ligions in order that he might take something from CHAPTER IV. each for the constitution of a new one.' 9957

one sovereign.

The pretensions of Akber to be worshipped as a One God and deity reveal the workings of his mind. The Moghul idea of one sovereign and one God had seethed in his brain. He had become impatient of Islam; he yearned to bring all men under one dominion, religious as well as political. He had been intoxicated by the boundless flattery of Abul Fazl.

Akber's religi

ment.

The stages in the development of Akber are Stages in strongly marked. The idea that he was the twelfth ous developImám, the Lord of the period, may possibly have died a natural death. It could only find expression within the pale of Islam; it would not work upon the Hindú; it was too fascinating to be rejected; it was blended with more spiritual and metaphysical forms of belief. The worship of Fire and the Sun as the manifestations of deity, the types of the supreme spirit, was alike Persian and Brahmanical. The worship of royalty as light emanating from God, a ray of the Sun that illuminated the universe, was due to the genius of Abul Fazl. Probably it originated in ancient times, when imperial power maintained a priesthood and was supported by a priesthood. 58 Others, however, besides Abul Fazl had the audacity to revive a similar idea in the sixteenth century; hence arose the belief in the divine rights of kings which about the same time began to prevail in England.59

57 Purchas's Pilgrimage, reprinted at Calcutta, 1864.

58 It is a suggestive fact that the Rajas of Ayodhya, the ancestors of the present Rajas of Udaipur, are fabled to have descended from the Sun. The remote ancestor of Chenghiz Khan was also begotten by the Sun on a Virgin.

59 The fact that Akber suffered himself to be worshipped as deity is undeniable.

CHAPTER IV.

The "Divine
Faith."

Absence of fanaticism.

Besides this popular form of worship Akber founded a new religion, known as the "Divine Faith." The members were the elect, who worshipped him as the visible type of deity. The novice placed his turban at the foot of the Padishah. In return he received a symbol bearing the name of God, and the motto "Alláhu Akber." 60 Meantime all the Mussulman prayers and feasts were abolished at court. A new worship was introduced, which was partly Parsí and partly Hindú. A new era, and new festivals, were established, all of which were Parsí. The members gave feasts on their birthdays, and bestowed alms. They refrained as far as possible from flesh meat. They abstained from intercourse with women who were pregnant, old, or barren, and with girls who were under age. Meantime the Mussulman grandees at court made but little resistance. They hated Abul Fazl. They were jealous of the promotion of Hindús; they were little troubled by the religious novelties. They had learned to sneer at the Ulamá; probably in their hearts they were ready to sneer at the Padishah. Akber was no fanatic. He was not carried away by religious craze. His religion was the outcome of his policy; it was political rather than superstitious; it began with him, and it ended with him. Proba

Every morning Akber made his prostrations to the Sun, whilst a crowd of wretches made their prayers and vows to him as their deity. The Portuguese saw the people worship Akber. Abul Fazl himself declares, that the people's prayers were answered, that their diseases were healed. He adds, with a sly hit at Christianity and Buddhism, that many sincere inquirers received an awakening from the light of his wisdom, or the holiness of his breath, which other spiritual doctors could not produce by fasting and prayers for forty days. See Aín-i-Akbari, translated by Blockmann.

60 There is a double meaning in these words. They signify "God is great." They also signify "Akber is God."

bly the lack of fanaticism caused its failure. Abul CHAPTER IV. Fazl speaks of the numbers who joined it; the list which he has preserved only contains the names of eighteen courtiers, including himself, his father, and his brother. Only one Hindú is on the list, namely, Bir Bar, the Brahman.61

Akber.

Akber tried hard to improve the morals of his Morals of subjects, Hindús as well as Mussulmans. He placed restrictions upon prostitution; he severely punished seducers. He permitted the use of wine; he punished intoxication. He prohibited the slaughter of cows. He forbade the marriage of boys before they were sixteen, and of girls before they were fourteen. He permitted the marriage of Hindú widows. He tried to stop Satí amongst the Hindús, and polygamy amongst the Mussulmans.62

There was much practical simplicity in Akber's Practical mind character. It showed itself in a variety of ways. It was not peculiar to Akber; it was an instinct which shows itself in Moghuls generally. His Amírs cheated him by bringing borrowed horses to muster; he stopped them by branding every horse with the name of the Amír to which it belonged as well as with the imperial mark. He appointed writers to record everything he said or did. He sent

61 Bir Bar had something to do with Akber's religious culture. Badauni, the Mussulman historian, thus refers to him: "Bir Bar impressed upon the Padishah that the Sun was the primary origin of everything. The ripening of the grain in the fields, of fruits and vegetables, the illumination of the universe, and the lives of men, depended upon the Sun. Hence it was but proper to worship and reverence this luminary; and people in praying should face towards the place where he rises, instead of turning to the quarter where he sits. For similar reasons, said Bir Bar, should men pay regard to fire and water, stones, trees, and other forms of existence, even to cows and their ordure, to the mark on the forehead, and the Brahmanical thread." Blockmann's translation in the Aín-i-Akbari. 62 See the extracts from Badauni's history, inserted in Mr Blockmann's edition of the Aín-i-Akbari. It is impossible to ascertain how far Akber enforced obedience to his laws.

CHAPTER IV. Writers into every city and province to report to him everything that was going on.63 He hung up a bell at the palace; any man who had a grievance might ring the bell and obtain a hearing.

discovering the

guage.

64

Experiment for Akber was very inquisitive. He sent an expediprimitive lan- tion to discover the sources of the Ganges. He made a strange experiment to discover what language was first spoken by mankind. This experiment is typical of the man. The Mussulmans declared that the first language was Arabic; the Jews said it was Hebrew; the Bráhmans said it was Sanskrit. Akber ordered twelve infants to be brought up by dumb nurses; not a word was to be spoken in their presence until they were twelve years of age. When the time arrived the children were brought before Akber. Proficients in the learned tongues were present to catch the first words, to decide upon the language to which it belonged. The children could not say a word; they spoke only by signs. The experiment was an utter failure.65

Dark side of Akber his poisoner.

The character of Akber had its dark side. He was sometimes harsh and cruel. His persecution of Mussulmans was unpardonable. He had another way of getting rid of his enemies which is revolting to civilization. He kept a poisoner in his pay.

63 These writers were of little use in checking injustice or oppression. Bernier says that they were generally in disgraceful collusion with the viceroy or governor. 61 Aín-i-Akbari. See also Father Catrou.

65 Father Catrou relates this incident on the authority of the Moghul chronicle. According to Herodotus the same experiment was made by one of the Egyptian Pharaohs. There is one curious incident in Akber's experiment. The children were subsequently taught to speak, but it was with the greatest possible difficulty.

Badauni relates the incident in a tone of contempt. He says that a number of sucklings were brought up by dumb nurses until they were four years of age. When the time was up not one could speak a word. Badauni's story is probably the true one. Father Catrou's story is just the exaggeration of the incident which would be recorded in the Moghul chronicles.

He carried a box with three compartments; one CHAPTER IV. for betel; another for digestive pills; a third for poisoned pills. No one dared to refuse to eat what was offered him by the Padishah; the offer was esteemed an honour. How many were poisoned by Akber is unknown. The practice was in full force during the reigns of his successors.

Akber required his Amírs to prostrate themselves Prostration. before him. This rule gave great offence to Mussulmans; prostration is worship; no strict Mussulman will perform worship except when offering his prayers to God. Abul Fazl says that Akber ordered it to be discontinued. The point is doubtful. It was certainly performed by members of the "Divine Faith." It was also performed during the reign of his son and successor."

66

potism.

The Moghul government was pure despotism. Absolute des Every governor and viceroy was supreme within his province; the Padishah was supreme throughout his empire. There was nothing to check provincial rulers but fear of the Padishah; there was nothing to check the Padishah but fear of rebellion. All previous Mussulman sovereigns had been checked by the Ulamá and the authority of the Koran. Akber had broken up the Ulamá and set aside the Koran; he governed the empire according to his will; his will was law. The old Moghul Khans had held Diets; no trace of a Diet is to be found in

66 Three forms of salutation were known to the Moghuls :-the Kornish, or offering of the head; the Taslim, or offering of the whole body; the Sijdah, or prostration. The Kornish consisted in placing the palm of the right hand upon the forehead, and bending the head downwards. The Taslim consisted in stooping down and placing the back of the right hand upon the ground; then raising it gently and standing erect; finally placing the palm of the hand on the crown of the head. The Sijdah consisted in prostration, and touching the ground with the forehead. See Aín-i-Akbari, translated by Blockmann. Book i. Aín 74.