O beloved saints, all happiness and abundant joy are theirs who have sewed God’s jewel in their hearts.
They forget not for a moment the support of life ; 0 Nanak, they live by repeating God’s name.
turbans. The Nihangs, a small sect of Sikhs, quote this line in justification of their tall head-dress.
Majh.
Gratitude to God who treats all men as equal.
That season is pleasant when I remember Thee, O God;
That work is pleasant which is done for Thee.
O Thou who bestoweth on all, that heart is happy in which Thou dwellest.
Thou art our universal Father.
In Thine inexhaustible storehouse are all treasures.
He on whom Thou bestoweth is satisfied and satiated, and he is Thy worshipper.
Every one reposeth his hopes in Thee.
Thou abidest in every heart,
All are partners in Thee ; Thou disownest none.
. Favour with God is likened to a woman’s happy married life:—
In the house where the Beloved celebrated His marriage
Female friends sang songs of rejoicing.
Where the Spouse hath adorned the bride, there reign joy and pleasure.
The woman who is dear to her husband, is beautiful, clever, skilful,
Well conducted, and distinguished :
She is accomplished, and very fortunate ;
She possesseth sons and is a virtuous wife ;
She hath all decorations, and it is she who is wise.
She who is adorned with the love of her Spouse, is of good family and a queen.
The greatness of her whom her Spouse
Hath embraced cannot be described.
The married life of her who hath the support of the love of the Unapproachable and Inapprehensible Spouse shall be eternal.
The Hindu Shastars and religious ceremonies are of no avail:—
1 have searched and searched in the desire to behold Thee, Q Q*&\
HYMNS OF GURU ARJAN 113
I have traversed every variety of forest.
Is there any one who will bring me my God—who is devoid of qualities, and yet possesseth all qualities—and introduce me to Him ?
Man may recite aloud the wisdom of the six Shastars ;
He may worship, apply frontal marks, and bathe at places of pilgrimage ;
He may perform the nivali feat, and sit in the eighty-four postures of the Jogis, but he shall obtain no comfort therefrom.
Man may perform devotion and penance for many years ;
He may travel and roam over the earth ;
Yet peace shall not enter his heart for a moment, and his soul shall wander again and again.
God being merciful hath caused me to meet the saint.
My soul and body are refreshed, and I have obtained consolation.
The immortal God resideth in my heart, and Nanak singeth to God a song of rejoicing.
Praise and prayer to the Almighty:—
Darling God, merciful, joyous,
Deep, profound, endless, Sustainer of the earth,
Lofty, unfathomable, eternal Lord, I live by remembering Thee.
Destroyer of sorrow, priceless treasure,
Without fear or enmity, unfathomable, unequalled,
Deathless, unborn, self-existent; the mind becomcth refreshed by remembering Thee.
O God, Thou joyous One, be ever with me.
Thou art the Cherisher of high and low.
Thy name is the elixir which satisfieth my heart ; under the Guru’s instructions let me drink the nectar.
In pain or pleasure I meditate on Thy name, O dear One :
This wisdom have I obtained from the Guru.
Thou art Nanak’s support, 0 God; by Thy love I shall be
saved.
SIKH, m I
H4 THE SIKH RELIGION
The Guru expresses his love for God by familiar similes:—
Thou art, 0 God, an ocean of water ; I am Thy fish :
I a chatrik thirst for the drops of Thy name.
In Thee is my hope, for Thee I thirst, my heart is absorbed in Thee.
As a child is satisfied by drinking milk,
As a poor man is happy on finding wealth,
As a thirsty man is refreshed by drinking water, so is my soul happy with God.
As a lamp shineth in the darkness,
As a woman's hopes are fulfilled on beholding her spouse,
As one becometh happy on meeting one’s beloved, so is my soul gladdened with God’s love.
The saints have put me on God’s road,
* And being merciful have made me intimate with Him.
God is mine ; I am His slave ; Nanak, the Guru hath given me the true Word.
God’s name is the sweetest and most potent of all relishes :—
The ambrosial Name is ever pure.
God is the bestower of comfort and the Destroyer of sorrow.
I have tasted and tried all other relishes, but to my mind God is the sweetest dainty of all.
They who drink the nectar of His name are satisfied,
And become immortal on possessing it.
The treasure of the Name is obtained by him in whose heart the Guru’s word abideth.
He who obtaineth the essence of God’s name is satisfied and cloyed.
He who hath obtained God’s sweets wavereth not.
God’s name is obtained by him on whose forehead favourable destiny was recorded.
God hath come into the possession of one man, the Guru, from whom many receive favours.
On meeting him many obtain salvation.
The pious obtain the treasure of the Name.* but few, 0
Nanak, are they who have seen them.
HYMNS OF GURU ARJAN 115 God's praises:—
God is my ocean, God is perfection, God is my wealth ;
O deep and profound One, Thou art the boon of my life. He who toucheth the Guru’s feet enjoyeth countless pleasures and delights.
They who have seen God are pure,
And save all their brethren and friends.
My Lord is inaccessible, and inapprehensible ; I meditate on Him, the True One, by the kindness of the Guru.
A few by great good fortune have obtained a sight of Him, Whom men make every effort to find.
His palace, exalted, infinite, and invisible, the Guru hath shown me.
Deep and profound is Thine ambrosial name, O God ;
He in whose heart it dwelleth obtaineth deliverance. Nanak, they whose bonds are all cut off by the Guru arc absorbed in God.
The Guru delights in his devotion:—
By God’s favour I meditate on His name,
And by His mercy I sing a song of joy.
All your lives whether standing, sitting, sleeping, or waking, meditate on God,
The holy man hath given me the Name as medicine ;
He hath cut off my sins, and I have become pure :
All my pains have departed, all my pangs have been assuaged, and I have become happy.
He whom my Beloved assisteth
Shall be delivered from the ocean of the world.
Why should he who recognizeth the Guru as true be afraid?
Since I have obtained the society of the saints
And met the Guru, the demon of pride hath departed.
At every breath Nanak singeth God’s praises ; the true Guru hath cast a veil over his sins.
The condition of God’s worshipper :—
God pervadeth His worshipper as warp and wool God, the Bestower of comfort, cherisheth His worshipper.
I 2
n6
1 draw water, I fan, I grind corn for him, and am ever ready to do the work of the Lord.
God hath cut off my chains and applied me to His worship.
The order of the Lord is pleasing to the worshipper’s heart.
He acteth as is pleasing to the Lord ; he becometh versed in spiritual and wordly knowledge.
Thou art wise, 0 God ; Thou knowest all things.
God’s worshippers enjoy His love.
What belongeth to God belongeth to His worshipper ; the worshipper is distinguished in the company of his Lord.
He whom God hath clothed with His robe of honour,
Shall not again be called on for his account.
Nanak is a sacrifice to that worshipper ; he is a gem of the Deep and Unfathomable.
The devotion of the householder is superior to that of the anchoret:—
Everything is found at home, nothing abroad :
He who searcheth abroad is lost in doubt.
He who by the Guru’s favour hath found God in his heart, is happy in mind and body.
A stream of nectar raineth on him in torrents.
The man who drinketh it after hearing and reflecting on the Word,
Rejoiceth and is glad day and night, and ever sporteth with God.
Separated from God through many births, I have now found Him,
And though dried up have revived by the Guru’s favour.
Having met pious men I have obtained excellent wisdom, and meditated on the Name.
As waves blend with water,
Sa \s> hlewdeA with \l%ht.
Saith Nanak, the doors of error have been opened for its escape, and there shall be no more wandering. 1
The Guru's devotion to the holy:—
I am a sacrifice to him who hath heard Thy praises ;
HYMNS OF GURU ARJAN 117
I am a sacrifice to him who uttereth Thy name ;
I am ever a sacrifice to him who worshippeth Thee with heart and soul.
I will wash his feet and behold
That merciful person who walketh in Thy path.
I will bestow my heart on that friend of mine who meeting the Guru hath found God.
Greatly fortunate are they who know Thee;
Among crowds they live apart unaffected by them ;
In the company of the saints they subdue all passions and cross the terrible ocean.
Having renounced pride, insolence, and the darkness of worldly love,
My soul hath entered their asylum.
Ye saints , grant Nanak the gift of the name of that in- acccessible and unfathomable God.
God pervades creation :—
Thou art the tree ; Thy branch 1 hath blossomed ;
From being small Thou hast become great.
Thou art an ocean, Thou art its foam and its bubbles ; there is nothing seen besides Thee.
Thou art the string, Thou art the beads of the rosary ,
Thou art its knots, Thou art its chief bead.
God is in the beginning, the middle, and the end, and none besides is seen.
Thou dwellest at ease ; Thou art the Enjoyer ; Thou art saturated with love.
Thou knowest Thine own affairs ; it is Thou who remem- berest Thyself. 3
Ttiou art God, and again Thou art Thine own worshipper \
Thou art concealed, 0 God, and again manifest.
n8 THE SIKH RELIGION
The slave Nanak ever singeth Thy praises : look on him with a little kindness.
Man is happy on meeting the Guru and hearing his universal instruction:—
On hearing it my final emancipation is obtained.
On beholding the true Guru the burning of my mind hath been quenched, and it hath become cool;
Happiness is obtained and sorrow fleeth far away.
When the saints repeat God’s name,
Water, dry land, and lakes are completely filled with it ; there is no place without it.
The Creator showing mercy
Cherisheth all men and lower animals.
. By the kind, merciful, and compassionate One all living things are satisfied and satiated.
God made the forests, the glades, and the three worlds :
He created them all in a moment.
Under the Guru’s instruction, Nanak, adore Him who fulfilleth the desires of the mind.
God’s relationship to man :—
Thou art my father, Thou art my mother,
Thou art my kinsman, Thou art my brother ;
Thou art everywhere my protector; then why should I feel fear and anxiety ?
By Thy favour I recognize Thee ;
Thou art my shelter, Thou art mine honour.
Besides Thee there is none other ; the whole world is the arena of Thy play.
Men and lower animals all hast Thou created ;
Thou didst appoint them to whatever duties pleased Thee.
Everything Thou hast created is Thine ; there is nothing ours.
I have obtained great comfort by meditating on Thy name,
And my heart is refreshed by singing Thy praises.
The perfect Guru hath congratulated me ; Nanak hath overcome his difficulties.
HYMNS OF GURU ARJAN 119
Divine instruction refreshes the mind:—
By God’s order the rain beginneth to fall.
Let us, my friends, having met the saints, repeat His name.
I have obtained coolness, peace, composure, and comfort, since God Himself infused coolness into my heart.
By God's grace the Guru's instruction has been promulgated:—
The Lord God hath become merciful;
Rain hath fallen everywhere.
The Creator, compassionate and ever merciful to the poor, hath bestowed comfort on us,
And cherished His human beings and lower animals
As a mother taketh care of her child.
Thou, O Lord, art the Destroyer of grief, an Ocean of comfort, and Thou givest sustenance to all.
The Kind One filleth sea and land :
I ever devote myself and am a sacrifice to Him ;
I ever meditate on Him night and day, who in one moment saveth all beings.
Since God Himself preserveth them,
All their sorrows and afflictions depart.
When the Name is repeated,
And God looketh on us with favour, O Nanak, the soul and body are refreshed.
The universal happiness produced by the diffusion of the Guru's instruction :—
Rain hath fallen ; God made it fall :
He hath caused all men and animals to dwell in comfort:
Their sufferings have departed, and they have obtained true happiness by remembering God’s name.
He whose they are cherisheth them ;
The supreme God hath become their Protector.
My God hath heard my supplication, and my labour hath been successful.
By the Guru’s favour I have beheld Him
Who is the Benefactor of all living things.
The things that dwell in sea and land, beneath the earth,
and in the firmament, are all satisfied, and I shall now wash the feet of holy men.
I am ever and ever a sacrifice to Him
Who fulfilleth the heart’s desires.
O Nanak, the Destroyer of pain hath bestowed this boon on me, and I am dyed with the love of Him who is the abode of pleasure.
Praise and thanksgiving :—
My soul and body are Thine ; my wealth also is Thine ;
Thou art my Lord and Master ;
My soul and body are all Thy capital; my power is from Thee, O God.
Ever and ever Thou alone art the Giver of happiness.
I bow and bow and touch Thy feet.
If it please Thee, and Thou give me work, 0 Merciful One, I will perform it.
O God, it is from Thee alone I receive ; Thou art mine ornament.
Whatever Thou givest I treat as happiness.
Wherever Thou placest me, there shall be heaven for mo : Thou art the Cherisher of all.
Nanak having remembered Thee hath obtained happiness.
He hath sung Thy praises all day long ;
All his heart’s desires have been fulfilled, and he shall never more be unhappy.
God sent the Guru to comfort the world :—
The supreme God hath sent the cloud, 1
And hath caused it to rain on sea and land in all directions.
Comfort hath ensued, all thirst is quenched, and there is joy everywhere.
An exhortation to holiness :—
My soul and body are dyed with the beloved God.
Sacrifice to Him all that thou hast :
Sing God’s praises the live-long day, and forget Him not even for a moment.
HYMNS OF GURU ARJAN 121
He who meditateth on God’s name in the company of holy men,
Is my beloved saint and friend.
In the company of holy men thou shalt cross over the world’s ocean and cut Death’s noose.
By God’s service the four boons 1 are obtained.
Repeat His name who is the Tree of Life unseen and inscrutable.
The Guru hath cut off my sins of lust and anger, and my hopes have been fulfilled.
The mortal who hath perfect good fortune
Shall meet God in the company of holy men.
Nanak, he within whose heart the Name abideth shall be acceptable, whether a householder or an anchoret.
Prayers ought only to be offered for worthy objects :—
If any one pray for worldly objects,
He shall not take long to perish.
He who ever worshippeth the Supreme Being, shall on meeting the Guru abide everlasting.
He in whose heart there is love and devotion,
Ever waketli day and night singing God’s praises.
God will take his arm and blend with Himself him whom He hath destined to receive from Him.
God’s lotus feet dwell in the hearts of the saints.
Without God’s assistance all men are robbed.
Ever desire the dust of the saints’ feet : the name of the True One is their ornament.
Whether standing or sitting sing God’s name :
By remembering it a permanent boon is obtained.
O God be merciful to Nanak ; what Thou doest must be endured.
Majh Ashtapadi
The Guru replies to several questions of his Sikhs:—
Who is saved ? Who hath found the right way ?
Who hath divine knowledge ? Who is the preacher ?
Who is householder ? Who is anchoret ? Who hath found God’s price ?
How is man bound ? How is he set free ?
How shall he escape from transmigration ?
Who doeth good works ? Who doeth unselfish works ? Who speaketh of God and causeth others to speak of Him ?
Who is happy ? Who afflicted ?
Who tumeth towards the Guru ? Who turneth away from him ?
How is God met ? How doth man separate from Him ? Who shall explain this to me ?
What is that word by which the mind’s wandering ceaseth ?
What is that instruction by which man may bear weal and woe alike ?
What is that way by which man may meditate on the Supreme God ? What is that way by which man may sing His praises ?
The following are the replies seriatim to the above questions:—
The believer is saved : the believer hath found the right way ;
The believer possesseth divine knowledge; the believer is the preacher.
Blest is the believer, whether householder or anchoret ; the believer hath found God’s price.
By pride man is bound ; by the Guru’s instruction he is freed.
The believer escapeth from transmigration.
The believer performeth good works ; the believer performed unselfish works; whatever the believer doeth is acceptable.
The believer is happy ; the unbeliever is afflicted.
The believer listeneth to the Guru ; the unbeliever turneth away from him.
The believer meeteth God ; the unbeliever is separated from Him—the Guru hath explained this.
The Guru’s instruction is the Word by which the mind’s wanderings cease ;
HYMNS OF GURU ARJAN 123
By the Guru’s instruction woe and weal are borne alike.
The Guru’s teaching is the way by which the supreme God is meditated on, and man singeth His praises.
Thou Thyself hast made the whole creation.
Thou art the Cause of causes, and hast established everything.
Saith Nanak, from being one Thou hast become endless, and in the One the Endless is absorbed.
God's praises:—
God is indestructible, then what anxiety can there be ? 1
God is Omnipotent, so His slave is perfectly happy.
O Giver of life, soul, honour, and happiness, we obtain happiness from what Thou doest for us.
I am a sacrifice and my life is a sacrifice to that holy man to whose soul and body Thou art pleasing.
Thou art my mountain ; 2 Thou art my shelter ; none can rival Thee.
He to whom Thy works are agreeable
Hath seen Thee, O Supreme God, in every heart.
Thou art the one sole God contained in every place.
Thou gratifiest all the heart’s desires :
Thy storehouses are filled with devotion and love.
He whom Thou mercifully protectest shall be absorbed in Thee by perfect good works.
God hath brought man to the surface out of the blind well.
He mercifully regardeth His servant with a favouring eye.
The servant singeth the perfect and immortal God’s praises in repeating and hearing which there is no end.
In this world and the next Thou art the Protector, 0 Lord ;
Thou cherishest the child in its mother’s womb.
The fire of Maya cannot affect those who are dyed with God’s love and sing His praises.
What excellences of Thine can I remember and relate ?
In my soul and body I behold Thee.
Thou art my Friend, my Saint, and my Lord ; I know none but Thee.
He whose helper Thou art, 0 God,
Feeleth no hot wind.
Thou art the Lord ; Thou givest comfort to those who seek Thy protection ; by repeating Thy name in the company of the saints, Thou becomest manifest.
Thou art exalted, unfathomable, infinite, and inestimable.
Thou art the true Lord ; I am Thy servant and slave ;
Thou art the King, true is Thy sovereignty. Nanak is a sacrifice unto Thee.
The Twelve Months of Guru Arjan Majh
O God, mercifully unite with Thee those who by their past acts are separated from Thee !