CHAPTER VI. known as the Am-khás, or audience-chamber of high and low; it was supported by thirty-two columns of white marble; the ceiling and columns were decorated with gold and colours. The throne was within a recess or opening at the back of the hall. Over the throne was a splendid peacock of gold and jewels. Behind the Am-khás was the Ghusal-khana. Beyond the Am-khás was the Mahal or harem; a Mussulman paradise of pavilions, gardens, ladies, and Tartar guards; the nursery of every vice and crime that tainted Moghul rule. Stone elephants. The palace of Shah Jehan had strange belongings. The grand entrance facing the great square was guarded by two stone Rajpoots mounted on two stone elephants. Such guardianship has a grave significance. It reveals the fact that the Moghul court had become Hinduized; that Islam had died out or was ignored. Images large and small are offensive to all good Mussulmans. They are strictly forbidden by the Koran. Probably the statues were set up at Delhi to gratify the Rajpoots. They represented the two Rajpoot heroes,-Patta and Jeimal,-who sacrificed their lives to save Chitór from Akber. Possibly they served another purpose. From a remote antiquity colossal figures of elephants and gods were placed at the gateways of palaces and pagodas; they were the guardian deities of the buildings. The usage is common to Buddhism and Bráhmanism; it is commoner in Burma than in India. The elephants and their riders at Delhi may have had a symbolic meaning; the Padishah had placed his palace under the guardianship of Rajpoots. The peacock of gold and jewels that hung over an emblem of the throne was another violation of the Koran. It CHAPTER VI was the Hindú symbol of sovereignty; the emblem Peacock throne: of the children of the Sun. It was common alike to the sun. Brálmanism and Buddhism, to Rajpoot and Moghul. The peacock was the ensign of the old Rajas of Vijayanagar. To this day it is the ensign of the kings of Burma.46 Akber had taken a golden sun as his emblem; Shah Jehan had taken the peacock. No reason is given for the change. It is sufficient that both Akber and Shah Jehan claim to be children of the sun through Timúr and Chenghiz Khan.47 races: Persians It has already been seen that from a remote Solar and lunar antiquity India has been divided between a solar and Turks. and a lunar race, between the children of the sun and the children of the moon. The Persians, the Moghuls, and the Rajpoots claim to be descended from the sun. The other race has been a mystery. It is solved by the crescent of the Turks. The Ottomans carry the crescent on their standards; they thus proclaim themselves to be the children of the moon. The antagonism has survived the triumph of Islam; it finds expression in the antagonism between Shíah and Sunní.48 The Hindú nature of Shah Jehan expressed Hindú nature itself in other ways besides the peacock throne. It 46 The peacock of gold and jewels, and the arrangement of the peacock over the throne, was copied from the Hindú court at Vijayanagar. Lettres Edifiantés et Curieuse, vol. xiii. Letter from Father Bouchet. 47 See ante, vol. iii. page 328, 330, note. Also pages 171, 184 of the present volume. 48 The further investigations of this question must be left to students in comparative philology. It may possibly throw light on the ancient antagonisms of races. The Hindú epic of the Rámáyana refers to the children of the sun; that of the Mahá Bharata refers to the children of the moon. Possibly the antagonism corresponds to that between Iran and Turan, Gog and Magog, Persian and Scythian. of Shah Jehan. CHAPTER VI. was the custom of Hindú Rajas to lay the found War between his four sons. Family of Shah ation of public buildings in human blood. Such cruelties were unknown to Mussulman rule; they were revived by Shah Jehan. He caused several criminals to be slaughtered at Delhi; their blood was shed on the foundations of the city.49 The latter years of the reign of Shah Jehan were dark and terrible. Whilst he was yet alive Hindustan was convulsed by a war between his four sons for the possession of the empire. The history of that war reveals the worst phases in oriental life; it brings out the innate treachery, falsehood, and selfishness of the men who called themselves Moghuls; it throws fresh light upon the antagonisms which were at work in the political system.50 Shah Jehan had four sons and two daughters. His four sons were named Dara, Shujà, Aurungzeb, and Murád. Each son was a type of character; a representative of a class. For years Shah Jehan was conscious that his sons were plotting to seize the throne. He kept Dara at court; he sent his three other sons to the extremities of the empire. Shujá was viceroy of Bengal. Aurungzeb was viceroy of the Dekhan. Murád was viceroy of Guzerat. All three ruled their provinces like independent kings; it will be necessary to unfold the character of each before telling the story of the fratricidal war. Dara was the eldest son of Shah Jehan. He was a 49 This foul custom still lingers in the memory of Hindús. If a bridge or other public work is to be built, Hindú mothers are filled with horror. They shut up their children, lest they should be seized and murdered. This terror prevailed in southern India as late as 1860; since then it may have died out. 50 To prevent the necessity for frequent references, it will suffice to state that the remaining history of the reign of Shah Jehan is based upon the history of Father Catrou with occasional references to Bernier and Tavernier. infidel. man of intellect and capacity. He had studied CHAPTER VI. philosophy and religion; he was acquainted with Dara the European languages and sciences. He was much attached to Europeans; he took Europeans into his pay as engineers and artillerymen. He was puffed up by his knowledge; he spoke out his mind too freely; he was disdainful and insulting. He despised Islam and leaned towards Christianity. He held the ministers in contempt. He was blinded by conceit; he thought he was beloved and admired; he accepted flattery as truth; he little knew that his flatterers hated him. Shiah. Shuja was the second son of Shah Jehan. He Shuja the had courage and capacity; he was artful and suspicious. He kept spies at court; he was in secret understanding with the leading Rajas. He corresponded with the Shah of Persia; he became a Shíah to attract Persians to his service. He held the Sunní religion in contempt. strict Sunní. Aurungzeb was the third son of Shah Jehan. Aurungzeb the He was the genius of the family. He was watchful, far-seeing, and crafty. He concealed his ambitious designs behind the mask of religion. He was a strict Sunní. He made religion serve his interests; he was no common hypocrite; he lived up to his professions. He was spare in his diet; he subsisted on rice and roots; he never touched wine. He dressed only in white; he wore but few jewels. He had a spare habit of body; it gave him an air of penitence; he knew how to accompany it with pious discourses. He was always pale and livid; his eyes were sunk in his head. He was thoughtful and taciturn; he seldom spoke excepting out of zeal for Muhammad and the law. He often carried the Koran under his CHAPTER VI. arm. Murád the lax Two daughters. Dara, the crown prince, at the capital. Proud and insolent. He often prayed in public. Every day he recited a string of the praises of God. He affected to yearn after a religious life; he hoped to spend his last days in penitence and prayer near the tomb of the prophet at Medina. He was bent upon obtain ing the throne; he knew the risk; if he failed he might save his life by becoming a Fakír. Murád was the fourth and youngest son of Shah Jehan. He despised artifice; he was easily beguiled. He prided himself on his strength and courage. He was fond of arms; he was also fond of hunting lions and boars. He professed to be a Sunní like Aurungzeb. Shah Jehan had two daughters. Begum Sahib, the elder, promoted the interests of Dara. She had been promised a husband if Dara got the throne. She worked hard for Dara. Royshan Rai Begum, the younger, worked hard for Aurungzeb. Probably she had obtained a similar promise from Aurungzeb. Dara was heir-apparent to the throne; in the absence of his brothers he was the soul of the royal council. Shah Jehan cared little for the administration; he was content to be sovereign in the harem and treasury. He left Dara to rule the empire with absolute power; he kept the control of the revenues in his own hands. As Dara He grew in power, he became more haughty gave his confidence to no one but Europeans. He was arrogant towards the Rajpoot princes. He was violent towards Mahabat Khan; the old Rajpoot prepared for war; Shah Jehan got frightened; Dara was quieted down. In like manner Dara insulted Raja Jai Singh of Jai |