The Dabistán, or School of manners, Volume 2 (of 3): translated from the original Persian, with notes and illustrations
Religion
The Dabistán, or School of manners, Volume 2 (of 3): translated from the original Persian, with notes and illustrations
Iran -- Religion; Religions
It is said that when Kabir left his elemental body, the Muselmans
assembled in order to give him a burial, because they supposed him to
have been of the right faith; and the Hindus too crowded in order to
burn his body, because they thought him to have professed their
religion. At last a Fakír stept in the midst of them, and said: “Kabir
was a holy man, independent of both religions; but having during his
life satisfied you, he will also, after death, meet with your
approbation.” Having then opened the door, they did not find Kabir’s
body, and both parties remained astonished and bewildered.
“O friend, live so that, after thy death,
Thy friends may bite their finger (from joyous astonishment).”
In Jagernath, at the place where they burn the dead, is the form and
simulacre of a tomb which they call Kabir’s.[315]
“Live so with good and bad that, after thy death,
The Muselman may wish to bury, and the Hindu to burn thee (according
to their rites).”
Another of the celebrated Virágis was _Dáyú_. One day, when Brahmans
and Bánians (that is, traders) were assembled in a temple of Vichnu,
they drove Dáyú out of it, as not worthy of being among their
congregation. Dáyú, having gone out, sat down at the back of the
temple, which soon after turned about towards the side where Dáyú was.
_Perah Káivan_, a Yezdánian, is one of the accomplished saints, and
shows himself in the dress of every sect. When in that of a Vairági,
he was in Guzerat for the sake of a pleasure-walk, he saw some of the
Váirágis who came from a place of pilgrimage, and had a mark impressed
upon their hand and arm: because, whoever makes a pilgrimage to the
holy place of Krichna, gets the form of the God’s weapon (the diskus)
imprinted upon his body by means of a hot iron. Kaivan Perah said to
the Vairágis: “Why this wound?” they answered: “This is the mark of
Vichnu; whoever has it is by the God recognised as being his.” Kaivan
Perah observed: “When the soul is separated from the body, they burn
the corpse; no mark of it remains; whilst the soul is not perishable,
and has no mark: how will then Vichnu recognise it?”――When he came to
Ahmed-abad, which is the capital of Guzerat, he saw a crier who, from
the top of a mosque, chanted his prayer; when he had come down, Káivan
Perah asked him: “Hast thou received an answer?” the crier said: “From
whom?” Kaivan replied: “From him to whom thou hast been calling.”
Lubhaní says:
“They call loud to God seeking him,
This people think him, perhaps, to be far off.”
When he came to the harbour of Surat, which is one of the principal
ports of Hindostán, he met with a Háji (a pilgrim from Mecca) who had
come by sea to the harbour; Kaiván Perah asked him: “Whence dost thou
come?” He answered: “From the house of God.” Kaiván said further:
“Hast thou seen God?” The reply was “No.” “He was perhaps not at
home,” rejoined Kaiván, and the Háji remained astonished.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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