The Dabistan

504

" ever be thy religion, associate wiih men of an
*c opposite persuasion; if, In hearing their dis-
" courses thou feelest but little disturbed, thy mind
" keeps the tenor of piety; but if thou art not in
" the least moved and mixest with them like milk
•" and sugar, then certainly thou hast attained the
" highest degree of perfect peace, and art a master
44 of the divine creation."

Yusef was a man belonging to the tribe of Durds,!
and In his youth a hermit; at last, by his efforts, he
found access to the intellectual world, and by the
grace of God he carried It so far, that he was ranged
among the disciples called Sanyasis, on account of
their piety and knowledge, and among the learned
followers of the celebrated master, who dwelt in
Barahmiilah, a village in Kacbmir. It so happened
that, when he devoted himself to his service, he
found what he was In search of. Shaikh At ar
says:

** An unbeliever becomes a relation by love;
" A lover acquires the high sense of a durvish."

Having known many countries and persons, he
became impressed with the marks of revelations.
So it happened that the author of this book heard
from him what follows: " One night I saw in a

1 The Durds are the inhabitants of the mountainous country to the
•west of Kachmir.