In this allegory from Attar's Mosibat Nameh, Sultan Mahmud rides out with a massive army and hundreds of elephants, only to encounter a drunken madman. The madman questions the nature of the king's power and ambition, pointing out the absurdity of a powerful ruler using vast military might to confront a lowly beggar. The tale serves as a Sufi critique of worldly power and military arrogance, illustrating how the socially marginalized 'madman' often possesses greater spiritual clarity and insight than the mighty ruler.