The Teaching of Hazrat Inayat Khan

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When Tansen, the great singer, left the court, hurt by a remark of the Emperor Akbar, as was related in the previous chapter, he went to Rewa, a state in central India; and when the Maharaja of Rewa heard that Tansen was coming he was perplexed, wondering in what way he should honor him. A chair was sent for Tansen, to bring him to the palace, and when he arrived Tansen expected the Maharaja at least to receive him at the door. So as soon as he got out of the chair he said, "Where is the Maharaja?" and the man whom he asked replied, "Here is the Maharaja!" pointing to the one who had been carrying the chair all through the city. Tansen was most touched, and he said, "You could not have given me a greater reward." From that day Tansen saluted him with his right hand, saying, "This hand will never salute anyone else all my life." And so it was. Tansen would not even salute the emperor with his right hand. Such was the appreciation, the acknowledgment of talent in ancient India.


 
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