44.3: Bahirambhat becomes a Muhammadan

24. Bahirambhat then went to the house of a Kazi (Muhammadan priest) and he spoke very humbly to him saying, ‘Take me into your caste.

25. Your Shastras speak of making a Hindu into a Muhammadan as a holy thing to do. Therefore do not hesitate and make me like yourself.’

26. The Kazi (Muhammadan priest) replied, ‘Why have you become indifferent to-day? Why have you a sudden change of mind? I will help you out of difficulty.

27. You are a learned pandit. Why do you wish to come into our caste? If you have any desire in your heart, I will supply it.’

28. Bahirambhat replied, ‘I have not become one indifferent to desire, but your way seems to be to concentrate on acquiring God.’

29. Seeing his determination, he defiled Bahirambhat (i.e., received him into bis caste). When Brahmans heard of this, all were full of sorrow.

30. Seeing there was no remedy for it, however, they finally settled down quietly. There were some evil thinkers at Paithan who reviled him when seeing him.

31. Some said, ‘There is an evil thought in his indifference.’ Some said, ' He is possessed of demons’ Others said, ‘If we so much as take his name all our good deeds will vanish.’

32. Still another said, ‘His wife ought not to have spoken to him in the way she did.’ Others said, ‘Her luck appears to be unfavourable.’

33. Some said, ‘He has a cruel heart. Our wives too speak to us in the same way, and a great deal too, but the idea of indifference to worldly things does not come into our mind.’

34. Some exclaimed, ‘When he had acquired wealth to secure the welfare of his family; it was easy for him to think of indifference to worldly things.’ Thus people spoke to one another.

35. Others said, ‘He was learned in the Shastras and he ought to have become a Sannyasi. Yet be has entered into the low caste and become a Muhammadan.’

36. Others said, ‘In performing his religious acts he may have made a slip in his repetition of mantras’ Others rebukingly said, without thinking, ‘Why are you needlessly reviling him?

37. If one has knowledge, adult age, good family line, abundance of wealth and property, a son and wife, it is impossible for him to become indifferent to worldly things.’

38. In this way some of the people of Paithan reviled and some praised him. But Bahirambhat, repentant, always lived without fear.