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120
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[APRIL, 1910.
dissatisfaction were smouldering in the breast of the Indian Muslims, when the great puritan of India' mounted the throne. A strong reaction set in over the empire, and the party of Shar' encouraged by the Padshah, were bent upon wreaking their vengeance upon those who sided with Dara in his godless beliefs.
Aurangzib tried to reintroduce that Puritanism, which three of his immediate predecessors were instrumental in undermining. His whole energy was directed towards the eradication of those evils, which in the opinion of the orthodox, were eating into the vitals of the Constitution. While Aurangzib was tolerant to all in other respects, he was firm against the infringement of religious ordinances. In this he did not spare his relatives, or even care for those on whose countenance and support the empire rested. The stupendous fabric of the mighty empire of the Mughals fell rapidly into pieces, after his death, not because of Aurangzib's intolerance, but because of his sons and grandsons' impotency and inability to support it.
When Aurangzib seized the reins of Government, and Dārā Shikōh was executed, Sarmad was called before a council of Olama,' who gave the opinion that he was worthy of death. This fatwa was ratified by Aurangzib and Sarmad was executed.
His nakedness, his refusal to utter any but the negative part of the Islamic creed, and his pantheistic view of the deity caused him to be regarded as a heretic, while his friendship for Dara Shikōh, whose succession to the Empire he is said to have foretold, made him politically a suspect. Various quatrains are said to have been improvised by Sarmad when he was led out to execution. Of these the finest are:
And
رسیده یار غريان تيغ ايندم .. بهر رنگي که آئي مي شناسم
"The Friend of the naked sword has now arrived.
In whatever disguise thou mayst come I recognise Thee.""
شوري شد و از خواب عدم چشم گشودیم .. دیدیم که باقي ست شب فتنه فنردیم
"There was an uproar, and I opened my eyes from the eternal sleep. Saw that the night of wickedness remained, and slept again."
Sarmad died valiantly. The following epistle which Dārā Shikōh wrote to Sarmad and the latter's reply thereto have come down to us :
Text.
نامه دارا شکوه به سرمد
پیرو مرشد من.
اگر من منم ارادة من كجاست وگر من نیستم پس چه خطاست رسول مختار بهنگ کفار مي رفت -شکست بر لشکر اسلام مي افتاد سبب چیست
جراب سرمد
کنیم
هرچه خواندیم فراموش کردیم .. إلا حديث درست که تکرار مي
Translation.
Dara Shikoh to Sarmads.
My Pir and Guide, If I be I- where is my will? If not I- what is the fault? The powerful Prophet used to go to fight with the infidel, the soldiers of Islam were defeated. What's the cause?
