16 HISTORY OF AURANGZIB. [CHAP. II. refuse to this Rajah.* Bir Singh grew in wealth and power, and towards the close of his patron's reign, when the Imperial administration grew slack, he freely levied contributions from the neighbouring princes, for none durst com- plain against the favourite. As a still higher mark of his master's favour he was permitted to build grand temples at Mathura, Urchha, and other places;-a fact which the Muhammadan historian can explain only by supposing that the Islamic Emperor was then sinking into dotage ! With all his lavish expenditure on temples and ghats, gifts to Brahmans, and cons- truction of palaces, forts and lakes, Bir Singh died in 1627, the master of fabulous weath, fully two krores of rupees, which in Bundela fashion was buried in wells and other safe places in the pathless jungles, and their secret confided only to a few.t Jhujhar Singh punished. His eldest son Jhujhar Singh had given offence to Shah Jahan by leaving the capital for his home without permission, soon after the
- Blochmann's Ain-i-Akbari, i. 488 and xxv-xxvi M.U.
ii. 197-199. + M.U. ii. 199. Abdul Hamid's Padishahnamah, I. A. 293. ‡ Abd. Ham., I. B. 117. Digitized by Microsoft Ⓡ
