In former years there lived a very learned old “Guru,” or spiritual teacher, and he had five very earnest disciples who had become so imbued with his knowledge, and so attached to his person that they agreed to follow him wherever he led the way, even if it were to travel all the country round.

“Well,” he replied, “if I do leave this enamoured spot where I have spent most of my life, we shall all have to undergo many privations, and perhaps hardships, but I confess I have now a thirst for seeing more of the world: so will you go with me under the prospect of such circumstances?”

“Yes,” they said, “we certainly will, and no matter what frowns of fortune come upon us we shall at least gain knowledge every hour that we are in your company.”

He then proposed that they should visit the various Hindu shrines and the places that had been hallowed by old associations connected with the founders of their Faith.

To this they readily consented, and having sought for a propitious day, they set forth on their travels.

They had visited many holy places consecrated by age and sanctity, and as they were everywhere made welcome by devotees of their religion, they had few deprivations to encounter.

One day they were approaching a very populous city where a devout Hindu King resided, and the “Guru” said to his disciples, “I am much fatigued by the journey; go you all into the city and buy bread, and return to me here,” for he had determined to rest under a large clump of trees just outside the city walls.

It was not long before they all returned to the “Guru” with a wonderful account of the city, “For,” said they, “we have never known so remarkable a place, for, strange to relate, every article of merchandise is of the same price. In every shop and market all the goods are of one and the same value: gold, silver, precious stones, wheat, fruit, vegetables, and, indeed, everything that man can wish for and want, can be had for the same sum.”

The “Guru” said, “You much surprise me; and although I am very tempted to see for myself such a wonderful place, yet I am convinced that such a state of things must bring about great laxity and vice, and that justice there must be at a very low ebb, for that too I suppose is classed with the other commodities. No! let us at once quit this city and make the best of our way to some other more inviting place.” Whereupon they all agreed to accompany the “Guru”; but one disciple, a tall strapping fellow, and fond of the good things of this life, said that on second thoughts he would like to spend two or three days in that city, and that he would join them some marches off if they would only promise to go by easy stages.

It was in vain that the “Guru” tried to dissuade him from his purpose; he had made up his mind, so he parted company with his fellows, and went off alone into the city.

He had not been there more than two or three days when a burglary, attended with murder, was committed in the city, and the “Kotwal,” or chief Police officer, began to set on foot enquiries as to the whereabouts of the perpetrators of the crime. He came across this disciple of the “Guru,” and finding that he was a strong powerful fellow, and a stranger to boot, he was at once taken up on suspicion, and very soon witnesses were found who had seen him loafing about the place, and he was there and then tried for the crime, condemned and sentenced to death and the sentence was confirmed by the King in due course.

This avaricious, this greedy disciple, was then cast into prison to await his execution, and bitterly did he repent that he had not followed the advice of his “Guru.” Thus mourning over his fate, he aroused the sympathy of his gaoler, who good-naturedly offered to send a messenger to tell his “Guru” what had happened to him, and to bid him return.

This messenger went off in great haste, and managed to come up with the “Guru” and his party at no very great distance from the city. He gave them a full and distinct account of all that had passed, and how that his disciple had been tried and sentenced to death; “But,” he added, “the day of execution was not fixed when I left the city.” He told the “Guru” moreover, that the King always made it his business to be present at all times when there was capital punishment to be carried out.

The “Guru” and his disciples then hurriedly returned with the messenger to the city, and when they entered the walls they ascertained that the execution had been arranged for the day following.

When the morning broke they hastened to the place of execution, and all the city turned out to witness it. The “Guru” shortly after saw his disciple, surrounded by a number of police, being brought from the prison. He at once accosted the Chief Officer and asked his permission to say just a word or two to the prisoner before his death. It was not usual to allow this, but as he was a “Guru” and a spiritual teacher and held in great reverence by all Hindus, leave was granted him to do so.

He had only just time to say to his disciple, “See what you have brought on yourself by your greediness and avarice; and now do as I tell you. When you see me prostrate myself before the King, call out at the top of your voice, ‘No, I will not suffer my holy “Guru” to die for me; I must and will die, so go on with the execution.’ Mind you do this, for I intend as I prostrate myself to offer my life in exchange for yours.”

He had scarcely spoken the words when there was a stir amongst the people, for the King was approaching; and now the King had reached the spot prepared for him, and with him was a large concourse of nobles and courtiers, indeed a goodly retinue, accompanied with all the pomp and display so essential to all Oriental potentates when they move from their Palaces in State and on Public occasions. As soon as the tumult had ceased the “Guru” approached as near the Presence as he dared, the people making way for him as he was a “Guru.” He then bowed in submission and made the usual obeisance, and asked leave to speak.

When the Prisoner saw his “Guru” prostrating himself before the King, he called out in a loud voice the very identical words that he had been instructed by his “Guru” to pronounce. The King was beyond all measure astonished, for he heard the Prisoner’s words distinctly, and motioning to the “Guru” to come nearer, His Majesty said, “This is a most remarkable thing; I have never known anything before like this to take place at an execution. You, a learned “Guru” of our Faith, offer your life as a substitute for the Prisoner’s, and the Prisoner asks to die at once, and seeks no mercy! It is usual rather for one condemned to death to solicit pardon at my hands. Can anyone solve this mystery?” And turning to his nobles and courtiers he sought for a reply, but none was then given. Then, appealing to the “Guru,” His Majesty said, “Can you interpret this wonderful procedure, for it passes man’s understanding?” Whereupon the “Guru” said, “Yes, oh King! I can; for is not this the very day, and almost the very hour of the day, when, by our ancient Sanscrit “Vedas” it has been foretold that whosoever on this day and hour shall suffer death, or die in a public place, shall in very truth be transported to endless happiness and bliss?”

“Is it so?” responded the King, and then summoning to his side his own learned “Gurus,” who in his belief could work miracles and forgive sins, he demanded of them if such had been predicted. Quite oblivious as to what was passing in the King’s mind at the time, they one and all replied, “True, oh King! such is the record.”

Then turning to his Vizier he commanded that the Prisoner should at once be set free, “For,” said His Majesty, “I now see that fate has reserved for me this propitious opportunity, that I myself should obtain the spiritual rewards promised in our sacred writings. Behold me then, all of you, the substitute, and not the “Guru.” Whereupon he drew his “Kuttan,” or dagger, from his belt, and plunged it into his breast.

So died the devout King of this wonderful City, and was gathered to his fathers, to the unutterable grief of all his Court and people.

EXPLANATORY NOTES.

“Guru.”—A Hindu spiritual director or guide. It is a Sanscrit word and was originally applied to a saint or holy man. The disciples of a “Guru” are termed “Chelah,” also a Sanscrit word, and meaning pupil, servant, slave.

Amongst the Mahomedans a “Guru” would be termed a “Pir,” a Persian word, and in some parts “Murshud,” from the Arabic, and their disciples “Mureed,” also from the Arabic.

All communities, either Hindu or Mahomedan, have their “Gurus” or “Pirs.” The disciples usually attend their “Gurus” to the Shrines in the case of Hindus, and to the Mosques and Shrines in the case of Moslems.

“Clump of Trees.”—It is usual round good sized towns to build walls, and outside the walls to plant groups of trees, and to cultivate gardens, and to provide wells for general use.

“Kotwal.”—An important Officer, holding in native towns authority under the Rajah; and the idea conveyed by the name is that of an official appointed to look after others and to see that they obey the laws. It is a Persian word, and the office is of ancient date, but owing to British intercourse is now almost superseded by the term Chief of Police.

“Police.”—In days long gone by it was customary for native kings and princes to attend executions, and the word translated Police here was in the original “Burkundaz,” literally, a match-lock man, because these men had charge of prisoners in native States.

“Kuttan.”—This is a Sanskrit word, and literally means a dagger with a protected handle. Another name, from the Persian, is “Peshkubz,” but the handle is different.

The sacrifice of human life to the gods prevailed amongst the early Aryans of India, and there is evidence of expiatory sacrifices to “Chandika” to save the life of a king. In this Folk Tale it is the King who gives his life, in hope of reward from the gods.

“The number Five.”—Amongst the Ghazi folk there is no actual popular superstition as to this number being lucky or unlucky; but they glory in the fact that they were born in the country of the Five Rivers, or Punjab, these rivers descending from the Himalayas and on into their parent river, the Indus. Some Mahomedans set rather a special value on the number Seven, possibly from the number of points that the body touches the ground in prostration in prayer, viz., the forehead, the elbows, the knees, and the feet.

In China both the figures Five and Seven are in everything felicitous. They say that all the forces and phenomena of Nature are based upon the number Five (their primitive idea).

Hence, Five active organs of the body: the stomach, the lungs, the liver, the heart, and the kidneys. Five primary colours: red, yellow, green, black, and white. Five varieties of taste: sweet, acrid, sour, bitter, salt. Five elements: earth, metal, wood, fire, and water. Five primary planets: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Five regions of the heavens: Centre, North, South, East, and West.

Similarly, as sounds belong to the phenomena of Nature, they must invariably resolve themselves into Five.

Note.—In the sacred poetical writings in the Sanskrit tongue (“Purana,” literally old) “Siva” as the third person in the Hindu Triad is the “Destroyer,” as “Brahma” was the “Creator,” and “Vishnu” the “Preserver.” Siva is always represented with a third Eye, and the number “Five” is a mystical and powerful number with him.

Note.—Again, all initiated Sikhs who have taken the oath, or pahal, have Five Kukkahs, or conventional marks of distinction, viz.—

Note.—Also the native jury of Hindu communities is confined to Five, and is called a “Punchayet.” Indeed, the number is very generally met with in India as of special significance, both with Mahomedans and Hindus.

Note.—In dealing with these numbers our thoughts will naturally recur to the well-known sayings in the Scriptures:

“Five of them were wise, and Five of them were foolish.” And again, in the religion of the Jews, how the number Seven is used as a number of perfection; and again, the number Five in the appeal of Abraham, “Wilt thou destroy all the city for lack of five?”

Note.—Sectarian marks are usual amongst Hindus: It indicates difference of religious sects, not of castes. These are daily renewed on the forehead after the bath. The worshippers of Siva are known by the horizontal position of the mark, the worshippers of Vishnu by the vertical. The customary substances used are earths or white ashes from a sacred fire, saffron, sandal-wood, and white clay. Circlets are also used to distinguish sects as alluded to in Ezekiel ix. 4. Rosaries are universally used in India and elsewhere among Hindus and Moslems, and are composed of various kinds of wild seeds as “rudrakhs,” or of glass and amber, and with the Hindus pictures of Vishnu and Siva are often held in the hand with the beads to be counted.