Indian Antiquary Vol 51

SR No.: 032543
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1985
Total Pages: 374
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 15 MB

Page 361

OCTOBER, 1922]
HIR AND RANJHA
51
Whereupon the Jogi drew a square on the ground and thrust a knife therein and said: "Sit down Jat, and swear on the Koran that you have never touched Hfr." He put the knife to his throat and made him swear and Saida swore saying: "May I be a leper if I ever touched Hir."
Then suddenly the Jogi blazed with anger and roared at Saida: "You have come into my holy hut with your shoes on. You have profaned this holy place. And he thrust him out and beat him even as cattle are thrust out of the cattle pen. He dealt so severely with Saida that he was covered with blood, and Saida ran to his house weeping and told his story to his father saying: "He is not a Jogi but a robber and a dacoit." And Ajju was wroth and said: "As he has treated my son so will I treat him. I will have a speedy vengeance upon him."
Thereupon Sehti said: "Father, you should go yourself to the Jogi. Perhaps Saida stood with pride before him and not with proper humility."
CHAPTER 29.
(Ranjha is called in to cure Hir's snakebite.)
So Ajju said: "I will go if all of you wish it." So Ajju went and stood before the Jogi with folded hands and besought him to come and cure Hir. And the Jogi at last consented, and as he went to the house of Ajju a partridge sang on the right for good luck. Thus the Kheras themselves worked their own destruction and shaved their own heads. The wolf had been called in to guard the flock. Ajju thought himself a great man as he had brought the Fakir.
"Sister," said the women: "Let us rejoice that Hir's life has been saved. The physician she longed for has now come. All her pain and trouble has gone. The perfect Saint has come, even he that deserted his home and became a cowherd and then a jogi. The man whose name was abhorred by the Kheras has been brought by Hir's owr father-in-law."
Meanwhile Sehti took charge of the Jogi and lodged him in the hut belonging to the village minstrel. And the Jogi gave his orders that bread must be cooked for the holy man. "No man or woman must come near or cast their shadow on it. A separate place must be prepared and Hir's couch placed on it. I will burn incense at night. I will read enchantments over het. None must be allowed to come near her as the snake is a powerful one and his bite is difficult to cure. Only Sehti may come; only a virgin girl must be allowed to cross the threshold. "
And the Kheras did as the Jogi bade them and put Hir in the cottage with the Jogi. and Sehti was with them.
But Ranjha's heart was heavy within him as he sat in the hut, and at midnight he remembered the Five Pirs. He kissed the handkerchief of Shakerganj and took the ring of Lal Shahbaz; he smelt the sweet savour that came from the cudgel of Sayyad Jalal of Bokhara, and he grasped the dagger given him by Makdum Jahanian. And Ranjha prayed: "May the Five Pirs bless my enterprise and make my way easy. And Pir Bahaudin shook the earth, and the way was opened unto Ranjha, and a voice spake: "Jat, arise, go on your way. Why are you sleeping? The way has been opened for you."
And Ranjha went outside the house and made ready to depart, and Sehti came to him and salaamed to him saying: "For the love of God, take my poor boat ashore. I have set all the plans of the Kheras at naught and tarnished the reputation of the whole family. For the sake of your love I have given Hir into your hand. Now give me my lover Murad. This is the only request I have to make to you."