Page:History of India Vol 5.djvu/327

 DESIGN FOR A NEW CITY 275 his tongue the secrets of the pearls of these words, that it had long since been his intention to found near the capital of Delhi a great city, whose lofty ramparts should open the tongue of reproach and scorn at Kha- warnak and Sawir, the palaces of Bahram Gor, and the keeper of whose bastions might claim equality with Saturn. In this same city, furthermore, a magnificent palace of seven stories should be erected, surrounded by delightful gardens and orchards; and its elegance and beauty should be such that its fame would draw mankind from the remotest corners of the world for its inspection. This city should be the abode of wise and intelligent persons and should be called Dinpanah, Those who were present in that assembly, which resembled paradise, opened their mouths in approba- tion and applause of such a scheme. At the same time, the most witty and clever Shihab-ad-din Ahmad Mu*- ammai discovered that the numerical value of the words Slialir-i padshdh Dinpanah (" the royal city Dinpa- nah ") was 940, and he said that if the city were built in that year it would be a very remarkable fact. These words were immediately brought to the notice of the king, who was greatly struck with them, as were all the officers of the high court. Everybody present began thereupon to sing the following stanza before his Maj- esty, who understood the excellencies of poetry so well: " The picture which thy imagination draweth on thy mind Hath no opposition from the hand of destiny ; What thy understanding doth write upon a leaf Agreeth with the book of God's own Will."