1Cademy - بخش ۴۶ - داستان رسیدن اسکندر به زمین هند و ملاقات وی با حکیمان ایشان / Section 46 - The Tale of Alexanders Arrival in the Land of India and His Meeting with Their Sages

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بخش ۴۶ - داستان رسیدن اسکندر به زمین هند و ملاقات وی با حکیمان ایشان / Section 46 - The Tale of Alexander's Arrival in the Land of India and His Meeting with Their Sages

Original content

سکندر چو بر هند لشکر کشید
خردمندی برهمانان شنید

گروهی خدادان و حکمت شناس
بریده ز گیتی امید و هراس

نیامد ازیشان کسی سوی او
ز تقصیرشان گرم شد خوی او

برانگیخت لشکر بی قهرشان
شتابان رخ آورد در شهرشان

چو زان برهمانان خبر یافتند
به تدبیر آن کار بشتافتند

رسیدند پیشش در اثنای راه
به عرضش رساندند کای پادشاه

گروهی فقیریم حکمت پژوه
چه تابی رخ مرحمت زین گروه

نه ما را سر صلح نی تاب جنگ
درین کار به گر نمایی درنگ

چو موریم پیشت تواضع نمای
چه مالی صف مور را زیر پای

نداریم جز گنج حکمت متاع
نشاید ز کس بر سر آن نزاع

اگر گنج حکمت همی بایدت
به جز گنج کاوی نمی شایدت

بود کاوش گنج طاعتوری
نه کشور گشایی و غارتگری

میازار ما را که آزرده ایم
مکش تیغ بر ما که ما مرده ایم

سکندر چو بشنید این عرض حال
ز لشکر کشیدن کشید انفعال

فزون دید ازان سویشان میل خویش
تنی چند بگزید از خیل خویش

به آن چند تن راه جان برگرفت
دل از ملک و مال جهان گرفت

زر و زینت خویش یک سو نهاد
به آن قوم بی پا و سر رو نهاد

پس از قطع هامون به کوهی رسید
در او کنده هر سو بسی غار دید

گروهی نشسته در آن غارها
فرو شسته دست از همه کارها

ردا و ازار از گیا بافته
عمامه به فرق از گیا تافته

زن و بچه فقر پروردشان
گیاچین به هامون پی خوردشان

گشادند با هم زبان خطاب
بسی شد ز هر سو سؤال و جواب

بسا رمز حکمت که پرداختند
بسا سر مشکل که حل ساختند

چو آمد به سر مجلس گفت وگوی
سکندر در آن حاضران کرد روی

که هر چه از جهان احتیاج شماست
بخواهید از من که یکسر رواست

بگفتند ما را درین خاکدان
نباید به جز هستی جاودان

مرادی کزان برتر امید نیست
به جز زندگانی جاوید نیست

بگفتا که این نیست مقدور من
وز این حرف خالیست منشور من

کسی کو نیارد که در عمر خویش
کند لحظه ای بلکه کم نیز بیش

چه سان بخشش زندگانی کند
بقای کسی جاودانی کند

بگفتند چون دانی این راز را
چرا بنده ای شهوت و آز را

پی ملک تا چند خون ریختن
به هر کشوری لشکر انگیختن

گرفتم که گیتی همه آن توست
جهان سر به سر زیر فرمان توست

شده بر تو دور زمان گنج سنج
نمانده ست بر تو نهان هیچ گنج

چه حاصل چو می باید آخر گذاشت
به دل تخم اندوه جاوید کاشت

بگفتا من این نی به خود می کنم
نه تنها به حکم خرد می کنم

مرا ایزد این منزلت داده است
به خلق جهانم فرستاده است

که تا دین او را کنم آشکار
برآرم ز جان مخالف دمار

دهم قدر بتخانه ها را شکست
کنم هر که را هست یزدان پرست

من آن موج جنبش نهادم ز باد
که یکدم ز جنبش نیارم ستاد

ز باد اذن آرام گر دیدمی
سر مویی از جا نجنبیدمی

ولی چون نه پیش من است اختیار
نیارم گرفتن به یک جا قرار

اسیرم درین جنبش نو به نو
روم تا مرا گوید ایزد برو

ز دست اجل چون شوم پای بست
کشم پای ازین جنبش دور دست

روم عور ازین دیر از خیر دور
چنان کامده ستم ز آغاز عور

ولی نبودم زین تن عور باک
چو در ستر حکمت بود جان پاک

دلا از لباس بدن عور باش
ز آلایش ما و من دور باش

چو جان تو گنج و طلسم است جسم
بر این گنج پر مایه بشکن طلسم

ولی باشد آنگاه جان تو گنج
که چون بگذرد زین سرای سپنج

بود همره او گهرهای راز
کزان تا ابد باشدش برگ ساز

بدان جاودان شاد و خرم بود
به هر جاکه باشد مکرم بود

English translation

When Alexander led his army against India, he heard of the wisdom of the Brahmins, A group who knew God and understood wisdom, who had severed from the world both hope and fear. None of them came toward him, and because of their neglect his temper grew hot. He roused his army against them without mercy, and hastily turned his face toward their city. When the Brahmins learned of this, they hurried to devise a plan for the matter. They came before him along the way and submitted to him: O king, We are a group of poor seekers of wisdom; why turn the face of mercy away from this group? We have neither desire for peace nor strength for war; it is better in this matter if you show restraint. We are like ants before you, showing humility; why crush the ranks of ants beneath your foot? We possess no goods but the treasure of wisdom, and it is not fitting for anyone to quarrel over it. If you desire the treasure of wisdom, nothing befits you but the inward digging of treasure. The digging of that treasure is obedience and piety, not the conquering of countries and plundering. Do not torment us, for we are already afflicted; do not draw the sword upon us, for we are already dead. When Alexander heard this account, he felt ashamed of leading his army. He found his inclination toward them greater still; he chose a few men from his retinue. With those few he took the path of the soul, and withdrew his heart from kingdom and worldly wealth. He set aside his gold and his ornament, and went toward that destitute people, without foot or head. After crossing the plain he reached a mountain, and saw many caves dug on every side. A group was sitting in those caves, having washed their hands of all affairs. Their cloak and loincloth were woven from grass, their turban twisted upon the head from grass. Poverty nourished their wives and children; gathering grass on the plain provided their food. They opened tongues of discourse together, and much question and answer passed from every side. Many a secret of wisdom they expounded, and many a difficult mystery they resolved. When the conversation reached its height in the assembly, Alexander turned his face to those present, saying: Whatever you need from the world, ask it of me, for it is entirely granted. They said: In this dust-heap we need nothing but eternal existence. A desire higher than which there is no hope is nothing but everlasting life. He said: This is not within my power, and my decree is empty of this matter. One who cannot, within his own life, add to it a moment, or less, or indeed more, how can he bestow life, or make anyone's survival everlasting? They said: Since you know this secret, why are you a slave to lust and greed? For the sake of dominion, how long will you shed blood, rousing an army against every country? Suppose the whole world were yours, the entire world under your command; the turning of time has weighed out treasure for you, and no treasure remains hidden from you. What is gained, since in the end you must leave it, having planted in the heart the seed of eternal sorrow? He said: I do not do this of myself, nor do I do it merely by the command of reason. God has given me this rank, and has sent me to the creatures of the world, so that I may make His religion manifest, and bring destruction upon the soul of the opponent, that I may shatter the idol-temples, and make everyone a worshipper of God. I am that wave set in motion by the wind, who cannot for a single moment cease from motion. If I found permission of rest from the wind, I would not stir a hair's breadth from my place. But since the choice is not mine, I cannot settle in one place. I am captive in this ever-renewing motion; I go as long as God says to me: Go. When I become bound by the hand of death, I will withdraw my foot from this far-reaching motion. I will go naked from this monastery, far from good, just as I came naked from the beginning. But I have no fear of this body's nakedness, since the pure soul lies within the veil of wisdom. O heart, be naked of the garment of the body; be far from the defilement of 'we' and 'I'. Since your soul is treasure and the body a talisman, break the talisman upon this rich treasure. Yet your soul will be a treasure only then, when it passes from this transient abode having as companion the jewels of mystery, which will be its provision forever. By that it will be forever glad and joyful, and wherever it may be, it will be honored.

Updated 2026-07-19

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