The Institutes of Akbar 135.3.2

135.3.2

The saying of some wise men that a dog had ten virtues, and that a man, if he possess one of them, was a saint, was also quoted as a proof. Certain courtiers and friends of His Majesty, who were known for their excellence in every department, and proverbial as court poets, used to put dogs on a tablecloth and feed them, whilst other heretical poets, Persians and Hindustanis, followed this example, even taking the tongues of dogs into their own mouths, and then boasting of it. Tell the Mir that thou hast, within thy skin, a dog and a carcass. A dog runs about in front of the house; don’t make him a messmate. The ceremonial ablution after emission of semen was no longer considered binding, and people quoted as proof that the essence of man was the sperma genitale, which was the origin of good and bad men. It was absurd that voiding urine and excrements should not require ceremonial ablutions, whilst the emission of so tender a fluid should necessitate ablution; it would be far better, if people would first bathe, and then have connexion. Further, it was absurd to prepare a feast in honour of a dead person; for the corpse was mere matter, and could derive no pleasure from the feast. People should therefore make a grand feast on their birth-days. Such feasts were called Ásh i hayát, food of life. The flesh of the wild boar and the tiger was also permitted, because ‘the courage which these two animals possess, would be transferred to any one who fed on such meat.