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
When Sakha-daiv (Saha déva),[454] the son of Baiás (Vyasa), a
rakhaisher (rakshasa), came to Janak, in order to learn from him the
path of God, he found the rája, who had thrown one of his feet into
the fire; men on foot and on horseback formed a file; Nawabs and
Vizirs were busy about the affairs of the state; elephants and horses
presented themselves to the view. Saha dév thought in his mind that
such occupations and worldly concerns were unbecoming so pious a man.
The rája, who was skilled in penetrating the hearts of others, found
it out, and employing the power of magic, he caused fire to fall upon
the houses, so that at last all the horses and fine palaces were
burnt. The rája seemed neither to hear, nor to see, nor to care any
thing about what happened, until the fire reached the house where he
and Saha dév were. Janak did not throw one look upon it. The fire fell
upon the wooden cup, which they call there _kermandel_,[455] and which
Saha dév used for drinking water. He now, senseless, jumped from his
place, and took hold of his kermandel. The rája smiled, and said to
him: “All my people, and all this, my property, were burnt; my heart
was not bound to them; wherefore I let them be consumed, and feel no
pain about them; but thou, on account of thy kermandel, jumpedst
senseless from thy place. It is now clear whose heart is bound to the
things of this world.” Saha dèv was ashamed of his having been
disturbed. This tale was heard from the followers of Nânac.
The history of Janak and of Saha dév is contained in the _Jog
bashest_,[456] which is one of the principal books of the Hindus, in
the following manner: Bisvámiter (Viśvamitra)[457] in presence of the
Rakshasas addressed this speech to Ráma chander: “O Rama chander,
venerate thy father and mother; thou who issuedst from them so
beautiful, thou hast accomplished thy task; by the goodness of thy
nature and by the purity of thy character, thou hast polished the
mirror of thy heart, and given it such a brightness, that the
perfection o God is manifest in it; the success which a zealous
disciple obtains, after many difficulties and pious exercises under
the direction and instruction of a Rakshasa, during a long period of
time, that success became thy share without trouble; thine became the
science to be acquired; and thine is, even in this life, the
emancipation in the form of Saha dèv, the son of Vyása. He, thy
father, on account of the excellence of his pure form and of his
divine nature, having come forth wise from the womb of his mother,
without any assistance manifested his perfection, and on account of
the clearness of his intellect, whatever on the way of his journey,
was accessible to wisdom and excellence, was open to his looks, and no
veil nor curtain remained before him; nevertheless, even with such
advantages, he was inquisitive with Rakshasas and wise men in matters
of theology, so that these personages, or pious penitents, gave him
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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