Thou wouldst never more talk about the pleasures of sense.”
He is the author of many admired literary works and compilations; such as the Nosh Dárú, “sweet medicine;” the Sagangubín, “dog’s honey,” and the Zerdúsht Afshar, “the companion of Zerdúsht,” and such like. It was heard from an eminent doctor, named Muhammed Mahsan, who said thus: “I heard from him (Kaiván) three hundred and sixty proofs confirmatory of the existence of the Deity: but when I wished to commit them to writing, it was no longer in my power.” People relate all manner of miraculous stories about him; such as his creating what was not previously in existence; revealing secret matters, and concealing what was evident; the acceptance or fulfilment of his prayers; his performing a long journey in a short space of time; his knowledge of things hidden from the senses; and his giving a description of the same; his appearing at the same time in places far distant from each other; bringing the dead to life, and depriving the living of vitality; his being enabled to hear and understand the language of animals, vegetables, minerals, etc.; to produce food and wine without any visible means; to walk on the surface of water, also through fire and air; and such like. The author met him in Kashmir in the year of the Hejirah 1036 (A. D. 1627).
Firrah Kárí, the attendant on the venerable Shídósh (an account of whom shall be soon given) was a person, whose essence was adorned with science and decorated by purity; the possessor of extraordinary probity and sound understanding, said thus: “I once received some injury from the peasantry of Achán, a district bordering on the public and sacred place of Kashmír: speaking of this to Yazdán Silái, a disciple attached to the Móbed Sarósh, I said ‘the people of Achán have grievously afflicted me,’ and stated to him the criminal conduct of this wicked set of men. He answered: ‘Do you wish that the Almighty should overwhelm with floods the cultivated grounds of these wretches?’ I replied ‘Certainly.’ It then began to rain so exceedingly, the loftiest and strongest-built houses were overthrown; from the overwhelming deluge ruin fell on their buildings and tilled grounds; and the fields of these men themselves were nearly destroyed by the waters at the very commencement.” The Maulavi Mânevi says:
“As long as the heart of the righteous comes not to affliction,
God never brings calamity on any people.”
The rains still continued, which Sarósh having observed, he was exceedingly wroth with his disciple and reproved him; and that same day the rain ceased. Firrah-Kári used to say, “Mobed Sarósh was acquainted with the desires of my heart, and possessed power over men’s minds.” He also related the following story concerning him: “At the time of arriving in the caravanserai of Bálik, in the city of Tarkhan, the men of that place wished to act wickedly towards us, and practise oppression. I explained the nature of their conduct to the Mobed, on which he retired into a corner. That same night there appeared in the air men whose heads reached to the heavens, whilst their feet touched the earth. The people of the city were seized with consternation and desisted from oppressing us, and the merchants at the same time bestowed freedom on those who had been captives for many years.” The Mobed Húshyár relates: “Being in want of a few direms, I went to Yazdán Sitái, the disciple of the Mobed Sarósh; on this he stretched forth his hand, and taking up some broken pottery, formed twenty heaps of it: having breathed on these a few times, they all became gold Mohurs: these he put into my hands, and I disbursed them in the course of my ordinary expenses.” He also relates: “Yazdán Sitái constructed a house of such a kind that, when any one entered, he beheld the sun; and when the holy man sat with his friends, he appeared as a crocodile coming to the river-bank, which was about to snatch away all present. He sometimes threw into the fire towels on which the flames had no effect: he frequently repeated something, stirring his lips, and so rendered himself invisible; he used sometimes to appear in the air, and used to say: ‘I am actually at rest, although I appear otherwise.’” Shidosh, the son of Anosh, said: “We were once seated near him when he placed a taper in a basin of water; there immediately appeared some peacocks turning towards the water, plunging their heads into it, and displaying all their beauty, whilst we remained in utter astonishment.” Shidosh also says: “I once beheld him disporting in the midst of a blazing fire.” Nay, the writer of these pages has seen him swallow fire. The Mobed Húshyár says: “He once exhibited a sight, so as to make a house appear filled with serpents and scorpions.” He used also to lay on the breast of a person plunged in sleep, something of such a nature as to make him return an answer to every question proposed to him. The Mobed Húshyár also relates: “I once beheld the Hakim (the Sage) Kamran of Shiraz, in the feast of joy and hospitality made for the reception of an Iraki friend, light a match: on this, all the Lulees[333] then in the house stripped themselves naked and began to dance, whilst we looked on at a distance. The sage said: ‘This we have learnt from Yazdan Sitái: as I give no invitation to Lulees, and no others can be prevailed on to commit such indecency, I therefore tried the experiment on the party of them assembled in this place.’” Many other things of a similar nature are related concerning Yazdan Sitái.
Khoda Jói was a native of Herat, who had passed many years in the service of exemplary and holy men; he relates: “I once saw in a vision holy personages come around me and say: ‘Depart and seek a spiritual guide free from prejudice.’ During many years’ search I was unable to discover such a character; but having once seen in a dream, ‘that Azar Kaiván of Istakhar was one of that description:’ I went near him in company with Farzanah Khushi.”
Khoda Jói excelled in the knowledge of Parsi and Arabic; he avoided altogether animal food of every description; he could suppress his breath during four watches (twelve hours), and was in the habit of practising the Hubs-i-dam; he never slept at night, nor ate more than fifty direms weight of food. He never gave utterance to a lie, and whatever he stated had reference to exalted objects and pursuits: even these were uttered only at the solicitation of his friends. He is the author of the volume entitled Jám-i-Kai Khusró, “the cup of Kai Khusró,” an admirable commentary on the poetic compositions of Azar Kaiván, and also containing his visions. He arrived in the delightful regions of Kashmir in the year of the Hejirah 1040 (A. D. 1631), where the author met him: in that same year this distinguished personage hastened from this abode of evanescence to the mansions of eternity. Hafiz of Shiraz says:
“O joyous day, when I depart from this abode of desolation;
I then seek my soul’s repose and follow the adored object:[334]