The Book of Akbar 312.2

312.2

“Whereas the totality of H.M.’s lofty intellect is engaged in contriving that all sorts and conditions of men—who are fearfully and wonderfully made—may pass their precious days—which cannot be exchanged or replaced,—in cheerfulness and content, and in the shadow of happiness and hope, and in ways well-pleasing to God, and that they may withdraw the neck of submission from the collar of formalism (taqlid) which all the teachers of religion and leaders of faith have struck at with the hand of denunciation, but which in all religions displays with effrontery its baseness and deformity; and that they may exercise themselves in gathering the materials of inquiry and not stay their foot in the paths of propositions (masālik-i-matālib), without the guidance of proof, nor, while in the streets of their sentiments (mashāri‘-i-maqāsid), enter upon minute subtleties without the light of reason. Our mark-hitting mind (zamīr-i-sabāt-pazīr) is ever paying full regard to the truths of science, and the minutiæ of wisdom, and through the Divine favour and guidance has from its lofty beginning been enriched and replenished by inspirations and visitations, and owing to beauteous mysteries and purity of intention has been endowed and blessed with the insignia of the past and of the future. In the course of such researches our eye fell upon the almanacs in common use among the people of India, and which in their language are called patra.