Hymns Of Guru Nanak

God is not found by loving the infidel; He is found by loving the true Guru. Saith Nanak, he who is absorbed in God's praises obtaineth the Guru who is the dispenser of weal and woe. Man should cultivate true piety in his own home:-- The nectareous water of life,[1] for which thou camest into the world, is with the Guru. Abandon garbs, disguises, and cleverness; this water[2] is not obtained by devotion to mammon. O man, remain at home; go nowhere, my friend. By searching abroad thou shalt suffer much affliction the water of life is in thy heart at home. Forsake vice and pursue virtue. thy vice thou shalt regret. Thou knowest not good from evil thou shalt again and again wallow in the mire. Inside thee is the great filth of covetousness and falsehood; why washest thou thine outside? Ever repeat the Pure Name under the Guru's instruction, then shall thy heart be pure. Abandon covetousness and slander, forswear falsehood and thou shalt obtain the true fruit through the Guru's instruction. O God, preserve me as Thou pleasest; Nanak praiseth Thy Word. [1. That is, God's name. 2. Literally--this fruit.] {p. 332} God is the invisible Benefactor and is pleased .when men obey His behests:-- All creatures are subject to destiny from the beginning there is none not subject to it. God alone is not subject to destiny; He beholdeth the work of His own omnipotence; He causeth His order to be executed.

God alone is not subject to destiny; He beholdeth the work of His own omnipotence; He causeth His order to be executed. O man, repeat God's name and thou shalt be happy Day and night worship the feet of the Guru the Giver and the Enjoyer. Behold Him without thee as He is within thee; there is none other. Under the Guru's instruction regard all men as equal, since God's light is contained in the heart of each. Restrain in its place thy wandering mind; thou shalt know how to do this on meeting the Guru. On beholding the Invisible thou shalt be astounded; thou shalt forget thy misery and obtain happiness. Quaff nectar and thou shalt obtain supreme happiness and abide in thine own home. Sing His praises who destroyeth the fear of birth and death, and thou shalt not be born again. God[1] the First Principle, the Pure One, is in all things of this there is no doubt. Nanak hath obtained God the Infinite Supreme Being as his Guru. SORATH ASHTAPADI The Guru deprecates idolatry and then gives his notion of an ideal Bairagi, or renouncer of the world:-- May I not fall under the power of mammon, worship any but God, or visit tombs and places of cremation! May I not enter the strange house impelled by greed![2] may the Name extinguish my greed! The Guru showed me God in my own home; my heart became easily enamoured of Him, my brethren. [1. Soham, I am he. Compare 'I am that I am'. 2 May I not go to worship in a heathen temple for the sake of mammon.]

2 May I not go to worship in a heathen temple for the sake of mammon.] {p. 333} Thou art wise, Thou art far-seeing; it is only Thou, O Lord, who givest wisdom. My heart hath no love for the world; it is tinctured with its hate; the Word hath penetrated my heart, O my mother. He who loveth the true Lord and continually repeateth His hymns, beholdeth His light in his own heart. Countless persons call themselves Bairagis, but only he who is pleasing to God is a Bairagi. Such a Bairagi treasureth the Word in his heart: he is ever absorbed in the fear of God and serveth the Guru. He thinketh on the one God, his mind wavereth not, and he restraineth its wanderings. He is intoxicated with God's love, ever absorbed in divine pleasure, and he singeth the praises of the True One. If the mind, which is like the wind, dwell even for a little on the name of Him who liveth at ease, happiness shall result, my brethren. My tongue, eyes, and ears are tinctured by the True One Thou, O Lord, hast extinguished the fire that consumed me. He is a Bairagi who abandoneth desires and assumeth an attitude of contemplation in his own home. He who is filled with the alms of the Name is contented and quaffeth nectar at his ease. As long as there is a particle of worldly love, there is no contempt of the world. All the world is Thine, O Lord; Thou alone art the Giver there is none other, my brethren. Perverse creatures ever abide in misery; God conferreth greatness on the holy.

Perverse creatures ever abide in misery; God conferreth greatness on the holy. Infinite, endless, inaccessible, inapprehensible, Thy worth cannot be obtained by speaking. Sun Samadh,[l] Mahaparamarath,[2] and Lord of the three worlds are names of Thine. All animals born in the world have their destinies recorded on their foreheads, and must beat- what is destined for them. [1. He who is in deep and silent meditation. 2. The great supreme Being.] {p. 334} It is God who causeth man to perform good acts and maketh them steadfast in His service. When man feareth God, the filth of his soul and body departeth, and God Himself giveth him divine knowledge: Only he who hath tasted it, knoweth its flavour, as a dumb man enjoyeth sweets.[1] How describe the Indescribable, my brethren? Ever walk according to His will. If God cause man to meet the generous Guru, understanding is produced; he who hath no Guru hath no understanding. Walk as God causeth you to walk, my brethren; what other device can man adopt? Some are led astray in error, others love God's service; Thy play, O Lord, is incomprehensible. Men obtain the result of what Thou hast applied them to; Thou leadest them by Thine order. We can serve Thee if we have anything of our own; our souls and bodies are Thine. God is merciful to him who hath met the true Guru; the ambrosial Name is his support. He to whom the attributes of God, who dwelleth in heaven, become manifest, shall obtain divine knowledge and meditation from them.

He to whom the attributes of God, who dwelleth in heaven, become manifest, shall obtain divine knowledge and meditation from them. God's name is pleasing to him; he uttereth it himself and causeth others to utter it; and he only speaketh of the Real Thing. The Deep and Profound is obtained by the instruction of the Guru and priest; without such instruction the world would go mad. Nanak, he whose heart is pleased with the True One is a perfect Bairagi, and naturally fortunate. The following was the Guru's instruction to a Brahman:-- Hopes and desires are entanglements, my brother; thy religious ceremonies are also entanglements. [1. The dumb man eating sweets enjoys a pleasure which is incommunicable.] {p. 335} Man, my brother, is born in the world as the result of bad and good acts;[1] he perisheth when he forgetteth the Name. Maya bewitcheth the world, my brother; all thy religious ceremonies are worthless. Hear me, thou Pandit with the religious ceremonies-- Meditation on the Supreme Being is the only religious ceremony, my brother, from which happiness is derived. Thou standest chattering of the Shastars and Veds, my brother, and makest it a worldly affair. The filth of sin which is within thee shall not be washed away by hypocrisy. Like the hypocrite, the spider is ruined when her web is blown by the wind and she falleth headlong. By evil inclinations many are ruined; by love of mammon they are lost.

By evil inclinations many are ruined; by love of mammon they are lost. Without the true Guru the Name is not obtained, and without the Name doubt departeth not. My brother, serve the true Guru and thou shalt be happy, and released from transmigration. True peace is obtained from the Guru. When the mind is pure, man shall be absorbed in the True One, He who serveth the Guru knoweth the way; without the Guru it cannot be found. What religious acts can he perform who hath greed in his heart? He uttereth falsehood and eateth poison. O Pandit, if thou churn coagulated milk, butter shall be produced; If thou churn water, thou shalt obtain but water; this is the way of the world. The unseen God dwelleth in every heart, yet without the Guru man is ruined by wandering. Maya hath bound this world on all sides with her cable: Without a guru its knot cannot be untied; man groweth weary in striving. [1. If a man's acts were totally bad, he could not obtain human birth. Human birth is only obtained when good and bad acts are in equipoise.] {p. 336} This world is led astray by superstition; words are of no avail. By meeting the Guru, my brother, the fear of God entereth the heart. To die in the fear of God is man's true destiny. In God's court the Name is superior to ablutions, alms, and similar religious acts. He who, by the Guru's goad, hath driven the Name into his heart to abide there, shall become free from hypocrisy.

He who, by the Guru's goad, hath driven the Name into his heart to abide there, shall become free from hypocrisy. Man is a banker's shop, the unrivalled Name is his capital. The merchant who meditateth on the Guru's instruction secureth the capital. Nanak, blest are the merchants who on meeting the Guru engage in such traffic. Deprecation of idolatry:-- My brethren, you worship goddesses and gods; what can you ask them? and what can they give you? Even if a stone be washed with water, it will again sink in it. RAG DHANASARI The Guru reposes his hopes in God and confirms his devotion to Him:-- My soul is in fear; to whom shall I complain? I have served Him who causeth us to forget our sorrows He is ever and ever the Giver. My Lord is ever young; He is ever and ever the Giver. Night and day serve the Lord, and in the end He will deliver thee. Hark, hark, my friend,[1] thus shalt thou cross over. O Merciful One, by Thy name shall 1 cross over aim ever a sacrifice unto Thee. In the whole world there is only one True Being; there is no second. He on whom God looketh with favour will serve Him. How shall I, O Beloved, abide without Thee? Grant me the favour to remain attached to Thy name. [1. Literally--woman.] {p. 337} There is none other, O my Beloved, to whom 1 may go to address myself. I serve my Lord, I beg from no other Nanak is His slave and ever a sacrifice unto Him. O Lord, I am ever a sacrifice to Thy name, for which I could bear to be cut to pieces.

O Lord, I am ever a sacrifice to Thy name, for which I could bear to be cut to pieces. Life is but brief, and man ought to make the best use of it:-- We men live but for a moment; we know not if we shall live the space of two gharis. Nanak representeth, serve Him to whom belong our souls and lives. O fool, consider how many days thy life shall last. O Lord, my breath, body, and soul are all Thine; Thou art very dear to me. The poet Nanak thus speaketh; O True Cherisher, If Thou give nothing to any one, what pledge can he give Thee?[1] Nanak representeth, he who is destined from the beginning to obtain something shall obtain it. The deceitful person who, instead of thinking of God's name, practiseth deceit, Shall be led captive to the gate of Death, and shall then as he is led along regret lost opportunities. As long as we are in this world, Nanak, hear somewhat and speak somewhat of God. I have searched and found no resting-place; wherefore in the midst of life be in death. The Guru moralized as follows on seeing a thief arrested:-- If a thief praise the magistrate, the mind of the latter is not pleased thereby; If he revile the magistrate, it cannot displease him in the least. Nobody will be surety for a thief. [1. Man can obtain nothing from God except as the result of His favour. If man receive nothing from God, no surety is needed.] {p. 338} How can what a thief doeth be good?

How can what a thief doeth be good? Hear, O fool, dog, and liar, The True One knoweth thee, O thief, without thy speaking. A thief may be well dressed, a thief may be ingenious, Yet he is only worth a double paisa, the price of a bad rupee. If thou put a bad coin with others, It will be found counterfeit on being assayed. As man acteth, so shall be his reward: He himself soweth and he himself eateth the fruit. Even though man praise himself, Yet will he act according to his understanding. If he tell hundreds of lies to conceal the truth, He shall still be false even though the whole world call him good. If it please Thee, even a fool is acceptable. Nanak, God is clever to know man's secret. A Brahman, a Qazi, and a Jogi entered into discussion with the Guru, and he gave them the following instruction:-- The body is the paper, the mind the order written thereon, Silly man readeth not the lines of destiny on his forehead. In God's court three destinies [1] are engraved. Lo! what is counterfeit is there of no avail. Nanak, if there be sterling silver within us, Everybody will say that it is real. The Qazi telleth lies and eateth filth. The Brahman taketh life and then batheth. The ignorant Jogi knoweth not the way of union with God-- The whole three ruin the world.[2] He is a Jogi who knoweth the way to God, And who by the Guru's favour only recognizeth the One. He-is a Qazi who turneth away men from the world,

He-is a Qazi who turneth away men from the world, And who by the Guru's favour while alive is dead. [1. Superior, medium, and inferior destinies. 2 Literally--the three form the boundary of the wilderness, that is, preach the whole of what ruins mortals.] {p. 339} He is a Brahman who reflecteth upon God: He shall be saved himself, and shall save all his relations. Wise is he who cleanseth his heart: A Musalman is he who cleanseth his impurity. He who readeth and acteth on what he readeth, is acceptable. He shall bear on his forehead the stamp of God's court. DHANASARI ASHTAPADI God is pleased with love and service, not with idolatry or pilgrimages:-- God maketh Himself manifest and beholdeth men. He is not pleased by obstinate penance nor by many religious garbs. He who fashioned the vessel of the body and poured into it His ambrosial gifts, Will only be satisfied with man's love and service. They who, though ever reading, forget God's name shall suffer punishment, And notwithstanding their great cleverness undergo transmigration. He who repeateth the Name and thus eateth the food of fear, Shall become a pious worshipper and be absorbed 'u God. He who worshippeth stones, visiteth places of pilgrimage, dwelleth in forests, And renounceth the world, wandereth and wavereth. How can his filthy mind become pure? He who meeteth the True One shall obtain honour. DHANIASARI CHHANT They who utter falsehood are unhappy:--

They who utter falsehood are unhappy:-- If a woman please her Spouse, she shall be honoured in His house: If she utter falsehood it is of no avail: If she utter falsehood it is of no avail her Spouse will not look at her. Without merits, forgotten by her Spouse, and false, painful are her nights. {p. 340} RAG SUHI Man ought to practise devotion at home:-- Man dwelleth not at home, but wandereth abroad. Why doth he forsake ambrosia and eat poison? Embrace such knowledge, O my soul, As may make thee a servant of the True One. Although every one speaketh of divine knowledge and meditation, Yet the whole world wandereth bound by its own entanglements. He who performeth service is a servant of Him Who pervadeth the water, the dry land, the nether regions, and the firmament. I am not good; there is nobody bad. The representation of Nanak is--he who thinketh so is saved. SUHI ASHTAPADI The Guru depreciates himself, and utters a prayer to the Almighty -- In me are all demerits; I have not one merit How shall I meet my Spouse? No beauty or lustrous eyes are mine, No family, no manners, or sweet speech. The woman who cometh adorned with divine knowledge, Shall be a happy wife if she please her Spouse. O God, mercifully attach her to Thy feet Who hath neither beauty nor good features, Who remembereth not God at the last moment, Who hath no wisdom, understanding, or cleverness. The woman, who though very wise pleaseth not her Spouse,

The woman, who though very wise pleaseth not her Spouse, Who attached to mammon is lost in superstition, Shall, if she dismiss her pride, be absorbed in her Beloved, And obtain Him who is her nine treasures. I suffered through being separated from God in many births. O Beloved Sovereign, take my hand. Saith Nanak, the Lord is, was, and shall be. The Beloved will enjoy her who is pleasing to Him. {p. 341} Miscellaneous instruction of the Guru:-- False and fleeting is the dye of the safflower, lasting for only four days. Without the Name man wandereth in error; the evil passions[1] rob him, false that he is. He who is tinctured with the True One shall not be born again. How canst thou who art dyed with the love of God, be otherwise dyed? Serve the Guru who giveth God's dye, and apply thy heart to the True One. Even though man wander in every direction, he shall not obtain spiritual wealth without good fortune. If robbed by vice thou wander in the forest like a huntsman, thou shalt not find shelter. They whom the Guru protecteth are saved; their hearts are dyed with his instruction. They who wear white clothes, but whose hearts are filthy and hard, Never utter the Name, but like thieves become absorbed in mammon. They who know not their own humble origin are beasts and cattle. Man though ever and ever engaged in pleasures, ever and ever desireth more enjoyment. He thinketh not of the Creator, so misery attacheth to him again and again.

He thinketh not of the Creator, so misery attacheth to him again and again. How shall he in whose heart the Dispenser of weal and woe dwelleth, want for anything? They whose accounts are not adjusted shall be summoned; the executioner shall smite them on their heads. When the account is called for it must be given; it will be examined and considered. Man shall be saved by his love for the True One; the Pardoner will pardon him. If he make any one else than God his friend, he shall die and be blended with the dust. [1. Literally--thags.] {p. 342} Man beholding various phases of life is led astray, and going astray suffereth transmigration; But he shall be emancipated by a favouring glance from God and God will blend him with Himself. O listless man who possessest not divine knowledge, search not for it without the Guru. Man is ruined by allowing himself to be drawn in different directions; the effects of both evil and good acts remain with him. The god of death spieth every one who is without the Word, and who feeleth not the fear of God. He who made and sustained the world giveth support to all. Why forget Him who is ever and ever the Benefactor? May Nanak not forget the Name which is the support of the supportless! SUHI CHHANT The following is now sung by Sikhs at marriages and other festivities:-- Friends[1] have come to my house: The True One hath caused me to meet them. When it pleased God He caused me to meet them without Mine own effort; by meeting the elect happiness is found.

When it pleased God He caused me to meet them without Mine own effort; by meeting the elect happiness is found. I have obtained what I set my heart on. When I meet the saints my soul is happy; night and day my hearth and home look bright. The unbeaten sound of the five musical instruments playeth since saints have come to my house. Come, beloved friends, Sing a song of rejoicing, O women. Sing a true song of rejoicing; then shall you be pleasing to God and rejoice through the four ages.[2] The Spouse hath come to my house, the place is adorned by Him. His instruction hath adjusted mine affairs. I applied the great salve of divine knowledge to mine eyes, and saw God's form which filleth the three worlds. [1. Saints are meant. 2. Also translated--Then shall you be pleasing to God to whom songs of rejoicing are sung through the four ages.] {p. 343} Meet me, O companions, sing with zest a song of rejoicing, since my Spouse hath come home to me. My soul and body are bedewed with nectar, And in my heart is the jewel of love: In my heart is the precious jewel, and I ponder on the Primal Essence. To animals Thou art the opulent Giver[1]; Thou givest to every individual. Thou art wise; Thou possessest divine knowledge; Thou art the searcher of hearts; Thou Thyself didst create the world. Listen, my friends, the charming Bridegroom hath fascinated me, and my soul and body are bedewed with nectar,

Listen, my friends, the charming Bridegroom hath fascinated me, and my soul and body are bedewed with nectar, O Supreme Spirit of the world, True is Thy play: True is Thy play, O Incomprehensible and Infinite One; who can cause us to understand but Thee? Without Thee how many can call themselves Sidhs, Strivers, or wise? The Guru hath stayed the soul which was maddened with the misery of death. Nanak, he who removeth his demerits by the Word, obtaineth God through his aggregate of merits. The Guru is waiting for God as a fond wife for her husband -- Come, my Friend, that I may behold Thee. Standing at my door I am watching for Thee; in my heart is excessive longing; In my heart is excessive longing; hear me, my Lord, I have reliance on Thee. On beholding Thee I have become free from desire; the pain of birth and death is at an end. In all things is Thy light; from it art Thou known, but Thou art found by love. Nanak, I am a sacrifice to the Friend; the True One is found when my mind cometh home. [1. Also translated--animals beg of Thee.] {p. 344} SUHI KI WAR God will assay man's qualities:-- Nanak when a man bringeth and putteth money in his house he examineth it; So in the Lord's court the counterfeit and the genuine shall be tested. Bathing at places of pilgrimage only renders men more impure:-- Men of evil minds and thievish bodies go to bathe at places of pilgrimage. One part of their filth departeth by bathing, but they contract double more.[1]

One part of their filth departeth by bathing, but they contract double more.[1] A gourd may be externally washed, but it containeth undiluted poison within. Holy men are good without bathing; a thief is always a thief whether he bathe or not. Men should traffic in God's name from their earliest years:-- There are two lamps for fourteen shops,[2] And as many shopkeepers as souls: When the. shops are opened, the traffic beginneth. Every one who cometh into the world is transient. Religion is the broker who putteth a mark on the goods. Nanak, they who profit by the Name are acceptable. For those who obtain the greatness of the true Name. Gratulations resound on their arrival at their own homes. In evil association there is no hope of amendment:-- It is the habit of thieves, adulterers, prostitutes, and pimps To contract friendship with the irreligious and dine with them. They take no thought for God's praises; the devil ever dwelleth in their hearts. [1. Their bodily filth departs, but their mental filth and hypocrisy increase. 2. There are the sun and moon for the fourteen worlds.] {p. 345} If sandal be rubbed on a donkey, he will still roll in the dust. Nanak, by spinning falsehood the web of falsehood is woven. False is the cloth therefrom and its measurement; false the raiment and the pride thereof. The repetition of God's name is superior to the call of the Muazzin[1] or the horn of the Jogi,

The repetition of God's name is superior to the call of the Muazzin[1] or the horn of the Jogi, Whether the Muezzin repeateth the call to prayer or the Jogi bloweth horns, and the bards join the chorus, Some are givers, others are beggars; to me Thy name alone is acceptable. Nanak, I am a sacrifice to those who have heard and accepted it. The following sloks in the Suhi ki War contain miscellaneous instruction and reflections of the Guru:-- I am a sacrifice to those whose words consist of God's praises. Every night is for the married woman; let me who am separated from Thee, O God, obtain even one night. They who have not obtained the sweets of love or the delights of the Bridegroom, Are like the guest of an empty house who goeth as he cometh. A curse on the lives of those who eat to distend their bellies Nanak, without the true Name all love is turned into hate. You say, O Pandits--'As darkness is dispelled when a lamp is lighted, 'So by reading the Veds sinful inclinations are destroyed.' I say, 'When the sun riseth, the moon is not seen. 'Where divine knowledge appeareth mental ignorance is dispelled. 'You, O Pandits, read the Veds and study them, But the reading of the Veds is a secular occupation. Without understanding this every one shall be disgraced, [1. Who calls to prayer from the top of a mosque.] {p. 346} 'Nanak, the man who listeneth to the Guru's instruction shall be saved.

'Nanak, the man who listeneth to the Guru's instruction shall be saved. 'They who delight not in the Word and who love not God's name, 'Speak offensively with their tongues, and shall ever be disgraced. 'Nanak, they act according to their destiny which none can erase.' RAG BILAWAL It would not redound to God's glory to call Him by the names of the Hindu incarnations. Thou art an emperor; if I call Thee lord, how will that be to Thy greatness? If Thou inspire me, I will praise Thee, O Lord; I am foolish myself and can say nothing. Give me understanding to sing Thy praises, That I may abide in truth according to Thy will. All that there is cometh from Thee; Thou lovest all. I know not Thy limit, O my Lord; what skill have 1, a blind man? What shall I say? while talking I see that I cannot describe the Indescribable. I speak as it pleaseth Thee; and this is only in the smallest degree for Thy greatness. Among so many dogs I, a strange dog, bark for my belly's sake. Even though Nanak perform no service, he will still bear his Master's name. The Guru's faith in God. My body I have clothed with a Qalandar's dress, I have turned my heart into a temple, and I bathe in that place of pilgrimage. The one word dwelleth in my heart, and I shall not be born again. My soul is pierced by the Compassionate One; O my mother, {p. 347} Who knoweth another's pain? I think of no one but God. O inaccessible, imperceptible, unseen, and boundless God, take thought for me.

O inaccessible, imperceptible, unseen, and boundless God, take thought for me. Thou fillest sea and land, the upper and lower regions Thy light is in every heart. My faculty of learning and my understanding are all Thine; I have built my heart as a temple to Thee. I know none but Thee, O my Lord; I ever sing Thy praises. Men and lower animals all seek Thy protection; all anxiety for them resteth with Thee. What pleaseth Thee is good; this is Nanak's sole representation. LUNAR DAYS The Guru counsels disregard of mammon:-- What name shall I repeat except that of the Lord of the world? Under the Guru's instruction God's court is seen in one's own home. They who are attached to mammon shall regret it They shall go in fetters to Death's gate and suffer transmigration. What have they brought, and what shall they take away? They shall receive blows from the god of death on the head. No one can be emancipated without the Guru's instruction. No one can be saved by the practice of hypocrisy. Heartfelt devotion is superior to all offerings and ablutions:-- On the tenth day of the lunar month repeat the Name as your offerings and ablutions. Night and day lave yourselves in the attributes and knowledge of the True One. {p. 348} When doubts and fears have fled, impurity shall not cling to the true heart. A frail cord will soon snap Know that the world is as the cord. Fix thy mind firmly on the True One and thou shalt be happy.

Fix thy mind firmly on the True One and thou shalt be happy. RAMKALI In his devotional enthusiasm the Guru indulges in self-depreciation:-- Some read the Veds,[1] some the Purans Some repeat names[2] on their rosaries and meditate on them. I know not and never knew anything; 1 recognize only Thy name. I know not, O God, what my lot shall be. I am ignorant and devoid of divine knowledge; O Lord, I seek Thy protection, mercifully preserve my self-respect and honour. The mind sometimes riseth and sometimes falleth to the nether regions.[3] The greedy mind remaineth not still; it searcheth for mammon in all directions. Man entered the world doomed to die; yet he amasseth wealth for long life. While others depart, O Lord, we see the burning fire approaching us also. No one hath a friend, no one hath a brother, no one hath a father or mother. Nanak representeth, if Thou give Thy name, it will assist me at the last hour. After the death of a Hindu a lamp is kept burning for several days to light the soul of the departed to the next world. It is then floated on water. Guru Nanak indites the following homily on the custom:-- [1. Literally--Sanskrit. 2. Some invoke gods and goddesses. 3. Sometimes man is elated and sometimes depressed.] {p. 349} Adore God[1] in the following way-- Make thy body into a raft[2] by which thou mayest cross over. Put on it the fire of thy heart, And the lamp shall burn untiringly day and night.

And the lamp shall burn untiringly day and night. Float such a lamp on the water As shall procure thee all knowledge. The knowledge of God is a good material; God will accept a lamp made out of it. Make good deeds thy wheel, and mould thy lamp on it; It will accompany thee in this world and the next. When God looketh on him with an eye of favour, Some rare pious man knoweth how to make this lamp. This lamp shall be permanent in his heart, And shall not be extinguished when he dieth. Float such a lamp on the water As shall not be shaken or put out by the wind, And by whose light God's throne may be seen. Khatris, Brahmans, Sudars, and Vaisyas Find not such a lamp by thousands of researches and calculations; But if any of them light such a lamp as I have described, He shall, O Nanak, obtain deliverance. The following was addressed to a Jogi:-- The Jogi runneth about begging for clothes and food He burneth with the pangs of hunger, and he shall also have misery hereafter. He who hath not received the Guru's instruction, loseth his honour by his own stupidity. Some rare man obtaineth God's service by the Guru's teaching. The Jogi who knoweth the way dwelleth in a peaceful home. He who is satisfied with the alms of love and the Word beholdeth all men with an equal eye. [1. Literally--fix thine attention on God. 2. The little raft on which the lamp is placed.] {p. 350} The five oxen[1] draw the carriage of the body:

The five oxen[1] draw the carriage of the body: The whole goeth well by the contrivance of God. When the axle breaketh, the carriage turneth over Its timber is scattered and it is burnt in the fire. Meditate, O Jogi, on the Guru's instruction. Consider weal and woe, union and separation of friends as the same. Let the Name and meditation on the Guru's instruction be thy dainties.[2] The wall of thy body shall remain permanent[3] by repeating God's name. By the practice of sahaj jog thou shalt be freed from entanglements, And shalt repress lust and wrath under the Guru's admonition. Make the protection of God and the Guru earrings for thy heart. Nanak, it is by devotion to God man shall be saved. ASHTAPADI God is in man's heart and ought not to be sought for elsewhere:-- O Nanak, may I obtain the greatness of the Name! there is no religious work superior to it. If man go elsewhere to ask for what he hath at home, he shall be received with reproaches. It is said that Guru Nanak on his excursion to the Himalayas met a Jogi called Chetnath, who reproached him with not being a Jogi, a Sanyasi, or a saint, but only a pretended guru. The following was Guru Nanak's reply:-- O Jogi, thou buildest a hut and preachest to the world If, abandoning thy devotional attitudes, thou beg from door to door, how shalt thou obtain the True One? [1. The five organs of action. 2. Sweets are given to Jogis at the time of their reception into a monastery.

2. Sweets are given to Jogis at the time of their reception into a monastery. 3. There is a belief that the Jogis live for hundreds of years as the result of their austerities.] {p. 351} Thou lovest mammon and woman, And art neither an anchoret nor a worldly man. O Jogi, keep thy seat,[1] and the pain of thy worldly love shall depart. Thou art not ashamed to beg from door to door Thou singest songs, but knowest not thyself. How shall the great fire which burneth thee be extinguished? If the love of God attach to thy heart under the Guru's instruction, Thou shalt easily enjoy the alms of contemplation. Thou hypocritically appliest ashes to thy body, And shalt be punished for thy worldliness by Death's mace. The impure vessel[2] of thy heart cannot hold the alms of love. Thou art bound by bonds and shalt suffer transmigration. Thou dost not restrain thy seed, and yet thou callest thyself continent. While saying 'Mother', thou beggest and fallest in love with woman. Thou art without compassion and God's light shineth not in thee. Thou art immersed in every species of entanglement. With a patched coat and a bag thou assumest many guises. Like a conjurer thou performest many tricks to deceive men. The fire of anxiety burneth thy heart-- How shalt thou be saved without good works? Thou makest rings of crystal for thine ears. Without the highest divine knowledge there is no emancipation.

Without the highest divine knowledge there is no emancipation. Thou art beguiled by the pleasures of the tongue and sensual organs. Thou hast become a beast, and the mark of it shall not be erased. [1. That is, go not a-begging. 2. Khapar. A wooden vessel shaped like a skull. It is carried by Jogis for the alms they receive.] {p. 352} There are three classes of people and three classes of Jog.[1] He who meditateth on the Word shall need no mourning. He who meditateth on the way of Jog is a Jogi By the true Word he shall become bright. The Guru in an address to a pandit rejects astrology:-- Thou calculatest auspicious moments, but reflectest not That God is beyond auspicious moments. He who meeteth the Guru knoweth them. When there is the Guru's instruction man recognizeth God's will. Speak not falsehood; O Pandit, tell the truth, If pride depart by means of the Word, God's abode shall be attained. The astrologer after calculating draweth out a horoscope He readeth it to himself and others, but knoweth not the reality. Deem the Guru's word the highest of all Utter no other discourse; it were all in vain. Thou bathest, and washest, and worshippest stones, But without being imbued with God thou art the filthiest of the filthy. Abandon pride, and thou shalt meet God the real. wealth. Repeat God's name, and thou shalt succeed in obtaining emancipation. Thou readest not thine epic poems nor reflectest on the Veds:

Thou readest not thine epic poems nor reflectest on the Veds: Drowned thyself, how canst thou save thine ancestors? Few understand that God is in every heart. When man meeteth the true Guru, he obtaineth understanding. By making calculations such as thine doubt and sorrow enter the mind But, when the Guru's protection is sought, happiness resulteth. Having sinned we come to him for protection. [1. People and Jog are subdivided according to the three qualities.] {p. 353} According to man's acts in a former state the Guru causeth him to meet God. God cannot be obtained unless man enter the Guru's protection; Otherwise he is led astray in superstition and suffereth transmigration. He who hath not God in his heart and whose conduct is not according to the Word, Shall be bound at Death's gate and punished for his sins. Men call themselves Teachers, Pandits, and Missars;[1] But they who are tinctured with mammon shall not reach God's mansion. He who by the Guru's favour hath the support of the Name, Is unequalled amongst millions. One man appeareth evil and another good; but they are both contained in the True One: The learned man understandeth this by the aid of the true Guru. A few holy men who know the one God, Have ended their transmigration, and become absorbed in Him. They in whose hearts is the one God, Possess all excellences and meditate on the truth. They who act as pleaseth the Guru

They who act as pleaseth the Guru Are true, O Nanak, and shall be absorbed in the True One. The following was addressed to a rich sinner who visited the Guru:-- O silly man, as thou camest so shalt thou depart; as thou wert born so shalt thou die; As thy enjoyment so shall be thy suffering; through forgetfulness of the Name thou shalt fall into the terrible ocean. Thou art proud on beholding thy beauty and wealth. Thou hast extended thy love to gold and woman; why hast thou forgotten the Name and gone astray? [1. A title applied to Brahmans by Hindus.] {p. 354} Not having practised continence, truth, self-restraint, or virtue, thou shalt suffer in the skeleton of a ghost. Alms-gifts, ablutions, and austerities are of no avail without association with the saints, thou hast been born in vain. Through the covetousness that attacheth to thee thou hast forgotten the Name; thy life hath been wasted in transmigration. Death will hasten to seize thee by the hair and punish thee; and, when he eateth thee, thou shalt have no consciousness for repentance. Day and night thou revilest others and art jealous of them; the Name is not in thy heart, and thou hast not universal benevolence. Without the Guru's instruction thou shalt not obtain salvation or honour; without God's name thou shalt go to hell. Thou practisest disguise for a brief period like a conjurer, while thou art steeped in worldly love and sin.

Thou practisest disguise for a brief period like a conjurer, while thou art steeped in worldly love and sin. Seeing the extension of thy wealth here and there, thou hast become intoxicated with worldly love. Thou committest sin on a large scale, and without remembering the Word hast fallen into error. Thou hast suffered great pain from the disease of pride; but it shall depart when thou receivest the Guru's instruction. The infidel seeing happiness and wealth coming to him becometh proud in his heart. He who owneth this body and wealth will take them back; he who feeleth anxiety regarding them shall have sorrow. At the last moment nothing shall depart with thee whatever is seen is the result of God's kindness. God is the primal and infinite Being; by treasuring His name in the heart man shall be saved. Thou weepest for the dead; who heareth thy weeping He whom thou weepest for might have fallen to the dragon in the sea of terror. The infidel beholding his family, wealth, houses, and mansions falleth into needless entanglements. {p. 355} Man cometh when God sendeth him, and he goeth away when God calleth him. God continueth to do what is proper; the Pardoner pardoneth. O brethren, search for the society of those who have tasted. God's elixir. When man taketh the Guru's protection, then wealth, supernatural power, wisdom, divine knowledge, and the boon of emancipation are obtained.

When man taketh the Guru's protection, then wealth, supernatural power, wisdom, divine knowledge, and the boon of emancipation are obtained. The pious consider woe and weal as the same, and are free from joy or sorrow. Nanak, he who chasteneth himself under the Guru's instruction obtaineth God, and God absorbeth him in Himself. DAKHANI OAMKAR[1] Men who are generally impure cannot obtain emancipation until their hearts are thoroughly purified:-- As borax melteth gold, So lust and wrath melt the body. The gold is drawn over the touchstone, and must, until thoroughly pure, endure the fire. When it assumeth a high colour[2] the Assayer is satisfied. The world is a beast, and pride. is its butcher.[3] As thou actest with thine own hand, so shall be thy recompense. He who made the world knoweth its worth. What else is to be said? Talking availeth not. RAMKALI K1 WAR I The following is a satire on the professedly religious men of the time:-- They who call themselves virtuous, commit sin and pretend that they are doing good. [1. This is a composition of Guru Nanak. made in the south of India in praise of God. 2. The body must be purified as gold is by melting. God the Assayer is satisfied with it when it assumes a bright colour. 3. Pride is killing the world.] {p. 356} Gurus go, to private houses to impart instruction. A woman loveth man for the money he earneth for her; Otherwise he may come or go as he pleaseth.

Otherwise he may come or go as he pleaseth. Nobody obeyeth the Shastars or the Veds Everybody worshippeth himself. The Qazi sitteth to administer. justice He turneth over his beads and invoketh God, But he taketh bribes and doeth injustice. If any one call him to account, he will read and cite texts. The Muhammadan creed filleth the ears and hearts of the Hindus. They carry tales to the judge and plunder the populace They make squares for cooking so as to appear pure. See what the Hindus are like. Jogis with long hair and ashes on their bodies keep wives. Children scream before and behind them. They miss the right road and obtain not union with God. Why do they put ashes on their heads? Nanak, this is the state of this degenerate age, That men only speak of themselves and think themselves the best. The following is also a satire on Brahmans, Muhammadan priests, and Jogis.-- A Brahman goeth to the house of a Hindu, Readeth texts, and putteth the sacrificial thread on a boy's neck. If the boy commit sin after putting on the thread, He shall not be accepted for all his ablutions and washings. The Musalman may praise himself, But without a guru or a priest he shall not be accepted. Even when the road is pointed out, few travel by it. Without good works heaven is not obtained. Men seek the way in a Jogi's monastery; And on that account put rings in their ears and become his disciples.

And on that account put rings in their ears and become his disciples. With earrings on they wander about the world, While the Creator they pretend to search for is everywhere. {p. 357} All souls are travellers: When the death-warrant cometh for them there must be no delay. He who knoweth God in this world, shall recognize Him in the next. All others, whether Hindus or Musalmans, are chatterers. All men's accounts shall be taken in God's court And no one shall be saved without good works. He who repeateth the name of the Truest of the true, Shall not, O Nanak, be examinèd hereafter. Only the good shall be saved when the final reckoning is called for:-- Nanak saith, O man, hear true instruction-- God seated in judgement will produce His book and call on thee for thine account. The stiff-necked who owe anything shall be summoned; And the angel Azrail placed over them. They shall see no way of escape; they shall be entangled in the narrow streets. Falsehood is at an end, O Nanak, and truth shall at last prevail. The following was addressed to a proud Muhammadan governor:-- At thy waist is a handsome sword, thou art mounted on a handsome steed: Be not proud, saith Nanak, lest thou fall on thy head. Only good men can remain in the society of the saints:-- Between the lake and the swan there is affinity from the beginning; so it pleased the Lord. In the lake there are diamonds and pearls which form the swan's food.

In the lake there are diamonds and pearls which form the swan's food. Cranes and ravens, however cunning they may be, cannot remain in lake Mansarowar.[1] They cannot subsist there; their food is different. [1. It is said that Lake Mânsarowar in the Himâlayas contains pearls, which are food for swans, but not for cranes and ravens.] {p.358} By the practice of truth, truth is obtained; O false ones, false is your pride. Nanak, they for whom it was so ordered from the beginning meet the True Guru. My Lord is effulgent, if any one reflect on it. Nanak, serve Him who giveth ever and ever; Nanak serve Him by whose service sorrow departeth, Sins are erased, merits take their place, and peace abideth in the heart. RAG MARU ASHTAPADI A hypocritical Sanyasi called Brahmpuri was mentioned to the Guru as a very worthy man. The Guru, knowing his real condition, composed the following:-- The perverse having through avarice abandoned their own homes, ruin themselves by casting covetous eyes on the houses of others. They have ruined their state as householders; they have not met the True Guru, and through their stupidity are involved in a whirlpool. Of wandering in foreign countries and reading texts they grow weary, and their covetousness increaseth. Of weak intellect, they know not the Word; they fill their bellies like cattle. O Sir, the way of the Sanyasi should be this He should under the Guru's instruction only think of the one God, love His name, and be satisfied with it.

He should under the Guru's instruction only think of the one God, love His name, and be satisfied with it. But the hypocrite mixeth ochre, dyeth his dress with it, and weareth the garb of a beggar; He teareth his clothes to make a patched coat, and putteth money into his wallet; Blind that he is and bereft of shame, he beggeth from house to house and preacheth to the world; Led astray by superstition he knoweth not the Word and loseth the game. The fire which is within him is not extinguished without the Guru, yet he heateth himself with external fires[1] also. [1. The penance of five fires is frequently spoken of and resorted to {footnote p. 359} by Hindu devotees during the sultriest time of an Indian summer. They light fires around them in the four directions; the sun over them is the fifth.] {p. 359} There is no worship without serving the Guru; how can man of himself recognize God? He who slandereth others shall abide in hell, and be separated from the Supreme Spirit. He who wandereth to the sixty-eight places of pilgrimage is ruined thereby; how can he wash away the filth of his sins? He sifteth dust, applieth it to his body, and looketh for the way of mammon. He knoweth not the one God who is with him whether he be at home or abroad; if any one tell him the truth, he groweth angry. While reading texts his mouth uttereth falsehoods; that is all the wisdom a man without a guru possesseth.

While reading texts his mouth uttereth falsehoods; that is all the wisdom a man without a guru possesseth. How can man obtain happiness without repeating the Name? How shall he be honoured without the Name? Some shave their heads, some twist long hair round them or wear a top-knot; others through pride remain silent; But without the love of divine knowledge their minds waver and hasten in every direction. Maddened by worldly love they reject nectar and drink deadly poison. They obey not God's order; their evil deeds shall not be effaced, and they shall enter the bodies of beasts. The Kapari with a bowl in his hand and excessive greed in his heart Abandoneth his own wife, and filled with lust coveteth his neighbour's. While preaching he knoweth not God's word, and, attacheth himself to a prostitute. With poison in his heart he pretendeth that he hath no doubts, but Death will disgrace him. He who serveth the True Guru and removeth pride from his heart, is a true Sanyasi; He desireth not clothes or food, but taketh what is freely offered him; {p. 360} He chattereth not; he amasseth the wealth of patience and his passions he subdueth with God's name. Blessings on that man, who whether householder, Sanyasi, or Jogi, fixeth his attention on God's feet. He who in the midst of desires is without desires, and who loveth the one God is a Sanyasi. He who drinketh God's essence and preserveth a religious attitude in his own home shall obtain peace.

He who drinketh God's essence and preserveth a religious attitude in his own home shall obtain peace. The mind of the pious man who knoweth God wavereth not, but restraineth its wanderings. He who under the Guru's instruction searcheth the house of the body, shall obtain the boon of the Name. Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiv are most exalted when they are imbued with the contemplation of the Name. Thy light, O Lord, is in the sources of production, in compositions, in the firmament, in the lower regions, and in all creatures. By repeating hymns containing God's true name and clasping it to the heart, all happiness and final deliverance shall be obtained. No one can be saved without the Name; Nanak, that is the true way to swim across. The following was delivered in a fit of extreme religious fervour to Mihan and Sihan:-- Woman, however many friends she may make, wandereth like an itinerant minstrel in transmigration. She who is separated from God obtaineth no access to Him; how shall she be patient? My soul is imbued with the love of the Beloved. I am a sacrifice; I would cut myself in pieces for Thee look at me even for an instant with a glance of favour. Separated as I am from my Beloved in my father's house, how shall I meet him in my father-in-law's? I wear demerits round. my neck; I am ruined without the Beloved; I am pining to death. If in my father's house I remember the Beloved, I shall find a dwelling in His.

If in my father's house I remember the Beloved, I shall find a dwelling in His. {p. 361} The wife who hath found her Beloved, the Lord of excellences, sleepeth in peace. She maketh a silken coverlet and mattress for her couch, and arrayeth herself in a costly robe. The wife whom her husband abandoneth passeth the night in grief. Whatever dainties she tasteth and whatever dresses she weareth ` Her youth passeth in vain without her Beloved; she pineth away through separation from Him. Hear the song of the True One under the Guru's instruction. True is the throne of the True One; she on whom He looketh with favour loveth Him. The possessor of divine knowledge applieth the salve of truth to her eyes, and then beholdeth Him who seeth all things. He who under the Guru's instruction dispelleth his pride and arrogance, shall understand and know God. They who please Thee, O God, are like Thee; how many unhappy wives there are like me: Nanak, their Spouse parteth not from those who are imbued with the love of the True One. God is the only true friend and relation:-- Nor sisters, nor brothers, nor mothers-in-law remain with one; But, O companions, the true relationship with the Beloved, when found through the Guru, shall never be sundered. I am a sacrifice to my Guru, I am ever a sacrifice unto him. 1 have grown weary of wandering so far without a guru; now the Guru hath united me with my Beloved.

1 have grown weary of wandering so far without a guru; now the Guru hath united me with my Beloved. Paternal and maternal aunts, grandmothers, and wives of husbands' younger and elder brothers Come and go; they tarry not but depart like relays of passengers. Maternal uncles and their wives, brothers, fathers, and mothers abide not. {p. 362} Assembled in great crowds at the river they depart with their baggage like travellers. O my companions, my Husband is dyed with the true colour. The true Husband never forsaketh; He enjoyeth one with delight. All seasons are good for those who love the True One. The woman who knoweth her husband enjoyeth happiness day[1] and night. The ferryman calleth out at the ferry, 'Come on, make haste; you delay.' I have seen at the other side those whom the Guru put into the boat. Some have loaded their baggage, some have set out with it, and others are weighed down by their loads. They who have made true traffic are with the true God. 1 am not good, nor do I find any one bad. Nanak, he who effaceth his pride is as the True One. MARU SOLHE God has no incarnations:-- God's secret is not found in the Veds or the books of the Musalmans; He hath not father or mother or son or brother. There is no friend like God, who is to be obtained through the Guru by those who lead a holy life:-- I have no friend like God Who gave me soul and body, and infused into me understanding.

Who gave me soul and body, and infused into me understanding. He cherisheth and watcheth over all creatures; He is wise and knoweth the secrets of hearts. The Guru is like a lake; we are his beloved swans In the water are many jewels and rubies. God's praises are pearls, gems, and diamonds; singing them maketh soul and body happy. [1. Deh in the original, pronounced exactly like its English equivalent.] {p. 363} God is inaccessible, unfathomable, altogether distinct from His creation. The great Sustainer of the earth hath no end. God saveth man through the true Guru's instruction; He blendeth with Himself those who are absorbed in His love. How can there be emancipation without the true Guru? He loveth the primal God who was before all time, Who mercifully granteth emancipation in His court, and pardoneth the sins which man committeth. The true Guru is the giver and procurer of emancipation. He prescribeth nectareous essence and cureth all diseases. He whose avarice is extinguished and whose mind is cool, shall owe no tax to Death the tax-gatherer. The body greatly loveth the soul; The latter is a male Jogi, the former a beautiful woman. He enjoyeth her in dalliance day and night, but goeth away without taking leave. God having created the world arrangeth it; He speaketh in the wind, water, and fire. The mind of him who associateth with evil passions wavereth; he suffereth the consequences of his acts.

The mind of him who associateth with evil passions wavereth; he suffereth the consequences of his acts. They who forget the Name shall have to endure pain and misery. How can they tarry when they receive the order to depart? They shall plunge into the pit of hell and suffer like fishes out of water. The apostate shall undergo the pain of transmigration in eighty-four lakhs of species. Man shall suffer according to his acts. There is no salvation without the true Guru; man shall be seized and bound according to his acts. Very narrow is the way like the edge of a sword. Man's account shall be taken, and he shall be pressed like sesame. There no mother, father, wife, or son will befriend thee without love for God there is no emancipation. {p. 364} However numerous one's friends and companions may be in the world, There are no real friends but the Guru and God. Salvation dependeth upon serving the Guru, and night and day singing God's praises. Abandon falsehood, pursue truth, And thou shalt obtain the fruit thy heart desireth. Few are they who traffic in true merchandise; they who do so obtain profit. Depart with the merchandise of God's name, And thou shalt easily obtain a sight of God's court. A perfect man under the Guru's instruction searcheth for God, and thus beholdeth Him who looketh on all alike. God is infinite, but under the Guru's instruction is found by a few Who teach their hearts the Guru's word.

Who teach their hearts the Guru's word. Accept the true Guru's word as true; thus shalt thou be absorbed in God. Narad and Saraswati are Thy servants, O Lord. The greatest of the great in the three worlds are Thy servants. In all things is Thy might; Thou bestowest on all everything is Thy creation. Some worship at Thy gate, and thus dispel their sufferings. They who are emancipated by the true Guru, receive a robe of honour in Thy court. The true Guru breaketh the entanglements of pride, and hindereth the mind from wandering. Meet the true Guru, look for the way To reach God, and thus have no account against thee. Efface pride and serve the Guru, O Nanak, and thou shalt be dyed with God's love. Miscellaneous instruction of the Guru:-- The Creator is the true Lord Who carefully supporteth the globe of the earth. The Creator beholdeth the work of His hands; true and independent, He created the different species of animals. {p. 365} Two travellers[1] have struck out two roads. There is no emancipation without the perfect Guru; it is profitable to repeat the true Name. The perverse man readeth, but knoweth not the way: Led astray by error he knoweth not the Name. The false evidence the evil man giveth for a bribe becometh like a halter round his neck. Brahmans read the Simritis, the Shastars, and the Purans: They engage in disputations, but know not the Real Thing: Without the true Guru they find not the Real Thing.

Without the true Guru they find not the Real Thing. They who are purified by the True One walk in the true way. Everybody praiseth God and speaketh of Him as he hath heard. God is wise and assayeth the true. They on whom God looketh with favour are holy and praise His word. How many speak of God according to what they have heard! They speak of Him according to what they have heard, but know not His limit. He to whom the Unseen hath manifested Himself knoweth the story of the Ineffable. When one is born gratulations resound; The ignorant sing songs of rejoicing.; But he who is born shall assuredly die, and undergo the destiny allotted him. It is my God who effecteth union and separation of the soul and body. He who created the world assigned His creatures woe or weal; But the holy who wear the armour of mildness are unaffected by them. Good are they who deal in the truth By the Guru's wisdom they obtain the true merchandise. He who possesseth the wealth of the true merchandise, is enraptured with the true Word. [1. The founders of the Hindu and Muhammadan religions.] {p. 366} Loss accrueth from false dealings. The pious carry on their dealings according to God's will. Their capital remaineth intact, their stock-in-trade safe, and they escape from Death's noose. Every one speaketh of God according to his own pleasure. The perverse who are attached to mammon, know not how to speak of God.