The Indians had an old king who was taken prisoner by Mahmûd’s army. When he was brought before the latter, he eventually became a Muslim. He then came to know the love of God and renunciation of the two worlds. He sat alone in a tent; his heart rose as he sat in love. By day and by night he was in tears and ardour, more by day than by night and more by night than by day. Since his groans were so deep, Mahmûd at last heard them. He summoned him and said: “I shall give you a hundred kingdoms preferable to the one you have lost. You are a king; do not grieve so deeply; cease henceforth to weep and lament.” — “O padishah!” replied the Hindu king, “I weep not for my kingdom and my dignity: I weep because if tomorrow, on the Day of Resurrection, God, the true possessor of glory, questions me, He will say to me: O man without loyalty or fidelity! You who sowed the seed of reproach against Me, so long as Mahmûd did not proudly attack you with a world of horsemen, you did not remember Me; how came this to pass? How could you thus depart from the path of fidelity? It was not so when you had to raise an army for yourself against another. Had it not been for the soldiers you had to find, you would not have remembered Me. Am I then to call you friend or enemy? How long shall there be fidelity on My part and ingratitude on yours? Such conduct is not permitted by any justice. Now, if this speech comes from God, what account shall I not have to render of my faithlessness? O young king! It is this shame I feel and this distress I suffer that make me, an old man, shed tears.”
Listen to the words of justice and fidelity; listen to the reading of the diwân of good works. If thou art faithful, undertake the journey to which I invite thee; otherwise, sit down and withdraw thy hand from it. What is not found in the index of fidelity cannot be read in the chapter of generosity.