Bagh O Bahar | Page 6

slaves regulate the affairs of the state; for if your imperial highness is to
bear this trouble, which God forbid! of what utility are the servants of
the state?" The king replied, "Thou sayest true; but the sorrow which
preys on my mind is beyond cure.
"Hear, O Khiradmand! my whole age has been passed in this vexatious
career of conquest, and I am now arrived at these years; there is only
death before me; I have even received a message from him, for my
hairs are turned white. There is a saying; 'We have slept all night, and
shall we not awake in the morning?' Until now I have not had a son,
that I might be easy in mind; for which reason my heart is very
sorrowful, and I have utterly abandoned everything. Whoever wishes,
may take the country and my riches. I have no use for them. Moreover,
I intend some day or other, to quit everything, retire to the woods and
mountains, and not show my face to any one. In this manner I will pass
this life of [at best but] a few days' duration. If some spot pleases me, I
shall sit down on it; and by devoting my time in prayers to God,
perhaps my future state will be happy; this world I have seen well, and
have found no felicity in it." After pronouncing these words, the king
heaved a deep sigh, and became silent.
Khiradmand had been the Wazir of his majesty's father, and when the
king was heir-apparent he had loved him; moreover, he was wise and
zealous. He said (to Azad Bakht,) "It is ever wrong to despair of God's
grace; He who has created the eighteen thousand species of living
beings [64] by one fiat, can give you children without any difficulty.

Mighty sire, banish these fanciful notions from your mind, or else all
your subjects will be thrown into confusion, and this empire,--with
what trouble and pains your royal forefathers and yourself have erected
it!--will be lost in a moment, and, from want of care, the whole country
will be ruined; God forbid that you should incur evil fame! Moreover,
you will have to answer to God, in the day of judgment, when he will
say, 'Having made thee a king, I placed my creatures under thy care;
but thou hadst no faith in my beneficence, and thou hast afflicted thy
subjects [by abandoning thy charge.'] What answer will you make to
this accusation? Then even your devotion and prayers will not avail
you, for the heart of man is the abode of God, and kings will have to
answer only for the justice [65] of their conduct. Pardon your slave's
want of respect, but to leave their homes, and wander from forest to
forest, is the occupation of hermits, [66] but not that of kings. You
ought to act according to your allotted station: the remembering of God,
and devotion to him, are not limited to woods or mountains: your
majesty has undoubtedly heard this verse, 'God is near him, and he
seeks him in the wilderness; the child is in his arms, and there is a
proclamation [of its being lost] throughout the city.'
"If you will be pleased to act impartially, and follow this slave's advice,
in that case the best thing is, that your Majesty should keep God in
mind every moment, and offer up to him your prayers. No one has yet
returned hopeless from his threshold. In the day, arrange the affairs of
state, and administer justice to the poor and injured; then the creatures
of God will repose in peace and comfort under the skirt of your
prosperity. Pray at night; and after beseeching blessings for the pure
spirit of the Prophet, solicit assistance from recluse Darweshes and
holy men, [who are abstracted from worldly objects and cares;] bestow
daily food on orphans, prisoners, poor parents of numerous children,
and helpless widows. From the blessings of these good works and
benevolent intentions, if God please, it is to be fervently hoped that the
objects and desires of your heart will all be fulfilled, and the
circumstances for which the royal mind is afflicted, will likewise be
accomplished, and your noble heart will rejoice! Look towards the
favour of God, for he can in a moment do what he wishes." At length,
from such various representations on the part of Khiradmand the Wazir,

Azad Bakht's heart took courage, and he said, "Well, what you say is
true; let us see to this also; and hereafter, the will of God be done."
When the king's mind was comforted, he asked the Wazir what the
other nobles and ministers were doing, and how they were. He replied,
that "all the pillars of state are praying