Hymns Of Guru Nanak

SRI RAG THE following was addressed to a man addicted to intoxicants:-- The Giver gave man a pill of the intoxicant illusion. In his intoxication he forgot death and enjoyed pleasure for four days. The abstainers[1] obtained truth to keep them in God's court. Nanak, know the True One alone as true. By serving Him man obtaineth happiness and proceedeth with honour to His court. The true wine is that which containeth the true Name; it is prepared without molasses. I am a sacrifice unto those who hear and explain this. Man is known as properly intoxicated when he obtaineth a place in God's court. Bathe in the water of virtues; apply the perfume of truth to thy body; Then shall thy face become bright, and the One Giver bestow hundreds of thousands of gifts on thee. Inform God, with whom resteth happiness, of thine unhappiness. Why forget Him who owneth thy soul and life? All clothing and food are impure without Him. All else is false; what pleaseth Thee, O God, is acceptable. A Sikh called Prema asked the Guru where God resided, in what. state He dwelt, and how He [1. Sofiân. These must not be confounded with the Sûfis of Persia whose predilections are in the opposite direction. By abstainers are here meant the truthful.] {p. 262} could be found. The following was the Guru's reply:-- The virtues of the virtuous woman are blazoned abroad; she who is not virtuous regretteth it.

The virtues of the virtuous woman are blazoned abroad; she who is not virtuous regretteth it. O woman, if thou desire thy Spouse, practise truth. He cannot be obtained by falsehood. No boat or raft will take thee to the distant Beloved. My Lord is perfect; His throne is secure. He whom the perfect Guru maketh holy, shall obtain the True and unrivalled One. God's palace is beautiful; it is adorned with bright gems, rubies, Pearls, and diamonds; it is surrounded by a golden fortress, and is an abode of pleasure. How shall I scale the fortress without a ladder? By meditating on God through the Guru I shall behold Him. The Guru giving me God's name is my ladder, my boat, and my raft; The Guru is the lake, the sea, and the boat; the Guru is the sacred stream. If it please God, I shall go to bathe in the true tank[1] and become pure. He is called the most perfect; He reposeth on a perfect throne. His seat is perfectly beautiful; He fulfilleth the hopes of the hopeless. Nanak, if man obtain the Perfect One how can his virtues decrease? A man can only find favour with God by devotion:-- Accursed is her life who is separated from her Spouse she is ruined by mammon. Like a wall impregnated with kallar she crumbleth down day and night. She obtaineth no rest without the Word; without her Beloved her grief departeth not. O woman, what are thine adornments without thy Spouse? [1. The Guru is meant.]

[1. The Guru is meant.] {p. 263} Thou shalt not obtain entrance into God's court; being false thou shalt be despised. The Lord is wise and forgetteth not: He is true and a great husbandman. He first prepareth the ground, then soweth the seed of the true Name. From the name of the one God the nine treasures are produced, and man obtaineth the marks[2] of His favour. What shall be the condition of him who accepteth not the Guru's doctrine? The blind[3] man hath forgotten the Name; the perverse is stone-blind. His transmigration shall cease not; he shall be ruined by death and birth. Woman may buy sandal, kungu,[4] and red lead for the partings of her hair, Distilled aloe wood, sandal, betel, and camphor in great quantities; Yet, if she please not her Spouse, all her preparations are vain: All her enjoyments are vain, and all her adornments are useless. Until she is permeated by the Word, how shall she obtain honour at God's court? Nanak, blest is the woman who loveth her Spouse. The Guru's idea of creation:-- From the True One proceedeth air, from air water, And from water the three worlds; light was infused into every heart. The Pure One becometh not impure: he who is imbued with the Word obtaineth honour. Guru Nanak composed the following after a conversation [1. That is, man's heart. 2. A reference to the thappâs, or marks, put on crops before being divided among the partners of the land.

2. A reference to the thappâs, or marks, put on crops before being divided among the partners of the land. 3. That is, spiritually blind. 4. A red composition, principally of saffron, used by women to ornament their foreheads.] {p. 264} with Samangir, a Sanyasi, at Talwandi. The Guru maintained the excellence of his own system and the advantage of repeating God's name obtained from the Guru:-- If I turn myself into a woman, the Enjoyer will enjoy me. Love not that which appeareth transient, The Spouse enjoyeth on His couch the pious virtuous wife. Having under the Guru's instruction obtained God's name as the water, quench the four fires.[1] The lotus of the heart shall then bloom, and thou shalt be completely. satiated with nectar. Nanak, make the true Guru' thy friend, and thou shalt obtain happiness[2] in God's court. The following is a homily addressed to a trader called Ramu whom the Guru met at Kartarpur:-- Trade, O trader, and take care of thy merchandise. Buy such goods as shall depart with thee. In the next world is a wise Merchant who will be careful in selecting the real article. O my brother, utter God's name with attention. Take with thee God's praise as thy merchandise, so that, when the Merchant seeth it, He shall be satisfied. How shall they whose wares are not genuine, be happy? By trading in counterfeit goods the soul and body become counterfeit. Like a deer shared in a noose, such a trader shall suffer great misery and ever lament.

Like a deer shared in a noose, such a trader shall suffer great misery and ever lament. The counterfeit shall not be received in the great God's treasury, and they shall not behold Him. The counterfeit have neither caste nor honour; the counterfeit are none of them acceptable. The counterfeit who do counterfeit work, shall lose their honour in transmigration. [1. The four fires are--hinsa, cruelty; moh, worldly love; krodh, anger; and lobh, avarice. 2. Sach, literally truth, but in the compositions of the Gurus the word often means happiness.] {p. 265} Nanak, instruct thy heart by the Guru's word and advice. They who are imbued-with the love of God's name have no load of sin and no superstition. They in whose hearts God dwelleth are without fear, and great shall be their gain by repeating His name. The omnipresence of God:-- He Himself is the Relisher; He Himself is the relish He Himself is the Enjoyer; He Himself is the robe; He Himself the couch and the Spouse-- My Lord, who ]is dyed with love, pervadeth everything-- He Himself is the fisherman and the fish; He Himself is the water and the net. He Himself is the lead of the net; He Himself is the bait within it. O my friends, my Darling is in every way playful. He ever enjoyeth the virtuous wife; see what a state is mine![1] Nanak representeth, Thou art the lake, and Thou art the swan; Thou art the lotus and the water lily, Thou art pleased on beholding them.[2]

Thou art the lotus and the water lily, Thou art pleased on beholding them.[2] The following was a remonstrance to a Mulla and a Qazi who had entered on a discussion with the Guru:-- He is the Lord who hath caused the garden of the world to flourish[3] and grow green, And who restraineth sea and land; hail to the Creator! Thou must die, O Mulla, thou must die. By all means fear the Creator. [1. Who, not being virtuous, am divorced from God. 2. The lotus opens its leaves by day and the water-lily by night. God is the sun and moon which behold them by day and night alternately. 3. Maula, a name of God in Arabic, The Hindi verb maulna means to bloom or blossom. There is in the original a pun on the word.] {p. 266} Thou art a Mulla or a Qazi only when thou really knowest God's name. Even if thou be very learned thou must depart; none may remain when his measure of life is full. He is a Qazi who hath renounced pride, and made the name of God alone his support. He is, was, and shall be: He was not born, neither shall He die; True is the Creator.[1] Thou prayest five times a day, and readest thy Quran and holy books. Nanak saith, when the grave calleth, man shall cease to drink and eat. ASHTAPADI The following was composed in a devotional paroxysm. Some suppose that it was uttered at Makka in reply to Qazis who had asked the Guru to tell them of the God he adored:-- Persuade thy heart to sing God's name with every breath thou drawest.[2]

Persuade thy heart to sing God's name with every breath thou drawest.[2] How great is He to whom one playeth and singeth, and where doth He dwell? All Thy eulogists continue to praise Thee with affection. Father, God is inaccessible and endless. Pure is the Name; pure is the place of the true Cherisher. How great Thy sovereignty is cannot be known; no one knoweth how to describe it. If a hundred poets were to be found, they could not describe a particle of it, though they sang their utmost.[3] Nobody hath found Thy worth; every one as he hath heard describeth Thy glory. Priests, prophets, saints, faithful men, martyrs, Shaikhs, Strivers, Qazis, Mullas, Darweshes who have arrived at God's gate, [1. True here apparently means abiding, eternal. 2. Also translated---As far as it can fix its attention. 3. Literally--even though they cried over it.] {p. 267} Obtain further blessings if they continue to recite God's praises. He consulteth no one when He createth; He consulteth no one when He destroyeth; He consulteth no one when He giveth or taketh. He knoweth His own might; He acteth and causeth others to act. He beholdeth all men with favour, and bestoweth on those who please Him. Neither His place nor His name is known, nor how great His name is among other names. How great is that place where my Sovereign dwelleth! None can reach it; of whom shall I inquire the way? High or low caste influenceth not God when He maketh any one great.

High or low caste influenceth not God when He maketh any one great. Greatness is in the hands of the Great One; He giveth to whom He pleaseth. He regenerateth man by His order without any delay. Everybody crieth 'Give me much, much ', in the hope of getting it. How great shall the Giver be called who giveth countless gifts! Nanak saith, O God, Thy storehouses are full in every age, and never is there a deficiency. It is said that a Qazi and a pandit asked the Guru how man could find God and be blended with Him. The following was the reply:-- All are wives of the Spouse and adorn themselves for Him. In trumpery red dresses have they come for His inspection.[1] Love is not obtained by hypocrisy; counterfeit gilding degradeth. In this way God the Spouse shall enjoy the wife. The good wife is pleasing to Thee, O Lord; of Thy favour Thou decoratest her. [1. Literally-to be counted by Him.] {p. 268} She is decorated with the Guru's word; her body and soul are with her Beloved. With hands clasped she standeth waiting on Him, and offereth Him true supplication. She is imbued with the love of her Darling; she dwelleth in fear of the True One; and, when dyed with His love, her colour is the true one. She is called the handmaiden of the Beloved, and answereth to the name of Lali.[1] Her true affection is not sundered; the True One blendeth her with Himself. Her soul is imbued and saturated with the Word; I am ever a sacrifice unto her.

Her soul is imbued and saturated with the Word; I am ever a sacrifice unto her. She who is absorbed in the True Guru, shall not sit down a widow. Her Beloved is an abode of pleasure ever voting and true; He neither dieth nor is born. He ever enjoyeth His virtuous wife, and casteth true glances on her as she obeyeth Him. She maketh truth the parting of her hair, and lovelier dress and ornaments. She maketh the indwelling[2] of God her sandal, and the tenth gate her chamber. She lighteth the lamp of the Word, and weareth God's name as her necklet. She weareth on her forehead the jewel of love, and she is beautiful among women. Her beauty and wisdom are charming, and true is her infinite love.' She knoweth no man but her Beloved; it is only for the True Guru she feeleth love and affection. But thou who art reckless on a dark night[3] how shalt thou pass it without the Beloved? Thy bosom shall burn, thy body shall burn, and thy mind shall burn, O woman. [1. The jewel or precious one. 2. Chit wasâia; also translated--mental restraint. 3. In spiritual ignorance.] {p. 269} When woman enjoyeth not her Husband, her youth passeth in vain. Her Husband is on the couch; his wife sleepeth and knoweth not His presence. While I sleep, the Beloved awaketh; whom shall I go to consult?[1] Nanak, the true Guru, having taught me love, hath caused me to meet God, and I abide in His fear. The mind is impure until it receives instruction from a true religious teacher:--

The mind is impure until it receives instruction from a true religious teacher:-- When the mind is impure the body is impure, and the tongue impure'. The mouth is impure by uttering impurity; how shall it be made pure? The heart cannot be cleansed without the Word; from the True One truth is obtained. O girl, what happiness is there without virtue? Brahmans read books aloud, but understand not their meaning. They give instruction to others as a business matter. They wander about the world preaching falsehood; while they who abide by the Word are the best. How many pandits and astrologers study the Veds They glorify battles and enmities;[2] but from quarrels resulteth transmigration. However much they tell and preach what they have heard, man shall not be freed from his sins without the Guru. All call themselves virtuous, but I possess no virtue. Beautiful is the woman who hath God for her Spouse; that God pleaseth me. Nanak, she who is united with God by the Word shall not be separated from Him. The following was addressed to Hindu devotees whom the Guru met in his wanderings in the Himalayas:-- [1. That is, there is no remedy for my negligence now. 2. The epic poems Ramâyan and Mahâbhârat.] {p. 270} Though man perform lip-devotion, penance, and austerities, dwell at places of pilgrimage, Bestow alms and perform acts of devotion, what are these without the True One? As he soweth so shall he reap; human life is lost without virtue.

As he soweth so shall he reap; human life is lost without virtue. O silly one, happiness is obtained by being a slave to virtue. She who under the Guru's instruction abandoneth evil, shall be absorbed in the Perfect One. The following is a brief lecture against hypocrisy, with a few precepts to obtain future happiness:-- God carefully draweth the touchstone over men in order to assay them. The counterfeit shall not be accepted; the genuine shall be put into His treasury. Dispel hopes and fears, so shall thy filth be washed away. Everybody asketh for happiness; nobody asketh for misery. Great misery attendeth on happiness, but the perverse understand it not. They who consider happiness and misery the same, and know the secret of the Word shall be happy. Man may escape from the dangers of this world by accepting the Guru and hearkening to his instructions:-- The fearful ocean of the world is dangerous and formidable; it hath no shore or limit, No boat, no raft, no pole, and no boatman; But the true Guru hath a vessel for the terrible ocean, and ferrieth over him on whom he looketh with favour. Love for God is inculcated by familiar Indian examples:-- O man, entertain such love for God as the lotus hath for the water. {p. 271} Such love doth it bear it, that it bloometh even when dashed down by the waves. The creatures which God created in water die without it, and therefore love it.

The creatures which God created in water die without it, and therefore love it. O man, how shalt thou be delivered without love? God pervadeth the hearts of the pious, and bestoweth oil them a store of devotion. O man, entertain such love for God as the fish for the water. The more it hath, the happier it becometh, and the greater its peace of mind and body. Without water it could not live for a moment; God alone knoweth the sufferings of its heart. O man, entertain such love for God as the chatrik for rain: Though the tanks be full and the earth drenched, it will not drink from either. If so fated, it shall obtain the rain-drops, otherwise it is fated to die. O man, entertain such love for God as water for milk. The water alone is consumed in boiling and alloweth not tile milk to be consumed. God uniteth the separated, and conferreth true greatness. O man, entertain such love for God as the chakwi[1] for the sun. She sleepeth not for a moment, for she knoweth that her mate is absent from her. The perverse see not; to the pious God is ever present. The perverse make calculations, but it is only what the Creator doeth that cometh to pass. His worth cannot be ascertained, even though all men desire it But it can be ascertained under the Guru's instruction by meeting the True One happiness is obtained. [1. The ruddy sheldrake, called by Anglo-Indians the Brâhmani duck. Should the male and female birds be separated at night, for instance at different sides of a river, they are believed to call to each other until they behold the morning sun when they renew their conjugal acquaintance.]

[1. The ruddy sheldrake, called by Anglo-Indians the Brâhmani duck. Should the male and female birds be separated at night, for instance at different sides of a river, they are believed to call to each other until they behold the morning sun when they renew their conjugal acquaintance.] {p. 272} If the True Guru be met, true love shall not sunder, And the wealth of divine knowledge of the three worlds shall be obtained. If any one acquire virtue, he will not forget the Pure Name. The birds which peck on sea and land have played and gone away. Man must depart in a ghari or two; his enjoyment is only for to-day or to-morrow. He whom Thou blendest with Thyself shall be blended with Thee, and shall take his place in the true arena. Without the Guru love is not produced, and the filth of pride departeth not. He who recognizeth God in himself, and knoweth the secret of the Word, shall be satisfied: But when man recognizeth himself through the Guru's instruction, what more remaineth for him to do? Why speak of meeting God? Mail hath met Him already,[1] but it is only on receiving the Word he is satisfied. Tile perverse obtain not understanding; separated from God they suffer punishment. For Nanak there is but the gate of the one God; there is no other refuge. It is said the following was addressed by the Guru, during his pilgrimage to the east, to a Raja called Harbans:-- Man is led astray by the reading of words; ritualists are very proud.

Man is led astray by the reading of words; ritualists are very proud. What availeth it to bathe at the place of pilgrimage, if the filth of pride be in the heart? Who but the Guru can explain that the King and Emperor dwelleth in the heart? All men err; it is only the great Creator who erreth not. He who admonisheth his heart under the Guru's instruction shall love the Lord. [1. Because the soul has emanated from God.] {p. 273} Nanak, he whom the incomparable Word hath caused to meet God, shall not forget the True One. God cannot be deceived and His merits cannot be described:-- By taking the protection of the Guru man shall be saved; counterfeit is the capital of the perverse. The eight metals of the King are coined agreeably to His orders.[1] The Assayer Himself assayeth the coins, and putteth the genuine into His treasury. Thy merits, O Lord, cannot be ascertained; I have seen and tested everything. Thy merits cannot be expressed by words; if man remain true, he shall obtain honour. Under the Guru's instruction Thou, O Lord., art praised otherwise Thy worth cannot be described. The Guru prefers the repetition of God's name to all other forms of devotion:-- My heart is penetrated by God's name; what else shall I reflect upon? Happiness cometh to him who meditateth on the, Word; perfect happiness to him who is imbued with God. Preserve me as it pleaseth Thee, O God; Thy name is my support.

Preserve me as it pleaseth Thee, O God; Thy name is my support. O man, just is the will of the Master. Love Him who made and adorned thy body and mind. Were my body to be cut into pieces and burnt in the fire Were I to turn my body and soul into firewood, and burn them night and day; Were I to perform hundreds of thousands and millions of religious ceremonies, all would not be equal to God's name. [1. Man is composed, according to Indian ideas, of hair, blood, nerves, skin, bone, seed, flesh, and fat. These correspond to the eight simple or compound metals differently stated by Indian historians. Bhâi Gur Das understands the eight metals to be the four castes of Hindus and the four great sects of Muhammadans.] {p. 274} Were a saw to be applied to my head and my body to be cut in twain;[1] Were my body to be frozen in the Himalayas, even then my mind would not be free from disease-- It would all not be equal to God's name--I have seen and examined everything-- Were I to make offerings of millions of gold, many excellent horses and excellent elephants; Were I to make large presents of lands and cows, even then pride would remain in my heart. The Guru hath given me the true gift that my mind is penetrated by God's name. How many opinions, and how many interpretations of the Veds through obstinacy! How many entanglements there are for the soul! the gate of deliverance is only obtained through the Guru's instruction.

How many entanglements there are for the soul! the gate of deliverance is only obtained through the Guru's instruction. Everything is inferior to truth; the practice, of truth is superior to all else. Call every one exalted; let no one appear to thee low. The one God fashioned the vessels, and it is His light that filleth the three worlds. By His favour man obtaineth the truth; what He granteth in the beginning none can efface. The holy meet the holy; by love for the Guru man obtaineth consolation. He who is absorbed in the True Guru pondereth on the Word of the Ineffable. He who drinketh the nectar of the Name shall be satisfied, and go to God's court with a dress of honour. The strain of ecstasy[2] resoundeth night and day in the hearts of those who bear great love to the Word. [1. Saws were kept at Banaras and Priyâg for the immolation of Hindu devotees. The operator applied the saw first to the head and cut through the body to the middle thus dividing it into halves. Devotees believed that all their sins should thus be forgiven, and they should immediately enter a state of bliss. 2. Kinguri is a musical instrument, originally composed of two gourds or calabashes connected by a frame on which there were four strings. It is now generally made of one calabash, a frame and one {footnote p. 275} string. The Jogis apply the word to the music heard in the brain by the practice of Jog.]

2. Kinguri is a musical instrument, originally composed of two gourds or calabashes connected by a frame on which there were four strings. It is now generally made of one calabash, a frame and one {footnote p. 275} string. The Jogis apply the word to the music heard in the brain by the practice of Jog.] {p. 275} Few there are who obtain understanding by admonishing their hearts through their guru. Nanak, they who forget not the Name, and who act according to the Word shall be delivered. The following principally inculcates the inutility of worldly possessions and the superiority of devotion:-- We see mansions painted and whitewashed with ornamented doors. They were constructed to give pleasure to the heart, and through love and regard for worldly things, but they shall fall to ruin. So the body which is empty within and possesseth no love, shall fall and become a heap of dust. O my brethren, your bodies and wealth shall not accompany you. God's name is the pure wealth; God giveth it through the Guru. If the Giver give the true wealth of God's name, The great Creator shall become man's friend, and no inquiry shall be made of him in the next world. If God deliver man, he shall be delivered; God alone is the Pardoner. The perverse man deemeth that daughters, sons, and relations are his. He is pleased on beholding woman, but, as she bringeth joy, so she bringeth sorrow, Holy men are imbued with the Word, and day and night enjoy divine happiness.

Holy men are imbued with the Word, and day and night enjoy divine happiness. The mind of the wavering infidel wandereth in quest of transitory wealth. Men ruin themselves by their search abroad while the Real Thing is in their homes. The pious obtain It, the perverse miss It through pride. O vicious infidel, know thine own origin. {p. 276} Thy body made from blood and semen shall be brought to the fire at last. The body is in the power of the breath according to the true mark on the forehead. Men pray for a long life; no one desireth to die. He is said to lead a happy life in whose heart God dwelleth through the Guru's instruction. Of what account are they who are without the Name, and who therefore obtain not a sight of the great God? As a man goeth astray at night in his sleep, So doth he in whose heart there is pride and worldly love, and who is in the power of mammon. To him who reflecteth under the Guru's instruction the world appeareth a dream. As thirst is quenched when one findeth water; as the child is sustained by its mother's milk; As the lotus cannot exist without water, and the fish would die without it, So, Nanak, may I obtain divine happiness through the Guru's instruction and live singing God's praises! Without the spiritual condition which is obtained by a repetition of the Name there is no salvation:-- I have become alarmed on seeing a terrible mountain in my Father's house.[1]

I have become alarmed on seeing a terrible mountain in my Father's house.[1] Steep is the mountain and difficult to ascend; there is no ladder which will reach it; But under the Guru's instruction I have found the secret;[2] the Guru hath caused me to meet God and I am saved. O my brethren, the ocean of the world is difficult and formidable. If I have a satisfactory interview with the perfect true Guru, he will deliver me by granting me God's name. If I say I am perishable, it will not avail me; but if I really know that I am perishable, it will. Everything that came into this world shall depart; the Creator alone is immortal. [1. Seeing the difficulties of this world. 2. That there is no mountain.] {p. 277} Be sure to praise the True One and love His abode. Beautiful houses and palaces and thousands of strong holds, Elephants, horses with their housings, and hundreds of thousands, yea, countless armed men Will not depart with any one: Their masters pine away and die without gaining any advantage from them. Thou mayest amass gold and silver, but wealth is an entangling net. Man's authority may be proclaimed throughout the whole world, but without the Name death standeth over his head. When the body falleth, the soul fleeth away; what shall be the condition of the evil doers? The husband is delighted on beholding his sons and his wife on her couch; He applieth distilled aloe wood and sandal he weareth fine clothes and decorateth himself;

He applieth distilled aloe wood and sandal he weareth fine clothes and decorateth himself; Yet shall he leave his family and depart dust shall return to dust. He may be styled a chief, an emperor, a king, a governor, or a lord; He may be called the headman of a town or a governor; he may burn with pride Yet by perversely forgetting the Name he shall be as a reed burnt in the fire. Having come into the world, he shall depart however proud he be. The whole world is a chamber of lampblack; the body and soul which enter it shall be tarnished.[1] They who are preserved by the Guru are pure; the fire of their desires is extinguished by the Word. Nanak, man obtaineth deliverance by the true name of the King of kings. May I not forget God's name! may I purchase it as a jewel! The perverse man perisheth in the terrible ocean of the [1. Literally--shall become ashes.] {p. 278} world; the holy man crosseth it, unfathomable though it be. GHAR III[1] Definitions:-- How is Sat Sangat, the Society of the holy, known? The name of the one God is mentioned there. How are Duhagins--women separated from their husbands--known? They are those who forgetful of their Spouse wander unhonoured. They who are pleased with God's will, Remove superstition from their minds. Nanak, the true Guru, is known by his association with every one. SRI RAG KI WAR Some virtues which contribute to perfection-- Faith and resignation are the characteristics of the holy; patience is the viaticum of angels.

Faith and resignation are the characteristics of the holy; patience is the viaticum of angels. The perfect shall obtain a sight of God; the fool shall find no place with Him. Caste is vain and contributes not to goodness or holiness:-- Castes are folly, names are folly All creatures have one shelter, that of God. If a man call himself good, The truth shall be known, O Nanak, when his account is accepted. Man, no matter what his caste or social position may be, is exalted by devotion:-- What difference is there between a swan and a crane, if God look kindly on the latter? Nanak, if it please Him, He can change a raven into a swan, [1. This is understood to mark time--three beats to a bar.] {p. 279} MAJH KI WAR God as the Guru -- The Guru is the Giver, the Guru is the house of snow,[1] the Guru is the lamp of the three worlds. Nanak, the Guru possesseth the immortal wealth; by putting faith in Him happiness is obtained. The ten stages of man:-- In man's first stage he loveth the milk of his mother's breast; In his second he recognizeth his father and mother In his third his brother, his brother's wife, and his own sister; In the fourth a love of play ariseth in him In the fifth he runneth after food and drink In the sixth he inquireth not a woman's caste in his lust In the seventh he collecteth things for a house to live in In the eighth his body is wasted by wrath; In the ninth he groweth grey and his breathing is difficult;

In the ninth he groweth grey and his breathing is difficult; In the tenth he is burnt and becometh ashes. His companions accompany him to his pyre with loud lamentations. The soul flieth away, showing the road of departure to others. He Came, he died, and departed--leaving only a name. After his death his relations offer food on leaves, and call the crows.[2] Nanak, the perverse love mental darkness. Without a guru the world is lost. Other divisions of human life:-- At ten a child, at twenty a rake, at thirty man calleth himself handsome; [1. That is, he cools the fire of desires. Some suppose that hiwai ghar is for the Sanskrit himkar, the moon. 2. Portions (bali) of such offerings are set aside for cows, portions for dogs, and portions for crows.] {p. 280} At forty he is in his prime, at fifty his feet halt, at sixty old age cometh on; At seventy he loseth his intellect, at eighty he cannot perform his duties At ninety he reclineth on his couch, and feeleth no strength whatever in himself. I, Nanak, have sought and searched, and seen that the world is a mansion of smoke. The following is said to have been addressed to a holy man called Thakur Das at Priyag:-- Were I to dwell in the cavern of a golden mountain or in a pit of water Were I to stand on my head on earth or in the heavens Were I to cover all my body with clothes,[1] and did I nothing but bathe; Were I to shout aloud the white, the red, the yellow, and the black Veds;[2]

Were I to shout aloud the white, the red, the yellow, and the black Veds;[2] Were I to remain dirty and filthy,[3] all this would be foolish and sinful. Nanak, since I have pondered on the Word, I am not, I was not, and I shall not be.[4] Guru Nanak declares the folly of external purifications:-- Man washeth his clothes and his body, and mortifieth himself. Knowing not of the filth attaching to his heart, he rubbeth and cleanseth himself externally. Being blind he is led astray, and falleth into Death's noose. He deemeth the property of others as his own, and suffereth for his pride. Nanak, when pride is dispelled under the Guru's instructions, man meditateth on God's name, Repeateth the Name, adoreth the Name, and through thc Name is absorbed in happiness. [1. This is done. by a sect called the Kâprias, who cover even their faces. 2. As the Brâhmans do. 3. The reference is to the Jains. 4. That is, I am totally absorbed in God.] {p. 281} Some important subjects are briefly treated as follows:-- God hath caused the union of body and soul He who created them can separate them. A fool while enjoying pleasure bath all pain Disease proccedeth from sinful pleasure. From worldly rejoicing proceedeth mourning, separation from God, birth, and death. The fool while boasting becometh involved in disputes The decision resteth with. the True Guru; He putteth an end to disputes. That which the Creator doeth cometh to pass; what man hath set in motion must stop.

That which the Creator doeth cometh to pass; what man hath set in motion must stop. The following was addressed by the Guru to a Qazi at Sultanpur:-- Thou utterest falsehood, eatest carrion,[1] Yet thou goest to admonish others. Cheated thyself thou now cheatest thy companions. Nanak saith, that is the sort of guide thou appearest! As a Qazi beheaded a goat, some drops of blood fell on his garments, which he at once wiped off. He said that he could not join in prayer until the pollution had been removed. The following was uttered by the Guru on the occasion:-- If clothes become defiled by blood falling on them, How can the hearts of those who drink human blood[2] be pure? Nanak, utter God's name with a pure heart regardless of thy dress. All else is but worldly ostentation; thou, O Qazi, practisest falsehood. The Qazi asked Guru Nanak who he was. The latter replied as follows:-- Since I am nobody, what shall I say: since I am nothing, what can I be? [1. Food obtained by peculation and bribery. 2. That is, who practise extortion or tyranny.] {p. 282} As God made me, I act; as He told me, I speak; I am thoroughly defiled with sin, and desire to wash it away. Though I know nothing myself, yet I teach others; such a guide am I. Nanak, he who being blind showeth the road to others and misleadeth all his companions, Shall be shoe-beaten in the next world, and it will be seen what sort of guide he was.

Shall be shoe-beaten in the next world, and it will be seen what sort of guide he was. Everything shall vanish except God:-- Of kings, subjects, and rulers none shall remain Shops, cities, bazars shall be destroyed by God's order. Solid and beautiful mansions a fool deemeth his own; Storehouses filled with wealth in a moment become empty. Steeds, chariots, camels, elephants and their housings, Gardens, properties, houses, and homes, Tents, comfortable beds, and ornamental pavilions--where shall they be recognized? The following was delivered to Sikhs who asked the Guru what pleasure God's praises afforded him:-- Were rivers to become kine, and springs to become milk and clarified butter; Were the whole earth to become sugar so that the heart might ever rejoice; Were the mountains to become gold and silver, and be studded with diamonds and rubies; I would even then magnify Thee, and the desire to do so would not cease as I spoke. Were the eighteen loads of vegetables of the earth[1] to become fruit, and grass to become rice; Could I arrest the moon and sun in their courses, and were my seat to become immovable, [1. This is the sum total of the earth's flora according to ancient Sanskrit writers. The idea was that if a leaf were taken off every tree and plant, there would be formed eighteen loads, each of which an ordinary strong man could lift.] {p. 283} I would even then magnify Thee, and the desire to do so would not cease as I spoke.

I would even then magnify Thee, and the desire to do so would not cease as I spoke. Could I inflict pain by means of the two sinful beings Rahu and Ketu;[1] Could I obtain authority over bloodthirsty kings and my glory thus shine forth, I would even then magnify Thee, and the desire to do so would not cease as I spoke. Were fire and frost to become my raiment, and the wind my food; Were all the fascinating women of heaven to become my wives--all perishable[2]-- I would even then magnify Thee, and the desire to do so would not cease as I spoke. Caste becomes deadly if exclusive reliance be placed on it for salvation:-- What power hath caste? It is the reality that is tested. Poison may be held in the hand, but man dieth if he eat it. The sovereignty of the True One is known in every age. He who obeyeth God's order shall become a noble in His court. The following allegory of mounted cavalry refers to the different stages of asceticism:-- The Master sent obedience to His orders as a steed into the world; Reflection on the instruction which the Guru imparteth is its kettle-drums. Some have mounted their steeds, others have them ready caparisoned; [1. Owing to the exigencies of prosody, only Râhu is mentioned in the original text. Râhu arid Ketu are two demons, who, according to Indian astrologers, inflict pain or., mortals as they do on the sun and moon on occasions of eclipse. 2. Some understood jâu to be the Sanskrit jâyâ, wife. The gyanis translate--All the fascinating women of heaven may go, as far as I am concerned.]

2. Some understood jâu to be the Sanskrit jâyâ, wife. The gyanis translate--All the fascinating women of heaven may go, as far as I am concerned.] {p. 284} Some have loaded their baggage for the march, and others have set out. In the following allegory the mill is the world, the corn is the soul, the husk the body, refuge in God the axle:-- When the field is ripe, it is cut; only the chaff and the hedge remain. The corn is threshed with the husk, and the chaff is winnowed away. Men then put together the two mill-stones and sit down to grind corn. That which attacheth to the axle escapeth. Nanak hath seen a wonderful thing.[1] Good men, like sugar-cane, are subject to torture:-- See how sugar-cane is cut down and made into sheaves after the stalks are cleaned. The labourers put it into a press and squeeze it. Having expressed the juice, they put it into a pan, and it groaneth as it burneth. The residue is collected and put into the fire beneath the pan. Nanak, sweet things are thus ill-treated; come and see, O people. It is useless to endeavour to instruct a fool:-- What can deep water do to it fish? What can the sky do to a bird? What can cold do to it stone? What can married life do to a eunuch? Even though thou apply sandal to a dog, he will still preserve his canine nature: Even though thou instruct a deaf man, and read for him the Simritis; Even though thou place a light before a blind man, and burn fifty lamps fox him, all would be of no avail.

Even though thou place a light before a blind man, and burn fifty lamps fox him, all would be of no avail. [1. That the corn attached to the axle is not ground, that is, the soul which is attached to God is not tortured by Death.] {p. 285} Even though thou put gold before a herd of cattle, they would still pick out the grass to eat. If a flux be put into iron it will melt, but not become cotton.[1] Nanak, the peculiarity of a fool is that what is said to him is ever lost. When his Sikhs inquired how an alliance could be formed with God the Guru composed the following:-- When bronze, gold, and iron break, The blacksmith weldeth them by means of fire. When a husband falleth out with his spouse, A reconciliation is effected in this world through children. When the king asketh and his subjects give, a bond is established between them. When a hungry man eateth, he establisheth an alliance with the world. Drought formeth an alliance with rivers when they are flooded with rain. There is an affinity between love and sweet words. If any one speak the truth, he formeth a bond with know ledge. By goodness and truth the dead establish a bond with the living. Such are the affinities that are established in the world. The only way to establish friendship with a fool is to smite him on the mouth.[2] By praising God man establisheth an alliance with God's court. Nanak saith this deliberately.

Nanak saith this deliberately. The following seven sloks form part of the Guru's instruction to Shaikh Brahm, or Farid the second, of Pak Pattan:-- The priests, the shaikhs, and the potentates of the world are all beneath the earth. [1 Its nature will not be altered. 2. Munh mar. Also translated--to remain silent.] {p. 286} Emperors pass away, but God ever flourisheth. There is only Thou, there is only Thou, O God! Neither demigods, nor demons, nor men, Nor Sidhs, nor Strivers, nor this earth shall abide. There is One; is there any other? There is only Thou, there is only Thou, O God! Neither the just nor the generous, Nor the seven regions beneath the earth shall remain. There is One: is there any other? There is only Thou, there is only Thou, O God! Not the regions of the sun and the moon, Nor the seven continents, nor the seven seas, Nor corn, nor wind shall abide. There is only Thou, there is only Thou, O God! Our maintenance is in nobody's power but God's: To all of us but one hope abideth There is one: is there any other? There is only Thou, there is only Thou, O God! Birds have no money in their possession They only depend on trees and water. God is their Giver. There is only Thou, there is only Thou, O God! Nanak, no one can erase What is written on the forehead. God it is who giveth man power and again taketh it away. There is only Thou, there is only Thou, O God! Guru Nanak thus discoursed to Prem Chand of Sarhind on the best way of occupying time:--

Guru Nanak thus discoursed to Prem Chand of Sarhind on the best way of occupying time:-- They who in the early morning praise God and meditate on Him with single heart, Are perfect kings, and die fighting when occasion ariseth.[1] In the second watch there are many ways in which the attention of the mind is distracted. [1. This is understood to mean that they fight to the death with their deadly sins.] {p. 287} Many persons fall into the fathomless water, and cannot emerge however much they struggle. In the third watch when hunger and thirst are both barking, food is put into the mouth. What is eaten becometh filth, yet man again desireth food. In the fourth watch drowsiness cometh, man closeth his eyes and goeth into dreamland.[1] Again rising in the morning he engageth in turmoil, and yet maketh preparations to live a hundred years. If man feel love for God every moment during the eight watches of the day, O Nanak, God will dwell in his heart and true shall be his ablution. Man's continual thought should be devotion to his Maker:-- When Thou art near, what more do I desire? I speak verily. He who is deceived by false worldly occupations reacheth not God's palace: His heart is hard and he loseth his service. The house which containeth not the True One, should be destroyed and rebuilt. When its owner is weighed, how shall he be found of full weight? If he lose his pride, no one will say he is of short weight.

If he lose his pride, no one will say he is of short weight. The genuine shall be assayed, and selected at the gate of the All-seeing. The true goods are only in one shop; they are obtained from the perfect Guru. The advantages conferred on men by the True One:-- Without the True One all are false and practise falsehood. Without the True One the false shall be bound and led away; [1. Pawâr properly means trance, or suspended animation.] {p. 288} Without the True One the body is dust and shall be rolled in the dust Without the True One dress and food are all hunger Without the True One the false shall not attain God's court. The false attached to avarice miss God's palace. The whole world is deceived, and cometh and goeth in deception. In the heart is the fire of greed which is quenched by the Guru's instruction. The advantages of the Guru, who is likened to a life-giving tree -- Nanak, the Guru is the tree of contentment, whose blossom is religion and whose fruit is divine knowledge. It aboundeth in succulence and is ever green; it ripeneth by good works and meditation. Honour is obtained by partaking of its relish; it is the greatest of gifts. There is a tree of gold; its leaves are corals; its blossoms, jewels and rubies. It beareth gems for fruit, and the heart of him who eateth it rejoiceth. Nanak, it is obtained by him on whose forehead such destiny hath been recorded. The sixty-eight places of pilgrimage are at the Guru's feet, and ever specially worship them.

The sixty-eight places of pilgrimage are at the Guru's feet, and ever specially worship them. Cruelty, worldly love, avarice, and wrath are four streams of fire: They who fall into them are burnt. O Nanak, but deliverance is obtained by cleaving to good works. The evil of forgetting God:-- In the heart and mouth of the perverse who never remember Thee,. Abide the bitterness of the gourd, the colocynth, and the nim, and the poison of the akk[1] and dhatura. [1. Caloptropis procera.] {p. 289} Nanak, to whom shall I tell it? Whoso forget Thee wander bereft of Thy favour, O God. The unequal conditions of men:-- The bird, man, by his ideas and his acts sometimes flieth high and sometimes low,[1] He sometimes percheth on a sandal-tree, sometimes on the branch of the akk-shrub, and sometimes again he loveth high flight. Nanak saith, it is the custom of the Lord to lead all beings by His order. Women's duty:-- If women adorn themselves with love and affection for their Spouse, They shall not be restrained from their devotion to Him day or night. They shall abide in His chambers, and the Word shall regenerate them; They shall humbly supplicate the True One; And they shall appear beautiful near their Spouse, walking according to His order. They shall make hearty supplication to the Beloved. Accursed the homes, wretched the lives of those who possess not the Word. They whose hopes are fulfilled by the Word quaff nectar.

They whose hopes are fulfilled by the Word quaff nectar. The Guru was requested to state the extent of his love of devotion:-- The desert is not satisfied with rain, and the hunger of fire is not appeased; Kings are not satisfied with dominion; who hath ever filled the ocean? How much hath Nanak inquired after the True Name, and not been satisfied! Bhai Rama of Sultanpur inquired how God was known. The Guru replied -- He to whom God giveth understanding understandeth; [1. Literally--is sometimes exalted and sometimes debased.] {p. 290} He to whom He giveth knowledge knoweth everything. Man merely worrieth himself when he preacheth for the sake of mammon. The Commander, who created all things, Himself possesseth all knowledge. He Himself, Nanak, spoke the Word-- Doubt shall depart from him to whom He gave it. The Guru's reward for singing God's praises:-- Me, a minstrel out of work, God applieth to His work; He ordered me in the beginning to sing His praises night and day. The Master summoned the minstrel to His true court, And put on him a robe of true praise and eulogy: He then obtained the ambrosial food of the true Name. They who have eaten under the Guru's instruction are satisfied, and have obtained comfort. The minstrel uttereth praise and singeth the Word. Nanak, he who uttereth true praise obtaineth the Perfect One. RAG GAURI The advantages resulting from the fear of God:--

The advantages resulting from the fear of God:-- The fear of God is very great and very heavy. Man's wisdom is of little account, and so is his chatter. Walk with the load of fear on thy head; Meditate on the Guru who is kind and merciful. No one shall be saved without the fear of God - His fear hath adorned man's love. The fire of the fear of transmigration is burned away by the fear of God. By fear the Word is fashioned and decorated. What is fashioned without fear is altogether worthless: Useless is the mould and useless the stroke thereon. In the minds of many there is a desire to fashion the Word without fear; But even though they perform a thousand artifices they shall not succeed. Nanak, the speech of the perverse is nonsense; What they write is worthless absurdity. {p. 291} The following was addressed by the Guru to one who had remonstrated with him for having left his relations to lead a wandering life:-- Make wisdom thy mother, contentment thy father, Truth thy brother--this is best. People talk, but talking is of no avail. The measure of Thy might, O God, cannot be obtained. Modesty and attention are my two parents-in-law Good works I have accepted as my spouse; Union with saints hath been my auspicious time for marriage, and separation from the world my wedding. Saith Nanak, from such a union hath sprung truth as my offspring. The composition of man's body and the inutility of pilgrimages; the body dies, but not the soul:--

The composition of man's body and the inutility of pilgrimages; the body dies, but not the soul:-- The body is a mixture of wind, water, and fire; Within it is the changeful play of the intellect. The body hath nine gates and a tenth door; O wise man, understand and reflect on this. God speaketh, preacheth, and listeneth; He who reflecteth on himself is a wise man. The body is earth, the wind speaketh therein. Consider, O wise man, what it is that dieth It is the quarrelsome and proud understanding. The conscious soul dieth not. The precious jewel, for which men go on pilgrimages, Dwelleth within the heart. Pandits read and argue, But know not that which is within themselves. When my spiritual ignorance dieth, I die not myself. He who is everywhere contained dieth not. Saith Nanak, when the Guru showed me God, No one seemed to me to die or to be born. One Sant Das propounded six questions to Guru Nanak:-- Is it known whence man hath come, Whence he hath sprung, in what he shall be absorbed, {p. 292} How he is bound, how he obtaineth emancipation, And how he shall be easily absorbed in the Imperishable? The Guru replied:-- The Name is nectar in the heart as well as in the mouth: Through it man is freed from worldly desires. Man cometh in the course of nature and goeth in the course of nature. Man is born according to the desires of his heart, and he is absorbed in the same way.

Man is born according to the desires of his heart, and he is absorbed in the same way. The pious man is emancipated and falleth into no entanglements: He is delivered by meditation on the Word and by God's name. Many birds roost by night on a tree-- Some happy, others unhappy--they whose minds have worldly love perish. When night hath passed away, they gaze upon the sky:[1] They fly in every direction according to the destiny recorded for them. They who are associated with the Name deem the world like a meeting-place of cowherds: The poisonous vessels of lust and wrath have burst for them. To those without the capital of the Name houses and shops are empty; But by meeting the Guru the adamant doors of their understanding are opened. A holy man is met by primal destiny. God's perfect people are rendered happy by truth They barter their souls and bodies for divine knowledge and God's love. Nanak toucheth their feet. The following is a conversation between soul and body:-- The Soul: 'O body, thou thinkest thyself immortal, and that thou shalt be always happy--know that this world is a play, [1. When life ceases, their souls take flight.] {p. 293} Thou practisest avarice, covetousness, and excessive falsehood, and bearest many burdens. I have seen thee, O body, trodden as ashes on the ground.' The Body: 'Hearken, hearken to mine instruction. If thou have done good works, they shall abide with thee; O my soul, thou shalt not again find such opportunity.'

If thou have done good works, they shall abide with thee; O my soul, thou shalt not again find such opportunity.' The Soul: 'I address thee, O my body, hearken to my 'instruction. Thou slanderest[1] and bearest false witness against others.' The Body: 'Thou covetest another's vine,[2] O Soul; thou committest theft and evil deeds.' The Soul: 'When the soul departeth, thou shalt remain behind like an abandoned woman. Thou, O body, shalt remain but as a dream-what good deeds hast thou done? ' The Body: 'Whatever I took by stealth was pleasing to thee. Thou hast no honour in this world, and thou shalt be rejected in the next; thou hast lost thy human dwelling in vain.' I am very unhappy, O father, saith Nanak, no one careth for me. Arabian and Turkish steeds, gold, silver, and loads of raiment No one taketh with him; they leave him in this world, O fool. Sugar, fruit, all have I tasted; it is only Thine ambrosial Name which is sweet. Man diggeth deep foundations and constructeth edifices on them, but they shall become at last heaps of dust. He hoardeth, and hoardeth, and giveth to no one; the fool thinketh that all is his own. Rawan nominally possessed a golden Lanka and a golden palace, but they were no one's property. Hear, O foolish and ignorant soul: What pleaseth God shall be done. My Lord is a great Merchant, we are His retail-dealers. [1. Ninda chinda is an alliteration. 2. This is understood to be meant for neighbour's wife.]

2. This is understood to be meant for neighbour's wife.] {p. 294} Our souls and bodies are all His capital; He it is who killeth and re-animateth. The Guru reflects on the power of the deadly sins which lead men to destruction:-- The others[1] are five, I am but one; how shall I protect my house? They ever assail and plunder me; to whom shall I complain? Utter God's holy name, O my soul; Before thee is Death's army fierce and numerous. God erected a palace,[2] put doors to it, and the woman[3] sitteth within. Deeming the world sweet, she ever sporteth, but these five men rob her. When Death destroyeth the palace, her chamber is sacked, and she being alone is captured. She is beaten by Death's mace, and his chains are riveted on her neck; the five men have taken flight. The housewife wanteth gold and silver; friends want banquets. Nanak, they who commit sin for these things shall go bound to Death's city. Kinganath Jogi pressed Guru Nanak to become his disciple; the Guru replied that he had already learned the science of Jog. He composed the following hymn on the occasion:-- Make restraint of thine inmost heart thine earrings, thy body the patched coat; Reduce thy five senses to subjection, O Jogi, and make a pure heart thy staff - In this way shalt thou obtain the way of jog. Make the fact that there is but one Word and none other thy devotion to tubers and roots. If God could be obtained by merely shaving the head, we should make a god of the Ganges.[4]

If God could be obtained by merely shaving the head, we should make a god of the Ganges.[4] [1. The deadly sins which rob the body. 2. The body. 3. The soul. 4 Where pilgrims shave their heads.] {p. 295} It is the one Lord who saveth the three worlds; thou thinkest not of Him, O fool. If thou apply thy mind to words through hypocrisy, thy doubts shall never leave thee. If thou turn thy thoughts to the feet of the one God, why pursue avarice and greed? If thou repeat the Name of the Bright One, thy soul shall be absorbed in Him. O Jogi, why utterest thou so much deceit? Thy body is mad,[1] thy mind is silly, thou passest thy life talking of thy property. Nanak representeth, it is after the naked body is burnt the soul regretteth lost opportunities. Man's precious life should not be wasted, but should be devoted to God's service and not to the acquisition of wealth:-- Man loseth his nights in sleeping and his days in eating His human life, valuable as a diamond, he parteth with for a kauri. Thou knowest not God's name; O fool, thou shalt here after regret. Thou buriest endless wealth in the earth, yet thy desire for it departeth not.[2] They who departed desiring endless wealth lost the Endless One. If all were to obtain according to their desires, they would be happy. Whatever all may desire, a man's fate is decided by his acts. Nanak, He who fashioned creation taketh care of it.

Nanak, He who fashioned creation taketh care of it. It is not known on whom God's order will confer greatness. The fervour of the Guru's devotion:-- Were I to become a fawn, live in the forest, and gather and eat tubers and roots, I should ever and ever be a sacrifice to my Lord, who is obtained through the favour of the Guru. I am a retail-dealer of Thine, O God; [1. Because smeared with ashes. 2. Also translated--Thou desirest not the Endless One.] {p. 296} Thy Name is my stock-in-trade and my merchandise. Were I to become a koil and live in a mango-tree, I should still tranquilly meditate on the Word. Through my love my Lord, whose form appeareth unequalled, would naturally meet me. Were I to become a fish and dwell in the water, I should still remember Him who watcheth over all animals. My Spouse dwelleth on this side and on that; I shall stretch forth mine arm to touch Him. Were I to become a serpent and dwell in the ground, I should still abide in the Word and my fears would depart. Nanak, they are ever the happy married wives whom God hath absorbed in His light. GAURI ASHTAPADI Without a religious guide man would run riot in evil and haste to perdition:-- The heart is all elephant, the body a forest, The Guru the goad; when the mark of the true Word is made on the elephant, He shall obtain honour in the King's court. God cannot be known by cleverness. Without chastening the mind how can God be appraised;