हम्मीर महाकाव्यम् (रणथम्भौर चौहान वीरगाथा एवं इतिहास)

38

Hammîra's. people allowed the invading army to cross the
dangerous pass unmolested. The Khân now posted his brother
on one side of the road known as the Maṇḍi Road, and he him-
self occupied the fort of Śrî Maṇḍapa. The forces of the
allied princes were stationed all round the tank of Jaitra
Sâgara.
Neither party was sincere. The Muhammadans thought they
had artfully secured an advantageous position from whence to
commence their operations; whilst the Râjputs were of opinion
that the enemy had so far advanced into the interior that he
could not now possibly escape them.
The Khân's ambassador at Raṇathambhôr, admitted into
the fort by the king's order, from what he saw there, was
inspired with a dread of Hammîra's power. However, he attend-
ed the darbâr held to receive him, and, after the exchange of the
usual courtesies, boldly delivered himself of the message with
which he was charged. He said that he was deputed to the king's
court as the envoy of Ulugh Khân and Nusrat Khân,
the two brothers of the celebrated 'Alâu'd-dîn; that he had
come there to impress on the king's mind, if possible, the futility
of any resistance that he could offer to so mighty a conqueror
as 'Alâu'd-dîn, and to advise him to conclude a peace with his
chief. He offered to Hammîra, as the conditions of peace,
the choice between paying down to his chief a contribution of
one hundred thousand gold mohors, presenting him with four
elephants and three hundred horses, and giving his daughter in
marriage to 'Alâu'd-dîn; or the giving up to him the four in-
subordinate Moṅgol chiefs, who, having excited the displeasure
of his master, were now living under the protection of the king.
The envoy added that if the king desired the enjoyment of his
power and kingdom in peace, he had the opportunity at hand of
securing his object by the adoption of either of these conditions,
which would equally secure to him the good graces and assistance