Here is an example of how the same information was presented differently in the two editions and why edition one which has been translated by me in English for the first time is so important.
Asar-us Sanadid Edition 1 1847
Maqbara Khan e Khana
This tomb is near the Barapullah Bridge and the dargah of Hazrat Nizamuddin Auliya. It is the tomb of Abdur Rahim Khan-e-Khana, son of Bairam Khan.
Abdur Rahim Khan-e-Khana built this mausoleum for his wife but unfortunately she could not be buried here.
In the twenty-first regnal year of Jahangir, when Abdur Rahim Khan-e-Khana left this world at 72 years of age, on his last journey, his mortal remains were buried here.
The tomb was very beautifully constructed and decorated with floral designs, but its marble and stones was mercilessly pulled out.
During the time of Asaf-ud- Daulah, the stone of this tomb was removed, taken to Lucknow and sold, thus destroying its beauty. This tomb is now a bare skeleton of lime mortar and brick. Khan-e-Khana was an important noble from the reign of Akbar and Jahangir.
Even the headstone of the grave itself was not spared. Today it exists in ruins, with cows and buffaloes stationed in its premises. Cow dung is spread all over the place and the stink from it makes it very difficult to venture inside.
Just compare this to the grandeur and magnificence of Khan-e-Khana himself! Verily it is foolish to place importance on worldly things.
He was a Turkman by descent and his grandfather Saifuddin Ali Kosha Ismail had been in the service of Babar and fought the battle of Mawarun Nahr.
His father Bairam Khan Khan-e-Khana held a very high rank in the reign of Humayun. And was involved in all the important decisions in the court.
In Akbar’s reign, Abdur Rahim Khan-e-Khana was a very important noble, but in Jahangir’s reign his fate was very fickle. At times he was respected and at others, humiliated. Eventually he died and now neither respect nor humiliation remains. He was buried under maunds of mud.
He had built this mausoleum to be a testimony to his high station in life but all that remains is this shell.
SubhanAllah! One whose Diwan Khana was scented by the showering of thousands of maunds of rose petals, his mausoleum now stinks from the urine and dung of thousands of cattle.
Fa’tabirû yâ oulî al absâr
Take warning, then, O ye, with intelligence
Quran 59:2
Edition 2 1856
Maqbara Khan-e-Khana
This tomb is near the Barapullah Bridge and the tomb of Humayun. It is the tomb of Abdur Rahim Khan-e-Khana, son of Bairam Khan. He died at the age of 72 in 1626 AD, and was buried here[i].
The chronogram ‘Khan Sipahsalar go’ gives the date of his death. The tomb used to be very beautiful and elegant with a marble dome, and rest of it in red stone, with stripes of marble interspersed in between. There was beautiful marble pichi kaari (mosaic) work on it.
During the time of Asaf-ud- Daulah, the stone of this tomb was removed, taken to Lucknow and sold, thus destroying its beauty. This tomb is now a bare skeleton of lime mortar and brick. Khan-e-Khana was an important noble from the reign of Akbar and Jahangir.
[i] Masarul Umara
