to his father and represented to him that
Mullah Shah was a pupil of Sheikh Mian Mir, a man renowned for piety,
and that the Emperor ought, before pronouncing final judgment, to ask
the latter regarding the conduct of his former disciple. The prince
concluded by saying that in such a matter haste was ill-omened, because
to deprive a man of life is to pull down a building of which God is the
Architect. The Emperor accepted this appeal graciously, and ordered the
execution to be deferred. Meanwhile the news of the condemnation of
Mullah Shah had spread and reached Kashmir, but the respite obtained by
the Prince was still unknown there. The friends of Mullah Shah were in
despair, and used their utmost endeavours to persuade him to fly. But he
answered, "I am not an impostor that I should seek safety in flight; I
am an utterer of truth; death and life are to me alike. Let my blood in
another life also redden the impaling stake. I am living and eternal;
death recoils from me, for my knowledge has vanquished death. The
sphere where all colours are effaced has become my abode."

"Once," he added, "I used to bar the door of my house with a bolt in
order not to be disturbed by anyone, but now I will leave it wide open,
in order that whoever wishes to make me a martyr may enter at his
pleasure."

Mullah Shah thus awaited death in an attitude of imperturbable calm, but
fate had decided otherwise. Not long afterwards the Emperor Shah-jehan
went to Lahore, and in the company of Prince Dara-Shikoh paid a visit to
the Sheikh Mian Mir, and questioned him concerning Mullah Shah. Mian Mir
told him that Mullah Shah was apt to be carried out of himself when in
an ecstatic state, and that then he sometimes spoke without observing
the reserve necessary on the doctrine of union with God; but he adjured
the Emperor at the same time to take no steps against his old pupil,
"For," he said, "this holy man is a consuming fire, and woe to you if he
be irritated, for he could destroy the world. In any case prevent the
orthodox party from persecuting him, otherwise some dreadful disaster
may happen."

This advice made a deep impression on the Emperor, who thanked Prince
Dara-Shikoh for having prevented his carrying out the sentence of death.
He said, "These theologians have tried to persuade me to kill a
visionary dervish; I thank thee, my son, for having prevented my
committing an act of injustice." Some time afterwards the Emperor went
to Kashmir