, but he did not see Mullah Shah, who had become so fond of
solitude that he rarely showed himself in the city.

In 1635 A.D., the Sheikh Mian Mir died at Lahore, and in the
same year one of the chief nobles of the court named Najat Khan became a
disciple of Mullah Shah. About the same time, Mozaffer Beg, one of the
Emperor's suite, devoted himself to his service, and his example was
followed by several of his friends. But no sooner had they been
initiated into the mystical doctrines than they believed themselves
privileged to dispense with the prescribed fast of Ramazan and the
obligatory prayers, considering that the religious law no longer applied
to them. Being informed of these irregularities, Mullah Shah prayed the
governor to have them removed from the town.

About this time he made a collection of his verses, among which are the
following:--

"If alchemy can change dust into gold, thou marvellest;
But asceticism is an alchemy which changes dust into God.
If a man dives into the ocean of Deity what does he become?
As a drop which falls from the clouds into the sea."

Regarding pedantic theologians, he says:--

"Well I know these preachers who do not practise,
Their memory stored with a hundred thousand traditions,
While their mind is empty of ideas."

In 1639 the Emperor Shah-jehan came a second time to Kashmir, and took
up his dwelling in the park called Zafer-abad, in a pavilion which
commanded a delightful view of the lake. No sooner had he arrived than
he sent for Mullah Shah, who came without delay. The Emperor received
him with marked kindness and conversed long with him on subjects
relating to the Sufi sciences.

This same year is remarkable for an event which had important results
for Mullah Shah and his followers. The Prince Dara-Shikoh, who had saved
Mullah Shah's life by his intervention, had always been marked by keen
religious feeling, and often spent whole nights in prayer and
meditation. He had often heard of the extraordinary powers of Mullah
Shah, but had never had the opportunity of seeing him, as the sheikh
still maintained his habits of retirement. Little by little, a feeling
of irresistible curiosity took possession of the Prince; he determined
to see the holy man who was so highly spoken of, and one night,
accompanied by a single servant named Mujahid, he left his palace and
directed his steps towards the dwelling of Mullah Shah. The latter had
in his courtyar