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294
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
ments in Turkey, spent the greater portion of his life in that country, and is therefore called Rúmi, the Turk; but, according to the Nafhátul-uns of J'â mi, his visions began at a very early age in his own country. When he was five years old he had manifestations from the invisible world, such as sights of angels, of genii, and of men within the domes of glory. It is stated in a record in the handwriting of Mullânâ Behâ-al-din Vulud, that when Jellâlal-din Muhammad, on a certain Friday when six years of age, was playing with some other little boys on the flat house-tops of Balkh, one of the little fellows suggested that they should jump over from one house-top to another; Jellal-aldin replied that as such movements are peculiar to dogs, cats, and other animals, it would be a pity that human beings should imitate them, but that, if they felt any power in their souls, they ought to fly heavenwards together with him. That moment he disappeared from the sight of his playmates, who became sorry and raised a shout of lamentation, whereupon he returned after a short while, but with the hue of his countenance changed and his eyes altered, and said, "Whilst conversing witu you, I saw a company of persons dressed in green raiment, who took me up and showed me the miracles of the upper world; but when your cries and wailings ascended they again deposited me here." It is said that at that age he partook of food only once in three or four days.
It is said that when Jellâl-al-din emigrated from Balkh he met Sheikh Farid-al-din A'ttâr
at Nishapûr, who was at that time well stricken in years, and who presented him with his Esrar-námah, or "book of mysteries," which he ever afterwards carried about his person; he also imitated his doctrines, as it is said
گشت
گرد
مولانا
عطا ۔
شربت از دست شمس بود نوش
"Mullânâ on A'ṭṭâr attended,
From Shams' hands the drink was all nectar." By Shams his spiritual teacher, Shams Tabrizi, is meant. Elsewhere we read
[OCTOBER, 1875
was at his service "with heart and life," he replied, "Hush! Among men this lie finds credit," and asked, "Whence have you obtained your heart and life, that you can place them at the service of men ?" He was nevertheless in the habit of saying, "I am not that body which appears to the A'úsheks (lovers of God), but the pleasure and gladness produced in the hearts of Murids (disciples) by my words. Allah! Allah! when you obtain that gladness, and taste that joy, consider it happiness, and give thanks; that is me!" Hisâm-al-din was merely his amanuensis, but from several flattering references to him in the Mesnavi he might be wrongly considered to have occupied a far higher position. To him he said, "It is necessary to sit knee to knee with the Avliâ (pl. of Veli, saint) of God, because such proximity bears momentous consequences":
عطار روح بود و سنائی دو چشم او ما از پلي سفالی و نظار آمدیم
A worldly fellow once excused himself to him for his remissness in visiting him, but Jellâlal-din replied, "There is no need of any excuses, because I am as thankful for your not coming as others are for your coming."
Seeing one of his companions in a state of melancholy, he said, "All sadness arises from too great attachment to this world; as soon as you are freed from it and consider yourself a
On being told that a certain man had said he stranger therein, you will perceive, from every
"A'ttar was soul, Sanâi his two eyes; We came after Sanâi and A'tțâr."
ازو دوری نشاید لحظه یکی که از دوری خرابیها فزاید بہر حالی که باشی پیش او باش
که از نزدیک بودن مهر زايد،
Hisâm-al-din was no doubt a faithful amanuensis and disciple, but on some occasions a little admonition might have been judicious; on the death of his wife he could not be induced for a long time to attend to his duty, and the poet remonstrated:
"One moment to be absent from him is not good,
For separation will increase mishaps. No matter what your state; attend on him, Because proximity will love augment." He said that although a bird flying up from the earth cannot reach heaven, it nevertheless gains the advantage of being further from the net; thus a man who becomes a dervish, though he cannot attain perfection, is distinguished above the common crowd of men, and is delivered from the troubles of the world.
