Note 175 — The Thirteenth New Year’s Feast

On the eve of Friday, the 13th (Bahman), I went to the mausoleum of the refuge of pardon, S͟haik͟h Salīm Chis͟htī, a little concerning whose blessed qualities has been written in the preface175 to this record of prosperity, and the fātiḥa was recited. Although the manifestation of miracles and wonders is not approved by the elect of the throne of God, and from humility and a feeling of their low rank (as saints) they avoid such display, yet occasionally in the excitement of ecstasy an appearance is manifested unintentionally and without control,176 or for the sake of teaching someone the exhibition is made. Among these was this, that he before my birth gave my father the good news of the advent of this suppliant and of my two brothers. Again, one day my father incidentally asked him how old he was, and when would he depart to the abiding regions. He replied: “The glorious God knows what is secret and hidden.” After much urgency he indicated this suppliant (Prince Salīm), and said: “When the Prince, by the instruction of a teacher or in any other way, shall commit something to memory and shall recite it, this will be a sign of my union with God.” In consequence of this, His Majesty gave strict orders to all who were in attendance on me that no one should teach me anything in prose or verse. At length when two years and seven months had passed away, it happened one day that one of the privileged177 women was in the palace. She used to burn rue constantly in order to avert the evil eye, and on this pretext had access to me. She used to partake of the alms and charities. She found me alone and regardless of (or ignorant of) what had been said (by Akbar), she taught me this couplet: