The mood in Agra after the Battle of Samugarh 

• The entire city of Agra waited in anticipation of the news of Dara.
• At about 9 pm a small group of riders on panting horses, without torches, clattered over the streets and passed by the gate of the Fort to Dara's house in the city.
• It was Dara and all that was left of his retinue. He entered his house and shut the door. Loud lamentations broke out from within.
• Shah Jahan and Jahanara learnt of the disaster to their favourite son and brother, and burst into grief. The women of the harem lifted up their voices and wept.
• Shah Jahan sent his message to Dara by means of a eunuch, saying," What has brought you down to such a state is only the decree of Fate". Thereafter he sent a message to Dara requesting him to have an audience.
• Out of shame and humiliation Dara politely refused and instead fled the city with his family to Delhi in the cloak of darkness at 3 am.
• Mules laden with gold coins from the palace treasury were sent out to him to provide for his journey, and Imperial orders were dispatched to the Governor of Delhi to open the stores of the fort there to Dara as freely as to the Emperor in person.

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Shah Jahan’s Act of Diplomacy

• The day after Samugarh, Aurangzib wrote to Shah Jahan directly, excusing his late conduct as forced upon him by his enemies.
• On arriving at Nur Manzil outside the city of Agra, Shah Jahan sent his reply in his own hand inviting him for an interview.
• The two bearers of this letter, the aged chamberlain Fazil Khan and the chief justice Syed Hedaitullah, also delivered a loving oral message from the Emperor, and took their leave after getting Aurangzib's consent to the proposed interview.
• They returned the next day with gifts and a famous sword named Alamgir (Word Conqueror)
• To their astonishment Aurangzeb had changed overnight.
• Last evening his confidential advisors had counseled him that Shah Jahan still loved Dara best and was exerting himself actively to promote Dara's cause, so that the invitation of Aurangzib to Agra Fort was only a trap laid for his arrest.
• Fazil Khan tried in vain to change this opinion but to no effect.
• Shaista Khan must have deepened the Prince's distrust of his father, for he was always friendly to Aurangzib and Shah Jahan taxed him with setting that Prince against the emperor.
• Fazil Khan came again on the 5^th of July with a letter from Shah Jahan protesting against suspicions.
• Khalilullah Khan, who accompanied Fazil Khan, had been already won over by Aurangzib. He was now granted a private interview by the Prince, in which he confirmed his fears of his father's hostile designs and urged him to imprison the aged sovereign as the only means of making him harmless.
• Fazil Khan had to yet again return empty handed and hence the siege of the Agra Fort began.
• In a very inhumane and bitter fashion the siege of the fort was lifted after by stopping of fresh drinking water of the River Jamuna into the fort for three days.
• Shah Jahan in his old age and sickness to quench his thirst in the burning heat of June with the bitter well water of the fort, wrote the following touching letter to Aurangzeb

"My son, my hero ! [verses] Why should I complain of the unkindness of Fortune, Seeing that not a leaf is shed by a tree without  God's will ?

Only yesterday I was the master of nine hundred thousand troopers, and to-day I am in need of a pitcher of water ! [verses]

Praised be the Hindus in all cases. As they ever offer water to their dead. And thou, my son, art a marvellous Musalman, As thou causest me in life to lament for (lack of) water!

O, prosperous son ! be not proud of the good luck of this treacherous world. Scatter not the dust of negligence (of duty) and pride on thy wise head.

(Know) that this perishable world is a narrow pass (leading) to the dark region, and and that eternal prosperity comes only from remembering God and showing kindness to men."

• Finally Shah Jahan sent him yet another letter through Fazil Khan

The Emperor sadly mourned for his own fate, unprecedented in the history of emperors ascribed everything to God's decree, warned his son not to be too proud of his power nor to put too much faith in his good fortune, and urged him to obey his father as the Quran enjoins, if he valued his good name in this world and feared the Day of Judgment in the next. He finally entreated Aurangzib to do his filial duty and not to ruin the Mughal Imperial family, then famous throughout the world for its splendor and power, nor lower its prestige abroad (especially in the eyes of the King of Persia).

• Aurangzib replied by professing deep obedience and defending all that he had done due to the act of his enemies. He pointed his own loyalty to the throne (Shah Jahan)

"Owing to certain occurrences I am afraid to interview your Majesty If your Majesty surrenders the gates of the Fort to my men and gives them free ingress and egress, and thereby remove my suspicion, I shall go and wait on you, consent to whatever you wish, and do nothing displeasing or harmful to you."

• Therefore on the 8^th June Shah Jahan opened the gates of the fort and Aurangzeb’s men took control.
• Aurangzeb sent his own son Prince Muhammad Sultan to attend to the Emperor.
• However now Shah Jahan was confined to the harem section behind the Diwan-e-Khas and his meetings and letters were restricted.
• Jahan Ara now came out in the hope of convincing him to agree to a peaceful settlement of the issue with all the territories evenly divided between them and Aurangzeb be given the title of Shah Buland Iqbal.
• Aurangzeb rejected the idea of having Dara any share due to his heretic ideology but agreed to meet Shah Jahan overturning the advice of his trusted advisors.
• In a splendid procession he set out to meet his father until he was intercepted by a eunuch Nahir Dil Chela who had betrayed into his hands the secret letter of Shah Jahan to Dara Shikoh.

"Dara Shukoh ! stay firmly at Delhi. There is no lack of money and troops there. Take care not to pass beyond that place, as I myself shall despatch the affair here."

• The plot thus emerged that the famous warrior Tatari women who guarded the harem would pounce on Aurangzeb the moment he entered.
• The warning of Aurangzib's advisers was thus verified. Finding that his father’s whole heart was still devoted to Dara, Aurangzib was greatly displeased, he gave up his intention of an interview, passed by the gate of the Fort, and occupied Dara's mansion in the city. Shah Jahan's captivity was now made stricter, and communication between him and the outside world cut off.
• In a series of intrigues we find Shah Jahan trying his best to use every bit of trick under the hat to get rid of Aurangzeb.
• After the flight of Dara to Lahore from Delhi yet again Shah Jahan attempted his rescue.
• The golden curse of Kingship knows no kinship can be extended to even father and son.

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