Friends and Enemies

Sometime before sunset,one of the King (Raja)'s soldiers informed Jairam that the King had called for him.

Jairam reached the palace carrying the gift box of the King (Raja) of Thiawar.

The guards took him to a room in the palace.

King (Raja) Dahir was sitting on a golden chair on a marble plinth.

Apart from Pratap Rai, Commander of Dabil

Oudhe Singh and his young son Bheem Singh who came with the King (Raja )of(capital of Sindh district Nawabshah,near Birani, there are ruins of an ancient city called Dilur. Some researchers believe that Dilur is a corrupted version of Arur, but others Historians believe that the city of Arur was settled around the present Rohrahi. And the river Indus did not leave this Kanshan) came with the King (Raja)

were standing in front of him.

Jairam bowed three times and saluted the King (Raja ) politely and stood up with folded hands.Two soldiers brought the ebony box in front of the King (Raja ).

Jairam opened the chest on the order of the King (Raja ).

King (Raja) glanced at the jewels.

Pratap Rai looked at King (Raja) and asked Jai Ram.

We heard that you want to support the Arabs. You have also said about us that we cannot compete with the Arabs and you have hidden an Arab girl and your sister somewhere to slander our loyal Pratap Rai?

Jairam replied.

King (Raja)!

I did not believe that Pratap Rai had plundered his ships on your orders, he had no intention of staying at Dabil.

They rescued me from pirates on the way.

I brought him to Dabil as my guest, and it is the custom of a Rajput to take care of his guests,

Regarding the Arab girl and my sister,

I can say nothing more than that I was locked in a closet while the ships were being returned.

"You told Pratap Rai that you had created this excuse to free the Arabs from his imprisonment?"

King!

I don't deny it but.....!

King (Raja) said sternly,

We do not want to hear anything,if the Arabs complain that one of their girls is missing from the ship,then you will have to hand over this girl to us."

Your Majesty!

If the Arabs reveal to me that I have kidnapped the girl,then I am ready to suffer any punishment.

We understand your trick very well.

If the Arabs do not hold you guilty,it will mean that you have hidden the girl somewhere by their will.

You know we have such methods.

Who can force them to tell the truth?

King!

If you find me guilty,give me the punishment, but the Arabs have already been abused.

"So you think of friendship with our enemies?"

He is not your enemy.

He considered Sindh as a peaceful neighbor of Arabia.

Otherwise,they would not have passed near Dabil.

Had it not been for his good intentions,

this box of jewels,which I am presenting to you on behalf of King (Raja) Kathiawar,

would not have reached you.

King (Raja) said.

Gems from Kathiawar appear to be stones compared to gems from Sarandeep.

"Majesty!

I'm not a nuclear,

I'm a soldier,

I don't know stones but,

I know your friend and your enemy.

I have brought to your service with these stones a message of friendship from the King (Raja) of Thiawar."

Even if the value of these stones is not even a rupee, the hand that is presenting these worthless gifts to you is very valuable.

What is it.

It will cost you dearly.

King (Raja)!

You should think very carefully before taking up enmity with Muslims.

Their hand is stronger than any hand and their iron cuts every iron.They rise like sitting winds and descend like rain clouds.Their Neither the sea nor the mountains can shelter those who come to the competition.Their horses float in the water and fly in the air.

You have seen the waves of the river Indus in the rainy season,but the flood of their conquests is much faster and faster than that.

King (Raja) Dahir's stamina had given an answer.

He shouted,

"Cowardly jackal!"

There is no Rajput blood in your veins. Cowards like you in my country has no right to live.

King (Raja)!

I am at present the envoy of the King (Raja) of Kathiawar.

I myself do not want to live in a country where a friend is considered an enemy and an enemy a friend.

Even if the king of Kathiawar had been present here,

I would have beheaded him after hearing these words.

Pratap Rai take it!

We will decide his sentence tomorrow will do.

In the morning bring the leader of the Arabs before us,Pratap Rai called out to the soldiers and eight men appeared with drawn swords.

Jairam walked in front of Pratap Rai guarded by swords.

During Oudhe Singh Jairam's speech,I felt that a youth was expressing his own thoughts.

He said,

"King (Raja), if I have permission, ask me something."

The King (Raja) replied,

"There is no need for you to say.

We will punish him in such a way that the people of Brahmanabad will not forget it for long."

Oudhe Singh said,

But your Majesty!

I want to submit that whatever he has said, he has said it with good intentions.

We should not take enmity with the Arabs for a few elephants and jewels.

We have confidence in our strength but the West is a very serious enemy.

King(Raja) said,Oudhe Singh!

Hearing the screams of a wolf, you also became a wolf.

These Arabs who drink the milk of camels and eat dried barley bread will dare to compete with us?

Your Majesty!

They fight with lions by drinking the milk of camels, and by eating its bread, they collide with mountains.

King (Raja) said,

"What do you think that they will come to compete with our elephants by climbing on bricks?"

Do not mind the King (Raja),his camels have defeated the elephants of Iran.

King (Raja) got angry and said,

Oudhe Singh!

I did not expect you to be impressed by what you heard about the Arabs.

We can field more soldiers than the entire population of Arabia.

All the Kings (Raja) of Rajputana are ready to cut their necks at our signal.

It is not right to take on a powerful enemy by relying on the help of others.

Oudhe Singh, what are you saying again and again?

In front of Sindh,the desert of Arabia does not have the position of a powerful enemy.

After all, what is the quality of Arabs?

Not among our soldiers,Sir!

There is no cure for such an enemy who does not fear death.

If you are not sure, bring one of the prisoners and test him.

Swords are their toys.

The King (Raja) looked at Oudhe Singh and said,

Why Bheem Singh!

Do you think that our soldiers are weaker than the Arabs?"

Bheem Singh replied.

Your Majesty!

Father thinks it is good to live in peace with the Arabs,

otherwise we too have been brought up under the shadow of swords.

If Arabs are not afraid of death,we should not shy away from killing.

King (Raja) said.

Very good !

See, Oudhe Singh, your son is braver than you. Oudhe Singh replied.

I should be glad to hear it from His Majesty's mouth, but a sense of commander's duty compels me not to underplay the dangers which His Majesty faces.

Bheem Singh is still a child.

He did not see the Arabs fighting, but I have seen in the battle of Makran that an ordinary Arab soldier can fight against our greatest wrestlers.

Makran was attacked by the Arabs with a total of six hundred cavalry and the King (Raja) four thousand soldiers were swept away like straw.

You have known Jairam for a long time. Among our youth, there is no better sword than him.If he is so infatuated with the Arabs, it is not because he is a coward or the king's salt is forbidden.

The only reason for this is that he has correctly assessed the threat of corruption from the Arabs.

King (Raja) said bitterly.

"You are my general and not a minister and I do not want to deal with your stupidity in these matters if your courage can be retired in old age and you have no right to recommend a rebellious, insolent and coward like Jairam."

What he has said before us is enough to give him the greatest punishment?

Oudhe Singh was shocked to see behavior.

He said,

Your Majesty!

I am sorry.You have misunderstood me.

I dare to speak so much because you have not yet declared war against Arabia.

I am sorry for Jairam's insolence but I assure you that in due time he too will prove a loyal Rajput.

If you have decided to go to war with the Arabs, then we should start preparing today.

I want us to defeat the Arabs in such a way that they will not be able to rise again.

For this purpose we have to organize forces and get the support of all the small and big kings of North and South India.

They all believe in you as iron.

We must not ignore the King (Raja) of Kathiawar either.

He has not sent you gifts, the tribute is due.

If you forgive Jairam's crime,

you can also get the support of the King (Raja) of Kathiawar in the war through his mediation.

The King (Raja), somewhat satisfied, replied, "Now you are speaking like a Rajput, but Jairam has joined the Arabs."

King (Raja)!

He'll even be ready to hit a mountain at your cue.

Very good!

We will give it a chance on your recommendation.

Tomorrow we will see Jairam's good intentions as well as the skill of an Arab in wielding a sword.The King (Raja) then dismissed the assembly and got up and went to another room in the palace.