OF THE HINDUS. 55 



words that Kabir assumed, and Ramanand acknowledged to be the initiatory- 

 Mantra, which forms the bond of union between a Guru and his disciple. 



The story of Kabir's being a disciple of Ramanand, however told, and, 

 although perhaps not literally true in any fashion, may be so far correct, that 

 Kabir was roused by the innovations of that sectary to adopt and extend the 

 schism, and seems to place at contiguous periods the eras at which they flou- 

 rished : according to the Kabir Pant'his^ their founder was present in the 

 world three hundred years, or from 1149 to 1449,* but of these dates we 

 cannot admit the accuracy of more than one at most, and as the latter is the 

 more recent, it is the more probable : agreeable to this, is the connexion of 

 Kabir's writings with the faith of Nanak Shah, who began to teach about 

 1490, and it also confirms a particular account, current amongst his followers, 

 of his openly vindicating his doctrines before Sekander Shah,! in whose 



* "^J^fT ^T^^^ %r xir^ w 'w^ t%%r f^^T i ^^ ^frf^ ir^^" ^% ^^ 



1Vt% '^^'^ ^T ■"T^'T II in the Sambat 1205 Jnyani meditated, was manifest at Kdsi, and declared 

 the text called Taksdr : in the Sambat 1505 he journied to Magar, and on the II th of the light 

 fortnight of Aghan, air mixed with air. 



•f- There Is a Ramaini to that effect, and the following story is told, with the usual marvel- 

 lous embellishments, in the Bhakta Maid ; in that work it is said, his mother complained to Sekan- 

 der Padshah of her son's having deserted the true faith, on which the king sent for him ; he ap- 

 peared with the Tika and Mala, and when told to make the customary Saldm, he replied, " I know- 

 none but Ram, what use is there in prostrating myself to a monarch." Enraged at his behaviour, 

 the king ordered him to be chained hand and foot, and thrown into the river. The water bore hira 

 to shore. He then commanded him to be cast into fire, but the flames played harmless round him. 

 He then directed him to be trodden to death by an elephant, but as soon as the animal saw the 

 sage, he turned tail and ran away. The king mounted his own elephant, resolved to execute his 

 commands in person, but when he approached, Kabir transformed himself into a lion. The Monarch 

 then convinced of his divine character alighted, and falling at his feet, offered him any lands and 

 villages he might chuse : these offers he declined, saying, " Ram is ray wealth : of what avail are 



