[ p. 241 ]
WE have now arrived at a stage in the history of the Sikh Gurus and of the Sikh reformation when the religion of Guru Nanak may be said to have been consolidated by his genius, by the impress he left on his successors, by their general fidelity to his teachings and example, and by the piety and industry of Guru Arjan.
The first five Gurus were, as we have seen, all sacred bards. The last of them, in addition to copious original compositions of his own, collected all the hymns of his predecessors into one volume in order to be a guide to Sikhs forall time. The sixth, seventh, and eighth Gurus have left no written memorials of their teachings. It, therefore, appears fitting at this stage to give the analysis of the tenets of the Sikh religion which is contained in the Wars of Bhai Gur Das, who was a contemporary of the fourth, fifth, andsixth Gurus, and who was acquainted with them and their contemporaries, especially Bhai Budha, an aged Sikh who had survived from the time of Guru Nanak.
Gur Das’s Wars are forty in number. Each war is divided into a varying number of pauris, and each pauri contains from five to ten lines. The language is old and very difficult Panjabi. The Wars from which the following extracts are taken are given in the notes.
The advantage of the society of the holy :—
Trees which grow near sandal are perfumed like sandal. If any of the eight metals be touched by the philosopher’s stone, it becometh gold. As rivers, streams, and water [ p. 242 ] courses which fall into the Ganges become the Ganges, so doth the society of holy men save sinners and wash away the filth of sin. It saveth countless souls from hell, and associateth with itself hundreds of thousands of the lost. The holy see God in the midst of them.[1]
By associating with the holy the way of union with God is found in one’s own home. To cherish the Guru’s instruction is to obtain salvation.[2]
The elixir is beneficent and turneth baser metals into gold. The sandal-tree perfumeth other trees whether they bear fruit or not. Rain falleth everywhere whether the ground be good or bad. When the sun riseth, it diffuseth its beams through the warp and woof of the world. The earth hath the capacity of endurance. Though the ruby, jewels, gems, gold, iron, the philosopher’s stone are all produced from it, it regardeth not outrages. In the same way the company of the saints conferreth on men indiscriminately benefits which cannot be estimated.[3]
The Sikh religion :—
The Sikh religion is distinct, and superior to other religions.
The faith of the Sikhs is fixed, and by it man is absorbed in God.
Hundreds of thousands of groups of Sikhs form one group and have no false pride, that is, they harbour not contempt for one another on account of pride of birth.[4]
The way of Sikhism is narrow ; it is sharper than the edge of a sword and finer thana hair. There is no creed equal to it in the past, present, or future. There is no second God ; there is only one God in this house.[5]
There is but one dot of difference between the holy and the unholy :—
There is but one step from the holy to the unholy. For instance, the word maharam (holy) by the addition of a point becometh mujaram (criminal). Sikhs, otherwise sensible, in a state of aberration ruin their minds by assisting [ p. 243 ] in superstitious ceremonies.[6] They who are subordinate to the Guru perform his service and keep their secrets to themselves.[7]
The unity of Sikhs :—
Where there is one Sikh there is one Sikh ; where there are two Sikhs, there is a company of saints; where there are five Sikhs there is God.[8]
Sikhs must have faith in the Guru’s words, and not allow their minds to wander.[9]
O Sikhs of the Guru, hear the Guru’s instruction. Be wise within but simple without. Fix your attention on the Word and be wakeful. Be deaf to everything except the Guru’s words. Behold the true Guru. Where there is not the company of the saints, the house is empty and dismantled. Utter the Guru’s word Wahguru, and silently quaff the cup of love. Salute and be humble to the Sikhs. Sprinkle in thy house the water in which thou hast washed their feet. Deem the Guru’s feet a lotus and thy mind a bumble-bee, and in this terrible ocean of the world keep thy faith distinct. The Guru is the true mediator to bestow salvation on man while alive.[10]
The Sikhs ponder on the words of the Ineffable, and abstain from praise and blame. Allowing the Guru’s instruction to enter their hearts, they speak civilly and thus comfort one another. ° The Sikhs’ virtues cannot be concealed. Aman may hide molasses, but ants will discover it. At the same time, the Sikhs have great endurance. Sugar-cane though sweet is pressed in a mill, and so must Sikhs suffer while conferring favours on others.[11]
Worthy of praise are the hands of the Sikh who in the company of the saints doeth the Guru’s work, who draweth water, fanneth, grindeth, washeth his feet, and drinketh the water therefrom; who copieth the Guru’s hymns and [ p. 244 ] playeth the cymbals, the mirdang,[12] and the rebeck, in the company of the holy, who boweth and prostrateth himself and embraceth a brother Sikh; who liveth honestly, and who by his munificence conferreth favours on others ; who contented with touching the Guru as a philosopher’s stone, toucheth nothing else, and layeth not his hand on another’s wife or property ; who loveth another Sikh and embraceth the love, devotion, and fear of God; and who effaceth and asserteth not himself.[13]
Blest are the feet of the Sikhs who walk in the Guru’s way, who go to the Guru’s door, and sit there with holy men, who search out the Guru’s Sikhs and haste to do them favours, who run not in mammon’s way, and who if they happen to possess wealth remain humble. Few are the slaves of the Commander, who do Him homage and thus escape from their bonds ; who adopt the custom of circumambulating the Guru’s Sikhs and falling at their feet. The Guru’s Sikhs delight in such enjoyments.[13:1]
The Sikhs erase the twelve tilaks of the Hindus, applied to various parts of the body, and apply in their stead the tilak of the Guru’s instruction.[14]
Effect of the Guru’s teaching :—
By the Guru’s hymns the mind is satisfied and man reacheth his own home.[15]
The Sikh who receiveth the Guru’s instruction is really a Sikh. [15:1]
By the Guru’s instruction the four castes were blended in one society of saints. The Guru’s disciples assumed one red colour like that of the betel made from four ingredients— betel-leaf, betel-nut, catechu, and lime.[15:2]
The true Guru, the real king, putteth the holy on the high road to salvation. He restraineth the deadly sins, evil inclinations, and worldly love. The Sikhs pass their time in remembering the Word with devotion, and therefore Death the tax-gatherer approacheth them not. The Guru hath dispersed the apostates and seated the guild of the saints in Paradise. By the spell of the Name he hath [ p. 245 ] inculcated love, devotion, fear, charity, and ablutions. As the lotus remaineth dry in the water, so doth the Guru keep the holy man unaffected by the world. The Sikhs efface and assert not themselves.[16]
The Guru’s instruction teacheth to praise Wahguru. The Veds know not and Sheshnag hath not discovered His secret.[17]
The Guru’s Sikh becometh of the Guru’s line, a supreme saint, and separateth falsehood from truth as the swan separateth water from milk.[18] The Guru then becometh a disciple and the disciple a Guru.[19]
There can only be dealings at one shop, the owner of which is the true perfect Guru. He taketh demerits and selleth merits in exchange, and he dealeth honestly. He maketh the simmal-tree bear fruit, and he turneth dross into gold. He perfumeth the bamboo, and changeth the crow into a swan. He showeth the sun to the owl, and maketh the shell more beautiful than pearls. His hymns which are before us are superior to the Veds and the Quran.[20]
The attributes of a disciple :—
To become a disciple is, as it were, to become dead. It cannot be done by words. A disciple must be patient, faithful, possess a martyr’s spirit, and free himself from superstition and fear. He must be like a purchased slave fit to be yoked to any work which may serve his Guru. He must never be hungry, and never require sleep. He must be ready to grind and bring fresh water for his Guru. He must be ever prepared to fan and wash his Guru’s feet. He must be a sedate servant and never laugh or cry. Thus shall he obtain the position of a darwesh, be absorbed in the relish of the Beloved, arrive at the goal of emancipation, and receive those congratulations which the Muhammadans bestow on one another on seeing the moon of the Id festival.[21]
[ p. 246 ]
The pious man :— ~
To the pious man who treasureth in his heart the Guru’s instruction and effaceth himself, God’s will will naturally be grateful. He shall find his real home by associating with the saints and fearing and loving God. Blest the mother who bore him; and profitable his advent into the world.[22]
Humility :—
He who is humble is dear to the Guru.[23]
He who is humble winneth, he who is proud loseth the game.[23:1]
A pomegranate seed like a speck of dust entereth the dust. It becometh a green tree, and rejoiceth in its red blossoms. One tree hath a thousand flowers ; its flowers and fruit are superior one to the other. From one seed there are hundreds of thousands of fruits, and in every fruit there is a seed. There is no deficiency in that fruit. The more its fruits are gathered, the more it beareth fruit and flowers. The Guru’s religion teacheth to walk humbly, thus shall all Sikhs become great.[24]
There are hundreds of thousands of men high, intermediate, and low, but the holy man calleth himself the lowest of the low.[25]
The earth is the most humble of all, but in God’s court it obtaineth greatness for its patience. Some weed or plough it, and some pollute it. The holy obtain the fruit of peace in the house of contentment. They efface and assert themselves not. Whether waking, dreaming, or sleeping deeply, they with love in their hearts remain absorbed in God. They remember the Guru’s hymns in the association of the saints.[26]
The elephant is not eaten on account of its pride, and no one eateth the powerful lion. The goat is unhonoured, but obtaineth religious and secular distinction. It is eaten at deaths and marriages and accepted at feasts. Its flesh [ p. 247 ] is holy for worldly people, and strings for musical instruments are made from its entrails. Shoes which holy men wear are made from its skin. Trumpets and drums made from goat-skin afford pleasure by their music to the society of the saints.[27]
To call oneself the lowest of the low is the Guru’s teaching, if any one act according to it. Sixty copper paise are equal to one silver rupee which is received with suspicion, while the paise are not. Ten rupees are equal to a gold coin which is recetved with more suspicion. For thousands of gold coins a diamond which is strung on a necklace is purchased, and that is received with still more suspicion. The Sikhs who fall at one another’s feet and become the dust of one another’s feet, are equal in thought, word, and deed to saints, and become freed from superstition and fear.[28]
There is sugar in a hornet’s nest, bees swarm together and produce honey. Silk and satin are obtained from worms. Canvas is made from beaten hemp. Muslin cometh from cotton seed. The lotus with which the bumble-bee is enchanted groweth in the mire. There is a jewel in the cobra’s head. The diamond is a stone. Musk is in the deer’s body. The sword fashioned from steel is called bhagauti (goddess). Odour from the civet cat perfumeth courts. From lowly things the greatest advantage is obtained.[29]
Call thyself the lowest of the low, become a worm and be not conceited. Walk in the Guru’s way, and let a thousand of you be contained in one worm-hole.[30] Wherever there is the smell of clarified butter and sugar, thither throng the worms ; so do Sikhs to hear the Guru’s words. When sugar is spilled in sand, worms pick up the grains. Through fear of the bhringi[31] the ant dieth, but the bhringi reanimateth [ p. 248 ] it, and maketh it a bhringi like itself.[32] He who receiveth the Guru’s instruction feareth to do evil deeds. The Guru’s instruction maketh him humble and again exalteth him. Thus do the Guru’s Sikhs receive the reward of happiness.[33]
The Guru’s Sikhs who have dispelled their pride are continent and praiseworthy.[34]
The Guru’s religion and his teaching :—
Become pious by association with the saints and associate not with the evil. The Guru’s religion conferreth happiness. Make not thyself miserable in other sects. Under the Guru’s instruction abandon caste, acquire the excellent colour of tambol.[35] Behold the Guru’s school and put no faith in the six schools. Rely upon the Guru’s instruction. Be not led away by any other love. Act according to the Guru’s words; forsake not the way of humility, and, O ye pious, derive your pleasure from love and devotion.[36]
The religion of the Guru conferreth happiness ; the perverse wander in every direction.[36:1]
The Guru’s hymn is the Guru’s image, and is repeated in the company of the saints.[37]
How the Guru’s Sikhs love the society of the holy: —
The people of the four castes observe the customs of their castes and tribes. The believers in the six books of the six schools perform six duties according to the wisdom of their respective spiritual advisers. Servants go and salute their masters, merchants deal in their own special merchandise, agriculturists sow different seedsin different fields, mechanics meet mechanics in their workshops—with such attention and love do the Guru’s Sikhs associate with the company of the saints.[36:2]
Examples of hypocrisy and superstition :—
[ p. 249 ]
Into the practice of continence, austerities, hom, feasts, Hindu devotion, penance and gifts, hypocrisy largely entereth ; incantations and spells are plays on a large scale. The worship of the fifty-two heroes, of the eight joginis, of cemeteries and of places of cremation leads to great dissimulation. Men are employed in purak, kumbhak and rechak, in the performance of the niwali feat, and in the drawing up of their breath through the spinal marrow. Many employ themselves in sitting in the postures of the Sidhs, and obstinately abandon their homes. Hundreds of thousands of such tricks have I seen. The belief in the philosopher’s stone, the jewel in the serpent’s head, alchemy, miracles is all a matter of ignorance. Men are engaged in the worship of idols, gods, and goddesses, in fasting, uttering blessings and curses, but without the society of the saints and the repetition of the Guru’s hymns even very good men find not acceptance. The superstitious have bound themselves with a hundred knots of falsehood.[37:1]
Paying attention to omens, the nine grihs, the twelve signs of the Zodiac, incantations, magic, divination by lines, and by the voice is all vanity. It is vain to draw conclusions from the cries of donkeys, dogs, cats, kites, malalis[38] and jackals. Omens drawn from meeting a widow, a man with a bare head, from water, fire, sneezing, breaking wind, hiccups, lunar and week days, unlucky moments, and conjunctions of planets are all superstition. If a woman who winks at every man try by deceit to inspire belief in her, how can her husband feel confidence ? The holy who reject such superstitions obtain happiness and salvation.[37:2]
People worship departed heroes, ancestors, satis, deceased co-wives, tanks, and pits, but all this is of no avail. They who enjoy not the company of the saints and the Guru’s instruction, die and are born again and are rejected of God. It is the follower of the Guru who weareth God’s name as his diamond necklace.[37:3]
The Guru’s Sikhs lead a family life, but wearing a hair [ p. 250 ] tuft and a janeu, and putting the latter on the ear when performing offices of nature are all superstition. The Guru’s Sikhs recognize divine knowledge and the advantage of meditation on the Supreme Being who filleth all creation. When they associate with the holy, they are held in honour and accepted in God’s court.[39]
The holy man rejecteth the worship of fire with its seven colours, trampleth on the army of the Bhairavs and the manifestations of Shiv, and is not pleased with omens from the seven Rohinis,[40] the seven days of the week, and seven women whose husbands are alive.[41]
The thirteen offerings [42] made by Hindus at feasts for ancestors have led men astray in superstition. Hundreds of thousands of feasts are not equal to drinking the water in which a Sikh hath washed his feet. Hundreds of thousands of sacred feasts and offerings are not equal to putting one grain into a Sikh’s mouth. A Sikh enjoyeth supreme happiness in satisfying another.[43]
The Sikhs reject superstition, rejoicing, and mourning :—
On the occasion of Hindu marriages lascivious songs are sung and trumpets played on the part of the bride and bridegroom, but not so among the Sikhs. People weep and utter lamentations for the dead, but the Sikhs on such occasions read the Sohila in the company of the saints. The Sikhs have no concern with the Veds or the books of the Moslems, and neither rejoice at a birth nor mourn at a death. In the midst of desires they remain free from them.[44]
[ p. 251 ]
The Sikhs heed not omens on the right or the left. They retrace not their steps on seeing a widow or a bare-headed man. They pay not attention to the voices of birds or to sneezing. They worship not or adore gods or goddesses. They allow not their bodies or minds to wander. The Guru’s Sikhs plant a true field and reap the harvest thereof.[45]
Woman :—
From a temporal and spiritual point of view woman is half man’s body and assisteth to salvation. She assuredly bringeth happiness to the virtuous.? [46]
The perverse compared to the offspring of a courtesan :— :
A courtesan who hath many lovers committeth every species of sin. An outcast from her people and her country, she bringeth shame on her father’s and mother’s and fatherin-law’s families. She is ruined herself and ruineth others, and giveth them to eat of her poison. She is like the pipe which lureth the deer, or the lamp which burneth the moth, and is dishonoured in both worlds. She is a boat of stone which drowns its passengers. So are the minds of the perverse scattered and led astray by superstition in the company of the evil. And as a courtesan’s son beareth not his father’s name, so no one admitteth the ownership of the perverse.[46:1]
The condition of the courtesan :—
An abandoned woman leaving her father’s and fatherin-law’s house becometh shameless, and washeth not away her evil reputation. Leaving her husband she enjoyeth her lover. How can she be happy when her heart is drawn in different directions ? She heedeth not advice, and is despised at assemblies of mourning and rejoicing. She weepeth when reproached and put to shame at every house. She is arrested for her sins, and punished by order of the court. She is neither dead nor alive, she suffereth misery ; she dwelleth not in her own house but searcheth for another [ p. 252 ] to ruin it. In her dubious circumstances she weaveth for herself a garland of vice.[47]
The man who adheres not to one religion is compared to a courtesan who has many lovers :—
The prostitute is a decorated and ornamented hell. She deceiveth by her airs and graces. As the hunter’s pipe allureth the deer, so do her songs allure men to their destruction. She dieth an evil death, and obtaineth no entrance into God’s court. As she adhereth not to one lover, so the evil person who followeth two religions is unhappy. He is like a bad rupee nailed to the counter. He is ruined himself and he ruineth others.[47:1]
The fate of the man who tries to follow two religions :—
The evil man who followeth two religions is unhappy, and is as useless as an ostrich which cannot fly, which cannot be laden, and which strutteth ostentatiously. The elephant hath one set of teeth for display and another for eating. Goats have four teats, two on their necks and two attached to their udders. The latter contain milk, the former deceive those who expect milk from them. So turning one’s attention to two religions leadeth to disastrous failure.[47:2]
A guest remaineth hungry among several houses. When a thing held in partnership is lost, scant are the weeping and mental anxiety. When many Dums strike a drum, the discord pleaseth no one. The crow which wandereth from forest to forest is not held in honour ; how can it be happy ? As a prostitute’s body suffereth from having many lovers, so they who worship others than the Guru are unhappy in their perversity.[48]
The religious and secular observances of the Sikhs :—
The Sikhs rising at the ambrosial hour of morning [49] bathe. Collecting their thoughts and gently meditating on [ p. 253 ] the unfathomable One, they repeat the Guru’s Japji. They then go into the company of saints, and sit with them. They become absorbed in remembering and loving the Word, and sing and hear the Guru’s hymns. They pass their time in the love and service and fear of God. They serve the Guru and observe his anniversaries. They sing the Sodar in company and heartily associate with one another. Having read the Sohila and made supplication at night, they distribute sacred food. Thus do the holy Sikhs gladly taste the fruit of happiness.[50]
The Sikhs eat little food and drink little water. They speak little and boast not. They sleep little and only in the night, nor are they entangled in worldly love. When they enter a beautiful house they covet it not.[51]
Adultery forbidden :—
A man who hath one wife is continent and calleth another’s wife his daughter or his sister. To covet another man’s property is forbidden to a Sikh, as the swine is to the Musalman and the cow to the Hindu.
The ordinary secular acts of a true Sikh are equal to all the religious ceremonies performed by members of other religious denominations :—
The polite language of a Sikh is equal to a Hindu’s devotion. A Sikh beholdeth God everywhere with his eyes, and that is equal to a Jogi’s meditation. When a Sikh listeneth attentively to, or himself singeth, the word of God, that is equal to the five ecstatic sounds in the brain of a Jogi. When a Sikh doeth anything with his hands, that is equal to the obeisance and prostration of Hindus. When he walketh to behold the Guru, that is equal to an extremely holy circumambulation. When he eateth and clotheth himself, that is equal to the performance of Hindu sacrifice and offering. When he sleepeth, that is equal to a Jogi’s suspended animation. A Sikh withdraweth not his thoughts from where he hath fixed them. When a Sikh leadeth a family life, that is equal to salvation while alive. A Sikh [ p. 254 ] hath no fear of the waves of the world’s ocean, and avarice entereth not his heart. He hath passed beyond the —— of blessings and curses and uttereth them not.[52]
Who are acceptable ?—
They who have restrained the five evil passions—lust, wrath, covetousness, worldly love and pride—and they who have embraced the five virtues—truth, contentment, mercy, honesty, and an understanding of the Granth—are acceptable.[53]
Vishnu’s ten avatars and the ten parbs or festivals of the Hindus are unavailing :—
Vishnu hath uselessly assumed ten avatars; he hath not shown unto man the one God who is invisible.[54] The ten Hindu festivals observed at places of pilgrimages are not equal to the Guru’s anniversaries.[53:1]
The helplessness of the Hindu gods and of the expounders of the Hindu religion :—
Millions of Brahmas[55] have received the Veds without understanding a letter of them.
Millions of Shivs who sit in religious attitude recognize neither the form, nor the outline, nor the garb of the Creator. .
Millions of incarnations of Shiv in human form have not obtained even the slightest knowledge of God.
Millions of serpents which repeat ever new names of God daily,[56] have not arrived at a knowledge of Him.
They who have lived long and enjoyed all the pleasures of life, the followers of the six schools of philosophy, and of [ p. 255 ] the sects of Hinduism, have not recognized the true Name. Having received gifts they all forget the Giver.[57]
The Hindu god Brahma cannot be accepted as a moral guide :-—
Brahma used to preach to others, but on seeing the beauty of Saraswati, fell in love with her, and forgot his four Veds.[58]
Nor can man expect assistance from Ram or Krishan :—
O fools, ye have not remembered the Creator, and ye deem that things made by Him are God Himself.[59]
Why the feet are selected for reverence and obeisance :—
The head is above, the feet below, yet the head falleth on the feet in the act of prostration. They support the weight of the mouth, eyes, nose, ears, and hands. Q. What have the feet done that they should be worshipped to the exclus’on of other limbs? A. They go to the Guru’s asylum and to the companionship of the saints They go to the best of their ability to do good acts. May the Guru’s Sikhs wear my skin as shoes! Very fortunate are they to whose foreheads the dust of the holy man’s feet is applied.[60]
Scarcity of those who return good for evil :—
They who return good for evil are few in the world.[60:1]
The unity of God :—
As there is but one sun for the six seasons and the twelve months of the year, so the Guru’s Sikhs only behold the one God.[58:1]
Guru Nanak’s Guru :—
The Supreme Being, the All-pervading God is the divine Nanak’s Guru.[61]
[ p. 256 ]
His extent :—
Men have searched for God’s limit, but have not found it. They who went to search for His limit have not returned.[62]
His court is upright and sincere :—
God’s court is independent; hypocrisy entereth not there:[63]
Prayers for the extension of Sikhism :—
May there be hundreds and thousands of Sikhs in every city and hundreds of thousands in every country ! [64]
May the Guru’s Sikhs become hundreds of thousands, yea, countless in the world, and may a Sikh temple decorate every place ! [65]
An exhortation to the same effect :—
Having become learned in the Guru’s wisdom, enlighten the world.[66]
The Sikhs externally and internally :— The true Sikhs dress like kings and think not of mammon.[67]
Philanthropy :—
To do good to others is the mark of a saint.[67:1]
The advantages of conferring favours on Sikhs :—
To feed a Sikh with parched gram is superior to hundreds of thousands of homs and feasts, and to cause his feet to be washed is superior to assemblages at places of pilgrimage on the occasion of the ten Hindu festivals. To repeat to a Sikh the Guru’s hymns is equal to hundreds of thousands of Hindu devotional exercises. No doubt or regret remaineth when man hath even a glimpse of the Guru. Such a man is unscathed in the terrible ocean, and feareth not its waves. He who embraceth the Guru’s religion hath passed beyond the bounds of joy or grief for gain or loss.[67:2]
[ p. 257 ] The Apostate :—
The apostate who hath renounced the true Guru becometh the slave of a slave. Without the perfect Guru he wandereth in many a birth.[68]
Hewho renounceth the Guru, who is the ocean of happiness, wandereth forlorn in the world. He is at one time dashed down by the waves, and at another burnt in the fire of pride. He is bound and beaten at death’s gate and buffeted by Death’s myrmidons. Man like a herdsman remaineth here but for four days, yet he calleth himself Jesus or Moses. No one admitteth his own deficiency, but wearieth himself insisting that he is something great. The ocean-diver worketh and exhausteth himself often without recompense. Without the Guru there is painful strife.[68:1]
Current usages without the Guru’s instruction are of no avail :—
Men who forget the true Giver beg from beggars. Minstrels sing martial songs, and praise the strife and contests of heroes. Barbers also sing songs. They who reward them for the sake of show die an evil death. Bards compose eulogies, recite them, and retail false genealogies. It is proper for priests to ask for alms civilly. Faqirs who threaten to stab themselves if they receive not alms or who wear wings, may beg from shop to shop, but without the true Guru there is naught but weeping and lamentation.[68:2]
Inutility of Hindu places of pilgrimage :—
They who leave the pilgrimage of the true Guru and go to bathe at the sixty-eight places of the Hindus, sit in contemplative attitude like cranes, and rend and eat the animals in the water. Elephants may be washed, but when they leave the water they bespatter themselves with dust. The gourd sinketh not in the water, nor doth its bitterness depart at a place of pilgrimage. If a stone be washed in water, its hardness is by no means softened. The superstition of the perverse man departeth not. He [ p. 258 ] wandereth without house or home, and, being without the true Guru, cannot be saved.[69]
Ask not for a giver from whom thou shalt have to appeal to another. Employ not a worthless banker who will afterwards defraud thee. Serve not such a master as will render thee liable to Death’s punishment. Engage not a physician who cannot cure the malady of pride. It is the filth of the body and not the filth of evil inclinations which is cleansed by bathing at places of pilgrimages. Why bathe at them ? Disciples should love such a priest as will confer on them happiness and composure.[70]
True devotion is difficult for the worldly :—
Every one may see jewels, but few can appraise them. Every one may listen to songs and minstrelsy, but few know how to fix their attention on the Guru’s words.[69:1]
The holy read the Guru’s hymns with attention to their meaning.[71]
Few are they in the world who beheld Guru Nanak and listened to and obeyed his instruction.[72]
The perverse fail in self-reliance :—
Beasts and creatures without instinct are superior to the perverse. Man from being reasonable becometh unreasonable and looketh to another for help. A beast asketh not from a beast, nor doth a bird wait on a bird for assistance.!
The perverse prefer the poison of sin to the nectar of virtue, impure blood to pure milk :—
Vegetables in the forest bear fruit of many savours and perfumes. The mango, the peach, the apple, the pomegranate, the jaman,[73] the khirni,[74] the mulberry, the date, the pilun, the wild caper, the ber, the walnut—with these the cicala who eateth the akk is by no means pleased. It forsaketh ambrosial fruit and attacheth itself to poison, If a leech be applied to a female breast, it will not drink [ p. 259 ] milk but only impure blood, so the perverse man, even if he hear the Guru’s hymns in the company of the saints, uttereth folly in his conceit. His love is deception and he obtaineth not a position in God’s court.[75]
Truth :—
Devotion, penance, hom, feasts, fasting, austerities, pilgrimages, alms-gifts, the service of gods and goddesses, ceremonies, are all inferior to truth, and so are hundreds of thousands of devices. Acting truly is labelled above them all.[76]
Falsehood is as the bitter poisonous akk; truth is as the sweet mango. Truth is a king who sleepeth in peace ; falsehood is a thief who wandereth without a home, The king awaketh, seizeth the thief, and punisheth him in his court.[77]
Truth is beautiful like a turban on the head. Falsehood is a polluted clout. Truth is a powerful lion, falsehood a weak lamb. Deal in truth and thou shalt gain. Why deal in falsehood which causeth loss? Truth is a current coin, falsehood is counterfeit copper. Hundreds of thousands of stars in a dark night afford light, but when one sun riseth they all disappear. In the same way falsehood disappeareth before truth. Truth and falsehood stand to one another in the relation of a stone to an earthen vessel. If a stone be thrown at an earthen vessel it is the earthen vessel which will break. If the earthen vessel be thrown at a stone it is again the earthen vessel which will break. In either case it is the earthen vessel that suffereth.[77:1]
Falsehood is an offensive weapon, truth a defensive armour. Falsehood is an enemy who ever looketh for his opportunity of attack, truth is a real friend who assisteth, Truth is a hero, falsehood amasseth what is false. Truth is immovable and on safe ground; falsehood standeth and trembleth on an insecure basis. Truth seizeth falsehood and knocketh it down. The whole world may see this. Falsehood which is deceitful ever aileth. Truth is ever safe [ p. 260 ] and whole. Truth ever appeareth true and falsehood false.[78]
The Sikhs ought to contract alliances with one another :—
Let the Guru’s Sikhs contract alliances with the Guru’s Sikhs [79]
The equality of the Sikhs and their distinctive salutation :—
When Moslems meet, their salute is ‘Salam alaikum!’ A Jogi saith *‘Adesh!’ and receiveth in reply ‘ Adpurukh Adesh!’ A Sanyasi saith “O namo!’ while several sects utter ‘Namo Narayan!’ Men bow to Brahmans and receive blessings. But the Sikhs of the true Guru say ‘ Pairi pawana ’—I fall at your feet—which is the correct salutation.[80] Thus the rich and poor, young and old, are on an equality. The saints exhale holiness as the sandal exhaleth perfume. There is no distinction among them.[81]
The universality of Guru Nanak’s religion :—
The Ganges and Banaras belong to the Hindus, Makka and the Kaaba to the Musalmans, but Baba Nanak’s praises are sung in every house to the music of cymbals, drums, and rebecks.[82]
Holy men have no caste and are not liable to caste defilement :—
As ghi is never impure, so the saints have no caste.[83]
Follow the example of a tree and return good for evil :—
It is the specialty of a tree that it returneth good for evil. He who loppeth its branches sitteth in its shade, and it returneth him good for evil. It giveth fruit when clods [ p. 261 ] are thrown at it. When carved into a boat, it saveth him who carved it. The perverse who have not the endurance and generosity of trees, obtain not fruit, while for the worshipper countless fruit is produced. Few are the holy men who, like trees, serve God’s servants. O God, the world is his slave, who hath the qualities of a tree.[84]
The custom of the world is to return good for good, but the custom of the Guru is to return good for evil.[85]
Even the holiest Hindus violate their own commandments :—
The ten sects of Sanyasis and the twelve sects of Jogis go to strange houses to beg, and eat the food of alms which is forbidden them.[84:1]
The fate of him who through pride rebels against God :—
If any one, having an overweening conceit of himself, rebel against a king, the traitor is put to death. He is not allowed a cot to bear him, a winding sheet, a funeral pyre, ora grave. If rupees be coined not at the mint, they are counterfeit, and the coiners wreck their lives. If any one write a forged order, it shall be to his loss, and he shall shed bitter tears. He shall be disgraced, ride on a donkey, and be defiled ; and he shall have to wash off the dust that falleth on him. If a jackal assume sovereignty, his voice will betray him, and his reign shall not last long. He who attacheth himself to other than God will have to abide in an evil place.[84:2]
The love of the disciple for his Guru should be superior to everything that has been said or sung of lovers in all ages and countries :—
The lovers Laili and Majnun are known in the four quarters of the world. The excellent epic of Sorath and Bija is sung in every direction. The love of Sassi and Punnu, though they were of different castes, is everywhere spoken of. The fame of Sohni who used nightly to swim the Chinab to go to Mahinwal is well known. Ranjha and [ p. 262 ] Hir are renowned for the love they bore each other. But superior to all is the love the disciples bear their Guru. They sing it at the ambrosial hour of morning.[86]
Gur Das by familiar examples continues to describe the mutual love of the disciple and his Guru :—
Opium-eaters eschew not opium, but sit down together to eat it. Gamblers indulge in play and lose their stakes. Thieves abandon not thieving and suffer punishment when caught. Though men have sold their clothes, and remain naked to provide money for courtesans, yet are they obstinate in doing evil. Sinners commit sin and abscond to avoid punishment, but, contrary to all these, the Sikhs of the Guru, whose companionship is far from injurious, love their Guru, and he absolveth them from all their sins.[86:1]
Gur Das in his three hundred and twenty-third Kabit has given different expression to the same idea :—
A thief abandoneth not thieving through fear of punish-| ment. The highwayman looketh for an opportunity of highway robbery. Even when a man, who is smitten with a prostitute, contracteth disease from her, he still hesitateth not to visit her. Even when the gambler hath lost everything, he refraineth not from gambling. A drunkard abstaineth not from intoxicants, but continueth to take them however much people censure him, and however much medical treatises may tell him of their evil effects. The base renounce not the sins to which they have once become addicted. Wherefore how can the holy renounce the companionship of saints ?
The love of the Sikh for his Guru is superior to that for all his relations :—
There are three degrees of relationship—first those of father, mother, sister, brother, and their offspring and alliances; second, mother’s father, mother’s mother, mother’s sisters, mother’s brothers; third, father-in-law, [ p. 263 ] mother-in-law, brother-in-law, and sister-in-law, for whom gold, silver, diamonds, and corals are amassed ; but dearer than all is the love of the Guru’s Sikhs for the Guru. This is the relationship which conferreth happiness.[87]
The eyes are not satisfied with beholding sights and exhibitions ; the ears are not satisfied with hearing praise or blame, mourning or rejoicing ; the tongue is not satisfied with eating what affordeth pleasure and delight ; the nose is not satisfied with good or evil odour; nobody is satisfied with his span of life, and every one entertaineth false hopes ; but his disciples are satisfied with the Guru ; theirs is the true love.[87:1]
ve none but the Guru ; all other love is false. Enjoy no other relish than his, for it would be poisonous. Be not pleased with any one else’s singing, for listening to it would bring no happiness. All acts not according to the Guru’s teaching are evil, and bear evil fruit. Walk only in the way of the true Guru. In all other ways there are thieves who cheat and rob. The love of the Guru’s Sikhs for the Guru causeth their souls to blend with the True One.!
The chakor loveth the moon and gazeth at it continually. The chakwi loveth the sun, and on seeing it is happy. The lotus is known to love the water, and showeth his smiling face therein. The peacock and the chatrik shout with joy on seeing the sable clouds. A husband is dear to his wife, a mother taketh care of her children ; so a disciple loveth his Guru and accompanieth him to the end.[87:2]
The fate of him who is not totally devoted to the Guru :—
He who seeth not the Guru is blind, even though he have eyes. He who listeneth not to the Guru’s words is deaf, even though he have ears. He who singeth not the Guru’s hymns is dumb, even though he have a tongue. Even though he who smelleth not the perfume of the Guru’s feet have a nose, it is as if it were cut off. He who doeth not the Guru’s work, even though he have hands, is without them, and waileth in sorrow. He in whose heart the Guru’s [ p. 264 ] instruction abideth not, is without understanding and obtaineth not entrance into God’s court. Let no one abide with such a fool.[88]
The Guru’s spiritual lhberality :—
The true Guru bestoweth the four boons which are spoken of even though the Sikhs ask not for them.[89]
The Sikh catechism :—
Q. What is a Sikh’s ablution ? A. To receive the Guru’s instruction and with it wash away the filth of evil inclinations. OQ. What is a Sikh’s badge? A. A necklace of the Guru’s words. Q. What is a Sikh’s life? A. To be dead while alive and to renounce pride. Q. What is a Sikh’s duty? A. To obey the order of his Guru.[89:1]
Covet not thy neighbour’s wife or property, and indulge not in slander :—
When we see other men’s wives beautiful, we should consider them as our mothers, sisters, and daughters. Another’s property should be to the Sikhs as the swine to the Muhammadan and the cow to the Hindu. When the Sikhs hear slander of others, they should say ‘ There is none worse than ourselves.’ [90]
A Sikh ought to be ashamed to hear slander of another. Even if a holy man have miraculous power, he should not use it.[88:1]
Acceptance of God’s will inculcated :—
He to whom the Master’s will is pleasing, is pleasing to the Master. He who obeyeth the Master’s will is honoured. The Master causeth his order to be obeyed. Man is a guest in this world. Wherefore he should relinquish claims and cease to urge them.[90:1]
God is the True Guru :—
The supreme God, the perfect God, the primal Being is the True Guru.[90:2]
[ p. 265 ]
Loyalty :—
Take not arms against thy sovereign.[91]
The loyalty of a man who hath eaten his master’s salt is proved when he falleth for him in the field of battle. He who striketh off the heads of his enemies is known as the bravest of the brave.[92]
Even though some evil persons were saved, that Is no excuse for committing sin :—
Even supposing Putana was saved because she was killed by Krishan when she sought to administer poison to him, that should not be deemed a good act. Even if the courtesan be held to be saved because she had taught her parrot to repeat God’s name, that is no reason why a woman should go to a man’s house for fornication. Even if Valmik who used to commit robbery was saved on meeting a holy man, that is no reason why one should fearlessly rob on the highway. People say the huntsman who shot Krishan was saved, but that is no reason for snaring animals, Even if the butcher Sadhna was saved, a man should not recklessly take life. A boat may transport gold and iron, but they are not of the same colour or value. It is not right to hope for salvation by doing evil.[93]
The good and the evil contrasted :—
Enmity remaineth not in the mind of the good man, nor friendship in the mind of the bad man, as a line made in water quickly vanisheth. The good man forgetteth not friendship, nor the evil man enmity, as a line made on a stone is not readily effaced. Neither the desires of the evil man to do evil nor of the good man to do good are ultimately fulfilled. The good man docth not good, nor the evil man evil.[93:1]
The difference between the holy and the unholy :-—
Why should the branches of the bead-tree be compared with sweets? No one calleth the akk berries mangoes. Gilt jewels are not equal to gold. Crystal is not equal to [ p. 266 ] diamonds. Buttermilk and milk are both white, but of different quality and taste—so the holy and unholy are distinguished by their attributes.[94]
The difference between associating with a wise man and a fool :—
He who abideth with a sensible man will be satisfied with humble fare, but he who abideth with a fool will not be satisfied even with an empire.[95]
Associate not with a fool :—
A dog in anger biteth a man and he becometh mad. In affection it licketh him and he becometh disgusted. When charcoal is cool it blackeneth the hands, but when it is hot it burneth them. A snake which catcheth a musk-rat becometh blind if it let it go,? and leprous if it swallow it. If a tumour be cut it causeth pain ; and if it be allowed to remain it is unseemly. In the same way, if a family have a bad son, they suffer blame whether they abandon him or receive him. Contract neither friendship nor enmity with a fool. Remain aloof from both passions. In either camping-place there is misery.[96]
A female camel once swallowed a melon which stuck in her throat. A surgeon was called. He put a stone under the lower part of the camel’s neck, and with another stone struck the upper part and thus crushed the melon. The surgeon’s assistant, who saw the operation, gave out that he too was an accomplished surgeon, and set up in business on his own account. When an old woman went to him for treatment for some illness, he assumed that a melon had lodged in her throat also, and proceeded to cure her as his master had cured the camel. The result was that the inexperienced surgeon killed the old lady.
Gur Das tells the story as follows :—
A surgeon cured a female camel. He put one stone beneath the camel’s neck and struck the upper part of the [ p. 267 ] camel’s neck with another, and thus broke the melon. His servant thought he had mastered the surgical art. He killed an old woman and there was general female lamentation. The people seized the pretended surgeon, and gave him a sound beating, upon which his senses returned to him. When he was questioned, he confessed the whole circumstance, and his imposture was then exposed. Sensible men took and expelled him, for a glass bracelet cannot rank with jewels. A fool has no sense. A bamboo could never equal sugar-cane. A fool hath only the body of a man; he was created a brute.[97]
Associate not with the deceitful and the perverse:—
If a man enter a house of lamp-black his face will be blackened. If seed be sown in a barren field, there will be no produce. If a child swing in a broken swing, he will fall and kill himself. Ifa man who knoweth not how to swim, lean on the shoulders of another equally ignorant, how shall he cross a deep river? Abide not with him who setteth fire to his own house, and then goeth to sleep. Such is the society of the deceitful and the perverse. A man is ever in fear of his life.[98]
Gur Das describes an uproar raised by the folly of fools :—
A man after bathing at a well forgot his turban and went home bare-headed. The women of his house were silly, and on seeing the unusual circumstance began to beat their heads as if a relation had died, for an Indian appearing bare-headed is a sign of mourning. He on seeing the women weeping began to cry aloud incontinently. Men and women hearing this assembled to mourn. A barber’s wife asked in whose name she should mourn. The man’s daughterin-law said, ‘Go and ask my father-in-law the name of the man who is dead.’ There is an uproar raised in the company of fools like the cawing of rooks.[97:1]
The Hindus and Moslems may hate one another, [ p. 268 ] though they have both sprung from a common stock :—
From the union of one couple two brothers were born, and these two brothers struck out two ways. The Hindus and the Muhammadans are both made out of the five elements, but two names are given to the same substance.[99]
It is not the fault of the Sikh religion if an occasional Sikh obey not the Guru’s instructions and grow wicked :—
When moth[100] is parched over the fire some grains remain hard. This is not the fault of the fire. If one fruit out of a thousand go bad, it is not the fault of the tree. It is not the fault of water that it will not rest ona hill. Ifa sick man die from not observing the regimen prescribed for him, it is not the fault of the doctor. Ifa barren woman have no offspring, it is not her husband’s fault. In the same way if an occasional perverse man accept not the Guru’s instruction, it is his own and not the Guru’s fault.[101]
The apologue of the jackal which fell into a dyer’s vat applied to the boastful and hypocritical.
A jackal fell into a dyer’s vat and was dyed. He went into the forest and pretended to be its king. The beasts waited at his door while he sat down in his glory. Intoxicated with falsehood and pride, he began to exercise his authority. But when he opened his lips to speak, he spoiled his disguise, as radish-eaters make themselves known by their belching. So the Mina who practiseth falsehood and disgraceful acts, was ruined at God’s court.[102]
Pretended gurus are like children at play :—
On moonlight nights children play together.[103] They personate kings and subjects. Some take armies on expeditions, and some run away. They pay land revenue in potsherds. Being very fickle they leave off the play in [ p. 269 ] an instant and run home. So they who, though possessing no merits, call themselves gurus, are counterfeit and evil.[104]
It is impossible to dispense with the Guru :—
The mice fashioned a bell to put on the cat’s neck, but they could not do so. The flies resolved to bathe in ghi, but they never extricated themselves. Insects being shortlived have not time to divest themselves of impurity of birth ; if they did, how could they live? The bhambiris [105] would live in the rainy season if they could, but they are killed by the rain. The kulangs would remain in the plains after Baisakh, but they cannot live in heat. People may say they can dispense with the Guru, but without him salvation cannot be obtained: men would wander in transmigration.[104:1]
Secret initiation is not necessary. Hindus of all sects believe that until a guru secretly communicates the word of initiation into the disciple’s ear, salvation isnot obtained. Gur Das on the contrary writes :—
Wahguru is the Guru’s spell; by repeating it pride departeth.[106]
Gur Das indulges in self-abasement :—
The owl is not pleased on beholding the sun or the chakwi the moon. The simmal-tree yieldeth no fruit, the bamboo groweth near the sandal but is not perfumed thereby. Ifyou give milk to a serpent to drink, it parteth not with its poison, nor showeth it any gratitude. The bitterness of the colocynth departeth not, the tick clingeth to the cow’s udder, but drinketh blood instead of milk. All these demerits reside in me. If any one do me a favour, I return it with an injury. Garlic hath never the perfume of musk.[107]
I am wicked and sinful; I am an apostate and evil, [ p. 270 ] I ama thief, adulterer, and gambler ; I covet my neighbour’s house, I am a slanderer, unrighteous, dishonest, deceitful ; I deceive the country. I indulge in lust, wrath, pride, greed, and worldly love. I kill those who trust me; I am ungrateful and unfaithful ; who will defend me? The true Guru remembereth and pardoneth his disciples and singers.[108]
There is nct, there was not, and there never will be such an ungrateful person as I. There is none so dishonest or so devoid of merit as J. There is no such slanderer as I who have taken on my head the heavy sin of slandering the Guru. There is none so great an apostate as I who have committed the heinous sin of apostasy from the Guru. There is none so evil as I who have committed the sin of bearing enmity to him who is without it. There is no such treacherous friend as I who sit in a devotional attitude like a crane looking out for fish to devour. The great sin which I have committed in eating with those who do not obey the Guru’s words departeth not. There is no such backslider as I who have renounced the Guru’s religion and attached myself to a false one. I am called a disciple, but I meditate not on the Word.[109]
Filial duty inculcated :—
A child is conceived by the union of father and mother, and while in the womb the mother is full of hope. She abstaineth from delicacies, and is shy to appear in public. She putteth her feet cautiously on the ground. She carrieth for nine months and suffereth in giving birth to the dear boy. She then nourisheth him with great trouble, and must be careful in what she eateth and drinketh. She suckleth and cautiously giveth him infant’s medicine. The parents provide him with clothing and food, and take thought for his betrothal and education. They entrust him to a tutor, and as in duty bound spend their earnings on him. The child should discharge this load of debt to the parents.[109:1]
Filial ingratitude reprobated :—
His parents are happy while performing the boy’s betrothal. [ p. 271 ] His mother cannot contain herself with joy, and she singeth festal strains. When the boy is married, she is delighted and singeth marriage songs. She voweth many offerings when her son bringeth his wife home. In return for all this the daughter-in-law ever giveth her husband bad advice, and slandereth her mother-in-law with the object of living separate from her. The son then becometh bad, forgetteth the countless favours conferred on him by his mother, and obligeth her to grind corn for the house. Few sons are dutiful as Sarwan.[110]
Hilal ingratitude is the result of marriage :—
The wife the enchantress bewitcheth her husband. When he was born he forgot his God, and now that he is married he forgetteth his parents.[111]
A man should never under any pretext forsake his parents :-—
He who forsaketh his parents to listen to the Veds, shall never know their secret. He who forsaketh his parents to perform penance in the forest, shall go astray in the wilderness. He who forsaketh his parents to worship gods and goddesses, shall lose the reward of his devotion. He who forsaketh his parents to bathe in the sixty-eight places of pilgrimages, shall find them a whirlpool to drown him. He who forsaketh his parents to give alms, shall be deemed without faith or knowledge. He who forsaketh his parents to fast, shall die and be born again and stray in superstition. Such a person knoweth nothing of God or the Guru.[111:1]
The Sikhs claim superiority to all races :-—
The Sunni, the Shiah, and the Rafazi sects find favour with many, but they are all pagans and hypocrites and lost in superstition. The Christians and the Jews wander distraught in their pride. The Europeans, the Armenians, and the Turks are filled with vainglory. Faqirs dressed [ p. 272 ] in black, qalandars, darweshes, and twice as many more are not equal to one hair of a Sikh who hath dedicated himself to the Guru.[112]
Truth is hidden both from the Hindus and the Muhammadans ; both sects have gone astray :—
There are four castes of Hindus and four sects of Muhammadans in the world. The members of both religions are selfish, jealous, proud, bigoted, and violent. The Hindus make pilgrimages to Hardwar and Banaras ; the Muhammadans to the Kaaba of Makka. Circumcision is dear to the Muhammadans; tilaks and janeus to the Hindus. The Hindus invoke Ram, the Muhammadans Rahim; but in reality there is only one God. Since they have both forgotten their sacred books, worldly greed and the devil have led them astray. Truth is hidden from both; the Brahmans and the Maulvis kill themselves by their animosities. Neither sect shall find salvation.[113]
The Hindus read the Veds; the Sufis and the Muhammadans the books of Islam. The Muhammadans abstain from food during the Ramzan and read Arabic prayers ; the Hindus rack their brains over idolatrous worship and periodical fastings. The founders of the six Hindu systems preach each a different doctrine. The Hindus have ten incarnations, the Muhammadans the Merciful One. Both sects practise bigotry and violence.[114]
When Hindus and Moslems lay aside superstition, they form one body of Sikhs who quaff the cup of God’s love and obtain final deliverance :—
They who are intoxicated with the cup of love in the Guru’s private court, behold the Unseen One. The Sikhs spurn as well the hundred and eight-beaded rosary of the Hindus as the hundred-beaded rosary of the Muhammadans. The Sikhs, treating both rosaries alike, repeat not the name Ram or Rahim at every bead. The two sects united form one body of Sikhs, and are not then separately mentioned, so when one speaketh of the game of chaupar the pieces are [ p. 273 ] not spoken of. The Sikhs rejecting Shiv and his energy Durga arrive at their own home by means of the cup of God’s love. Unaffected by the three qualities, they attain the fourth degree of salvation. Baba Nanak proclaimed the true Word, and, by causing the true Sikhs to fix their attention on it, blended them with the True One who is the true King to whom truth is pleasing.[115]
Extracts from Gur Das’s Kabit against idolatry :—
As a virtuous woman ever thinketh on her husband and desireth not to behold another man ;
As the chatrik never longeth for lakes, rivers, or seas, but for cloud-drops, and singeth the praises of the Beloved ;
As the chakor in no way desireth to behold the sun, but in every way longeth for the moon, which is dearer to it than life ;
So do the Guru’s Sikhs naturally refrain from worshipping other gods, but not insultingly or disdainfully.
If a man look at two mirrors no distinct reflection will be formed. If a man put his feet in two boats, he cannot reach the shore.
If a man go in two directions, his feet will be worn out ; if a man travel by two roads, he will be puzzled and forget where to put down his feet.
When there are two kings, the subject cannot be happy ; when a woman has two husbands, she cannot be chaste.
When a Sikh of the Guru accepteth the support of other gods, accursed is his life in this world, and hereafter punishment from Death shall await him.
According to the rules of society, the sacred books, and the teaching of divines, it is proper for a chaste woman to serve her lord in thought, word, and deed.
To the chaste woman repetition of idols’ names, ablutions, alms, austerities, penance, pilgrimage, fasting, worship, and daily ceremonies are of no avail. [ p. 274 ]
Burnt-offerings, feasts, food offered to idols, the worship of gods and goddesses, the singing of hymns and visiting strange temples are all vanity of vanities.
So among the Guru’s Sikhs One Prop is the best ; meditation, contemplation and remembrance of other gods is harlotry.
War II. ↩︎
III. ↩︎
XL. ↩︎
III. ↩︎
IX. ↩︎
This is also translated—Sikhs associating with saints become enthusiastic in devotion, and restrain their minds from thinking of other objects of worship than the one God. ↩︎
XI. This is also translated—The Master’s servants perform hard Jabour and never complain of it to others. ↩︎
XIII. ↩︎
III. ↩︎
IV. ↩︎
VI. ↩︎
A small drum. ↩︎
VII. ↩︎
V. ↩︎
IX. ↩︎
An oriental belief arising from the peculiar conformation of the swan’s bill. ↩︎
XI. The eleventh War contains a list of the principal Sikhs up to the time of Gur Das. ↩︎
XIII. ↩︎
III. The Muhammadans are delighted to take food after the Ramzan fast. ↩︎
III. ↩︎
IV. In the fourth War Gur Das gives several examples of humility. ↩︎
VIII. ↩︎
XVI. ↩︎
XXIII. ↩︎
The second, third and fourth lines of this pauri in the original mean that the humble man goes more easily and securely to heaven than he who holds a high position in this world, and whose actions are therefore more severely scrutinized XXIII. ↩︎
XXV. ↩︎
That is, quarrel not with one another if shut up in a small space. ↩︎
Bhringi is the female of the large black bee. ↩︎
If a Sikh were to die through fear of the Guru, the Guru would reanimate him and make him like himself. ↩︎
XXV. ↩︎
XXXVIII. ↩︎
A compound of the four ingredients betel-leaf, betel-nut, catechu, and lime dyes the lips red; when the four castes are blended together in the Sikhs they assume an excellent colour. ↩︎
Malali is a black carnivorous bird, a little larger than a sparrow. ↩︎
VI. ↩︎
Stars in the fourth lunar mansion specially worshipped by Hindu women to save them from widowhood. ↩︎
VII. The women indicated are the wives of the immortal Rikhis Marichi, Atri, Pulah, Pulsat, Kritu, Angira, Vishisht. Gurumat Sudhakar. ↩︎
An umbrella, shoes, clothes, a ring, a waterpot, a cloth to sit on, five cooking vessels, a stick, a copper vessel for distributing water, corn, cee food, cash, and a sacrificial thread. Garur Puran, chap. XIII. ↩︎
VII. ↩︎
V. ↩︎
XX. ↩︎
XXXIV. ↩︎
When three hours of night remain. ↩︎
VI. ↩︎
XX. ↩︎
VI. ↩︎
The eighth and the fourteenth days of the lunar month, the day when there is no moon, the day of the full moon, the first day of the solar month, the seventeenth of the astronomical yogas, the vernal equinox, the autumnal equinox, the eclipse of the sun, the eclipse of the moon. ↩︎
Brahma is here considered merely as an exalted demigod of the Hindus. ↩︎
The serpent Ananta on which Vishnu reposes is said to repeat a thousand new names of God daily. ↩︎
XVIII. ↩︎
XV. ↩︎
XIII. See also Sorath XI. ↩︎
XXII. ↩︎
XXI. ↩︎
XIII. ↩︎
XXIII. ↩︎
XIX. ↩︎
XXVII. ↩︎
XIX. ↩︎
XXIX. ↩︎
The Prunus Padus, bird cherry. ↩︎
The Mimusops kauki. ↩︎
XVII. ↩︎
XVIII. ↩︎
XXX. ↩︎
XX. ↩︎
This was the salutation up to the time of the tenth Guru. He ordained that, when Sikhs met, their salutation should be, Wahguriu ji ka Khalsa, Wahguri ji ki Fatah. ↩︎
XXIII. ↩︎
XXIV. ↩︎
XXV. ↩︎
XXVIII. ↩︎
XXXIV. ↩︎
XXX. ↩︎
XXXV. ↩︎
XXXII. ↩︎
The musk-rat scratches out its eyes. ↩︎
XXXIV. ↩︎
XXXIII. ↩︎
Moth is an Indian pulse. ↩︎
XXXIV. ↩︎
XXXVI. ↩︎
This is specially the case before and afier the hot season in India. ↩︎
Certain Indian insects which frequent pools and rivers in the rainy season. ↩︎
XIII. Gur Das means that there should be no secrecy in the initiation of a Sikh. ↩︎
VI. ↩︎
XXXVI. ↩︎
A man who most diligently served his blind parents. He was slain by mistake by Dasarath, Ram Chandar’s father. XXXVII. ↩︎
XXXVIII. ↩︎
I. ↩︎
XXXIX. ↩︎
XXXIX. ↩︎