Bagh O Bahar, or Tales of the Four Darweshes Part 17

[297] Pointing to his two brothers who were present, and heard his tale.

[298] The stake was a common mode of punishment in India in former days, and, until recently, was practised among the _Sikhs_, _Marhattas_, and other Asiatic princes, who were independent of our government.

[299] Addressing himself to the king _Azad Bakht_.

[300] The term _kibla_ signifies the "point of adoration," and is generally applied to the _Ka'ba_, or holy edifice, situated in the sacred inclosure of Mecca. To this point all _Muhammadans_ must turn when they pray.

[301] The prayer of martyrdom among the _Musalmans._ It is often repeated when they go into action against Christians and Pagans

[302] According to the _Muhammadan_ belief, _Nakir_ and _Munkir_ are two angels who attend at the moment of death, and call to an account the spirit of the deceased.

[303] Literally, "satiated the dog of my stomach."

[304] Literally, to perform the act of "rubbing the nose on the earth,"

expressive of extreme humility.

[305] Literally, "having fastened [on his person] the four mirrors."

[306] The term _zuhr_ strictly denotes the period devoted to the mid-day prayer, which is offered up after the sun has perceptibly declined from the meridian. Vide note 4, in page 14.

[307] The name of the countries which lie, as the people of _Hindustan_ term it, below Bengal, i.e., to the south-east of it; the name includes the kingdoms of Ava and Pegu.

[308] _Kunwar_ is the _Hindu_ name for the son of a _raja_.

[309] The _chaugan_ is a Persian sport performed on horseback, with a large ball like a foot-ball, which is knocked about with a long stick like a shepherd's crook; it is precisely the game called in Scotland "s.h.i.+ntey," and in England "hockey," only that the players are mounted.

[310] _Rani_ is the _Hindu_ name of a _raja's_ wife.

[311] Literally, "without a partner." The _Musalmans_ consider our doctrine of the Trinity as a deadly error.

[312] _Sarandip_ is the name for the island of Ceylon among the Arabs and Persians, as well as the _Musalmans_ of India. The ancient _Hindu_ name was _Lanka_, applied both to the island and its capital.

[313] The term _kisra_ is evidently applied here to _Naus.h.i.+rwan_, not to Cyrus, as is stated in some books.

[314] _Iran_ is the ancient name of Persia in its more extended sense, that is, the Persian Empire. _Fars_ is sometimes used in the same sense. Strictly speaking, it denotes Persia proper, which is only a province of _Iran_.

[315] The _kafila-bas.h.i.+_ is the head man of the _kafila_, or company of merchants, who travel in a body for mutual safety, and compose what is commonly called a caravan, properly a _karwan_; the richest and most respectable merchant of the party is generally elected _bas.h.i.+_; all the rest obey his orders, and he directs the movements, &c., of the whole company, and moreover, acts, in all cases of dispute, as judge and magistrate.

[316] The _farsakh_, or _farsang_, or _parsang_, is a measure of distance in Persia, and contains at the present day about 3 3/4 English miles. Herodotus reckoned the _[Greek: pasasaggaes]_; in his time at 30 Grecian stadia.

[317] _Salsabil_ is the name of a fountain of Paradise, according to _Muhammadan_ belief.

[318] The student is of course aware that in most languages a question is frequently equivalent to a negative, as in this sentence. A sapient critic, to whom I have more than once alluded, was pleased to honour me with the following profound remark on the reading given in the original, viz.--"There is a slip here in Forbes's edition, as well as the Calcutta one. The word _nahin_, 'not,' is omitted, which destroys the whole sense!!!"

[319] The _kaliyan_ (or as the moderns say, _kaliyun_) is the Persian _hukka_.

[320] This is, as the vulgate hath it, "coming it a little too strong;" but be it remembered that Oriental story-tellers do not mar the interest of their narrative by a slavish adherence to probability.

[321] Here the king _Azad Bakht_ speaks in his own person, and addresses himself to the four _darweshes_.

[322] With regard to the essence of _bed-mushk_ vide note 2, page 42.

[323] The image of the Divine power in that country of Pagans.

[324] Vide note 3, page 30, respecting the _chilla_, or "period of forty."

[325] That is to say, she had never seen a _Muhammadan_ at his prayers.

[326] _Lat_ and _Manat_ were the two great idols of _Hindu_ wors.h.i.+p in former times.

[327] In the languages of southern India, _Turk_ is the general appellation for a _Musalman_.

[328] The _chaman_ is a small garden or _parterre_, which is laid out before the sitting room in the interior of the women's apartments; it means in general, _parterres_ of flowers.

[329] The original uses a much stronger expression.

[330] Literally, the poison of the _halahal_, as expression used to denote poison of the strongest kind. The _halahal_ is a fabulous poison, said to have been produced from the ocean on the churning of it by the G.o.ds and _daityas._ Our critic says, on this word, that it means "deadly!!!" will he favour us with some authority on that point, better than his own?

[331] On the phrase, _do mahine men_, our critic comes out in great force. He says, "Mir Amman here sins against grammar; it should be, _do mahinon men!!!_" The critic is not aware, that when a noun follows a numeral it never requires the inflection plural en, except when it is to be rendered more definite? In reality, Mir Amman would be wrong if he had employed the reading recommended by the sapient critic; _do mahine men_ means "in two months;" _do mahinon men_ "in _the_ two months" (previously determined upon).

[332] The _chor-mahall_ is a private seraglio.

[333] The twelve _Imams_.--Vide note 3, page 4.

[334] The threshold of a paG.o.da or mosque. The oriental people uncover their feet, as we do our heads, on entering a place of wors.h.i.+p.

[335] Asiatics do not sign their names, but put their seals to letters, bonds, paper, &c.; on the seal is engraven their names, t.i.tles, &c.; which absurd practice has frequently given rise to much roguery, and even bloodshed, as it is so easy, by bribes, to get a seal-cutter to forge almost any seal, a notorious instance of which appeared some twenty years ago in the case of the _Raja_ of _Sattara_. Though the _Muhammadan_ laws punish with severe penalties such transgressions, yet seal-cutters are not more invulnerable to the powers of gold than other men. Kings, princes, _nawwabs_ &c., have a private mark, as well as a public seal, to official papers; and a private seal and mark for private or confidential papers.

[336] A _khil'at_ or honorary dress is generally bestowed on a person when he is appointed to a new situation.

[337] Literally, "who could hit a _kauri_ suspended by a hair." The _kauri_ is a small round sh.e.l.l used to denote the minutest denomination of money. In Bengal it is about the hundredth part of a _paisa_.

[338] The _nazar_ or _pesh-kash_ is a sum of money, &c., which, all oriental officials pay to the prince of the country, or to his favourites, &c., when appointed to their situations. Some people say that such things are done nearer home, with this difference, that among us it is a private transaction; whereas, in the East, it is an open one.

[339] _ja-girs_ are donations of lands, or, rather, of the revenues arising from a certain portion of land; strictly speaking, such a grant is a reward for military service, though it is sometimes bestowed without that condition.

[340] As the _Musalmans_ reckon their day from sun-set, this is no _bull_.

[341] Literally, "the third fault is that of the mother."

[342] The king here resumes his address to the four darweshes.

[343] A proverb synonymous to ours, of "What is bred in the bone, will never come out of the flesh."

[344] The _tawa_ is a circular plate of malleable or cast iron, used for baking cakes or bannocks. It is slightly convex, like a watch-gla.s.s, on the upper side, where the bread is laid on; the under or concave side being, of course perfectly black. In Scotland, and in the northern counties of England, this domestic implement is called "the girdle," and is still in common use in places remote from towns.

[345] Till recently a province of Persia; the northern part of ancient Media. It is now, alas! fallen into the deadly grasp of the unholy Muscovite.

[346] A kind of pea common in India; it is the ordinary food of horses, oxen, camels, &c., likewise of the native. By Europeans it is generally called _grum_ or "_graum_."