Life and Conditions of the People of Hindustan (1200–1550 A.D.) c7.s4.17

c7.s4.17

B. Loyalty to an equal or friend.—Loyalty to an equal, irrespective of considerations of rank and status or the obligation of ‘salt’—or in other words the spirit of friendship and comradeship, is more charming for obvious reasons. This does not necessarily exclude friendly relationships that may exist between persons of quite different social status, even between a king and his subjects or between a commander and soldiers under his command.² Friendship and comradeship were usually termed Yari (companionship, comradeship) and implied a somewhat romantic conception of the relationship. For instance Friendship was considered to be undying and eternal. It was the complete and unqualified dedication of a person to his friend for life-long devotion and service. It appears that people used to choose their friends or companions for their strong and manly qualities. Weak-minded, spineless associates, though sweet and amiable, had no charms from them, and no place in their emotional life. Friendship, under the peculiar conditions of the age, was a kind of social insurance against dangers and misfortunes. A proper friend, as Amir Khusrau describes him, is one who serves as a sword of fine steel in case of attack and as a coat-of-mail for defence.³ Similarly, Guru Nanak warns everybody against choosing ther friends from among the petty shop-keepers, the class that had acquired a reputation for selfishness and meanness. The Sikh teacher explains his meaning further by saying that the foundations of friendship in a case like