The Miracle of Somnath Through Ages | युग के माध्यम से सोमनाथ के चमत्कार

Who is Saadi?

Gulistan and Bostan are two books of wisdom compiled and composed by the Persian poet Shaikh Saadi (1210-1292 A.D.). Both books have been translated into many

languages and are considered to be classic. Saadi himself wrote that he had travelled to many countries and wrote down his experiences on the way. He loved Shiraz more than any other city and, after having travelled to many other places, he settled down there.

Shaikh Saadi has mentioned in his book Bostan two interesting stories about idolatry; one of them is on an idol-worshipper who converted to Islam after he did not get his wish from his favorite deity that was worshiped by him years and years. 

An Idolater Broke the Idol

The idol-worshipper turned his back upon the world and devoted himself to the service of an idol. After some years he was overtaken by misfortune and wept at the feet of the idol, saying: “I am afflicted—help me, O idol! I am weary—have pity upon me.”

He continued his expression of grief, but he did not derive any benefit. How can an idol accomplish the desires of a man when of itself it cannot drive away a fly?

The idolater frowned and said: “O you, whose feet are bound to error! With foolishness I have worshipped you for years. Help me to fulfill my wishes, or I will ask them of God instead of asking you.”

The Idolater Embraced Islam

When the idolater became disappointed, still his face was besmeared with the dust of the idol’s feet, the Almighty fulfilled his aspiration.

A pious man was astonished when he heard this. Then a voice from heaven spoke into his ear, saying: “This old man prayed before the idol, but his prayer was not heard, If at the-shrine of God he were likewise rejected, what difference would there be between a powerful and a powerless?”.⁽¹⁾

This story reveals the inability of the deity or idol. Also it reveals God’s mercy towards His slaves all the time.

Somnath and Saadi

Moreover, in Bostan Shaikh Saadi wrote about his journey to India having visited the Somnath temple in Gujarat, etc.. It is noteworthy that the grandeur of Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi’s period, his vast conquests and his attacks on Somnath are well-known in historical accounts in India. However, a lot of historical facts related to the Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni have been distorted by some historians. At one time his kingdom was so vast and he had become so powerful that even the caliph of Baghdad tried to keep him as a friend. Stories about the name and fame of Somnath roused Saadi’s interest to visit the temple and to meet the Hindu priests there.

Miraculous Idol of Somnath

Shaikh Saadi has described Somnath’s idol in his literary style and said that when he

traveled to India he saw an idol made of ivory in the temple of Somnath similar to Manat idol in Arabia before the advent of Islam. This was an extraordinary beautiful piece of work.

Hindus from far off Indian cities and villages used to come to pray there. Poets from all over India used to come there to pay homage to the idol. Shaikh Saadi was shocked to notice that living human beings were worshipping idols. He told one priest who was his roommate and was friendly to him, that he was shocked to see the people worshipping a lifeless idol who cannot walk, can’t talk and, if someone dropped him, he won’t be able to stand up. His eyes are made of rubies. You could not expect anything from that lifeless piece.

Here Shaikh Saadi has expressed his opinions about the idol in an open and critical style, unmindful of what results and consequences can follow his bold and scathing criticism of religious faith of a staunch Hindu. After that, Shaikh Saadi describes his Hindu friend’s anger upon his comment on the deity.

The Brahmin’s Anger

Sheikh Saadi depicts the situation saying that his roommate Brahman got furious on hearing the negative comments and informed other worshippers about his remarks. They all almost wanted to kill him. A wise man is wise in the sight of the wise people, but is considered an idiot by the fools. He realized the insecure position he had put himself in through unwise and loose talk and he thought of immediately salvaging the situation by being humble and told him: “O master! I find the shape and appearance of this idol a bit strange and I am not aware of the real situation. I am a traveler (tourist) and would soon move on. A traveler hardly knows the real situation (facts). I would be one of the first worshippers of him if I knew of his powers.”

On hearing the soft and positive talk from Saadi, the priest looked delighted and said: ‘O good man, you are right. Only those people reach the destinations who seek a guide. I myself have seen idols who were lifeless and unaware to their surroundings except this idol. He stretches his hands to the Almighty God and prays. If you want to see it, stay the night here and the secret will be open to you in the morning.’

The Idol Raised the Hands

Shaikh saadi describes the reality of the miracle saying:

“I accepted the invitation of the Brahmin priest and agreed to spend the night with him. I was extremely nervous and tense and it was a never-ending night and in an unclean surrounding. They were stinking like rotten corpses, because they did not take bath or ablution for their worship. Unclean, unwashed Brahmans came from all sides and rushed toward the temple. There was no soul left in the city and there was no place in the temple. I was still tired and sleepy when the idol raised his hands up. There was a big commotion and within a few minutes the temple was empty.”

Did Shaikh Saadi Convert to Hinduism?

At that time the Brahmin priests became sure that Shaikh Saadi has no option except converting to Hinduism, therefore they surrounded him to celebrate his conversion to Hinduism. In addition, Shaikh Saadi came near the idol and kissed it. The priest looked at him believing that he had no problem anymore now. All the priests ran towards him, held his hands with respect. He walked towards the idol and apologized for his action. He picked up a small idol and respectfully kissed it. Seeing that, all were now pleased. He was also pleased and content.

Did the Idol Raise its Hand Really?

In fact, Shaikh Saadi was not satisfied with the miracle with his heart and mind; therefore, he intended to find out the reality. He says in this regard:

“One night, I locked the door of the temple and went to look around. I found a golden curtain there. Behind the curtain, I saw a priest holding the end of a rope. Whenever the priest pulled the rope, the idol made a sound and raised its hands. The priest was extremely shaken to see me and fled.”⁽²⁾

After that, Shaikh Saadi ran to his life and disappeared from there but he found out the reality of the false miracle associated with the idol. However, due to the performance of the idol, Hindus from far off places in India came to worship it and offered costly presents, viz. golden ornaments, diamonds, rubies, emeralds, etc. The High Priest was reported to have hidden all these costly gifts inside the idol.

After this adventure, Shaikh Saadi roamed around in India, then from there he went to Yemen and Hijaz. According to him, the inconvenience and hardships he faced during this trip cannot be described in words.

Both stories reveal the invalidity of idolatry, the first story shows the inability of the idol and the second expose the deception Hindu monks for the people.

Conclusion

This interesting story was written by Sheikh Saadi eight centuries ago in Persian poems. The poems were included in the well-known Persian literary book of Sheikh Saadi; Bostan in its eighth chapter under the title “A story about the tour to India and deviation of the idol worshippers”. The story reveals many important things especially regarding the religious status at Somanath and its surroundings. We are going to summarize those observations in the following points.

1- How were Hindu public deceived by Hindu priests and Brahmins centuries after centuries and no one dared to find out the reality behind the moving hand of the idol? However, Shaikh Saadi discovered that there was a rope inside of the idol fastened to the hand and the other side of the rope was in a room and a Hindu Brahmin used to move it secretly. Though, millions of people thought it a miracle.

2-Hindus were immersed in the worship of idols since many centuries and idol-worship has been their habit, tradition, identity, faith rather, an inseparable part of their daily life. Even now, the religious condition is the same in India nothing has been changed.

3- People used to gather for the worship of the idol in Somanath from across India, men, women, children and the elderly. Even, the temple was full of the people so much that there was no place at all.

4- Sheikh Saadi noted that the stench of the people was as bad as the smell of a decaying dead body under the sun. This phenomenon was because of overcrowding and also because they do not take bath or ablution before worship.

5- The Hindu devotees used to present gems, gold, silver and other precious objects to the idol and the Hindu monks were rich and wealthy but their wealth was based on the exploitation of the people religiously and spiritually.

6- This is the case with many of the tenets of Hinduism that are based on deception and lies. Dayanand Saraswati (1824 –1883) the Hindu religious leader and founder of Arya Samaj, has mentioned that people were deceived that the idol in Somanath was hanging in the air without any support in a miraculous way. However, the truth was that the wall of the temple contained from all sides magnets in a balanced manner that attracted the idol from all side and as a result the idol appeared hanging in the middle without any support.⁽³⁾

7- It is known that the Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni (971-1030 A.D.) demolished the idol and the wall around it to reveal for the people that there was no miracle at all rather it was mere lie and deception. In fact, revealing the truth to the people was the most important reason to destroy the idol. Demolishing was not based on any kind of religious animosity or dogmatic feeling.

_______________

(1) Shaikh Saadi, Bostan, Feroz printing works, 1934, p. 469, chapter 10.

(2) Ibid.

(3) Dyanand Sarswati, Sithyarth Prkash, an authentic Urdu translation by Pundit Rimaldas, Arya Patr 1899, pp. 428-429.

.सादी कौन है?गुलिस्टन और बोस्टन, फ़ारसी कवि शेख सादी (1210-1292 ए.डि.) द्वारा संकलित और रचना की गई बुद्धि की दो पुस्तकें हैं। दोनों पुस्तकों को कई भाषाओं में अनुवाद किया गया है और क्लासिक माना जाता है। सादी ने खुद लिखा था कि उन्होंने कई देशों की यात्रा की है और अपने अनुभवों को रास्ते में लिखा है। वह किसी अन्य शहर से ज्यादा शिराज को प्यार करता था और कई अन्य स्थानों की यात्रा करने के बाद वह वहां बस गए।शेख सादी ने अपनी पुस्तक बोस्टन में मूर्तिपूजा के बारे में दो दिलचस्प कहानियों का उल्लेख किया है; उनमें से एक एक मूर्तिपूजक पर है, जो इस्लाम में बदल गया, जब उसने अपने पसंदीदा देवता से उनकी इच्छा नहीं ली थी, जिसे उनके द्वारा वर्ष और वर्ष की पूजा की जाती थी।एक आइडलर ने आइडल को तोड़ दियामूर्तिपूजक ने दुनिया पर अपनी पीठ छोड़ी और एक मूर्ति की सेवा में खुद को समर्पित किया। कुछ सालों के बाद वह दुर्भाग्य से आगे निकल गया और मूर्ति के पैरों पर रोते हुए कह रहा था: "मैं पीड़ित हूँ- मेरी मदद करो, हे मूर्ति! मैं थके हुए हूं - मुझ पर दया है। "उसने दु: ख की अपनी अभिव्यक्ति को जारी रखा, लेकिन उसने किसी भी लाभ का फायदा नहीं उठाया एक मूर्ति एक व्यक्ति की इच्छाओं को कैसे पूरी कर सकती है, जब वह मक्खी को दूर नहीं कर सकती है?मूर्तिपूजक ने कहा: "हे तुम, जिनके पैर गलती से बंधे हैं! मूर्खता के साथ मैंने कई वर्षों से आपकी पूजा की है। मेरी इच्छाओं को पूरा करने में मेरी सहायता करें, या मैं आपसे पूछने के बजाय उन्हें ईश्वर से पूछूंगा। "आइडलर ने गले लगाया इस्लामजब मूर्तिपूजक निराश हो गया, तब भी उसका चेहरा मूर्ति के पैरों की धूल से चमचमाया गया, सर्वशक्तिमान ने अपनी आकांक्षा पूरी की।जब वह यह सुनता था तो एक पवित्र आदमी चकित था। फिर स्वर्ग से एक आवाज़ ने कहा, "यह बूढ़ा आदमी मूर्ति से पहले प्रार्थना करता था, लेकिन उसकी प्रार्थना नहीं सुनी गई, अगर भगवान के मंदिर में भी उसे खारिज कर दिया गया, तो शक्तिशाली और एक के बीच क्या अंतर होता? शक्तिहीन? "। (1)यह कहानी देवता या मूर्ति की अक्षमता से पता चलता है इसके अलावा, वह हर समय अपने दासों पर भगवान की दया दिखाती है।

 सोमनाथ और सादीइसके अलावा, बोस्टन शेख सादी में गुजरात की सोमनाथ मंदिर का दौरा करने वाले भारत की यात्रा के बारे में लिखा था। यह उल्लेखनीय है कि सुल्तान महमूद गजनी के काल की भव्यता, उनके विशाल विजय और सोमनाथ पर उनके हमले ऐतिहासिक लेखों में प्रसिद्ध हैं भारत में। हालांकि, गजनी के सुल्तान महमूद से संबंधित बहुत सारे ऐतिहासिक तथ्यों को कुछ इतिहासकारों ने विकृत कर दिया है। एक समय में उसका राज्य इतना विशाल था और वह इतनी शक्तिशाली हो गया था कि बगदाद के खलीफा ने भी उन्हें मित्र बनने की कोशिश की। सोमनाथ के नाम और प्रसिद्धि के बारे में कहानियां मंदिर की यात्रा के लिए और हिन्दू पुजारी को मिलने के लिए सादी के हित उठी।सोमनाथ के चमत्कारी आइडलशेख सादी ने अपनी साहित्यिक शैली में सोमनाथ की मूर्ति को वर्णित किया है और कहा है कि जब उन्होंने भारत की यात्रा की तो उन्होंने इस्लाम के आगमन से पहले सोमनाथ के मंदिर में अरब में मणत की मूर्ति जैसी हाथीदांत का एक मूर्ति देखी। यह काम का एक असाधारण सुंदर टुकड़ा था।और अगर मक्खी उनसे (मूर्तियों) एक छोटी सी चीज़ चोरी करना चाहिए, तो वह उसे ठीक नहीं कर सका। कमजोर पीछा कर रहे हैं और पीछा किया। (अल-Hajj22: 73)

भारतीय शहरों और गांवों के दूर से हिंदुओं ने वहां प्रार्थना करने के लिए इस्तेमाल किया। पूरे भारत के कवियों ने मूर्ति को श्रद्धांजलि देने के लिए वहां आने के लिए इस्तेमाल किया। शेख सादी को यह पता चला है कि जीवित मनुष्य मूर्तियों की पूजा कर रहे थे। उन्होंने एक पुजारी से कहा कि वह अपने रूममेट और मैत्रीपूर्ण था, कि वह लोगों को एक बेजान मूर्ति की पूजा करने के लिए हैरान हुई, जो चल नहीं सकते, बात नहीं कर सकते, और अगर कोई उसे गिरा देता है, तो वह खड़े नहीं हो पाएगा । उसकी आंखें माणिक के बने होते हैं। आप उस बेजान टुकड़े से कुछ भी उम्मीद नहीं कर सकतेयहां शेख सादी ने एक खुली और महत्वपूर्ण शैली में मूर्ति के बारे में अपनी राय व्यक्त की है, नतीजतन, परिणाम और परिणाम एक कट्टर हिंदू के धार्मिक विश्वास के अपने बोल्ड और कठोर आलोचना का पालन कर सकते हैं। इसके बाद, शेख सादी अपने हिंदू मित्र के क्रोध को देवता पर अपनी टिप्पणी के बारे में बताते हैं।ब्राह्मण का क्रोधशेख सादी ने स्थिति को दर्शाते हुए कहा कि उनके रूममेट ब्रह्मण ने नकारात्मक टिप्पणियों पर सुनवाई और अन्य उपासकों को उनकी टिप्पणियों के बारे में बताया। वे सभी लगभग उसे मारना चाहते थे बुद्धिमान व्यक्ति बुद्धिमान लोगों की दृष्टि में बुद्धिमान है, लेकिन मूर्खों द्वारा बेवकूफ माना जाता है उसने असुरक्षित स्थिति का एहसास किया जिसने उसने मूर्खतापूर्ण और ढीली बातों के माध्यम से खुद को रखा था और उसने तुरंत स्थिति को नम्र बनकर सोचा और कहा: "हे स्वामी! मुझे इस मूर्ति की आकृति और स्वरूप थोड़ा अजीब लगता है और मैं वास्तविक स्थिति से अवगत नहीं हूं। मैं एक पर्यटक (पर्यटक) हूं और जल्द ही आगे बढ़ूंगा। एक यात्री शायद ही वास्तविक स्थिति (तथ्यों) को जानता है अगर मैं उनकी शक्तियों के बारे में जानता हूं तो मैं उनके पहले पूजकों में से एक होगा। "सादी से मुलायम और सकारात्मक बात सुनने पर, पुजारी खुश हुए और कहा: 'हे अच्छे आदमी, आप सही हैं। केवल उन्हीं गंतव्यों तक पहुंचने वाले लोग पहुंचते हैं, जो एक मार्गदर्शक तलाशते हैं। मैंने खुद को मूर्तियों को देखा है जो बेजान थे और इस मूर्ति को छोड़कर अपने परिवेश से अनजान थे। वह अपने हाथों को सर्वशक्तिमान ईश्वर से बढ़ाता है और प्रार्थना करता है। अगर आप इसे देखना चाहते हैं, तो रात यहाँ रहें और टी