by Mir Amman
‘One day I climbed a mountain peak and determined to end my life by throwing myself off it. I was about to jump when a veiled rider with his sword, zul-faqār, appeared there and said, “Why are you throwing away your life? Man has to suffer pain and misery; your unhappy days are over and the happy ones are ahead. Go to Turkey. Three grief-stricken persons like you have already gone there. Meet them and see the king of that country. The wishes of all five of you will be fulfilled there.”
‘This is the story of my life. I have presented myself here before you dervishes on the advice of my guide and master, the rescuer of all. I have also the honour of presenting myself before the king and I hope that all of us will be comforted now.’
Dénouement
As Azad Bakht and the four dervishes were talking a eunuch came running from the royal seraglio. Bowing low in respect to the king he wished him joy and said, ‘Your Majesty, just now a prince has been born. Even the sun and the moon would blush to see his bright face.’ The king wondered at the news and said, ‘But apparently no one was pregnant there; who has heralded this sun?’ The eunuch submitted, ‘Mahru, the female attendant of Your Majesty! She has been under Your Majesty’s displeasure for some time and has lived forlorn and secluded in the seraglio. No one bothered about her for fear of Your Majesty’s wrath. It is she who has given birth to a son bright like the moon by the grace of God.’ The king was so overjoyed to hear this that he nearly choked. The four dervishes also blessed him and said, ‘May God preserve you! May this son bring you prosperity and grow old under your benign shadow!’ The king said, ‘This is all due to your gracious presence here for I hadn’t even the faintest idea of such a happy event. With your permission I may go and see him.’ ‘Sure, please do,’ they said.
The king went to the seraglio and took the prince in his arms and thanked God. He was happy. He came out and placed the baby at the feet of the dervishes. They blessed him and recited the holy texts to ward off evil influences. The king gave orders to celebrate the occasion. Double trumpets were blown. The royal coffers were opened and the king showed such beneficence and distributed so much money by way of charity that he actually made a pauper a millionaire. All the officers were promoted and their estates doubled. Five years’ pay was given as bonus to the troops. The learned and the holy men were granted stipends and lands. The begging bowls and purses of the beggars and destitutes were overfilled with coins of silver and gold. The tillers and farmers were exempted payment of revenue for three years and allowed to keep for themselves whatever they produced. All the people of the city, high and low, rejoiced. They danced with joy and every one of them felt as happy as the king himself.
These festivities and rejoicings were going on when all of a sudden bewailing cries of anguish were heard from inside the seraglio. The private female attendants, the Turkish and the armed women-guards and the eunuchs ran out crying and raising dust over their heads. They said to the king, ‘When the prince was given to the nurse after the bath, a cloud descended from the heavens and enveloped them. After a short while the nurse was found lying unconscious on the floor but the baby prince was not there. What a strange calamity has befallen us!’ The king was struck dumb to hear the news of these bewildering happenings and the whole country mourned. Nobody cared to take meals for two days; so much did they grieve for the prince. The third day the cloud appeared again. It descended into the seraglio and leaving a cradle studded with precious stones and a covering of pearls, disappeared. The little prince lay in it sucking his thumb. The queen mother immediately took him in her arms and held him to her breast. He wore a fine muslin shirt with a pearl fringe, and his bib was of striped silk. His bracelets and anklets were also studded with precious stones. Toys and bells were placed in the cradle beside him. All the female servants went round him and blessed him saying, ‘May ye forever receive your mother’s love and live to a good old age!’
The king ordered a grand new palace to be built and after getting it furnished well, hosted the four dervishes there. He himself gave them company whenever he was free from the affairs of his kingdom and personally looked to their comfort. But on the first Thursday of every moon a cloud descended from the heavens and carried the prince away and after two days it brought him back with such presents and toys of different lands that everyone was amazed.
On the seventh birthday of the prince, Azad Bakht, the king, said to the dervishes, ‘O men of God, it is not yet known to us who takes away the prince and then brings him back? It is very surprising. Let us see what comes of it.’ The dervishes said, ‘Do one thing. Put a friendly note in the prince’s cradle saying: “Seeing your friendship and kindness I am anxious to meet you. If by way of cordiality you kindly let me know about yourself I shall have my peace of mind, and my wonderment will come to an end.” The king wrote a note accordingly on a leaf sprinkled over with gold dust and put it in the golden cradle of the prince.
The prince disappeared as usual. One evening when king Azad Bakht sat conversing with the dervishes, a folded paper fell near him. He opened it and found that it was the reply to his note. It said, ‘I am also anxious to see you. A throne is sent herewith. It will be so nice of you to come over here just now. All is arranged here for this festive occasion. It is only you we miss.’ The king took the dervishes along with him and sat on the throne.
Like the throne of Solomon, it went up into the air. It rose up and up and then descended at a place where they saw a grand building well-prepared for festivities. But they could not see anyone there. In the meantime someone applied solomon-collyrium on the eyes of all those five men. Two drops of tears fell down from the eyes of each man. They could now see an assembly of beautiful fairies, colourfully attired, to welcome them with a spray of rose-water from containers they held in their hands. As they went further they saw thousands of those beautiful fairies standing respectfully in double rows. In the centre there was an emerald throne and Malik Shahbal, son of Shahrukh, sat on it with majestic airs, reclining on cushions. A lovely girl was playing with Prince Bakhtyar standing by the throne. The nobles were seated on seats arranged in rows on both sides of the throne. Malik Shahbal stood up on seeing Azad Bakht and came down from the throne to embrace him. Taking him by the hand he seated him on the throne beside himself. They talked cordially and the whole day passed in rejoicing and feasting and enjoying dance and music.
The next day Shahbal asked Azad Bakht the reason for bringing the dervishes with him. Azad Bakht related to him all their miseries and woes. He pleaded for them and solicited his help saying, ‘They have seen so much misery and pain. It will certainly be kind of you to help them fulfil their wishes. I will be personally grateful to you for this. With your help all their difficulties will be removed.’ Malik Shahbal said, ‘With all pleasure! You will not find me wanting in carrying out what you say.’ With these words, he looked angrily at the fairies and giants around him and wrote to the chiefs of the djinn at different places ordering them to present themselves before him as soon as they received that order, each bringing with him the human being, male or female, he might have in his possession. He also wrote that if anyone of them was late in coming he would be seized and severely punished and that if it was discovered later that anyone of them had concealed any human, he would be crushed in a mill together with his family and no trace of him would remain.
The djinn set out with these orders in all directions. The two kings now sat conversing frankly and cordially. During the talks, Malik Shahbal said to the dervishes, ‘I also earnestly wished to have a child and had resolved in my mind that if God gave me a son or a daughter, I would marry it to the offspring of a king of human beings. After I had so resolved in my mind I learnt that the queen was pregnant. With great anxiety I counted each day till at last she had gone the full time and this girl was born. I then ordered all the djinn here to search the four corners of the world and to carefully bring a prince to me of whatever king. The djinn immediately left and after a short while they brought this prince to
me. I thanked God and took the child in my arms. Actually I came to love him more than my own daughter, so much so that even for a moment I do not like him to remain away from me. But I send him back considering that his parents will be worried if they do not see him. So I get him here once a month and after keeping him with me for a couple of days, send him back. Now that we have met, I will get them married if God wills it so. We are all mortal beings. Let us see their marriage performed whilst we are alive.’ King Azad Bakht was pleased to note the cordiality of Shahbal and to hear of his proposal and said, ‘The mystery of the prince’s frequent disappearances has been set at rest. Take this son as your own now. Do for him as you please.’ The two kings grew more intimate. They had a good time together.
Within ten or twelve days, mighty kings of Iram and from the High Mountains and Islands, who had been called, arrived at Shahbal’s court. First of all Malik Sadiq was ordered to produce the human being he had in his possession. He felt baffled and sad but he had to produce the beautiful girl before him. Then the djinn king of Ammān was ordered to present his daughter for whom the prince of Neemroz, the bull rider, had gone mad. He made many excuses but at last had to present her. When the daughter of the king of Farang and Behzad Khan were demanded, all those present there said that they had no knowledge of them. They even swore by Solomon. But when finally the king of the Ocean of Qulzum (Red Sea) was asked, he kept silent and lowered his head. Malik Shahbal treated him kindly and urging him on oath, gave him hopes of elevating him and then threatened him. At last he joined his hands together in submission and said, ‘Your Majesty, the truth is that when the king of Persia came to the river to receive his son, and the prince out of eagerness plunged his horse into the waters, I was out hunting and happened to pass that way at that time. I had stopped there to behold the scene. When the mare of the princess also plunged into the waters with her I chanced to look at the princess and was struck by her beauty. I immediately asked the djinn to bring the princess and her mare safe to me. Behzad Khan too plunged his horse after her. When he was also to be drowned, I admired his bravery and gallantry. So I got him picked up too. They are safe and secure with me.’ Relating all this, he sent for them and presented them before Shahbal. Then they made a great search for the daughter of the king of Damascus. All those present there were interrogated strictly but with politeness. No one acknowledged or said anything about her. Malik Shahbal then asked if any king or chief was absent. The djinn humbly submitted, ‘All have presented themselves except Musalsal Jadu who has built a fort by means of magic on the Mountain Qāf at the end of the world. Because of his arrogance he has not presented himself. We, Your Majesty, are not able to bring him here by force. It is a difficult rocky place and he himself is a big devil.’
Malik Shahbal was full of anger to hear this. He sent forth an army of winged and skilful djinn with the orders: ‘Better if he comes with the princess of his own accord; otherwise bring him here with his hands tied behind his neck, raze his fort to the ground and destroy his country.’ Immediately a large army marched towards that place and in a day or two brought that haughty and rebellious chief in chains before Malik Shahbal. He asked him again and again about the princess but that haughty fellow would not confess. At last Malik Sahabal was filled with rage and ordered, ‘Cut this wretched one to pieces and fill his skin with chaff.’ He also ordered the winged ones to go to Mountain Qāf and search for the princess. They went there and finding her brought her to Malik Shahbal. All those prisoners and the four dervishes were pleased to see the justness and charity of Malik Shahbal and invoked the blessings of God on him. They all rejoiced. King Azad Bakht too was much pleased. Malik Shahbal then asked the men to be conducted to the Hall of Private Audience and the women to the royal seraglio. He ordered the city to be richly decorated and illuminated. He also ordered to make preparations for the marriage. All this was done in no time, as if they had been already expecting these orders. A happy hour was fixed and he got Prince Bakhtyar married to his daughter Roshan Akhtar. The young merchant of Yemen (the first dervish) was married to the princess of Damascus; the prince of Persia (the second dervish) to the princess of Basra; the prince of Ajam (the third dervish) to the princess of Farang. The daughter of the king of Neemroz was given in marriage to Behzad Khan and the daughter of the djinn king of Ammān was given in marriage to the prince of Neemroz. The prince of China (the fourth dervish) was married to the daughter of the old man of Ajam, who had been in the prison of Malik Sadiq. Thus, with the assistance of Malik Shahbal each of those unhappy persons got what he wanted. The celebrations continued for forty days and they all rejoiced night and day.
At the end of the celebrations Malik Shahbal gave each prince rich presents and rarities and they all set out for their respective countries fully satisfied and safely reached there and began to reign. Behzad Khan and the young merchant of Yemen chose to remain with king Azad Bakht of their own accord. The merchant was made the Chief Steward and Behzad Khan the Army Chief of the fortunate prince Bakhtyar. So long as they lived, they lived in prosperity.
Just as God fulfilled the wishes of king Azad Bakht and the four dervishes, may He through His beneficence and kindness, and by the Five Pure Bodies, the twelve Imams and by the Fourteen Innocents (God bless them all), also grant the wishes of all those who are in despair. Amen!
Epilogue
When this book was completed by the grace of God, I thought of writing a chronogram which may give its year as well. I started writing it in AH 1215 (AD 1801). For want of time I could finish it only in early AH 1217 (1803). As I reflected, the name Bāgh-o-Bahār seemed to be most appropriate as it also gave the year when it was completed*. So I gave it this name. Reading it will be like taking a walk in a garden in full bloom. But while a garden is always exposed to autumn, this work is not. It will remain green, as ever:
When this book was completed
The year was A.H. 1217
Keep it before you night and day;
From Bāgh-o-Bahār, its name,
You may know its year of completion.
Vagaries of autumn it does not know;
It is spring, the vernal season, fresh, as ever.
I have nourished it with my heart’s blood;
Pieces of my heart are its fruits and leaves.
All will forget me when I pass away;
As a souvenir this, my book, will live.
Whoever reads it may please remember me;
To him I do say:
If there be any error, ignore it, please,
For where there is a rose, there is a thorn.
Man is prone to err;
Howsoever careful he is, he will fail;
I wish no more than what I pray:
O God, may I always remember Thee!
Only thus may I pass my time night and day;
may I not be harshly taken
To account for my deeds
In the night of the grave
And on Judgment Day!
O God, for the sake of Thy Prophet
Shower Thy favours on me
In this world and in the next!
Selected Glossary
Abu Jahal an enemy of Muhammad, Prophet of Islam
Ahmad Shah a Mughal emperor deposed and blinded in 1754
Ahmad Shah Abdali/Durrani an Afghan ruler who led several expeditions into India between 1748-67
Ali the son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad, and the fourth Caliph
Amir Khusrau a great Persian poet of India (d.1325)
Āzar name of Abraham’s father, an idol-maker
Baiju Bawra a celebrated Indian musician of 16th century
Farang a generic term to include almost all the European countries
Farhad the ‘Mountain-digger’, a celebrated Persian lover of Shirin
Fasli an era instituted by the Mughal emperor Akbar (r. 1556-1605)
Five Pure Bodies Muhammad the Prophet, his daughter Fatimah, his son-in-law Ali, his grandsons Husan and Husain
Fourteen Innocents Prophet Muhammad, his daughter Fatimah, and the twelve Imams
Ghilman boys who attend the virtuous in paradise
Gusā’ī In a Hindu fakir
Hatim name of a generous tribal chief of Arabia
Ibrahim ibn Adham the prince of Balkh (Bactria) who gave up the throne for the happiness of perfect poverty
Iram the fabulous gardens said to have been devised in emulation of the gardens of paradise
Kabir a renowned saint-poet of 15th century India whose imagery combines Muslim and Hindu ideas
Khizr the mystical guide, the prophet-saint who discovered and drank of the water of life, whereby he became immortal. He is believed to help those who are in distress or have lost their way
Kisra name given to Naushervan the Just (531-578), or any of the kings of Persia
Laila the dark-complexioned beloved of Majnun of Arabia
