8. Aurangzib's last will and testament.
"Praise be to God and blessing on those servants [of Him] who have become sanctified
and have given satisfaction [to Him]. I have some [instructions to leave as my] last will and
testament:
FIRST, On behalf of this sinner sunk in iniquity [i. e. myself] cover [with an offering of cloth
and carpet] the holy tomb of Hasan (on him be peace!), because those who are drowned in the
ocean of sin have no other protection except seeking refuge with that Portal of Mercy and
Forgiveness. The means of performing this greatly auspicious act are with my noble son, Prince
Alijah [Md. Azam]; take them.
SECOND, Four Rupees and two annas, out of the price of the caps sewn by me, are with
Aia Bega, the mahaldar. Take the amount and spend it on the shroud of this helpless creature.
Three hundred and five Rupees, from the wages of copying the Quran, are in my purse for
personal expenses. Distribute them to the faqirs on the day of my death. As the money got as by
copying the Quran is regarded by the Shia sect as illegal, do not spend it on my shroud and
other necessaries.
THIRD, Take the remaining necessaries [of my funeral] from the agent of Prince Alijah; as
he is the nearest heir among my sons, and on him lies the responsibility for the lawful or
unlawful [practices at my funeral]; this helpless person (i. e., Aurangzib) is not answerable for
them, because the dead are in the hands of the survivors.
FOURTH, Bury this wanderer in the Valley of Deviation from the Right Path with his head
bare, because every ruined sinner who is conducted bareheaded before the Grand Emperor {i.e.,
God), is sure to be an object of mercy.
FIFTH, Cover the top of the coffin on my bier with the coarse white cloth called gazi. Avoid
the spreading of a canopy and uncanonical innovations like [processions of] musicians and the
celebration of the Prophet's Nativity (maulud).
SIXTH, It is proper for the ruler of the kingdom (i.e., my heir) to treat kindly the helpless
servants who in the train of this shameless sinner [Aurangzib] have been roving in the deserts
and wilderness [of the Deccan] . Even if any manifest fault is committed by them, give them in
return for it gracious forgiveness and benign overlooking [of the fault].
SEVENTH, No other nation is better than the Persians for acting as accountants (mutasaddi).
And in war, too, from the age of the Emperor Humayun to the present time, none of this nation
has turned his face away from the field, and their firm feet have never been shaken. Moreover,
they have not once been guilty of disobedience or treachery to their master. But, as they insist
on being treated with great honour, it is very difficult to get on together with them. You have
anyhow to conciliate them, and should employ subterfuges.
EIGHTH, The Turani people have ever been soldiers. They are very expert in making
charges, raids, night-attacks and arrests. They feel no suspicion, despair or shame when
commanded to make a retreat in the very midst of a fight, which means, in other words,
'drawing the arrow back'; and they are a hundred stages remote from the crass stupidity of
the Hindustanis, who would part with their heads but not leave their positions [in battle] . In
every way, you should confer favours on this race, because on many occasions these men can
do the necessary service, when no other race can.
NINTH, You should treat the Sayyids of Barha, who are worthy of blessing, according to
the Quranic verse, 'Give unto the near relations [of the Prophet] their dues/ and never grow
slack in honouring and favouring them. Inasmuch as, according to the blessed verse, 'I say I do
not ask of you any recompense for it except love to [my] kinsmen', love for this family is the
wages of [Muhammad's] Prophetship, you should never be wanting [in respect for them], and
it will be fruitful of benefit in this world and the next. But you should be extremely cautious in
dealing with the Sayyids of Barha. Be not wanting in love of them at heart, but externally do not
increase their rank, because they become predominant partners in the government, nay more,
they would demand the kingdom for themselves. If you let them take the reins ever so little, the
result will be your own disgrace.
TENTH, As far as possible the ruler of a kingdom should not spare himself from moving
about; he should avoid staying in one place, which outwardly gives him repose but in effect
brings on a thousand calamities and troubles.
ELEVENTH, Never trust your sons, nor treat them during your lifetime in an intimate
manner, because, if the Emperor Shah Jahan had not treated Dara Shukoh in this manner, his
affairs would not have come to such a sorry pass. Ever keep in view the saying, 'The words of a
king are barren.'
TWELFTH, The main pillar of government is to be well informed in the news of the
kingdom. Negligence for a single moment becomes the cause of disgrace for long years. The
escape of the wretch Shiva took place through [my] carelessness, and I have to labour hard
[against the Marathas] to the end of my life, [as the result of it].
Twelve is blessed [among numbers]. I have concluded with twelve directions. (Verse)
It you learn [the lesson], a kiss on your wisdom,
If you neglect it, then alas! alas!"
Text. lr. MS. 8b 10a. MS. N. lb 3b is incomplete and ends with the 9th clause.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From Ahkam -e- Alamgiri of Hamid ud din Bahadur and from work of Jadunath Sarkar
"Praise be to God and blessing on those servants [of Him] who have become sanctified
and have given satisfaction [to Him]. I have some [instructions to leave as my] last will and
testament:
FIRST, On behalf of this sinner sunk in iniquity [i. e. myself] cover [with an offering of cloth
and carpet] the holy tomb of Hasan (on him be peace!), because those who are drowned in the
ocean of sin have no other protection except seeking refuge with that Portal of Mercy and
Forgiveness. The means of performing this greatly auspicious act are with my noble son, Prince
Alijah [Md. Azam]; take them.
SECOND, Four Rupees and two annas, out of the price of the caps sewn by me, are with
Aia Bega, the mahaldar. Take the amount and spend it on the shroud of this helpless creature.
Three hundred and five Rupees, from the wages of copying the Quran, are in my purse for
personal expenses. Distribute them to the faqirs on the day of my death. As the money got as by
copying the Quran is regarded by the Shia sect as illegal, do not spend it on my shroud and
other necessaries.
THIRD, Take the remaining necessaries [of my funeral] from the agent of Prince Alijah; as
he is the nearest heir among my sons, and on him lies the responsibility for the lawful or
unlawful [practices at my funeral]; this helpless person (i. e., Aurangzib) is not answerable for
them, because the dead are in the hands of the survivors.
FOURTH, Bury this wanderer in the Valley of Deviation from the Right Path with his head
bare, because every ruined sinner who is conducted bareheaded before the Grand Emperor {i.e.,
God), is sure to be an object of mercy.
FIFTH, Cover the top of the coffin on my bier with the coarse white cloth called gazi. Avoid
the spreading of a canopy and uncanonical innovations like [processions of] musicians and the
celebration of the Prophet's Nativity (maulud).
SIXTH, It is proper for the ruler of the kingdom (i.e., my heir) to treat kindly the helpless
servants who in the train of this shameless sinner [Aurangzib] have been roving in the deserts
and wilderness [of the Deccan] . Even if any manifest fault is committed by them, give them in
return for it gracious forgiveness and benign overlooking [of the fault].
SEVENTH, No other nation is better than the Persians for acting as accountants (mutasaddi).
And in war, too, from the age of the Emperor Humayun to the present time, none of this nation
has turned his face away from the field, and their firm feet have never been shaken. Moreover,
they have not once been guilty of disobedience or treachery to their master. But, as they insist
on being treated with great honour, it is very difficult to get on together with them. You have
anyhow to conciliate them, and should employ subterfuges.
EIGHTH, The Turani people have ever been soldiers. They are very expert in making
charges, raids, night-attacks and arrests. They feel no suspicion, despair or shame when
commanded to make a retreat in the very midst of a fight, which means, in other words,
'drawing the arrow back'; and they are a hundred stages remote from the crass stupidity of
the Hindustanis, who would part with their heads but not leave their positions [in battle] . In
every way, you should confer favours on this race, because on many occasions these men can
do the necessary service, when no other race can.
NINTH, You should treat the Sayyids of Barha, who are worthy of blessing, according to
the Quranic verse, 'Give unto the near relations [of the Prophet] their dues/ and never grow
slack in honouring and favouring them. Inasmuch as, according to the blessed verse, 'I say I do
not ask of you any recompense for it except love to [my] kinsmen', love for this family is the
wages of [Muhammad's] Prophetship, you should never be wanting [in respect for them], and
it will be fruitful of benefit in this world and the next. But you should be extremely cautious in
dealing with the Sayyids of Barha. Be not wanting in love of them at heart, but externally do not
increase their rank, because they become predominant partners in the government, nay more,
they would demand the kingdom for themselves. If you let them take the reins ever so little, the
result will be your own disgrace.
TENTH, As far as possible the ruler of a kingdom should not spare himself from moving
about; he should avoid staying in one place, which outwardly gives him repose but in effect
brings on a thousand calamities and troubles.
ELEVENTH, Never trust your sons, nor treat them during your lifetime in an intimate
manner, because, if the Emperor Shah Jahan had not treated Dara Shukoh in this manner, his
affairs would not have come to such a sorry pass. Ever keep in view the saying, 'The words of a
king are barren.'
TWELFTH, The main pillar of government is to be well informed in the news of the
kingdom. Negligence for a single moment becomes the cause of disgrace for long years. The
escape of the wretch Shiva took place through [my] carelessness, and I have to labour hard
[against the Marathas] to the end of my life, [as the result of it].
Twelve is blessed [among numbers]. I have concluded with twelve directions. (Verse)
It you learn [the lesson], a kiss on your wisdom,
If you neglect it, then alas! alas!"
Text. lr. MS. 8b 10a. MS. N. lb 3b is incomplete and ends with the 9th clause.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From Ahkam -e- Alamgiri of Hamid ud din Bahadur and from work of Jadunath Sarkar
