1 MAHMUD OF GHAZNI. 83
2 priests within were little accustomed to war and bloodshed. They there-
3 fore made overtures to capitulate, and opening the gates of the temple fell
4 upon their faces before the conqueror and begged for mercy, which was
5 " granted. Immense booty in gold and silver ingots, jewels, pearls, corals,
6 diamonds and rubies, which had been collected in this temple from the
7 neighbouring kingdoms since the days of Bhim, fell into the hands of the victor,
8 who returned, with this vast treasure, to Ghazni. Ino the year 1009 a.D.,
9 the Sultan held a great meeting on the plain outside his capital, at which
10 he displayed to his omeras (nobles) and the astonished people, the enormous
11 wealth, in golden thrones, precious stones, and rich ornaments, which he had
12 brought away from the Panjab, bestowing kingly presents on all the officials
13 of state according to their rank and deserts.
14 In the year 1011 4.D., Mahmdd resolved on the conquest of Thanesar,
15 which was represented as being held by the Hindus in as great veneration as
16 Mecca is by the Mahomedans, In vain did Anangpal offer the king the
17 . revenues of Thanesar, with a promise to remit the same annually to the
18 royal treasury, to reimburse him for all the expenses of bis expedition, and
19 to present him, beside, with fifty elephants and jewels of considerable value,
20 for Mahmdd was determined to root out idolatry from all India. Disdain-
21 ing the offers made to him, he captured the town, plundered the inhabitants,
22 destroyed its great temples and broke its idols to pieces. The principal of
23 these idols, called Jagsoom, and believed to have existed since the creation,
24 was broken up into innumerable fragments and sent to Ghazni, Mecca and
25 Baghdad, to be trodden under foot in the street. Two hundred thousand
26 prisoners are said to have been carried off on this occasion by Mahmid, to
27 Ghazni, so that their camp appeared like an Indian town, and the booty
28 taken away was again enormous.
29 In the year 1013, Mahmtid marched with an army against Nanduna,
30 situated inthe mountains of Buluat, and, having invested the place, com-
31 pelled the garrison to capitulate. Jaipdl II, who had succeeded his father,
32 Anangpal, seeing that he was no match for the Sultan, withdrew with
33 his armies to Kdshmir. Mahmud, leaving a governor appointed by himself in
34 the hill territory, moved without delay to Kdshmir, on which the raja of
35 Lahore abandoned the province and fled to the hills. Mahmid plundered
36 “Kashmir of all its great wealth, and, having compelled the iuhabitants to
37 embrace the religion of the Prophet, returned to his capital with rich spoils.
38 Two years after, the Sultan revisited Kashmir for the purpose of punish-
39 ing certain rebel chiefs and reducing some forts which could not be attacked
40 in the previous expedition. The principal of these was Lokot, famous for its
41 height and strength. All the efforts of the Sultan to reduce the place during
42 the summer failed, and he was compelled to abandon the enterprise on the
43 approach of winter, and return to Ghazni.
44 . In the spring of 1017 a.p., Mahmdd marched to Kanauj with an army
45 of 100,000 of horse and 20,000 foot, his route lying through the mountains
46 north of Kashmir. The Rajé of Kanauj, Kamar Rai, affected great state
47 and splendour, but, being unprepared for defence, he sued for peace. He then
48 marched to Mirath, the prince of which place, Hardit, also submitted, and
49 then to Mahawan, on the banks of the Jumna, which he reduced. The Raja,
50 Kiel Chand, having in despair first slain his own wife and children, turned
51 the point of his sword against himself and caused his own destruction.
52 He then set out for the rich city of Mathura, consecrated to Krishen Basdeo
53 and, meeting little opposition, gave it up to plunder. All the idols were
54 broken or burned, most of the temples were destroyed, and an enormous
55 amount of silver and gold was carried away. Mahmidd stayed at Kanauj for
56 Immense booty
57 obtained,
58 Sixth Invasion,
59 1011 a. D,
60 The temple of
61 Thanesar plundered.
62 Seventh Invasion,
63 1013 a.D,
64 The sack of
65 Kashmir,
66 HRighth Invasion,
67 1015 a.D,
68 Unsuccessful
69 attempt on Lokot,
70 Ninth Invasion,
71 1017 a.D.
72 Conquest of Kanauj,
73 Mirath and Mathura.
74 Destruction of
75 temples and idols.
76 Sri Satguru J agjit Singh Ji eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@ gmail.com