Mevlânâ — Mesnevî'den Seçkiler (Nicholson, Tales of Mystic Meaning)

He became broken-hearted and lay down to sleep: in a dream he saw Khadir* amidst the verdure, Who said, “Hark, you have held back from praising God: why do you repent of having called unto Him?” He replied, “No ‘Here am I’ is coming to me in response, hence I fear that 1 am turned away from the Door.” Said Khadir, ‘Nay; God saith, “That ‘Allah’ of thine is My ‘Here am I,’ and that suppli- ’ Book ITI, v. 189. * For Khadir or Khizr, see p. 100, note 2. TALES OF MYSTIC MEANING cation and grief and ardour of thine is My messenger to thee. Thy fear and love are the noose to catch My favour: beneath every ‘O Lord’ of thine is many a “Here am I’ from Me.’” XXXIX THE HOUSE BUILT ON HYPOTHESES’ A HOMELESS man was hastily seeking a house. One of his friends took him to a house in ruins And remarked, “‘If it had a roof, it would do for you to live in, and you would be almost next door to me. Your family too would be comfortable, if there were another room in it.” “Yes,” he replied, “it is nice to live beside friends but, my dear soul, one cannot lodge in IF,” 1 Book II, vo. 739. 127 SULTAN MUHAMMAD KHWARAZMSHAH AND THE PEOPLE OF SABZAWAR’ MuHammabD Alp Ulugh Khwarazmshah marched against Sabzawar, which was a city of refuge for all rascals.” When his troops had reduced it and were about to massacre the foe, They threw themselves at his feet, crying, “Mercy! Make us thralls, only spare our lives. Whatsoever tax and tribute thou mayst demand, we will pay that and more to thee at every season. O lion-hearted King, our lives are thine, but leave them in trust with us for a little while.” He replied, “Ye shall not save your lives from me unless ye bring an Abi Bakr into my presence." 1 Book V, v. 845. Sultan Muhammad Khwarazmshah (1199-1220 A.D.) ruled over a great empire in Central Asia. He fled before the Mongols and died in exile. Sabzawar was situated in the Bayhaq district to the west of Nishapir. * Most of its population were fanatical Shiites. * Any person bearing the name of the first orthodox Caliph would be anathema in such a hotbed of heresy. SULTAN MUHAMMAD KHWARAZMSHAH Unless ye bring someone whose name is Abi Bakr as a gift to me from your city, O mis- creants, I will mow you down like corn, ye vile people! I will accept neither tribute nor fair words.”’ They offered him many sacks of gold, saying, “Do not demand an Abi Bakr from a city like this. How should there be an Abi Bakr in Sabzawar, or a dry clod at the bottom of the river ?”’ The King averted his face from the gold and said, ‘‘O infidels, unless ye present me with "Tis of no avail. I am not a child, that I should stand dumbfounded at the sight of gold and silver.” O base wretch, until thou prostrate thyself in prayer thou wilt not be saved, even if thou shouldst traverse the whole mosque on thy séant.’ They despatched emissaries, right and left, to search for an Abi Bakr in this God-forsaken place, And after three days and nights spent in hurry- ing to and fro an emaciated man of that name was discovered. He was a wayfarer, who had fallen ill: they 1 This verse is a comment by the poet. TALES OF MYSTIC MEANING

found him lying at the point of death in a corner of a ruined house. “Rise up!” they cried; “the Sultan hath sum- moned thee. Thou wilt be the means of saving our people from massacre.” He answered, “If my feet could carry me, I would have gone on to my destination. How should I have remained in this abode of my enemies? I would have journeyed to- wards the city of my friends.” They brought a bier and lifted upon it the Abii Bakr whom I celebrate, And the bearers set off to convey him to Khwar- azmshah, in order that the King might be- hold the sign. Sabzawar is this world, where the man of God is abandoned and left to perish. Khwarazmshah is God Almighty, who demands of this unrighteous people the gift of a pure heart. THE MAN WHO WISHED TO LEARN THE LANGUAGE OF BEASTS AND BIRDS’ A YOUNG man said to Moses, ‘“Teach me the language of the animals, That perchance from the voice of animals and wild beasts I may get a lesson concerning my religion. Since the languages of the children of Adam are entirely for the sake of acquiring wealth and reputation, It may be that the animals have a different care —namely, to meditate on the hour of passing away from the world.” “Begone,” said Moses; “abandon this vain desire, for it is fraught with much danger before and behind. Seek the religious lesson and the gift of spiritual wakefulness from God, not from books and words and lips.”’ He answered, ‘“‘O generous one, ’tis unworthy of thy bounty to disappoint me of the object of my desire. ? Book III, v. 3266, THE MAN WHO WISHED TO LEARN Thou art the vicegerent of God: if thou prevent me, I shall be in despair.” Moses said, “‘O Lord, surely the accursed Devil has taken possession of this simple man. If I teach him, it will be harmful to him; and if I refuse to teach him, he will lose heart.” God said, “Teach him, O Moses, for We in our lovingkindness never reject anyone’s prayer. Grant his wish: let him have a free hand to choose good or evil.”’ Once more did Moses warn him kindly, saying, “The thing thou desirest will make thy face pale. Give up this idle passion, fear God! The Devil hath instructed thee for his own cunning purposes.” He replied, ‘‘At any rate, teach me the language of the dog at the door and the feathered domestic fowl.”’ ‘“‘Hark,” said Moses, “thou knowest best! Go, thy wish is granted: the language of both will be revealed to thee.” At daybreak, in order to make trial, he stood waiting on the threshold. The maid-servant shook the table-cloth; a THE LANGUAGE OF BEASTS AND BIRDS piece of bread, the remains of last night’s supper, fell out. A Cock snatched it up, as though it were the stake in a race. The Dog cried, ‘‘You have defrauded me. You can eat corn and barley and other grains, while I cannot, O jubilant one. And now you deprive the dogs of this little crust of bread, the bread which belongs to us!” “Hush!” said the Cock, “‘do not grieve. God will give you something else instead of this. The Master’s horse is about to die: to-morrow eat your fill and be happy. The horse’s death will be a feast-day for the dogs: you will get plenty of food without toil or trouble.”

On hearing this speech, the man sold his horse. The Cock was disgraced in the eyes of the Dog. Next day the Cock carried off the bread as before, and the Dog opened his mouth at him, Saying, ‘‘O deceitful Cock, how long will you tell such lies? You are unrighteous and false and ignoble. Where is the horse that you said would die? You are like a blind astrologer, your predic- tions are devoid of truth.” THE MAN WHO WISHED TO LEARN That knowing Cock answered, ‘‘His horse died in another place. He sold the horse and escaped from loss: he cast the loss upon others; But to-morrow his mule will die, and that will be good luck for the dogs. Say no more.”’ The covetous man immediately sold _ the mule and delivered himself from grief and loss. On the third day the Dog addressed the Cock— ‘O prince of liars with your drums and kettle- drums!”’ “Yes,” said the Cock, “he sold the mule in haste; but to-morrow his slave will be stricken down, And when his slave dies, the next of kin will scatter pieces of bread upon the dogs and beggars.”’ The Master heard this and sold his slave: he was saved from loss, he beamed with joy. Next day the disappointed Dog said, “O drivel- ling Cock, where are all those good things you promised me? How long, pray, will your falsehood and deceit continue? Verily, nothing but falsehood flies out of your nest.” The Cock answered, ‘“‘Far be it from me and THE LANGUAGE OF BEASTS AND BIRDS from my kind that we should be afflicted with falsehood. We cocks are veracious like the muezzin: we are observers of the sun and seekers of the right time. Though you clap us under an inverted bowl, we still watch the sun inwardly. To-morrow the Master himself will certainly die: his heir will slaughter a cow for the funeral. High and low will get pieces of bread and dainties and viands in the midst of the street.” When the man heard these things, he ran in hot haste to the door of Moses, with whom God conversed, Rubbing his face in the dust from fear, and crying, ‘‘ Save me fromthis doom, O Kalim!’” Moses said to him, “Go, sell thyself and escape! Since thou art so clever in avoiding loss, jump out of the pit of death! Throw the loss upon true believers! Make thy purses and scrips double in size! I beheld in the brick this destiny which to thee became visible only in the mirror. The intelligent foresee the end at the beginning, the foolish see it only at the end.” 1 Moses is called Kalimu’llah, because God spoke to him (kallamahu) on Mount Sinai. THE MAN WHO WISHED TO LEARN Once more he made lamentation, saying, ‘‘O bounteous one, do not beat me on the head, do not rub into my face the sin I have com- mitted.” Moses replied, “‘An arrow sped fromthe Archer’s thumbstall, my lad; ’tis not the rule that it should turn back; But I will crave of God’s good dispensation that thou mayst take the Faith with thee at that hour. When thou hast taken the Faith with thee, thou art living: when thou goest with the Faith thou art enduring for ever.” At the same instant the Master became indis- posed: he felt qualms and they brought the basin. "Tis the qualms of death, not indigestion: how should vomiting avail thee, O foolish ill- fortuned man?

Four persons carried him home: one of his legs was pressed on the other.’ At dawn Moses began his orison, crying, ““O God, do not take the Faith away from him! Act in royal fashion, forgive him, though he has sinned and behaved with impudence and transgressed exceedingly.” + In the death-agony. Cf. Qur’dn, Ixxv, 29. 136 THE LANGUAGE OF BEASTS AND BIRDS God answered, “‘Yes, I bestow the Faith upon him, and if thou wish I will bring him to life at this moment. Nay, at this moment I will bring to life all the dead in the earth for thy sake.” XLII THE FRIEND WHO SAID “IT” A CERTAIN man knocked at his friend’s door: his friend asked, ‘‘Who is there ?”’ He answered, “I.” “Begone,” said his friend, ‘tis too soon: at my table there is no place for the raw.” How shall the raw one be cooked but in the fire of absence? What else will deliver him from hypocrisy? He turned sorrowfully away, and for a whole year the flames of separation consumed him; Then he came back and again paced to and fro beside the house of his friend. He knocked at the door with a hundred fears and reverences, lest any disrespectful word might escape from his lips. ‘‘Who is there ?”’ cried his friend. He answered, “Thou, O charmer of all hearts!’ ‘““Now,”’ said the friend, ‘‘since thou art I, come in: there is no room for two I’s in this house.”’ * Book I, v. 3056. 138 XLITI THE PEOPLE OF SABA’ I aM reminded of the story of the people of Saba—how their balmy zephyr (saba) was turned into pestilence (wabd) by the words of the foolish.’ That kingdom of Saba resembles the great big city which you may hear of from children in their tales. The children relate tales, but in their tales is enfolded many a mystery and moral. Though they tell many ridiculous things, yet do thou ever seek the treasure that is hidden in ruins. Once there was a City very huge and great,’ but its size was the size of a saucer, no more than that. It was very huge and very broad and very long, ever so big, as big as an onion. 1 Book III, v. 2600. Saba is the Sheba of the Bible. * The Story of the Sabzans—their frowardness, their in- gratitude for the blessings which they enjoyed, and their consequent destruction—is related in Book ITI, v. 282 foll. ® This is “the children’s tale.” The “City” signifies the Nature of Man, the microcosm in which the macrocosm 1s contained. TALES OF MYSTIC MEANING The people of ten cities were assembled within it, but the whole amounted to three fellows with unwashed faces. Within it were numberless people and folk, but the whole of them amounted to three beggarly fools. One was very far-sighted and blind—blind to Solomon and seeing the leg of the ant;” And the second was very sharp of hear- ing and exceedingly deaf—a treasure in which there is not a barley-corn’s weight of gold; And the third was naked and bare and in- decent, but the skirts of his raiment were long. The blind man said, “Look, an army is ap- proaching: I see what people they are and how many.” The deaf man said, “Yes; I hear their voices and know what they are saying openly and secretly.” The naked man said, “I am afraid they will cut off something from the length of my skirt.” The blind man said, “Look, they have come

1 Referring to the ant which said (Qur’dn, xxvii, 18), ‘‘O ants, go into your dwellings, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you unawares.” near! Arise and let us flee before we suffer blows and chains.”’ ‘Yes,’ said the deaf man, “the noise is getting nearer. Come on, my friends!”’ The naked man said, ‘Alas, they will covet my skirt and cut it off, and I have no pro- tection.” All three left the City and came forth and in their flight entered a Village.’ In that Village they found a fat fowl, but not a mite of flesh on it; ‘twas pitiful— A dried-up dead fowl, and its bones had been pecked by crows till they were bare like threads. They ate thereof as a lion eats of his prey; each of them became surfeited, like an elephant, with eating it. All three ate thereof and grew mightily fat; they became like three very great and huge elephants, So that each young man, because of his fat- ness, was too big to be contained in the world. Notwithstanding such bigness and seven stout limbs,” they sprang forth through a chink in the door and departed. 1 The world. * The seven members of the body: head, breast, belly,. TALES OF MYSTIC MEANING The way of creaturely death is an invisible way, it comes not into sight; ‘tis a marvellous place of exit. Lo, the caravans follow one after another through this chink which is hidden from view in the door. If you look for that chink, you will not find it; it is extremely unapparent, though there are sO many processions through it. Explaining what is signified by the far-sighted blind man, the deaf man who is sharp of hearing, and the naked man with the long skirts. Know that Hope is the deaf man who has often heard of our dying but has never heard of his own death or regarded his own decease. The blind man is Greed: he sees the faults of others, hair by hair, and tells them from street to street, But his blind eyes do not perceive one mote of his own faults, albeit he is a fault- finder. The naked man is afraid that his skirt will be cut off: how shall anyone cut off the skirt of a naked man? He is the Worldling, destitute and terrified: he possesses nothing, yet he has dread of thieves. Bare he came and naked he goes, and all the while his heart is bleeding with anguish on account of the thief. XLIV IBRAHIM SON OF ADHAM" RECLINING on a throne, that renowned King heard at night a noise of tramping and shrill cries from the roof. He heard loud footfalls on the roof of the palace and said to himself, “Who dares do this ?”’ He shouted from the window, “Who goes there? Methinks, ’tis no man, but a spirit.” A wondrous folk put their heads down from the roof, saying, “We are going round by night for the purpose of search.” “Eh, what are ye seeking?” “Camels,” said they. He cried, ‘Take heed! Whoever sought a camel on a roof?” They answered, “Why, then, art thou seeking God on the throne of empire?” That was all. None saw him again: he vanished like a spirit from the sight of man.

1 Book IV, v. 829. Ibrahim, son of Adham, of Balkh, a celebrated ascetic and mystic, lived in the eighth century. His legend, modelled upon the story of Buddha, makes him a prince who abandoned his kingdom in order to devote himself to God. IBRAHIM SON OF ADHAM Although he was in their presence, his real self remained hidden from them: how should people see aught but the beard and dervish- cloak ? THE MAN WHO PRAYED THAT HE MIGHT RECEIVE HIS LIVELIHOOD WITHOUT LABOUR’ IN the time of the prophet David a certain man, before sage and simple alike, Used always to utter this prayer: “O God, bestow on me riches without trouble! For Thou hast created me a lazybones, a re- ceiver of blows, a slow mover, a sluggard, And one cannot lay upon sore-backed luckless donkeys the load carried by horses and mules. I am lazy and asleep in this world of phenomenal being: I sleep in the shade of Thy bounty and munificence. Surely for them that are lazily sleeping in the shade Thou hast ordained a livelihood in another fashion. I crave the daily bread that comes without effort on my part, for I have no work except prayer.”’ Thus was he praying for a long while, all day until night and all night until morning. The people laughed at his words, at the folly of his hope, and at his importunity: ? Book ITI, v. 1450. 146 “Marvellous! What is he saying—this idiot? Or has somebody given him beng, which pro- duces dementia? The way to get daily bread is work and toil and fatigue; God has bestowed on everyone a handicraft and the power to seek his liveli- hood. At present the King and Ruler and Messenger of God is the prophet David, endowed with many accomplishments. Notwithstanding all his glory and majesty, forasmuch as the favours of the Friend have chosen him out, His livelihood does not come to him without his weaving coats of mail and labouring as a craftsman.’ Now a God-forsaken abandoned wretch like this, a low scoundrel and outcast from Heaven, A backslider of this sort desires, without trading, at once to fill his pockets with gain!” One would say to him derisively, ‘“Go and get it! Thy daily bread has arrived, the messen- ger has brought the good news’’ ; And another would laugh, saying, “Let us have a share in the gift,O headman of the village !”’ All this abuse and ridicule could not induce him to desist from his petitioning, 1 See p. 120, note 2. THE MAN WHO PRAYED THAT HE MIGHT So that he became celebrated in the town as one who looks for cheese in an empty wallet. One morning, as he was praying with moans and sighs, suddenly a cow ran into his house. She butted with her horns, broke the bolt, and jumped into the house; he sprang up and bound her legs. Then he cut her throat without delay, without consideration, and without mercy, And went to the butcher, in order that he might rip off her hide forthwith. The owner of the cow espied him and said, “Hey, why did you kill my cow? Fool! Brigand! Deal fairly with me.” He said, “God answered my ancient prayer. The cow was my portion of daily bread: I killed her. That is my reply.” The enraged owner seized him by the collar, struck him in the face with his fist several times, And led him to the prophet David, saying, “‘Come, you crazy fool and criminal!

What are you saying? What is this prayer of yours? Don’t laugh at my head and beard and your own too, O rascal! Hey, gather round, O Muslims! For God’s sake, how should his prayer make my property belong to him?” RECEIVE HIS LIVELIHOOD WITHOUT LABOUR The people said, “He speaks truth, and this prayer-monger seeks to act unjustly. How should such a prayer be the means of ac- quiring property? Give back the cow or go to prison!”’ Meanwhile the poor man was turning his face to Heaven and crying, “None knoweth my spiritual experience save Thee. Thou didst put the prayer into my heart, Thou didst raise a hundred hopes in my heart. Not idly was I uttering the prayer: like Joseph, I had dreamed dreams.”’ When the prophet David came forth, he asked, “What is all this about? What is the matter?” The plaintiff said, ‘“O prophet of God, give me justice. My cow strayed into his house. He killed my cow. Ask him why he killed my cow and bid him explain what happened.” David said to the poor man, “Speak! Why did you destroy the property of this honourable He replied, ““O David, for seven years I was engaged, day and night, in supplication and entreaty, Praying to God that He would give me a lawful means of livelihood without trouble on my part. THE MAN WHO PRAYED THAT HE MIGHT After all this calling and crying, suddenly I saw a cow in my house. My eyes became dim, not on account of the food, but for joy that my supplication had been accepted. I killed her that I might give alms, in thankful- ness that He who knoweth things unseen had hearkened to my prayer.” David said, ‘Wipe out these words and set forth a legal plea in the dispute. Who gave you the cow? Did you buy or inherit her? Will you take the crop when you are not the farmer? You must pay this Muslim his money. Go, try to borrow it, and don’t seek to do wrong.” “O King,” said the poor man, “thou art telling me the same thing as my oppressors.” Then, prostrating himself, he cried, “O Thou who knowest the ardent faith within me, cast that flame into the heart of David; Put in his heart that which Thou hast secretly let fall into mine, O Benefactor!”’ He said this and began to weep and wail so that David was moved exceedingly. David said to the plaintiff, “‘Give me a respite to-day. I will go to a solitary place and com- mune with God.” He shut the door, and then went quickly to the RECEIVE HIS LIVELIHOOD WITHOUT LABOUR prayer-niche and betook himself to the in- vocation that God answereth. God revealed all to him, and he saw who was the man deserving of punishment. Next day, when the litigants assembled and formed ranks before David, the plaintiff lifted up his voice in reproach. David said to him, “Be silent! Go, abandon your claim, acquit this true believer of re- sponsibility. Seeing that God has thrown a veil over you, depart in silence and render due thanks unto God for what He has concealed.” He cried, “‘Oh, woe is me! What wisdom is this, what justice? Wilt thou establish a new law in my case? Such wrong has never been done even to blind dogs; mountains and rocks are burst asunder by this iniquity.” Then said David, ““O contumacious man, give him on the spot all that you possess.

Since ’twas not your fortune to be saved, little by little your wickedness has come to light. Begone! Your wife and children have now be- come his slaves. Say no more!”’ The plaintiff ran up and down in a frenzy, dashing stones against his breast with both hands, THE MAN WHO PRAYED THAT HE MIGHT While the people too began to blame David, for they were ignorant of the hidden circum- stances. The currish mob, which slays the oppressed and worships the oppressor, sprang forth from ambush and rushed towards David, Crying, ‘“‘O chosen prophet, this is unworthy of thee, ‘tis manifest injustice; thou hast abased an innocent man for naught.” He said, “My friends, the time is come for his hidden secret to be displayed. Arise, all of you, let us set out, that we may become acquainted with his mystery. In such and such a plain there is a huge tree, its boughs thick and numerous and curved. Its tent and tent-pegs are very firm; from its roots the smell of blood is coming to me. Murder was done at the foot of that goodly tree: this ill-fated man killed his master. The crime, which God’s mercy concealed till now, has at last been brought to light through the ingratitude of this scoundrel, Who never once looked upon his master’s family, not even at Nawriz’ and other seasons of festival, And never searched after the destitute children to relieve their want, or bethought him of the obligations he had received, * The Persian New Year’s Day. 152 RECEIVE HIS LIVELIHOOD WITHOUT LABOUR And so proceeded, till for the sake of a cow this accursed wretch is now felling his master’s son to the earth. He himself has lifted the veil from his crime; else God would have kept it hidden. Wrong is covered up in the depths of the heart: the wrong-doer exposes it to men, Saying, ‘Behold me! I have horns! Behold the cow of Hell’ in full view’! ” When they arrived at the tree, David said, “Tie his hands fast behind him, That I may bring his sin to light and plant the banner of justice on the field. O dog,”’ said he, “‘you killed this man’s father. You were a slave; by murder you became a lord. You killed your master and seized his property: God hath made it manifest. Your wife was his handmaid: she has acted unjustly towards her master. The children she bore to him, male and female —all of them from beginning to end are the property of the master’s heir. You are a slave: your goods are his property. You have demanded the Law: take the Law and go: ’tis well. 1 The fleshly soul, as is explained in the concluding verses of the Story. THE MAN WHO PRAYED THAT HE MIGHT You killed your master miserably, whilst he was crying for mercy on this very spot, And hastily hid the knife under the soil because of the terrible apparition which you beheld. On the knife, too, the name of this hound is written who betrayed and murdered his master. His head together with the knife is beneath! Dig ye back the soil, thus!” Even so they did, and when they cleft the earth they found there the knife and the skull. A tumult of lamentation went up from the people: everyone severed the girdle of un- belief.” Then David said to him, “Come, O seeker of justice, and with that black face of yours re- ceive the justice due to you!”

He ordered him to be killed in retaliation with the same knife: how should cunning deliver him from the knowledge of God? Kill thy fleshly soul and make the world spiritu- ally alive. She hath killed her master: make her thy slave. The slayer of the cow is thy rational spirit: go, be not offended with the spirit that kills the flesh. 1 Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians wore a girdle (zunndr) to distinguish them from the Faithful. RECEIVE HIS LIVELIHOOD WITHOUT LABOUR The spirit is a captive, and craves of God daily bread won without toil, and bounty spread before it on a table. Upon what does its daily bread depend? Upon its killing the cow, which is the origin of all evil. THE GHUZZ RAIDERS AND THE TWO NOTABLES’ THE murderous Ghuzz Turcomans raided a village. They found two notables and were about to put one of them to death. When they had tied his hands, he said, “O princes and high pillars of the empire, For what reason do ye seek to slay me? Where- fore, pray, are ye thirsting after my blood? What is the sense, what is the object, in killing me, when I am so poor and destitute ?”’ One of the Ghuzz replied, “To strike awe into this friend of yours, so that he may produce his gold.” “Why,” said the man, “he is poorer than I.” “So he says,” replied the Ghuzz, “‘but he has done it on purpose. He is rich.” “Since it is a matter of opinion,” said the man, “he and I are in the same case: the probabili- ties are equal. Kill him first, O princes, in order that I may be terrified and point out the way to the gold.” * Book II, v. 3046. 156 XLVII HAROT AND MARUT" LISTEN to the tale of Harit and Marit, O thou to whose face we are devoted slaves.” Hartt and Marit were intoxicated with the spectacle of God and the marvel of His gradual temptation of them. Such intoxication arises from His temptation: you may judge, then, what intoxications are wrought by the ascension to God? If the bait in His snare produces intoxication like this, what delights will the table of His bounty reveal! They were drunken and freed from the noose: they were uttering rapturous cries in the fashion of lovers; But in their road there was an ambush and trial: ? Book III, v. 800. Hariit and Marit were two angels, who looked with contempt on the sinful state of men and received permission to visit the earth, though God warned them of the temptations to which they would be exposed. On coming down to the earth, they fell in love with a beautiful woman —Venus, according to some accounts—and seduced her. Given the choice of punishment in this world or the next, they preferred the former and were imprisoned in a pit at Babylon. * Husdmu’ddin, to whom the Mathnawi is dedicated. TALES OF MYSTIC MEANING its mighty wind would sweep away moun- tains like a straw. The Divine trial was driving them headlong; but how should one who is drunken be con- scious of these things? To him pit and open field are one, to him dun- geon and pit are a pleasant path to tread. The mountain-goat runs up the high mountain While browsing, suddenly he sees another trick played by the ordinance of Heaven. He casts his gaze upon another mountain, and there he espies a she-goat. Straightway his eyes are darkened: he leaps madly from this mountain to that.

To him it seems as easy as to run round the sink in the court of a house. Those thousands of yards are made to appear to him as two, in order that from mad infatua- tion the impulse to leap may come to him. As soon as he leaps, he falls midway between the two pitiless mountains. He had fled to the mountain to escape from the hunters: his very refuge shed his blood. Harit and Marit, being intoxicated with pride, said, ““Ah, we would rain upon the earth, like clouds; We would spread in this place of injustice a HARUT AND MARUT carpet of justice and equity and devotion and faithfulness.” So they said; and the Divine Decree was say- ing to them, ‘“‘Stop! Before your feet is many an unseen pitfall.” The Decree was saying this, but their ears were muffled in the veil of their hotheadedness. All eyes and ears are shut, except in them that have escaped from themselves. Who but Grace shall open the eyes? Who but Love shall allay the Wrath? THE GRAMMARIAN AND THE BOATMAN’ A SELF-CONCEITED grammarian embarked in a boat. Turning to the boatman, he asked, “Have you ever studied grammar?” “‘No,”’ he replied. “Then,” said the grammarian, “half your life has been lost.” The boatman, heart-broken with grief, refrained from answering him at the time. The wind cast the boat into a whirlpool. The boatman shouted to the grammarian, ‘Tell me, can you swim?” “‘No,” said he, “O fair-spoken, well-favoured man.”’ “‘O grammarian,” he cried, “your whole life is lost, for the boat is sinking in this whirl- pool.” Know that here mahw(self-naughting) is needed, not nahw (grammar). If you are mahw (dead to self), you may plunge into the sea without peril. The sea bears up one who is dead; but if ? Book I, v. 2835 160 THE GRAMMARIAN AND THE BOATMAN he be living, how shall he escape from the sea? When you have died to the fleshly nature, the sea of divine consciousness will raise you aloft. THE GARDENER AND THE THREE FRIENDS’ A GARDENER found in his orchard three men who looked like thieves, A Jurist and a Sharif* and a Sifi: each one an impudent, knavish, perfidious rogue. He said, “I have a hundred arguments against these fellows, but they are united, and union is strength. I cannot cope singly with the three, so first I will separate them,.and when each is alone I will tear out his moustache.” He employed a ruse to get the Sifi away and poison the minds of his friends against him. ‘Go to the house,”’ said he, “‘and fetch a rug for your comrades.”’ Then he said to the two friends in private, “Thou art a Jurist, and thy friend is a re- nowned Sharif. "Tis according to thy legal decision that we eat our bread, ’tis by the wings of thy knowledge that we fly; ? Book II, v. 2167. ? A descendant of the Prophet. THE GARDENER AND THE THREE FRIENDS And thy friend is our prince and sovereign: he is a Sayyid of the Prophet’s House. Who is this gluttonous vile Sifi that he should consort with noblemen like you? When he comes back, beat him off and take possession of my orchard for a week. My orchard? Nay, my life. Ye are dear to me as the apple of my right eye.” He tempted and beguiled them. Ah, one must not patiently submit to losing one’s friend. When they had driven the Sifi away, the enemy went after him with a stout cudgel.

“O dog,’ he cried, “is it Sufism that of a sudden you come into my orchard in spite of me? Has Junayd" or Bayazid* directed you to behave so? From what Shaykh did you receive this Raising his cudgel, he belaboured the helpless Sifi, cracked his head and half killed him. ‘““My score is paid,” said the Sufi, “but have a care for yourselves, O comrades! Ye treated me as a foe. Look out! I am not more unfriendly than this scoundrel. The cup which I have drunk ye must drink, and such a draught is what every cad deserves.” Having finished with the Sufi, the Gardener devised a pretext of the same kind as before. 1 Junayd of Baghdad, an eminent Safi, died in g11 A.D. 2 See p. 100, note I. TALES OF MYSTIC MEANING “*My dear Sharif,” said he, “I have baked some scones for breakfast. Will you go to the house and bid Qaymaz bring them to us along with the goose?” Then, turning to the other, ‘‘Doctor,”’ said he, “tis manifest and sure that thou art skilled in the law; But thy friend a Sharif! His claim is absurd. Who knows who committed adultery with his mother? He has tacked himself on to ‘Ali and the Pro- phet, and in the world there are plenty of fools to believe him.”’ He spoke plausibly, and the Jurist hearkened to him. Then that insolent bully went after the Sharif. “You ass!” he cried, “who invited you into this orchard? Is robbery your inheritance from the Prophet? The lion’scub resembles the lion : in what respect do you resemble the Prophet? Tell me that!”’ The Sharif was devastated by the blows of that rufhan. He said to the Jurist, ‘I have got out of the water. Now you are left alone. Stand fast! Be like a drum and take your beating! If I am no Sharif and unworthy of your friend- ship, at any rate I am no worse for you than such a ruffan as this.” THE GARDENER AND THE THREE FRIENDS The Gardener came up to the Jurist, saying, “What sort of jurist are you? The veriest fool would be ashamed of you. Is it your legal opinion, O convicted thief, that you may come into my orchard without ask- ing leave? Have you read such a licence in the Wasit, or 1s this question thus decided in the Muhit?” “You are right,” he replied; ‘“‘give me a drub- bing! This is the fit punishment for one who deserts his friends.”’ THE MONK IN SEARCH OF A MAN’ A MONK was seen in the daytime going round the bazaar with a lighted candle, his heart filled with love and rapture. Some busybody said to him, ‘‘Hallo, what are you seeking in every shop? What is it you are in search of, going round with a candle in the bright sunshine? What is the joke?”’ He replied, “I am searching everywhere for a man who is made living by the life of the spirit. Is there a man in existence?”’ “‘Why,”’ said the other, “‘this bazaar is full of men, O noble sage.” The monk said, ‘‘I want one who is a man in the way of two passions—anger and lust. Where is he who proves himself a man in the 1 Book V, v. 2887. Diogenes Laertius in his Lives of the Philosophers relates this Story of Diogenes the Cynic: Avyvov pel” Hyépav arras Tepiner Néywv © avOpwrrov tnr@.” Phaedrus tells it of Aesop. THE MONK IN SEARCH OF A MAN

hour of anger or lust? In quest of such a man I am roaming from street to street. Where in the world shall I find one who is a man on these two occasions, that I may sacrifice my life for him to-day ?”’ LI THE ECSTASY OF BAYAZID* TuatT venerable dervish, Bayazid, came to his disciples and said, “‘Lo, I am God.” That master of mystic knowledge exclaimed rapturously, ‘Hark, there is no god but I, so worship me.” When the ecstasy had passed, they said to him at dawn, “Thou saidest such and such, and it is blasphemous.” He replied, “This time, if I make a scandal, come on at once and plunge your knives into me. God is incorporeal, and I am in the body. Ye must kill me if I say a thing like that.” Again he. became intoxicated by the potent flagon: these injunctions vanished from his mind. The dessert appeared: his reason became dis- traught. The dawn broke: his candle be- came useless. Reason is like the prefect: when the Sultan arrives, the helpless prefect creeps into a corner. THE ECSTASY OF BAYAZID Reason is God’s shadow: God is the Sun. How can the shadow resist His sun? When a man is possessed by a spirit, the attri- butes of humanity disappear from him. Whatsoever he says is really uttered by the spirit: the speaker on this side is controlled by one belonging to the other side. A spirit hath such influence and rule: how much more powerful must be the Creator of that spirit! If a pot-valiant fellow shed the blood of a fierce lion, you will say that the wine did it, not he; And if he fashion words of pure gold, you will say that the wine has spoken them. Wine can rouse such transports: hath not the Light of God that virtue and potency To empty you entirely of self, so that you should be laid low and He should make the Word lofty within you? Though the Qur’dn is from the lips of the Prophet—if anyone says God did not speak it, he is an infidel. When the Huma’ of selflessness took wing and soared, Bayazid began to repeat those ecs- tatic words. The flood of bewilderment swept away his 1 The lammergeier or bearded griffon. TALES OF MYSTIC MEANING reason: he spoke more strongly than he had spoken at first, Saying, ‘“Within my mantle there is naught but God: how long wilt thou seek Him on the earth or in heaven?” The disciples, frenzied with horror, dashed their knives at his holy body. Like the fanatics of Girdakih,’ they were ruth- lessly stabbing their spiritual Director. Everyone who plunged a dagger in the Shaykh made a gash in his own body. There was:no mark of a wound on the body of the Master, while the disciples were drowned in blood. Whoever aimed a blow at his throat saw his own throat cut and perished miserably; And whoever struck at his breast, his own breast was riven, and he became dead for And he that was acquainted with that spiritual emperor of high fortune and had not the heart to strike a heavy blow, Half-knowledge tied his hand, so that he saved his life and only wounded himself. When day dawned, the disciples were thinned: wails of lamentation arose from their house. Thousands of men and women came to Bayazid, 1 A stronghold of the terrible sect generally known as the THE ECSTASY OF BAYAZID saying, ““O thou in whose single shirt the two worlds are contained,

If this body of thine were human, it would have been destroyed, like a human body, by the daggers.” O you who stab the selfless ones with the sword, you are stabbing yourself. Beware! For the selfless one has passed away in God and is safe: he is dwelling in safety for ever. His form has passed away, and he has become a mirror: naught is there but the image of another face. If you spit at it, you spit at your own face; and if you strike at the mirror, you strike at your- self; And if you see an ugly face in the mirror, ’tis you; and if you see Jesus and Mary, ’tis you. He is neither this nor that: he is pure and trans- parent, he has placed your image before you. Close thy lips, O my soul: though eloquence is at thy command, do not breathe a word— and God best knoweth the right way. The Westminster Press 411A Harrow Road London W.9