The Book of Akbar 343.4

343.4

In the very thick of the fighting when he saw that the driver of the other elephant had lost control of the animal, that Lion of God leapt from his own elephant to the other. Then did the pious receive the collyrium of illumination! For it was impossible to approach this animal without God’s protection, much less, to ride it, and again to control it with severity, and to engage it in fight with another elephant like itself! On beholding these wonders both the exoteric and the esoteric became submissive (lit. came into the condition of having the ring in their ears). It did not occur to anyone that he would saddle the elephant, and that he would arrange other tools and things in order that he might ride. He put a rope round the elephant’s neck, as an ornament to him, and sitting near his neck twisted his foot into that rope. What shall I say?—the same thing as I said at first. I can’t describe the affair. If the superficial reader thinks that in my description I have turned aside from the long highway of purpose into space, the intelligent and judicious will perceive that I have not deviated one foot from the way, and that I am hastening forward.