Page:History of India Vol 5.djvu/322

 270 THE BEGINNING OF HUMAYUN'S REIGN estimable body of the people produced the fruit of pros- perity, since they obtained audience in the court, which was like to Paradise. The reason why these two days were appointed for this class was that Saturday is ascribed to Saturn, who is the protector of good and religious men and persons of old families; while Thurs- day is appropriated to Jupiter, who is the preserver of Sayyids, scholars, and strict followers of the Mo- hammedan law. Sundays and Tuesdays were fixed for the state officers, and on these days all the government business and duties connected with the management of the coun- try were discharged. On these days also the king, the destroyer of enemies, sat in the public court, and all the nobles and plebeians were able to obtain the honour of seeing him. The advantage in appointing these two days for opening the court and attending to the state affairs was that Sunday belongs to the Sun, on whom, by the will of God, depends the fate of all rulers and kings; and Tuesday is the day of Mars, who is the patron of warriors and heroes. Hence it is evident that it was most seemly for Humayun to adorn the throne of sovereignty in the public court by his royal sessions and to devote himself to the discharge of gov- ernment duties on those two days. Among other customs which were introduced by this just and generous king, one was that when he adorned the throne of royalty, drums were beaten to inform the people, who straightway flocked to see him; and when he left the court, the gunners fired guns to let