“O! my heart, if thou once become acquainted with the lustre of austerity, Like those who strike the smiling taper, thou canst give up thy head―― But thou longest after thy beloved and sparkling wine-bowl: Abstain from such desire, for thou canst accomplish better things.” _Farzánah Bahrám_ relates in the _Sharistan_, that from the very commencement of his religious career, Azar Kaiván, having resolved on learning thoroughly the science and systems of the eminent sages of antiquity, on this, the distinguished philosophers of Hindustan, Greece, and Persia, having appeared to him in a vision, communicated all kinds of knowledge. He went one day to a college, where he answered every question that was proposed, and gave the solution of every difficulty: he was therefore entitled _Zu-l-ulum_, or “the Master of Sciences.” Ali Sani Amir Saiyid Ali of Hamadan observes: “If thou advance even one step from this abode of vain desire, Thou mayest repose in the sanctuary of omnipotence; And if thou perform ablution with the water of religious austerity, Thou canst convert all the uncleanness of thy heart into purity; This path however is only traversed by the active pilgrim, How canst thou, the world’s idol, perform such a task?” It is reported that Saiyid Hasan of Shiraz, who was styled “the sage, the embellishment of pure faith and works,” one day said thus: “On a certain day, two followers of the Sufís came into the presence of Azar Kaiván, and pursuing the path of opposition to the Master of Sciences, treated him not as one possessed of perfection. Their teacher, a man equally eminent in theoretical and practical science, who by dominion over the external world had established the relation of spiritual intercourse with the holy prophet, fell one night into a state of ecstasy, and beheld in his trance the effulgent perfection of the prophet, who said to him: ‘My son! tell thy disciples that through the assistance of the Only Wise and the Omnipotent, who is independent of all, Ali Kaiván is a completely perfect man, who has attained to the different degrees of spiritual dominion, by the practice of the seven cordial ejaculations, and varied mysterious illuminations, visions, revelations, spiritual realities in his acts and attributes: moreover his evanescent existence, through grace predestined from eternity, has received the boon of divine nature; equally versed in special and general providence; unique in the true knowledge of things from inspection, not contented with the illumination of tradition; the most perfect master of the seekers after truth in matters of worship, seclusion, social intercourse, and whatever is meet and suitable to their state in all kinds of institutes and religious austerities. He is the true philosopher; the physician of the human race; the discipline of religion; the institute of the devout; the interpreter of events; the instructor of worship; the director of those who seek