Chapter VI: Love, Longing, Contentment
It is reported that a pious man prayed to God that he might be given something of Marfat of a certain Siddiq God granted his prayer. As a result he began to travel in hillocks and mountains, his wisdom got tired, his mind became restless and remained in one stage for seven days without getting any benefit. The Siddiq prayed to God for him: O Lord, reduce something of his Marfat. God revealed to him: I gave him only one portion out of one lac portions of Marfat. When you prayed for him, one lac people prayed for something of love. I made delay to accept their invocation till you prayed for him. I accepted for what you have prayed for him. I divided one drop of Marfat for one lac people. He got one portion out of one lac. He said: Thou art pure, O Lord of the worlds, reduce for him what Thou hast given him. God reduced it and it became one portion out of one thousand portions and generally it was one portion out of one lac thousand portions. Then his fear, love and hope stood in equilibrium and hebecame-quiet.
286 LOVE AND ATTACHMENT Vol-IV
A poet said describing the condition of a gnostic: Absorbed in God pure and having distant goal; Possessing intellect and character, distant from others. His look full of bright radiance except that of a martyr. His heart full of delight and pleasure for constant service.
(9) Ninth sign -To keep love secret. It is one of the signs of love to keep love secret, to give up claim of love and to take care to disclose ecstasy and love, to show honour and proclaim glory of God in fear. Love is a secret affair of a lover out of His secret affairs. The reason is that if one claims love, some words may come out from his mouth which go out of their meaning and then it is reduced to defamation. There is evil result for it in the next world and dangers and difficulties fall on him in this world. It is true that as a a result of love, there grows some toxication in the lover to such and extent that he becomes insame and his condition changed. If it comes without effort, there is some excuse. Sometimes the fire of love burns in such a way that his love goes beyond his control and the current of love flows in his heart which cannot he checked. He who can control it says in poems :-
They say "He is near", I say: "whatbenefit will it do?"
Can anybody get the sun if its rays come close?
What use will it be if He is not remembered with heart
sincere.
Fire of love if rises in breast makes the eye sight dim.
He wants to keep love concealed, yet it is expressed in tears.