Indian Antiquary Vol 47

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 221

AUGUST, 1918)
RELIGION IN SIND
205
This identification is based on the similarities of the two personalities, on the fact that both are eternal, that both derive their power from the fountain of life. Here there was no Mussalman buried on a spot held sacred by Hindus, as at Sehwan, no attempt as at Uderolal to combine persons of both religions as servants of one incarnation, The identification was complete, the cult was esoteric and uncongenial ritual, such as the cult of the Satyun or Virgins, was separated out.
The period of the identification is an extremely difficult problem. Does it date from the days of the Arab conquest or from the time when Multan was a centre of Sufi learning and missionaries of all types wandered through the land working subtly as leaven.
Who Zinda Pir was we have discussed. El Khizr, in Arabic legend, was the vazir of Dhoulkarnaim, the two-horned one, Alexander the Great, who drank of the Fountain of Life, through the virtue of which he will live till the day of judgment. To Mussalmans in distress he appears clad in green robes-whence his name. 11
In the fourth book of the adventures of Hatim Tai will be found a life-like picture of Khwaja Khizr in the character of a “white magician." He was a man of venerable appearance dressed in green apparel, who guided Hatim Tai from an enchanted desert, who released him from the clutches of a magic tree, who taught him the charm of the ninetynine names of God, which is however of no avail unless you keep yourself pure and never utter a falsehood; every day you must devoutly purify yourself with water, and never break your fast till set of sun, nor must you repeat the charm at an improper time." Later when he finally released Hatim Tai from Sam Ahmar's power, Iblis, the Devil (on whom be curses) informed the latter that they should fight no more-"over the unerring decrees of the Almighty I have no power or control. The Eternal hath willed that Hatim's fame should be perpetual and he hath commissioned the prophet Khwaja Khizr (on whom be peace) to assist him in his bold undertakings." This Moslem charm finds such a strange analogue in Hinduism that one is tempted to believe that it is a borrowed one." Illustrious one, listen to the one hundred and eight names of the sun as they were disclosed of old by Dhanmye to the high-souled son of Pritta! Dhanmye said "Surya, Aryamen, Bhaga.. ... the merciful Maitreya.' These are the 108 names of Surya of immeasurable energy as told by the self-create. For the acquisition of prosperity I bow down to thee, Oh Bhaskara, blazing like unto gold or fire, who is worshipped of the gods and the Pitris and the Yakhas and who is adored by the Asuras, Nisacharas and Siddhas. He that with fixed attention reciteth this hymn at sunrise obtaineth wife and offspring and riches...." 13
Once in this guise of a divine helper Khwaja Khizr appears in Sindhi legend, Mullah Daud of Sehwan was an accomplished and learned man; his son Nur-ul-haq, when a child, was very weak in mind and forgetful; his father tried hard to teach him the Koran but the boy could remember nothing. His father then shut him up in a cell and paid no heed to his lamentations and weeping. The boy was indeed a blessed soul, for in that confinement he had a vision of Khwaja Khizr, who addressed him: "Child, why liest thou low thus? Get up. Henceforth whatever thou readest will remain in your memory." At once the Koran shone in his mind, there and then he repeated them aloud and shouted to his father and mother who took him out; their instructions were welcomed by him; he remembered promptly whatever he was taught and gradually became a very learned man. He was surnamed Ta'lib-i-ibn Ustad--the geeker of the Preceptor's knowledge-and Mushta'qi
11 The Koran, Everyman Ed., p. 186.
1 Mahabharata. Vana Parva, ch. III.