Mammon affects not saints but only the worldly :—
Maya devoureth him who loveth her ;
She greatly terrifieth him who seateth her down in peace.
Brethren, friends, and families are at variance on beholding her ;
But now by the Guru’s favour she is under my control.
Sidhs, Strivers, demigods, and men
Are bewitched on beholding her; except the pious all are deceived by her deceit.
Some who wander as ascetics are in love with hier 3
Others as family men amass wealth, but they cannot make her their own.
Others who call themselves continent are greatly troubled by her.
God hath preserved me from her by attaching me to the Guru’s feet.
She leadeth astray the penitents who practise penance.
Pandits have been seduced by her into every form of greed.[ p. 277 ]
Maya hath bewitched earth and heaven.[1]
My true Guru hath given me his hand and saved me.
Maya acteth as a servant to the holy man.
With clasped hands she waiteth on him and respectfully saith,
‘What thou orderest I shall do ;
But, O saint, I cannot approach thee.’
The condition of those who have renounced worldly love :—
My Beloved hath separated me from my mother-in-law :[2]
My husband’s younger brother’s wife,[3] and my husband’s elder brother’s wife [4] have died of grief and sorrow.
I no longer heed my husband’s eldest brother,[5]
Since my clever and wise Spouse hath protected me.
Hear, O ye people, I have obtained the essence of love.
The true Guru hath given me God’s name, and I have killed and destroyed mine enemies the evil passions.
In the first place, I have renounced the love of pride ;
Secondly, I have renounced the customs of men ;
Thirdly, I have renounced the world, and deem an enemy and a friend the same.
Fourthly, having met the Guru I recognize the excellences of the final state.
I have assumed an attitude of contemplation in the cave of "est.
God appeared as light and played for me unbeaten muSsIC ;
I have obtained great joy by meditating on the Guru’s word.
Attached to my Beloved, I have become a blest and happy wife.
The slave Nanak herein uttereth divine wisdom ;
He who heareth and acteth accordingly shall be saved,
Shall be absorbed in God,
And not again suffer transmigration.
[ p. 278 ]
Holiness is described under the allegory of a perfect woman :—
A house is adorned by the presence of
A woman who js virtuous and devotion incarnate,
Whose beauty is incomparable, and conduct without reproach.
Some rare holy man may find her :
On meeting the Guru I have found such a well-behaved woman :
She sheddeth lustre on feasts and marriages.
As long as she lived with her father,[6]
Her husband wandered about very lonely.
When I served and conciliated the true man,
He brought her to my house, and I obtained all happiness.
She possesseth the thirty-two good qualities ;[7] true and holy are her offspring ;
She is obedient, accomplished, and beautiful ,
She fulfilleth the wishes of her husband and her lord ;
She comforteth in every way her husband’s younger and elder brothers’ wives ;
She is the best of the household ;
She giveth counsel to her husband’s younger and elder brothers.
Blest is the home in which she hath appeared -°
O Nanak, its inmates pass their time in perfect happiness.
The interference of Maya, or worldly love, in human affairs, and how she is to be overcome :——
If I form any plan, Maya alloweth it not to mature :
She standeth near virtue and continence to repulse them;
She weareth many guises and assumeth many forms ;
She alloweth me not to dwell at home, but maketh me wander in different places.[ p. 279 ]
She is the mistress of my house, and alloweth me not to dwell therein.
It I try to do so, she quarrelleth with me.
She was sent by God in the beginning as a ruler.
She hath subdued the nine regions and all worlds.
At the banks of sacred waters she relinquisheth not her hold on Jogis and Sanyasis,
While they grow weary of reading the Simritis and studying the Veds.
Where I sit, there she sitteth with me ;
She forcibly entereth every abode.
Even by entering a low asylum[8] I cannot save myself from her.
Say, my friend, to whom shall I have recourse ?
Having heard of the true Guru’s teaching I have come to him.
The Guru hath fixed God’s name in my heart as a spell.
I now may dwell in my own home singing the praises of the Eternal One.
Nanak hath met God, and is free from anxiety.
My house is now mine own, and its former mistress and ruler
Is under my control; the Guru hath made me a courtier of God.
The Guru versifies an address made to him by a Sikh :—
Having glanced at foreign countries I have come here for traffic.
I have heard, O Guru, thou hast an incomparable and profitable thing,[9]
To purchase which I have tied virtues in my dress[10] and brought them as my capital.
Having beheld the jewel, my heart hankereth after it.
O merchant,[11] a dealer hath come to thy door.[ p. 280 ]
Exhibit your goods, so that we may effect a bargain.
God hath sent me to the merchant.
Priceless thy jewel and priceless thy capital.
I have found a well-disposed friend to act as broker.[12]
Now that I have made my purchase my mind is easy.
I have no fear of thieves, of wind, or of water.
Quietly have I purchased, and quietly do I take away my purchase.
When the true Name is gained, there is no regret.
I shall take my purchase home safe and sound.
I have made a profit and am happy.
Thanks to the perfect merchant, the bestower,
Such a bargain some rare pious man hath made.
Nanak taketh home profitable goods.
The following was addressed to a hypocritical Brahman :—
O Brahman, people make thee offerings and:worship thee
Thou takest fromthem and yet deniest that they give thee.
Thou shalt regret thy conduct at the Court
Where thou shalt have to appear.
Such Brahmans as contrive evil
For the innocent shall be lost, O my brethren.
With covetousness in their hearts they wander about like mad dogs ;
They slander others, and bear the load of their sins on their own heads.
O Brahman, thou art plundered by mammon, yet thou reflectest not
That in many ways thou art led astray through error.
Thou wearest many religious dresses before men,
But thy heart is besieged by evil passions.
Thou preachest to others, but art ignorant thyself.
Such a Brahman shall nowhere be acceptable.
O foolish Brahman, remember God
Who beholdeth thee, heareth thee, and abideth with thee.
Saith Nanak, if such be thy fate,
Renounce pride and cling to the Guru’s feet.
[ p. 281 ]
The fate of the slanderer :—
The slanderer roareth and screameth,
He forgetteth the primal God the Supreme Being, and obtaineth the reward of his acts.
Any friend he may have he shall take with him to hell.
Vainly the slanderer taketh on himself a load as that of a boa-constrictor,[13] and burneth himself in the fire.
Nanak telleth what taketh place at God’s gate.
God’s saints are ever happy ; they are in ecstasies singing His praises.
Pride mars man’s good qualities :—
In the first place, thy caste is good ;
Secondly, thy lineage is honoured ;
Thirdly, thine abode is beautiful ;
But the pride of thy heart marreth thy beauty.
O handsome, shapely, wise, and clever man,
Excessive pride and worldly love have ensnared thee.
Very clean is thy kitchen.
Thou bathest, adorest, and appliest crimson frontal marks.
Thou pratest of divine knowledge while thou art dissolved in pride.
The dog covetousness ruineth thee in every way ;
Thou dressest and enjoyest thyself ;
Thou performest religious ceremonies to be honoured of men.
While thou sprinklest over thy body perfumed distilled aloe wood and sandal,
The pariah wrath is thine evil companion.
All other creatures are thy water-carriers.
In this world thou issuest thine own coin.[14]
Thou hast gold, and silver, and copper ;
But thy lust hath destroyed thy virtue.
The soul which God mercifully regardeth
Shall be delivered from its prison.[ p. 282 ]
That body which meeteth the company of the saints shall taste the relish of God’s name,
And, saith Nanak, produce good fruit.
Then shalt thou be like a happy married woman endowed with all comeliness and happiness ;
Then shalt thou be all-beautiful and wise.
The Guru preaches a brief sermon on humility :—
The framework of the body hath been skilfully constructed,
Yet know for certain that it shall become dust.
Remember thine origin, O thoughtless fool ;
Why art thou proud of such a thing?
Thou art a guest on three sers of corn a day ;[15]
All thine other property thou hast only as a trust.
Thou art ordure, bones, and blood wrapped up in skin :
Is it of this thou art proud ?
If thou know One Thing thou shalt be pure ;
Without knowing it, thou shalt be ever impure.
Saith Nanak, I am a sacrifice to the Guru,
Through whom God the omniscient Being is obtained.
The Guru’s impatience to meet God :—
Separated from my Spouse one ghari appeareth to me as a day, yea, as many days.
My mind is distressed until I meet my Beloved.
Separated from my Spouse one moment appeareth to me a day; yea, it never passeth.
Excessive is the desire of my heart to behold Him; is there any such saint as will cause me to meet my Beloved ?
The four watches of the day appear to me as the four ages of the world.
When night cometh I think it will never end.
The conspiracy of the deadly sins hath kept me from my Beloved.
Wandering and wandering I weep and wring my hands.
[ p. 283 ]
At last God hath shown Himself to His servant, Nanak, Who having seen Him hath obtained supreme happiness.
Instead of worshipping God at home man performs vain devotion abroad : —
Man forsaking the love of God, becometh intoxicated with the love of worthless objects.
He hath what he wanteth at home, yet he goeth abroad to seek it: [16]
He listeneth not to the true ambrosial Word.
Attached to false scriptures, he wrangleth with the holy.
Taking the wages of the Lord he serveth some one else.
With such qualities is mortal clothed.
He hideth himself from Him who is ever with him.
He prayeth again and again for what is useless to him.
Saith Nanak, O God, compassionate to the poor,
As it pleaseth Thee so cherish me.
The intoxication of devotion :—
He who drinketh the essence of God is ever imbued with it ;
The effect of all other essences is but for a moment.
He who is intoxicated with God’s essence is ever happy ;
Anxiety is produced by all other essences.
He who drinketh God’s essence is inebriated and intoxicated ;
All other essences are worthless.
The value of God’s essence cannot be described :
It is found in the saints’ shop ;
But nobody can purchase it even with millions of rupees.
The Guru giveth it to him who hath obtained his favour.
Nanak having obtained its relish from the Guru,
And tasted it, hath become astounded.
Nanak having become accustomed to its taste
Cannot by any means relinquish it in this world or the next.
[ p. 284 ]
The Guru prays for God’s protection :—
Beside Thee, O Lord, I have none other; Thou art in my heart ;
Thou art my friend and my companion ; why should my soul be afraid ?
Thou art my shelter ; Thou art my hope.
Sitting or standing, sleeping or waking may | not forget Thee O God, at every breath I draw!
Protect me, protect me, O God, in Thine asylum ! terrible is the ocean of fire.
Giver of happiness to Nanak; true Guru, we are Thy children.
God preserves His saints from worldly love, which is a malignant fever :—
God hath saved His servant,
My mind is reconciled to the Beloved; my fever hath poisoned itself and died.
I feel not cold or heat when I sing the praises of God’s name.
My vomiting totally ceased when I took the protection of God’s lotus feet.
By the favour of the saints, God hath been kind to me and given me assistance.
Nanak ever singeth the Treasury of excellences, and thus dispelleth doubt and sorrow.
The Guru’s instruction is medicine for the mind diseased :—
I have taken God’s name as my medicine ;
I have been cured, my pain[17] hath departed.
My fever hath left me through the perfect Guru’s instruction.
I have become glad, my sorrows have all fled.
Nanak, all animals obtain happiness
By meditating on the supreme God in their hearts.
[ p. 285 ]
The Guru fears not the death of his body :—
The time of death, which man desireth not, shall arrive.
Without God’s order how shall the fire of fear be put out, however much we try ?
The body is dissolved by water, fire, and earth,[18]
But the soul is neither young nor old,[19] O my brethren.
The slave Nanak hath entered the sanctuary of the saints,
And by the Guru’s favour the fear of death is far from him.
The advantage of saintly association and devotion :—
By association with the saints, in whom God’s light for ever shineth,
Man obtaineth a dwelling at God’s feet.
O my soul, ever repeat God’s name,
So shalt thou obtain comfort, peace, and happiness; and all thy sins shall depart.
Saith Nanak, ye whose acts are perfect
Shall on meeting the true Guru obtain the perfect supreme Being.
O my True Guru, Holder of the play of the world, preserve Thy child.
Give me sense ever to sing Thy praises, my God, inaccessible and endless.
When a mortal is in his mother’s womb he abideth under the support of the Name ;
He is happy, he remembereth God at every breath, and the fire of the womb affecteth him not ;
So, O man, cease to covet others’ goods and others’ wives, and to slander others.
Relying on the true Guru, worship in thy heart God’s lotus feet.
The houses, mansions, and palaces which thou beholdest— of these none shall depart with thee.[ p. 286 ]
As long as thou livest in this Kal age, Nanak, remember God’s name.
Everything is false save devotion to God :—
Empire, property, youth, mansions, fame, comeliness, and youthful beauty,
Great wealth, elephants, horses, and rubies purchased with hundreds of thousands,
Shall be of no avail in God’s court hereafter ; the proud must depart without them.
Why apply thy mind to any but the one God ?
Standing, sitting, sleeping, or waking, ever and ever meditate on Him.
They who were victorious in the great decorated and beautiful arenas, and in the contests of the battle-field,
Who loudly boasted that they had the power of killing, capturing, or releasing,
Left everything and departed on the very day the order of the Supreme Being arrived.
Man performeth ceremonial works of many descriptions, but the Creator he knoweth not.
He preacheth, but he practiseth not; he knoweth not God’s word.
Naked he came, naked shall he depart; his acts are impure as when the elephant throweth dust on its head.
Ye good saints and friends, hear me all—false is this world.
Fools have died in agony speaking of their belongings.
On meeting the Guru, Nanak hath meditated on the Name; the true Name hath saved him.
Few are wakeful in God’s service :—
The whole world is fast asleep in error and silly occupations ;
Only some rare servant of God is awake.
Man is absorbed in greatly fascinating mammon who is dearer to him than life:
Few are they who forsake her.
Some rare holy man is attached [ p. 287 ]
To God’s incomparable lotus feet, and the instruction of His saints.
Nanak, they who are very fortunate, and to whom God showeth favour,
Are wakeful in the company of the saints, and become imbued with divine knowledge.
The fate of the slanderer :—
The slanderer who washeth away the filth of the sins committed by the slandered in various births, shall obtain his deserts.
He shall have no happiness here, no entrance into God’s court hereafter, and he shall be tormented in the realm of Death.
The slanderer hath lost his life in vain.
He cannot succeed in anything, and hereafter shall not find a place.
Such is the fate of the wretched slanderer: what can the poor creature do ?
He shall be ruined where he shall have no TUS: to whom shall he appeal ?
There is no salvation anywhere for the slanderer : such is the will of God.
The more the saints are slandered, the happier are they.
Thou, O God, art the prop, Thou art the helper of the saints.
Saith Nanak, God protecteth His saints, and the slanderer He consigneth to the stream.
The following was addressed to a hypocritical Sanyasi :—
He who washeth his body while he hath filth in his heart shall lose his happiness in both worlds.
Here he suffereth from lust, wrath, and worldly love ; hereafter he shall sob and weep.
The way to worship God is different.
The serpent is not killed by striking its lair on the outside, neither doth the deaf man hear the Name. [ p. 288 ]
The hypocrite while abandoning his worldly occupations knoweth not of devotion ;
He applieth himself to criticism of the Veds and the Shastars, but knoweth not the real means of union with God.
As a bad coin[20] is discovered when examined by a moneychanger,
So the Searcher of hearts knoweth everything; how shalt thou hide thyself from Him ?
The false are at once ruined by their falsehood, deception, fraud, and hollowness.
Nanak uttereth this most verily ; see and remember this in your hearts.
The wonders wrought by the Guru’s teaching :—
By the Guru’s instruction, a low Chandal woman becometh a Brahmani and a Sudar woman attaineth the highest rank ;
The craving desire* for terrestrial and celestial enjoyments is extinguished and destroyed.
The cat [21] of the household[22] is now differently trained ; on seeing mice [23] it feareth them.
The Guru hath subjected the lion[24] to the goat’; the dogs [25] eat grass ; [26]
A hut[27] hath been raised without pillars in which the homeless find a home.
Without a setter jewels are set[28] and a marvellous precious stone [29] placed among them.[ p. 289 ]
It is not by clamour the plaintiff succeedeth ; by silence he obtaineth justice.
Man dead to God while enjoying wealth, and seated upon costly carpets, now knoweth that what appeareth to the eye quickly vanisheth.
He who saith he knoweth, knoweth nothing ; but he who really knoweth is well known.
Saith Nanak, the Guru hath given me nectar to drink, and on tasting it I am happy.
The Guru’s dependence on God :—
Where Thou, O Lord, art, what fear is there ? whom shall I praise but Thee ?
Where I have only Thee I have everything; there is none but Thee.
O Father, I have seen that the world is poison.
Preserve me, O Lord of the earth; Thy name is my support.
Thou knowest the whole state of my mind; to whom shall I go to tell it ?
Without the Name the whole world hath gone mad; when it obtaineth the Name it becometh sane.
What shall I say ? to whom shall I tell my condition ? what I want to say must be told to the Lord.
What Thou hast done prevaileth; ever and ever my hope is in Thee.
If Thou grant greatness, it is to Thine own greatness : let me everywhere meditate on Thee.
O God, Thou art ever the Giver of happiness to Nanak ; Thy name alone is my strength.
The Guru acknowledges his obligations to God :—
When I forget Thee, every one vexeth me; when I remember Thee, men do me service.
I know none but Thee, Thou true, invisible, and inscrutable One.
When I think of Thee, Thou art always merciful ; what is the wretched crowd then to me ? [ p. 290 ]
Say whom shall I call bad or good? All men are Thy creatures.
Thou art my prop; Thou art my support; Thou givest me Thy hand and protectest me.
He to whom Thou showest mercy can suffer no ill.
Only that is happiness and that greatness which is pleasing to God.
Thou art wise, Thou art ever kind, O Lord; if I obtain Thy name, I am happy.
In Thy presence this is my humble representation ; my soul and body are totally Thine.
Saith Nanak, whatever distinction I possess is Thine ; no one knoweth my name.[29:1]
The following represents a conversation between a Sikh and a devout lady who had asked him the questions contained in the first part of the hymn. The conversation was versified by the Guru.
Thou hast escaped worldly love, impurity, and sloth ; by whose favour was it done?
Worldly love once greatly fascinating thou feelest no longer ; whither hath gone thy sloth ?
By what arduous mortification hast thou escaped from lust, wrath, and pride,
Which have ruined godly men, demigods, demons, beings possessed of the three qualities, and the whole world ?
A forest fire consumeth much grass ;[30] some rare green shrub like thee hath escaped.
I cannot describe such an omnipotent being ; his praises cannot be expressed.
In this chamber of lamp-black thou hast not been besmirched ;[31] nay, thou hast assumed a spotless colour.
The Sikh’s reply :— The great spell of the Guru hath taken its dwelling in
my heart, and I have heard the wonderful Name.[ p. 291 ]
God hath mercifully looked on me with favour, and attached me to His feet.
Through love and service Nanak hath obtained happiness in the association of the saints.
The following represents another conversation between the same lady and the Sikh :—
Thy red jacket [32] becometh thee ;
Thou art pleasing to the Lord, and thou winnest His heart.
Who hath given this bloom to thy face ?
What dye hath given thee thy bright complexion ?
Thou art beautiful, thou art a happy wedded wife.
In thy house is thy Beloved, in thy house is good
fortune.
Thou art chaste, thou art distinguished,
Thou art pleasing to thy Beloved, thou possessest superior knowledge.
The Sikh’s reply :—
I please my Beloved, wherefore I have this bright complexion.
Saith Nanak, God hath looked on me with a favouring glance.
Hear, my friend, this is the reward of my toil,
That God Himself decketh and adorneth me.
Man is happy on meeting God, as a woman on meeting her husband :—
When Thou wert distant, I greatly suffered ;
Now that I have contrived to meet Thee,
My female companions cease to taunt me.
My suspicions have fled; by the Guru I am united with my Beloved.
My Beloved hath approached and placed me on the couch :
I no longer heed what people say.
In my temple[33] is the light of the Word.
My Spouse is joyful and happy.[ p. 292 ]
Through the destiny recorded on my forehead my Beloved hath come home to me, And Nanak hath found lasting wedded bliss.
The Guru, while associating with the world, ever thinks on God :—
My soul is attached to the true Name ;
My love for men is but artificial guise ;
My ties are only external: I smile on every one,
But I am separate from them as a lotus from the water.
I converse with everybody,
But I keep my heart with God.
I appear very formidable,
But in reality my heart is the dust of every one’s feet,
The slave Nanak hath found the perfect Guru ;
He hath shown me the one God both in my heart and in nature.
However great man’s pleasures, he is, as it were, dead without devotion :—
Man may enjoy pleasures in the vigour of youth,
But without the Name he is blended with the dust.
He may wear costly earrings and fine clothes ;
He may have a comfortable couch, and be proud thereof ;
He may have elephants to ride and a golden umbrella over his head ;
But without the worship of God he is, as it were, beneath the earth.
Man may enjoy many beautiful women,
But without the essence of God all relishes are insipid.
Deceived by mammon man is led into sin and evil,
But he is saved, O Nanak, by entering the sanctuary of the merciful God.
The saints are likened to a garden, the Guru to a gardener :—
There is a garden [34] in which many trees are planted ; They bear the ambrosial Name as fruit. [ p. 293 ]
So contrive, O man of God,
That thou mayest obtain the rank of nirvan.
Around the garden, my brethren, are poisonous pools ; within it is nectar ;
There is one gardener to irrigate ;
He tendeth the leaves and branches ;
He bringeth many vegetables and planteth them therein ;
They all without exception bear fruit.
He who hath received the ambrosial fruit of the Name from the Guru,
Crosseth over the world’s ocean according to the slave Nanak.
The Guru prefers the spot where the saints congregate to any place of pilgrimage :—
If I go on a pilgrimage I see men boasting ;
If I inquire of Brahmans, I find them immersed in mammon.
O my friend, show me that place
Where God’s praises are ever sung.
By meditating on evil and good according to the Shastars and Veds,
Man again and again descendeth to hell and ascendeth to heaven.
In the family man’s life there is anxiety, and in the hermit’s pride.
The soul is entangled in religious ceremonies.
He who by God’s favour hath his mind under control,
Shall be saved, O Nanak, by the Guru’s instruction.
Sing God’s praises in the company of the saints :
The place where they dwell is obtained from the Guru.
Let God be ever present to man in all his avocations :—
Whether standing, sitting, or sleeping, meditate on God.
Taking thy walks sing God’s praises.
With thine ears hear the ambrosial Word.
By listening to it thy heart shall be glad, and all thine infirmities and troubles depart. [ p. 294 ].
While working, travelling, or wandering by the river’s shore repeat God’s name.
By the Guru’s favour drink God’s nectar.
He who day and night singeth God’s praises
Shall not fall in Death’s way.
By touching the feet of him who forgetteth not God’s name
During the eight watches of the day, O Nanak, emancipation is obtained.
God’s kingdom is for the lowly :—
The lowly man whom nobody knoweth
Shall be honoured by everywhere repeating God’s name.
I crave for a sight of Thee ; grant it, O my Beloved :
Who hath not been saved by serving Thee ?
The whole world washeth the dirt of his feet
Whom nobody would approach.
The man who is useless to everybody
Is invoked as a saint by the Guru’s favour.
In the company of the saints, the mind that sleepeth awaketh ;
Then, O Nanak, the Lord is dear.
The omnipresence of God expressed by different metaphors :—
God is Himself the tree, and its extended branches.
He watcheth His own field.[35]
Wherever I look there is the one God ;
He is in every heart.
He Himself is the sun and the expansion of its rays.
He is at once concealed and manifest.
He is described as possessing all qualities and no qualities. Both descriptions together apply to the one God.
Saith Nanak, the Guru hath dispelled my doubts and fears, And I behold the Blissful One everywhere.
The Guru’s self-depreciation :—
I know no tricks and devices of speech, But day and night I repeat Thy name.[ p. 295 ]
I possess no merits—not even one.
O God, Thou doest, and causest all things to be done.
I a fool, blockhead, ignorant, and thoughtless,
Long for Thy name in my heart.
I have performed no works of devotion, penance, or mortification ;
I have only adored Thy name in my heart.
I know nothing ; I have little wisdom.
Nanak representeth, Thou art, O God, my shelter.
The relation of the creature to the Creator :—
Thou art my lake, I am Thy fish ;[36]
Thou art my Lord, I am the beggar at Thy gate.
Thou art my Creator, I am Thy worshipper.
I have found Thy sanctuary, O God of profound excellence.
Thou art my life, Thou art my support.
On beholding Thee I bloom like the lotus.
Thou art my salvation, and mine honour ; Thou art the Acceptor of the holy.
Thou art Almighty, Thou art my strength.
Nanak’s supplication to God is—
May I night and day repeat Thy name, O Lord of excellences !
The Guru one day visiting his sacred tank saw mourning in one house and rejoicing in another. Upon this he composed the following :—
Mourners practise falsehood ;
They laugh while mourning for others.
One man dieth and there is weeping for him; in the house of another there is singing.
One man weepeth, another laugheth.
From youth to old age
Man attaineth not his object; then he regretteth lost opportunites.
The world is subject to the three qualities,[ p. 296 ]
And therefore man passeth through hell and heaven.
Saith Nanak, that man’s birth is fruitful, and he is acceptable |
Whom God hath applied to the repetition of His name.
A man had a dream which he related to Guru Arjan. He thought he had fallen into a well and tried to ascend by the well-rope. Two mice, one black and the other white, were gnawing it away. In the well was a venomous serpent which he feared would sting him. In this dilemma a drop of honey fell into his mouth from a tree which grew over the well, and he awoke. The following was composed by the Guru on the subject of the dream :—
Night and day mice gnaw the rope.[37]
He who falleth into the well eateth sweets.[38]
The night [39] passeth away in thinking and reflecting.
Man while considering the various pleasures of the world never thinketh of God.
Deeming the tree’s shadow immovable he buildeth his house beneath it ;
But Death’s noose is round his neck, and Maya aimeth her arrow at him.
The sandy shore which is exposed to the waves
The fool considereth to be permanent.
He who repeateth the Sovereign God’s name in the society of the saints,
Shall, Nanak, live for ever singing God’s praises.
The following was addressed to a dead body :—
With the soul thou didst play.
With the soul thou didst meet every one.
Everybody desired thee with the soul ;
Without it no one wisheth to see thee.
Where is that soul now ?
Without it thou art in a sad plight ;[ p. 297 ]
With it thou wert master in thine own home.
With it thou wert distinguished,
With it thou wert fondled ;
Without it thou wert left in the dust.
With it thou hadst honour and greatness,
With it thou hadst relations with the world,
With it thy framework was tricked out in various ways ;
Without it thou hast become clay.
The soul neither dieth nor is born ;
It acteth subject to God’s orders.
O Nanak, it is God who having fashioned the body uniteth and separateth the soul from it—
He Himself knoweth His own power.
The attributes possessed in common by God and the saints :—
God doth not die, nor do we fear death ;
He doth not perish, nor do we grieve.
He is not poor, nor are we hungry ;
He feeleth not pain, nor do we.
There is no destroyer but God ;
He liveth and giveth us life.
He hath no entanglements, nor have we ;
He hath no worldly occupations, nor have we ;
He hath no impurity, nor have we—
When He is glad, we are ever happy—
He hath no anxiety, nor have we ;
He is not defiled by the world, nor are we ;
He feeleth no hunger, and we no thirst.
If He is pure, we are so also.
We are nothing, He is the only Being :
He alone is the beginning and end.
O Nanak, the Guru hath dispelled and shattered our doubts.
We and God, having become united, have assumed the same colour.
The advantages of loving the Lord :—
By love for the Lord happiness is ever obtained, By love for the Lord we feel no misery,[ p. 298 ]
By love for the Lord the filth of pride is washed away,
By love for the Lord man is ever pure.
Hear, my friend, bear love and affection to God,
Who is our life and soul and the support of every heart.
By love for God all treasure is obtained,
By love for God the pure Name entereth the heart,
By love for God man is ever honoured,
By love for God anxiety is erased,
By love for God man crosseth the terrible ocean,
By love for God man feareth not Death,
By love for God all are saved,
By love for God He goeth with us.
No erring man may by himself meet God.
He to whom God is merciful joineth the society of the saints.
Saith Nanak, I am a sacrifice unto Thee, O God ;
Thou art the shelter and strength of the saints.
The proud and rich oppressor is brought to his level by death :—
Man becoming a king, exerciseth dominion ;
Committing oppression he acquireth wealth ;
Amassing and amassing he filleth his coffers ;
But God taketh his wealth from him and bestoweth it on another.
The body is an unbaked earthen vessel with water therein,
Yet man becometh very proud of it.
He becometh fearless and reckless,
And never thinketh of the Creator who is with him.
He raiseth and collecteth armies,
But when the breath leaveth him he becometh ashes.
He possesseth lofty mansions, seraglios and queens,
Elephants and teams of horses to delight his heart,
A large family of sons and daughters ;
But through love of them the fool dieth in great affliction.
He who created him, destroyeth him.
Pleasures and enjoyments are like a dream.
He is emancipated, he possesseth empire and wealth,
O Nanak, to whom the Lord is merciful.
[ p. 299 ]
The condition of the regenerate :—
The order of the Beloved is sweet to me ;
My Spouse hath divorced my co-wife who obeyed not Hts order.
My Beloved hath decorated me His happy married wife,
And slaked the burning of my heart.
It is well that I did the bidding of the Beloved ;
I have known what happiness and tranquillity are with Him.
I am the handmaiden, the servant of the Beloved
Who is indestructible, inaccessible, and infinite.
I will take a fan and wave it over my Beloved.
The five deadly sins which tormented me have fled.
I am not of high family, nor am I beautiful ;
I know not how I have pleased my Spouse.
Though I am helpless, poor, and unhonoured,
My Spouse hath taken my hand and made me His queen.
When first I saw my Beloved Friend,
I obtained happiness and tranquillity, and blest was my married life.
saith Nanak, my desires have been fulfilled.
The true Guru hath united me with God, the Lord of excellences.
The following is a description of Maya, or worldly love :—
On her forehead is a frown,[40] her look is sour,
Bitter is her speech, rude her tongue ;
She is ever hungry, she thinketh God is distant and seeth her not.
Such a female hath the one God created.
She hath devoured the whole world except those whom the Guru hath protected, my brethren.
Casting a net of deception she watcheth till the whole world fall therein.
She hath bewitched Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiv.
Only the pious who love the Name have not been dishonoured by her. [ p. 300 ]
Men grow weary performing fasting, vows, and expiations ;
They wander to the banks of sacred streams over the whole earth ;
But only those who have sought the true Guru’s shelter are saved.
The whole world is bound by the love of Maya.
The obstinate and the foolish are consumed by pride.
Guru Nanak hath taken mine arm and protected me.
God’s praises ; His name man’s only support :—
Iam a purchased slave; Thou, O Lord, art my true Master ;
My soul and body, yea, everything is Thine.
O Lord, Thou art the honour of the unhonoured ; I put my trust in Thee. .
Know that he who hath other support than the True One is feeble.
Thine empire is boundless ; no one knoweth its limit.
He who meeteth the true Guru, walketh according to Thy will.
Device and cunning are of no avail.
Receive, O man, the happiness which the Lord being pleased conferreth on thee.
Even though thou perform millions of ceremonies, they will not avail thee.
The slave Nanak hath made the Name his support and forsaken all other calling.
The following was addressed by the Guru to his mother :—
If the invisible and infinite Lord dwell a little in my heart,
O my mother, my troubles, pains, and infirmities shall all vanish.
I am a Sacrifice to my Master.
My soul and body are very happy repeating His name.
I have heard a little regarding that true Lord.
I have obtained happiness upon happiness, O my mother, which cannot be estimated.[ p. 301 ]
On beholding Him with mine eyes I was pleased, and began to long for Him.
O mother, I am without excellences, yet God Himself hath attached me to His skirt.
God is totally beyond the Veds and the books of the world ;
Nanak’s King hath openly manifested Himself.
Magnification of the Lord who ought to be served and remembered by His frail creatures :—
Hundreds of thousands of saints worship Thee, uttering “Beloved, Beloved ! ’
In what way shall I who am without virtues and sinful meet Thee, O my life ?
Thou art my prop, O Lord, Sustainer of the earth, and merciful God ;
Thou art the Lord of all; the whole creation is Thine.
Thou art ever the Helper of the saints, and they behold Thee ever present.
They who are without the Name die lamenting.
Transmigration is at an end for those who embrace the Lord’s service.
What shall be the condition of those who forget the Name ?
The whole world is like trespassing cattle.[41]
Saith Nanak, O God, do Thou Thyself cut off my shackles and blend me with Thee.
Instruction to the human race :—
O man, forgetting all other things, think only of the one God ;
Put aside false pride and offer Him thy soul and body ;
Praise thou the Creator during the eight watches of the day.
I live by Thy gifts, O God, show mercy unto me.
O man, do that work by which thy countenance may be bright.[42][ p. 302 ]
O God, he on whom Thou bestowest truth becometh attached to it.
O man, construct such a house as shall never fall.
If thou put the one God in thy heart, thou shalt never die.
God is dear to those who are pleasing to Him ;
And by the Guru’s favour, O Nanak, they praise Him the Ineffable.
The bliss of those who devote their thoughts to God :—
What men are they who forget not the Name ?
They are as God; know that there is no difference between Him and them.
The souls and bodies of those who meet Thee, O Lord, are happy.
They obtain happiness; all their sorrows are dispelled by the favour of the saints,
By whom are saved all countries and worlds.
They are perfect saints in whose hearts Thou, O God, dwellest.
He whom Thou acknowledgest is acknowledged.
He is illustrious, accepted, and famous everywhere.
O true King, fulfil Nanak’s desire
To adore and remember Thee day and night at every breath.
Man ought ever to attend to his devotions :—
O thou, the prey of sloth, why sleepest thou forgetting the Name ?
How many float away to perdition on this river of life !
O man, embark on the boat of God’s feet and cross over.
During the eight watches of the day sing God’s praises in the company of the saints.
Thou enjoyest various pleasures, but they are empty without the Name.
Without God’s service thou shalt weep thyself to death.
Thou dressest, eatest, and perfumest thyself and rubbest on batna,[43] [ p. 303 ]
But, without remembering God’s name, thy body shall assuredly depart and become dust.
This world is very difficult to cross : only a few know this.
They who seek God’s protection, O Nanak, shall be saved; this is God’s law.
The Guru calls upon his saints to join him in worship and arrive at a state of exaltation :—
Come, my friends, let us meet and enjoy every relish ;
Having met let us repeat God’s ambrosial name so that our sins may be blotted out.
Meditate on the Real Thing, O ye saints, that no troubles may befall you.
The pious are on the alert, and have destroyed all the thieves.[44]
Take wisdom and humility as your viaticum, and destroy the sin of pride.
True is the shop,[45] perfect the traffic ; deal in the ware of the Name.
They who offer up their souls, bodies, and wealth are held in honour.
They who are pleasing to their Lord enjoy themselves.
Fools of weak understanding who drink wine become whore-masters.
They who are saturated with God’s elixir, Nanak, are the true drinkers.
The Guru, as handmaiden of the Lord, offers Him homage :—
The God whose handmaiden I am, is the most exalted of all :
Everything whether small or great is His.
My soul, my life, and my wealth are admittedly the Lord’s.
I am accounted the handmaiden of Him through whose Name I have become pure.
O Thou, who art independent and full of joy, Thy name is a jewel and a diamond.
[ p. 304 ]
She whose Lord Thou art, roameth satisfied and ever happy.
Ye friends and companions of my association, implant in me right understanding,
That I may serve the saints with love, and thus obtain God’s treasure.
All are handmaidens of God; all call Him Master,
But it is only she whom God adorneth, O Nanak, who abideth in happiness.
The duties of the holy handmaiden :—
Become the handmaiden of the saints and learn thy duties :
The highest of all virtues is not to deem thy Spouse afar.
Dye thy soul with the beautiful madder of God’s name.
Abandon devices and cunning, and know that God is with thee.
Make obedience to thy Spouse’s words thine ornaments ;
Chew forgetfulness of the world as thy betel ;
Make the Guru’s instruction thy lamp, and spread the couch of virtue.
Stand with clasped hands all day long, and thou shalt meet the sovereign God.
She who is pleasing to the Creator possesseth all discretion and ornaments ;
She is endowed with peerless beauty, O Nanak, and is a happy wife.
The advantages conferred by the Guru :—
As long as I have mental doubts I stray in devious paths :
When the Guru dispelled my doubts I obtained rest.
The evil passions which tormented me have left me through the Guru :
I have escaped from them, and they have escaped from me.
Man is entangled from the moment he thinketh that worldly things are private property.
I have escaped from entanglements since the Guru dispelled my spiritual ignorance.[ p. 305 ]
Man suffereth as long as he knoweth not the will of God.
He is happy when, meeting the Guru, he recognizeth God’s will.
I have no enemy to torment me, nor doth any one appear to me to be evil.[46]
The servant who serveth the Guru, O Nanak, is a slave of the Lord.
Devotion is pleasing to the Lord and procures the fulfilment of desires :—
Sing God’s praises and thou shalt obtain great happiness, comfort, and delight.
If the true Guru give His name, evil influences[47] shall be removed.
I am ever and ever a sacrifice to my Guru ;
I devote myself to the Guru by meeting whom I have obtained my real object.
He who remembereth not God believeth in good and bad omens.
Death approacheth not him who is pleasing to the Lord.
The Name is superior to all gifts, charity, devotion, and penance.
All his desires shall be fulfilled who repeateth God’s name.
His fear is no more, his errors and worldly love have fled, and he seeth none but God.
Nanak, if the supreme Being preserve, no sorrow shall befall us.
The Guru sings God’s praises on every occasion :—
I sing God’s praises at home, I sing them abroad, I sing them awaking in the morning.
I, who deal in God’s name, have obtained it as my viaticum from the Guru,
And completely forgotten all things beside.
The perfect Guru hath given me the gift of the Name ; it is my only support. [ p. 306 ]
In woe I sing God’s praises, in weal I sing them; on my way I remember them.
The Guru hath firmly fixed the Name in my heart and slaked my thirst. |
I sing God’s praises by day, I sing them by night, I sing them with my tongue at every breath.
The faith that God is with us whether alive or dead tesulteth from association with the saints.
Bestow this gift, O God, upon Thy slave Nanak, that he may clasp to his heart the dust of the saints’ feet,
That he may hear of God with his ears, behold Him with his eyes, and put the Guru’s feet on his forehead.
Man must die at last, and his only hope is in God :—
The body which thou deemest permanent is only a two days’ guest.
Children, wife, home, all thy property—the love of all these things is transitory.
O man, why laughest thou ?
If thou look attentively, these things are like an enchanted city ;[48] profit is only obtained by worshipping God.
Clothes worn on the body fall to tatters after two or four days ;
However much thou runnest upon a wall, thou shalt at last arrive at its end ;[49]
Salt at once melteth if put into a pitcher of water ;
So when the order of the Supreme Being arriveth, the soul must depart in a trice.
O man, thy walking, thy sitting, and thy breathing are all counted.[ p. 307 ]
Ever sing God’s praises, Nanak, and thou shalt be saved under the shelter of the true Guru’s feet.
The blessings obtained when God mercifully grants the true Guru :—
When God is merciful,
What is reversed becometh straight, and slanderers and enemies become friends.
The jewel of divine knowledge shineth in the darkness, and the impure understanding becometh purified.
When I met the true Guru I obtained happiness, prosperity, and the fruit of God’s name.
No one knew me, despicable[50] that I was, but now I have become famous throughout the world.
Formerly no one would allow me to associate with him, but now all men worship my feet.
I used formerly to go about begging for paise, but now all the thirst of my heart is quenched.
I who could not endure reproach from any one, have now become patient through the society of the saints.
What praises of Him who is totally beyond reach can be uttered by a single tongue ?
Thy servant Nanak is in Thy sanctuary ; make him Thy slave of slaves.
Man is slow to virtue, but swift to vice :—
O fool, thou art very slow to thy profit, but to thy loss, thou hastenest.
O sinner, thou makest not good bargains, but art attracted by worthless things.[51]
O true Guru, my hope is in thee.
O Supreme God, Thy name is Purifier of sinners ; I have come to Thy shelter.
O man, thou listenest to foul language and art entangled in it, but in repeating the Name thou art indolent.
Thou greatly delightest in slander, and art wrong-headed.[ p. 308 ]
Thou covetest thy neighbour’s wealth, son, and wife, and like a mad dog eatest what ought not to be eaten.
Thou hast no love for the true faith ; on hearing the truth thou becomest angry.
O compassionate to the poor, merciful Lord God, Thy name is the support of the saints.
O God, Nanak hath gladly entered Thine asylum; be mindful of Thine own honour.[52]
An exhortation to man to abandon worldly love :—
Thou clingest to perishable things; worldly love hath bound thee.
Thou thinkest not whither thou shalt have to go: through pride thou hast become blind.
O man, why not abandon the world and worship God ?
Thou dwellest in a frail chamber: the diseases of all the passions affect thee.
While talking of thy wealth days and nights pass away ; every moment life groweth shorter.
As men are led away by sweet savours, so art thou by false and filthy occupations.
Thy senses are attached to the pleasures of lust, wrath, avarice, and worldly love ;
Therefore the Supreme Being hath caused thee to wander again and again in births.
When He who removeth the sorrows of the poor becometh merciful, all happiness is obtained on meeting the Guru.
Saith Nanak, if thou day and night meditate on God He will heal all thy maladies ;
So, my brethren, repeat God’s name.
And He who removeth the sorrows of the poor, shall become merciful, and the pains of birth and death vanish.
For the unworthy pleasures of a moment man forfeits his future happiness :—
For the fleeting pleasure of lust, thou shalt suffer misery for endless time.
For the enjoyment of a ghari or two, thou shalt repent again and again.[ p. 309 ]
O blind one, remember the Lord God ;
Thy time hath approached.
Thou art misled on beholding even for a moment the beauty of the akk, the nim, and the colocynth.[53]
As is companionship with a serpent so is an tntrigue with thy neighbour’s wife.
For worthless objects [54] thou committest sin, but the real thing is neglected by thee.
Thou lovest what thou shalt have to abandon and thou quarrellest with thy friends.
This is the case with the whole world, but only he who hath the perfect Guru shall be saved.
Saith Nanak, when man is purified, he shall cross over the terrible ocean of the world.
Man cannot conceal his sins from God :—
What men do in secret God seeth, though fools and blockheads deny it.
They reap the reward of their own acts and regret them afterwards.
My God knoweth all man’s devices beforehand.
Deceived by error, O man, thou triest to hide thine acts from Him, but afterwards thou shalt have to confess thy heart’s secrets.
Man applieth himself to what God hath applied him: what can any mortal do?
Pardon me, O Lord, supreme God; Nanak is ever a sacrifice unto Thee.
The mortal sins, though potent, can be subdued by the saints :—
The five deadly sins subdue the four castes and the four stages of life, and trample on the six religious systems.
They have bewitched and deceived the beautiful, the accomplished, the lovely, and the wise.
Is there any puissant hero or champion to seize and destroy them ? [ p. 310 ]
He who can pass his life killing and destroying them, is perfect in this age.
They form a great tribe who cannot be controlled and who will not flee ; they are a mighty and obstinate army ;
But, saith Nanak, he who is under the protection of the society of the saints crusheth them.
Sweet is the society of the saints :—
My beloved, the society of the saints is a stream of nectar ;
The Guru diverteth it not from my heart even for a moment.
On beholding and touching it great pleasure and delight are obtained :
It is dyed with the Creator’s dye.
Death never approacheth him who meeting the Guru uttereth the Name even for a moment :
God, O Nanak, embraceth and claspeth him to His heart.
The occupation of the saints :—
Good is the society of the saints :
Every watch, every hour, every moment they sing God’s praises and speak of Him ;
Walking, sitting, or sleeping they sing His praises ;_ their souls and bodies are absorbed in His feet.
I am small, Thou, O God, are great; Nanak knoweth Thy sanctuary.
Meditate on God who has done and will do so much for man :—
The soul, mind, body, life—all pleasures and enjoyments are given by God ;
He is the Aden of the poor and the Bestower of life ; He is potent to save those who seek His protection.
O my soul, meditate on God’s name.
In this world and the next the one God who accompanieth thee is the Helper ; fix thy love on Him alone.
Men ponder on the Veds and Shastars to secure deliverance;
But superior to all religious ceremonies and observances is the utterance of the Name.[ p. 311 ]ar
Lust, wrath, and pride depart on meeting the true divine Guru.
They in whose hearts he fixeth God’s name and worship best perform His service.
O Compassionate One, I seek the protection of Thy feet ; Thou art the honour of the unhonoured.
Thou, O God, art the Support of my soul and life ; Thou art Nanak’s strength.
The advantage of the saints’ society and God’s love :—
Without the society of the saints man ever wavering suffereth great misery :
By love of the one Supreme God the profit of God’s essence is earned.
Men grasp the unreal :—
O madmen, ye have fallen asleep.
Ye are intoxicated with worldly love, families, and sensual enjoyments, and embrace fleeting pleasures.
Desires which are false, joy and delight which are a dream the perverse deem real.
They discover not at all the secrets of the wealth of the ambrosial Name which is with them.
Nanak, they whom God mercifully keepeth in the company of the saints, obtain His protection.
The Guru grasps the real :—
The love of that Dear One for me !
Not gold, or gems, or pearls,[55] or rubies ; no, no, no!
Not empire, not fortune, not authority, not enjoyments— none of these do I desire.
In worshipping the feet of the saints and taking their protection I find supreme happiness.
All Nanak’s heart-burning was dispelled
When he obtained the love of the Beloved.
[ p. 312 ]
The Guru makes God manifest :—
O God, the Guru hath shown Thee to mine eyes.
In this world and the next, in every heart art Thou, O Bewitcher.
Cause of causes, Supporter of the earth, Thou alone art beautiful.
Nanak devoteth himself to meeting and beholding the saints ; he sleepeth in complete happiness.
The Guru prays God to crown his devotion :—
Bringing service to a successful issue,
O God, I have gladly come to Thee.
He who putteth God’s feet into his heart and obtaineth the boon of the Name is successful.
This is his happiness here and hereafter ; preserve him by association with saints.
Nanak, meditate on the Name, sing God’s praises, and thou shalt be easily absorbed in Him.
The longing of the holy for God :—
O God, Thy feet are beautiful ;
God’s saints find them in their hearts.
They who dispel their pride and practise worship, sing God’s praises with the greatest zest :
They long for the one God; they thirst to behold Him ; none else pleaseth them.
O God, have mercy upon me ; what is the helpless creature? Nanak is a sacrifice unto Thee.
The condition of the holy is contrasted with that of the listless and the proud :—
He who forgetteth God is already dead ;
He who meditateth on the Name shall obtain all the advantages thereof, and be happy ;
He who practiseth pride, though he be called a king, shall be caught like a parrot, insnared in a trap.
Saith Nanak, he who meeteth the Guru shall become immovable.[56]
[ p. 313 ]
The Guru describes the condition of the worldly :—
He who sleepeth in the intoxication of sin and worldly love hath no understanding.
It is only when Death lifteth him up by the hair that he shall come to his senses.
They who are attached to the poison of avarice and the other deadly sins acquire wealth by oppressing others.
They are intoxicated with pride in what is destroyed in a moment, and, demons that they are, know not God.
The Veds, the Shastars, and holy men cry out, but the deaf hear not.
They utterly lose their game, and the fools regret what is lost.
All the tax they pay shall be by way of punishment, and it shall not be credited in God’s court.
O men, the work by which God would cast a veil over your sins you have not performed.
Since the Guru hath shown me that the world is such as it is, I have sung the praises of God alone.
Having renounced all pride in his strength and skill, Nanak hath entered Thine asylum.
What the holy gain by devotion :—
By dealing in the name of God
The saints and holy men are propitiated, the Beloved is obtained, His praises are sung, and the music of the five instruments is played.
When I obtained God’s favour I obtained a sight of Him, and am now imbued with His love.
By serving the saints I conceived love and affection for my darling Master.
When the Guru fixed divine knowledge in my heart, I rejoiced that I should not be born again.
I have obtained tranquillity and the treasure of God within me,
And renounced all the wiles of the lust of my heart.
For a long time my soul hath been very thirsty :
O God, grant me a sight of Thee, show Thyself unto me.
Embrace poor Nanak who hath entered Thine asylum.
[ p. 314 ]
The Guru in his humility and sense of dependence on God prays to Him :—
Would that some one would destroy the strong fortress of sin,
Save me from desires, avarice, deception, worldly love, and error ;
And that the diseases of lust, wrath, avarice, and pride would leave me !
May I in the company of the saints love God’s name, sing His praises,
Meditate on Him day and night,
And capture and raze the rampart of error !
Nanak, the Name is my treasure.
The Guru instructs a disciple :—
Abandon lust, wrath, and covetousness,
And remember God’s name in thy heart.
The worship of God is a profitable work.
Forsake the sins of pride, worldly love, and falsehood, and ever utter God’s name.
O man, attach thyself to the feet of the saints.
Awake and remember the feet of the Lord God
Who is compassionate to the poor, the Purifier of sinners, and the Supreme Being.
Serve God, O Nanak, and thy lot shall be perfect.
The play of the world :—
God hath exhibited this play consisting of rejoicing and mourning, joy, and sorrow.
One moment man feareth, again he feareth not, and other times he pursueth his fancies ;
One moment he enjoyeth pleasures, and again he abandoneth them ;
One moment he practiseth Jog, penance, and worship of many kinds, and again he wandereth in error ;
And sometimes, O Nanak, God of His mercy applieth man to His love by association with saints.
[ p. 315 ]
The Guru continues his instruction :—
Take the protection of the one God,
Utter the hymns of the Guru,
Obey the order of the True One,
Receive the treasure of the Name in thy heart,
And thou, O man, shalt enter into happiness.
He who in life is dead
Shall cross the terrible ocean.
Call him the fearless
_Who is the dust of all men’s feet.
O man, the instruction of the saints Removeth all anxieties.
Sorrow can never approach him
Whose happiness is in the Name.
All men obey him
Who listeneth to God’s praises.
Nanak, profitable is his advent into the world,
And he is pleasing to the Lord, O my soul.
The Guru prays to the Lord of the unowned :—
God is for him
Who hath nobody besides.
He who knoweth the state of his heart Knoweth everything.
Save me who have fallen—
This, O my soul, is Nanak’s prayer.
The Guru’s message to his soul :—
O my soul, who hast come from afar,
Hear my message.
Everybody hath abandoned the things
To which thou art attached.
They were as a dream for those
Who repeated God’s name.
They who leave God and attach themselves to others Hasten to transmigration.
It is only they who repeat God’s name
Who shall continue to live.[ p. 316 ]
He to whom God is merciful,
O Nanak, becometh His worshipper.
Man must make his choice between God and mammon :—
When I please the five virtues, I displease the five sins.
When I put the former into my heart, I dispossess the latter.
In this way the city of my body is peopled, O my brethren.
Trouble departed from me when I grasped the divine knowledge of the Guru.
The Guru hath made a fence[57] round the true religion :
Meditation on the divine knowledge of the Guru is a strong thorny gate.
O my brethren and friends, sow the field of the Name,
And make the perpetual service of the Guru your traffic.
Make all your shops out of peace and rest and happiness.
The wholesale dealer,[58] the retail dealers,[59] form a company in the one God’s name.
Where the true Guru hath set God’s seal
Neither infidel-tax, nor fine, nor poll-tax is levied.
Load and dispatch your cargo of the Name,
So shall you, under the Guru’s instruction, return home with a profit.
The wholesale dealer is the true Guru; the retail dealers are his disciples ;
The stock-in-trade is the Name; the remembrance of the True One is the account kept.
O Nanak, everlasting is God’s city ;
He who serveth the perfect Guru shall abide in it.
Worship God alone and you shall be happy :—
Remember the supreme God, O my dear friend, and sacrifice thyself for a sight of Him.[ p. 317 ]
O my dear friend, why abandon Him, whose memory causeth sorrow to be forgotten ?
I would sell this body to the saint, O my dear friend, if he caused me to meet the Beloved.
The pleasures and attractions of sin are insipid; I have abandoned them, O mother.
Lust, wrath, and covetousness forsook me, O my dear friend, when I fell at the true Guru’s feet.
They who are imbued with God go not elsewhere,[60] my dear friend ;
They who have tasted God’s essence, O my dear friend, are satisfied and contented.
They who seize the skirt of the saint, O Nanak, shall cross over the terrible ocean.
All beings in whom there are the three qualities. ↩︎
Maya. ↩︎
Hope: ↩︎
Desire. ↩︎
The god of death. ↩︎
Spiritual ignorance. ↩︎
Different moralists and connoisseurs give different names to these qualities. They are intended to include all moral and physical excellences. ↩︎
Even if I worship gods and idols. ↩︎
The Name. ↩︎
Natives of India do not generally use pockets, but carry moneyand valuables knotted in their garments. ↩︎
The Guru: ↩︎
A mediator saint. ↩︎
Ajgar bhar. If ajar bhar were read, the translation would be—an intolerable load. ↩︎
In proof of sovereignty. ↩︎
Two and a half sers in Guru Arjan’s time is equal to one ser or two pounds avoirdupois now. ↩︎
Man possesses God in his heart, yet he becomes an anchoret and goes to the forest in quest of Him. ↩︎
That is, spiritual ignorance. ↩︎
The different ways of disposing of the dead. ↩︎
Lahbar, literally—a flame. Sakhni—empty and _ ungratified. The line is also translated—(a) Even if the wealth of the world be obtained, man’s desires will not be satisfied, but when the Bridegroom (Bar) is obtained (lah), all craving (khai) is extinguished. (b) The soul wandereth unsatisfied in the nether and upper regions, but when it obtaineth the Bridegroom its hunger is relieved. (c) He who is devoid of terrestrial and celestial blessings, shall, on receiving the fruit of the Guru’s instruction, have his hunger for such things satisfied. ↩︎
Understanding. ↩︎
The heart. ↩︎
Worldly things. ↩︎
Pride. ↩︎
Humility. ↩︎
The organs of sense. ↩︎
Obtain their rightful portion. my rieaven., ↩︎
Man’s mind is set with virtues. ↩︎
Divine love. Zhewa is the large stone of a ring. ↩︎
That is, it is not I, it is Thou who art distinguished. ↩︎ ↩︎
That is, avarice has consumed many mortals. ↩︎
Thou hast not become wicked in this evil world. ↩︎
Devotion. ↩︎
Heart. ↩︎
The company of the saints. ↩︎
The world. ↩︎
That is, as a fish cannot live without water, so I cannot live without Thee. ↩︎
Night and day life grows shorter. ↩︎
Man enjoys himself when he comes into the world. ↩︎
Human life. ↩︎
Literally—the mark of the three qualities. ↩︎
Men follow their own inclinations and suffer accordingly. Trespassing cattle were chained and impounded. ↩︎
By which thou mayest be happy. ↩︎
An Oriental soap used to make the skin soft and delicate. ↩︎
The deadly sins who came to rob them. ↩︎
The company of the saints. ↩︎
That is, 1 am nobody’s enemy. ↩︎
Grih (grah), the seven planets of the ancients and the demons Rahu and Ketu. Grih also means entanglements. ↩︎
Harishchandar son of Trisanku was, according to the Purans, raised to heaven for his unbounded liberality. He was accompanied thither by his friends and followers, but being induced to boast of his merits, he was hurled back to earth. On the way he repented of his fault, and remained suspended feet uppermost in mid-air. His city there is said to be occasionally visible. In the Granth Sahib the word harchandauri simply means a mirage. ↩︎
Some day death shall arrive. ↩︎
Kripan. Literally—a miser. ↩︎
Renata. Things of sand or dust. ↩︎
By protecting me who am Thine own. ↩︎
That is, the evil passions are fair without but foul within. ↩︎
Bairi karan. Also translated—Thou committest sin for thy relations who are thine enemies. ↩︎
Gajmoti. Pearls fabled to come from the head of the white elephant. ↩︎
Shall not be subject to transmigration. ↩︎
To keep out evil passions. ↩︎
The Guru. ↩︎
The disciples. ↩︎
Worship not false gods. ↩︎