want?"

The old lady was overwhelmed. She could not believe her eyes; she could not believe her ears. She mustered her courage and told the Emperor that she wanted a particular amount of money. But Akbar gave her much, much more, saying, "I do not have the capacity to turn metal into gold, but I do have another capacity."

So the old lady became extremely rich because of Akbar the Great.

Akbar's Secret Visit to Mirabai

Although Akbar was a Muslim, he liked the Hindu spirituality and culture immensely. At his court, he retained all kinds of talented and extraordinary people from various religions. Akbar always appreciated others' good qualities. In the course of time, he came to hear about Mirabai, the great devotee of Lord Krishna. The bhajans that she sang became known throughout the length and breadth of India. Akbar decided to go and see her for himself.

At first, it seemed impossible for the Emperor to fulfil his wish. Mirabai was married to Prince Bhoja Raj of Chittor. This family and the Moghul Emperors had always been the worst of enemies! If Akbar went to see Mirabai, he would be risking his life and he would also be placing Mirabai herself in great danger. But Akbar was determined to go. He said, "I will not go as the Emperor with my army. I will go in disguise."

So he and his court musician, Tansen, dressed themselves in ochre robes like wandering sannyasins. In this disguise, they approached the temple where Mirabai was worshipping. In the temple, devotees were singing and dancing. Right in the centre was Mirabai, singing most soulfully.

Akbar and Tansen were deeply moved by Mirabai's beautiful voice and her soulful prayers to God. To show his gratitude, Akbar placed a diamond necklace at the feet of Mirabai's little statue of Lord Krishna. Those who were present were amazed at the mendicant's gesture. They wondered if perhaps somebody quite rich had come in the form of a mendicant. After Akbar had made his offering, he and Tansen quietly slipped away.

In a few days' time, it became known that it was the Emperor himself who had come. Mirabai's husband became enraged and said to his wife, "You have incurred the worst possible sin. You are a Hindu princess, but you have allowed a Muslim to look at your face. I can look at you no more. You have to go to the river and drown yourself!"

Poor Mirabai! She was so miserable at this turn of events. She was not responsible for what had happened. But even so, she was ready to enter into the river and commit suicide. She walked towards the river, accompanied by some of her followers and devotees. She was about to enter into the river when Lord Krishna appeared and grabbed her. He said to his dearest devotee, "No, I do not want you to commit suicide. You have done nothing wrong. Please leave this place and come to Brindaban. There you will see Me."

So Mirabai left her husband and, with a few followers, went to Brindaban.

from The Moghul Emperors
by Sri Chinmoy