LVI. SAIRĪ.*

He was a qāẓī* and a theologian of cheerful disposition. He came to India and died, having acquired honour by performing the pilgrimage of Islām. In prosody, and rhyming, and the composition of enigmas he was unrivalled. The following quatrain is by him:—

“Sairī, take up thy abode in the sanctuary of the soul and
the heart,
Withdraw thy sight from this form compounded of water
and earth;
Everything, save the knowledge of God, is naught,
Forsake everything, and acquire this knowledge.”

These verses also are by him:—

“She does not close that narcissus-like eye on account of
ophthalmia,
241 She shuts the door of mercy on grief-stricken lovers.”

“Preacher, miscall me not for my devotion to my idol,
For God's sake torment me no more.”