________________
AKBAR.
227 How wise was the advice which the guardian gave a lovely being, Do not smile at every face, as the rose does at every
zephyr1' When it was too late to profit by the lesson, She could but frown, and hang down the head.
For some time His Majesty called a Brahmin, whose name was Puzukhotam?, author of a commentary on the ... 5, whom he asked to invent particular Sanskrit names for all things in existence. At other times, a Brahmin of the name of Debí was pulled up the wall of the castle *, sitting on a chárpái, till he arrived near a balcony where the emperor used to sleep. Whilst thus suspended, he instructed His Majesty in the secrets and legends of Hinduism, in the manner of worshipping idols, the fire, the sun and stars, and of revering the chief gods of these unbelievers, as Brahma, Mahadev, Bishn, Kishn, Rárn, and Mahámáí, who are supposed to have been men, but very likely never existed, though some, in their idle belief, look upon them as gods, and others as angels. His Majesty, on hearing further how much the people of the country prized their institutions, commenced to look upon them with affection. The doctrine of the transmigration of souls especially took a deep root in his heart, and he approved of the saying, “There is no religion in which the doctrine of transmigration has not taken firm root. Insincere flatterers composed treatises, in order to fix the evidence for this doctrine; and as His Majesty relished inquiries into the sects of these infidels (who cannot be counted, so numerous they are,
Just as Akban liked the zephyr of inquiry into other religious systems. But zephyrs are also destructive; they scatter the petals of the rose.
? [Probably Purushottama.-M.M.] 9 The text has a few unintelligible words.
Perhaps in order not to get polluted, or because the balcony belonged to the Harem,
Q2
