Vol. IV — Sikh. IV C C, Chapter XII
The Emperor on hearing of the Guru's execution became sad and repentant. His mind is said to have been agitated like leaves moved by the wind. He reflected : * As the Guru by his death hath fixed a stain on me, so I think that my own life will now be my guest for only a few days/ His courtiers on hearing this endeavoured to console him : ' O mighty monarch, the Guru disobeyed thine orders, so what sin was there in killing him ? Thou didst flay and put to death such a great man as Sarmad, so why be distressed in the Guru's case ? Why trouble regarding an accomplished fact ? ' On hearing this the Emperor outwardly appeared consoled, but could never really regain his peace of mind.
A Sikh of the Labana tribe, on happening to see the Guru's dead body was greatly grieved, and said to himself : ' A curse on the Sikhs who look on and allow this dishonour to the corpse of their Guru ! ' The Labana went home, and reproached his tribesmen on the subject. They collected oxen on which they loaded sacks, and carts on which they loaded cotton, and drove them in the direction of the Guru's corpse. In this way they hoped that their removing it for the performance of the last sad rites would not be noticed. They also hoped to elude pursuit in the dust-storm which arose after the Guru's death. The city guards were greatly troubled by the storm, and dispersed in different directions. Five Sikhs then took up the Guru's body, put it on a cart, and succeeded in taking it unobserved through the crowd. When they had taken it outside the city the dust-storm subsided.
The Sikhs' houses were all thatched, so when the pyre was lighted in them, they would take fire, and in this way the Guru's body would not be discovered. When it was duly reduced to ashes, they cried out that their houses had caught fire, and called on their
LIFE OF GURU TEG BAHADUR 389
neighbours to assist them in extinguishing it. The houses, however, were soon burnt to ashes, and the call to their neighbours to help them was futile as it had been intended. Next day they collected the Guru's remains and buried them in a copper vessel in the earth immediately under his funeral pyre. Over his remains, at a spot now known as Rakab Gunj, a shrine was subsequently erected.
The Emperor censured his staff for allowing the Guru's head and body to disappear, and deemed his own object frustrated in having put the Guru to death. In his general distress at what had occurred he was not able to take his dinner, and retired hungry. He dreamt that Bhai Mati Das appeared to him, upturned his bed, and ordered him to leave Dihli. The Emperor was unable to sleep for the remainder of the night, and endeavoured to lull his conscience by a repetition of the creed and the prayers of his religion.
While all this was taking place, the Guru's family heard of his death, the efforts made to convert him, and his noble replies to all the overtures made. The messenger told how the Guru had sent for five paise and a coco-nut, bowed to his son Gobind, made him his successor, and infused his light into him. His message to his son was to extend the true religion, and destroy the wicked. The whole assembly began to weep, but the young Guru endeavoured to console them. He said that there should be no mourning for true men like his father, who on seeing the decline of religion had assumed human birth, and having placed religion on a firm basis returned to his heavenly home. ' According to the words of Guru Arjan : —
Philanthropic men have come who are beyond birth and death ;
They give their lives, turn men to devotion, and cause them to meet God.
Consequently, my brethren, your mourning is vain.'
The young Guru who knew that his father's head was being brought to Anandpur by the last messenger sent to Dihli, dispatched two Sikhs to meet and escort it. The Sikhs fell in with its bearer about a mile from Anandpur. He told them to return and ask Guru Gobind Rai if his father's head was to be cremated at Anandpur or Kiratpur where were the shrines of the sixth and seventh Gurus and relations of theirs. The young Guru decided that Guru Teg Bahadur's head should be taken to Anandpur for the last rites.
A pyre of sandal wood was constructed and attar of roses sprinkled on the head which the young Guru took and solemnly placed on the pyre. He then repeated the preamble of the Japji and ignited the pyre with his own hands. While the head was being cremated, the Sikh congregation sang hymns of the Guru. They called to memory and spoke of Guru Teg Bahadur's philanthropic and self-sacrificing deeds. .The Sohila was then read with a conclud ing benediction and sacred food distributed. When Guru Gobind Rai reached home, he caused the reading of the Gurus' hymns to be begun, and this was continued for ten days, when alms were freely distributed. Guru Gobind Rai was in due time proclaimed the tenth Guru. There were great rejoicings on the occasion. Bards and poets assembled to sing the new Guru's praises while certain Sikhs were sad at heart as they thought of the late Guru Teg Bahadur. The memory of their kind friend and spiritual leader ever occurred to them.
After the death of Guru Teg Bahadur the Muham- madans set at liberty his faithful attendant Gurditta, a lineal descendant of Bhai Budha. He then went to where Bhai Budha used to graze the sixth Guru's horses, and there after seeing the seat of his ancestors gave up his spirit. His son Ram
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Kaur, who was then only thirteen years of age, became a very learned Gurumukhi scholar. It was he who gave the tenth Guru the tilak, or patch of spiritual sovereignty, in the presence of the descendants of all the Gurus. The enthronement of Guru Gobind Rai was performed on the fifth day of the first half of Phagan (February), A.D. 1676, with great state in a lofty building erected for the occasion.
One day the Labana who had cremated Guru Teg Bahadur's body paid Guru Gobind Rai a visit, and detailed all the circumstances subsequent to Guru Teg Bahadur's death. When the Labana said that the Sikhs were afraid to touch the body, Guru Gobind Rai vowed that he would make Sikhs such that one of them could hold his ground against one hundred thousand others. When the Labana told the Guru that he had buried the ashes of his father, the Guru ordered him to leave them where they were for the present. He would go there himself one day, and erect a temple on the spot.
The Labana continued to describe the mental state of Aurangzeb after the execution of the Guru. Wlien Aurangzeb imprisoned his own father the latter gave him three counsels — not to try to convert the Hindus, to pay his State servants well, and not to engage in war in the Dakhan. All these counsels Aurangzeb disregarded, the first two through bigotry and greed, and the third through the advice of a wandering faqir who told him it would now be impossible for him to remain in Dihli. Aurangzeb therefore decided to make an expedition against King Tana Shah in the Dakhan. From that moment Aurangzeb' s power declined, and now no trace is left of his imperial line.
Such is the account of the death of Guru Teg Bahadur given by the Sikh historians. The Muham- madan author of the Siyar-ul-Mutaakharin states that Aurangzeb had the Guru's body cut up into pieces and suspended in different parts of the imperial
capital. Whether this be true or not, it is certain that the other circumstances related by the Muhammadan writer are utterly incompatible with the whole tenor of Guru Teg Bahadur's life and writings, and cannot be accepted as even an approach to history.1
Guru Gobind Rai thus writes of his father :—
He protected the frontal marks and sacrificial threads of the Hindus
And displayed great bravery in this Kal age.
When he put an end to his life for the sake of holy men,
He gave his head, but uttered not a groan.
He suffered martyrdom for the sake of his religion ;
He gave his head but swerved not from his determination.
God's people would be ashamed
To perform the tricks of mountebanks and cheats.2
Having broken his potsherd on the head of the King of Dihli he departed to paradise.
No one else coming into the world acted like Teg Bahadur.
The world was in mourning for the demise of Teg Bahadur ; There was weeping for him in the whole world, but rejoicing in paradise.3
The following hymn of Guru Teg Bahadur is frequently sung in assemblies of Sikhs : —
Put the support of God's lotus feet into thy heart, and unite it with them.
The mind desireth evil, but it should be restrained by the Guru's instruction.
Give thy head rather than forsake those whom thou hast undertaken to protect.
Guru Teg Bahadur said, give thy life, but relinquish not thy faith.
HYMNS OF GURU TEG BAHADUR i
GAURI
O good people, renounce your mental pride,
Day and night flee from lust, wrath, and the company of the evil.
He who recognizeth pleasure and pain, honour and dis honour as the same,
And who keepeth aloof from joy and sorrow, knoweth the Real Thing in the world.
One should renounce praise and blame and search for the dignity of Nirvan :
Nanak, this is a difficult part to play ; only a few pious men know how to do so.
0 good people, God hath thus made creation —
Some perish, others think that they shall live for ever ; this is a wonderful thing and cannot be understood.
Mortal is in the power of lust, anger, and worldly love, and hath forgotten God.
The body which, like a nightly dream, is unreal man deemeth real.2
Whatever is visible shall all vanish like the shadows of the clouds :
Nanak, they who know that the world is unreal shall abide under God's protection.
The praise of God entereth not into the heart of man ; Day and night he remaineth absorbed in mammon ; say how shall he sing God's praises.
In this way he bindeth himself to children, friends, mammon, and selfishness.
This world is false as a mirage, yet man on beholding it fleeth after it.
The Lord, the Cause of happiness in this world and the next, is forgotten by the fool.
Nanak, among millions few there are who find the way to worship God.
O good people, the heart cannot be restrained ;
It is fickle, greed abideth with it, therefore it cannot be kept stable ;
Within it is violent rage which causeth all wisdom to be forgotten,
And which hath stolen the jewel of divine knowledge from all men : nothing can withstand it.
All the Jogis making efforts and the eulogists singing God's praises have failed to steady their minds.
Nanak, when God is merciful, everything is successful.
O good people, sing God's praises :
You have obtained priceless human life ; why waste it in vain ?
Enter into the sanctuary of God who is the purifier of sinners and the friend of the poor.
Why forget Him, by remembering whom the elephant's fear departed ?
Lay aside pride, worldly love, and self, and then apply your minds to God's worship.
Nanak saith, this is the way of salvation ; become a fol lower of the Guru and you shall attain it.
O mother, let some one instruct this erring mind.
Man hath heard the Veds and the Purans and the ways of holy men, yet he singeth not God's praises even for a moment ;
HYMNS OF GURU TEG BAHADUR 395
Having obtained a human body so difficult to obtain, he passeth his life in vain.
Worldly love is a very toilsome forest, yet man conceiveth love for it.
He feeleth no love for God who is ever with him at home and abroad.
Nanak, consider him in whose heart God is contained as delivered.
O good people, in God's asylum there is rest.
The advantage of the study of the Veds and the Purans is to remember God's name.
The man who is untouched by covet ousness, worldly love, selfishness, joy, and sorrow,
And who is not a slave to his passion, is the image of God ;
So is he who deemeth heaven and hell, ambrosia and poison, gold and copper, as the same ;
And so also is he who deemeth praise and blame as the same, and who is not enslaved by avarice and worldly love :
Recognize him as possessed of divine knowledge who hath not the entanglements of pain and pleasure.
Nanak, admit that such a mortal is saved.
O man, why hast thou become crazy ?
Knowest thou not that life decreaseth day and night, and that thou art degraded by avarice ?
In the body and the beautiful house and wife which thou deemest thine own,
Thou hast no share ; see and carefully reflect on this.
Thou hast lost the jewel of human life, and thou knowest not God's way ;
Thou hast not been absorbed in the feet of the Lord even for a moment, and thou hast passed thy life in vain.
Saith Nanak, that man is happy who singeth God's name and praises ;
Mammon hath bewitched all the rest of men ; they shall not obtain the fearless dignity.
0 heedless man, fear sin.1
Enter the protection of Him who is compassionate to the poor and the destroyer of every fear.
Clasp to thy heart the name of Him whose praises the Veds and Purans sing.
Pure is the name of God in the world ; by ever remember ing it all filth of sin shall be cleansed.
Thou shalt not again obtain a human body ; make some efforts now for thy deliverance.
Nanak saith, by lauding Him who is full of mercy thou shalt cross the terrible ocean.
ASA
To whom shall I describe man's troubles ?
The prey of avarice he hasteth in every direction in the hope of wealth ;
For the sake of pleasure he undergoeth much suffering, and is the slave of every individual ;
Like a dog he wandereth from door to door, and heedeth not God's worship ;
He loseth his human life in vain, and is not ashamed of men's laughter.
Nanak, why dost thou not sing God's praises so that thine evil inclinations may depart ?
DEVGANDHARI
1 /
Man doeth not a particle of my bidding.
1 have been instructing him, yet he abstaineth not from wickedness ;
He hath gone mad by the intoxication of mammon, and repeateth not God's praises ;
By fraud he deceiveth the world and filleth his own belly ;
Like a dog's tail he is never straight, and lendeth not an ear to what I tell him,
HYMNS OF GURU TEG BAHADUR 397
Saith Nanak, continually repeat the name of God, so shalt thou be successful.
All thy relations are only for life ;
Thy mother, father, brothers, sons, kinsmen, and the wife of thy house,
When the soul parteth from thy body, cry out and call thee a ghost ;
Nobody keepeth thee even half a ghari ; they expel thee from the house.
The structure of the world is like a mirage ; understand this and ponder on it in thy heart.
Saith Nanak, ever repeat God's name by which deliverance is obtained.
I have seen that the love of the world is false ;
Everybody, whether wife or friend, is intent on his own happiness ;
Everybody speaketh of his relations, and attacheth his heart to them with love ;
At the last moment nobody will accompany him : this is a strange custom.
Stupid man as yet understandeth nothing, though I have grown weary of continually instructing him.
Nanak, if man sing the praises of God, he shall cross over the terrible ocean.
BIHAGRA
Nobody knoweth God's ways ;
Jogis, jatis, penitents, and several wise men have grown weary thinking of Him ;
He can in a moment make a beggar a king, or a king a beggar ;
What is empty He filleth, and what is full He emptieth ; this is a practice of God ;
He hath spread His own illusion, and He Himself behold- eth it ;
He assumeth many shapes and playeth many sports, yet is distinct from everything.
Incomputable, illimitable, unseen, and spotless is He who hath unsettled all men's minds.
Saith Nanak, O mortal, lay aside all doubt, and think upon God's feet.
SORATH
O man, love God ;
Hear His praises with thine ears, and sing His songs with thy tongue.
Associate with holy men, remember God, and thou shalt be cleansed from sin.
Death wander eth about, O friend, like a serpent with pro truding fangs,
And it will seize thee sooner or later ; understand this in thy heart.
Saith Nanak, worship God ; thine opportunity is passing away.
Man's intentions are never carried out ;
He neither adoreth God, nor worshippeth at places of pilgrimage,1 so Death seizeth him by the top-lock.
Know that wives, friends, sons, carriages, property, wealth, the whole world,
And everything else is false ; only adoration of God is true.
Grown weary of wandering about for many ages, man hath at last obtained a human body :
Nanak saith, O man, it is now thy turn to meet God ; why not remember Him ?
O man, what evil inclinations hast thou entertained ?
Thou hast found pleasure in other men's wives and in calumny, and God thou hast not served ;
Thou hast not known the way of deliverance, but hast hurried to amass wealth.
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At last nothing shall accompany thee ; in vain hast thou entangled thyself.
Thou hast not worshipped God, nor served holy men, nor hath any divine knowledge sprung up in thy heart.
God is in thy heart, yet thou searchest for Him in the wilderness ;
Thou hast grown weary of wandering in many births, and hast not acquired a stable mind ;
Having now acquired a human body worship God's feet ; Nanak giveth thee this advice.
O man, think of seeking God's protection ;
Fix His praises in thy heart, by meditating on whom such a person as the courtesan was saved ;
By remembering Him Dhru became immovable, and ob tained the fearless dignity.
Why hast thou forgotten the Lord, who is such a Remover of sorrow ?
When the elephant took the protection of the Ocean of mercy, he escaped from the crocodile.
How far shall I describe the praises of the Name ? He who repeateth it bursteth his bonds.
The sinner Ajamal, the world knoweth, was saved in a moment.
Nanak saith, think upon the Fulfiller of desires, and thou too shalt be saved.
What efforts shall mortal make
By which he may obtain God's service and dispel the fear of death ?
Say what science shall he study, and then what acts and religious ceremonies shall he perform ?
What is that great name, by remembering which man may cross the dreaded ocean ?
In the Kal age there is one Name, that of the Ocean of mercy, by repeating which man may obtain deliverance ;
There is no other religious ceremony equal to that, as shown by sacred writings.
He who is called the Lord of the earth, remaineth ever free from joy and sorrow, uncontaminated by the world,
And unaffected by it, O Nanak, like a mirror ; He dwelleth within thee.
0 mother, how shall I behold the Lord of the earth ?
In the darkness of great worldly love and spiritual igno rance my heart hath been entangled ;
1 have lost the whole of my life in wandering, and not obtained a stable mind ;
I have night and day pursued sinful pleasures, and have not abandoned sinful habits.
I have never associated with saints or sung God's praises.
Nanak, in me is no virtue ; take me, 0 God, under Thy protection.
0 mother, my heart is not under my control ;
Night and day it chaseth sinful pleasures ; how shall I restrain it ?
Although I have heard the teachings of the Veds, the Purans and the Simritis, yet I have not given them a place in' my heart for an instant ;
1 have coveted others' goods and others' wives, and have passed my life in vain ;
I have become mad with the intoxication of mammon, and I know not any divine knowledge ;
The Pure One dwelleth in my heart, yet I know not His secret.
Since I have entered the asylum of the Saints,1 my evil thoughts have all dispersed.
Nanak, when I thought upon the Fulfiller of desires, Death's noose was cut.
O man, hold this for certain in thy heart — The whole world is like a dream, and in its destruction there shall be no delay.
HYMNS OF GURU TEG BAHADUR 401
As a wall of sand, even when elaborately built lasteth not four days,
So is the pleasure of mammon ; why art thou entangled in it, O ignorant man ?
This very day come to thy senses ; no harm is yet done ; repeat God's name.
Saith Nanak, I have proclaimed unto thee, 0 man, the special teaching of holy men.
I have seen no friend in this world ;
The whole world is attached to one for its own interest, but man will have no companion in adversity.
Wives, friends, sons, and relatives are all attached to wealth ;
When they see a man poor, they all forsake his company and flee.
What shall I say to this demented heart which is attached to them ?
I have forgotten the praises of the Lord of the poor and the Destroyer of fear ;
However much I have striven, my heart remaineth as crooked as a dog's tail, and will not straighten.
Saith Nanak, 0 God, have regard for Thy practice of forgiveness ; I have uttered Thy name.
O man, thou hast not embraced the Guru's instruction,
What availeth thee to shave thy head, and put on an ochre-dyed garment ?
Having abandoned truth thou hast attached thyself to falsehood, and lost thy human life in vain ;
Thou hast filled thy belly by deceit, and slept like a beast ;
Thou knowest not how to worship God, and thou hast sold thyself to mammon.
O madman, thou hast remained entangled with sin, and forgotten the jewel of the Name ;
Thou hast been thoughtless, thou hast not thought of God, thou hast passed thy life in vain.
Saith Nanak, O God, recognize Thy daily practice of forgiveness ; mortal ever erreth.
He who in adversity heedeth it not,
Who in prosperity feeleth neither affection nor fear, and who deemeth gold as dross ;
Who uttereth neither praise nor blame, and who suffereth not from avarice, worldly love, or pride ;
Who is unaffected by joy or sorrow, by honour or dis honour ;
Who hath renounced all hopes and desires, and expecteth nothing from the world ;
Whom lust and wrath touch not — in such a person's heart God dwelleth.
He to whom the Guru hath shown favour knoweth the way to this,
And shall be blended with God, O Nanak, as water with water.
My dear friends, know this in your hearts —
The whole world is entangled in its own pleasures ; no body is any one else's friend.
In prosperity many persons come and sit together by one, encircling him on all sides ;
When adversity befalleth him, all abandon him and no body cometh near him.
The wife of one's home who hath been dearly loved, and who hath ever been attached to her husband,
On the departure of his soul from his body fleeth away crying, ' Ghost ! ghost ! '
Such is the conduct of those whom we love :
At the last moment, Nanak, none but God is of any avail.
DHANASARI
O Sir, why goest thou to search in the forest ? God though ever apart dwelleth everywhere, and is con tained even in thee.
HYMNS OF GURU TEG BAHADUR 403
As in flowers there is odour and in a mirror reflection,
So God dwelleth continually in thy heart ; search for Him there, O brother.
Whether thou art abroad or at home, know that there is but one God ; this knowledge the Guru hath given me.
Nanak, without knowing thyself the scum of doubt shall not be removed.
0 good people, this world hath been led astray by super stition ;
It hath forsaken the memory of God's name, and it hath been sold to mammon.
It is involved in the love of mother, father, brother, son, and wife ;
Day and night it is mad with the intoxication of youth, wealth, and splendour ;
It is not attached to Him who is compassionate to the poor and ever the Destroyer of sorrow.
Nanak, among millions few there are who become attached to the Guru and recognize God.
Think not that that Jogi
In whose heart thou recognizest covetousness, worldly love, and selfishness is united with God.
He who neither calumniateth rior flattereth others, to whom gold and iron are the same,
And who is free from joy or sorrow, is properly called a Jogi.
The restless mind of man hasteth in every direction, but whoever steadily fixeth it,
Saith Nanak, thou mayest rest assured is saved.
What effort shall I now make
That my mental anxiety may be at an end, and I may cross the terrible ocean ?
1 have done nothing good since I was born, wherefore I fear the more ;
Dd2
I have not sung God's praises in thought, word, or deed ; in my heart I feel anxious regarding this ;
Although I have heard the Guru's instruction, yet no spiritual knowledge hath resulted ; I fill my belly like a beast —
Saith Nanak, O God, adopt Thy daily practice of for giveness, and I a sinner shall be saved.
JAITSARI
My erring mind hath been entangled with mammon ;
The more works I performed when devoted to avarice, the more I entangled myself ;
I had no understanding, I devoted myself to sinful plea sures, and I forgot God's praises ;
The Lord who was with me I did not recognize, I ran searching for Him into the forest.
The jewel of God was in my heart, but I knew it not.
Nanak, without worshipping God life is lost in vain.
When the fear of Death entered my heart, I clung to Thine asylum, O Ocean of mercy.
1 was a great sinner, stupid and avaricious, but I have now grown weary of committing sin.
I have not forgotten the fear of Death ; in my anxiety my body hath wasted away,
I have been running in every direction contriving plans for my salvation ;
But though the pure God dwelt in my heart, I knew it not.
I have no virtues nor have I performed devotion or pen ance : what work shall I now perform ?
Nanak, I have grown weary and have sought Thy pro tection ; O God, grant me salvation.
O man, embrace true instruction.
Admit that without the name of God all this world is false ;
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Know that the Lord, for whom the Jogis grow weary of searching without finding His limit,
Is near thee, but without form or outline.
God's name is the purifier of the world, yet thou hast never remembered it.
Saith Nanak, I have entered Thine asylum ; O Thou to whom the world boweth down, preserve me as is Thy practice.
TODI
What shall I say of my baseness ?
I have been entangled in the love of gold and woman, and have not sung God's praises.
Believing this false world to be true I conceived an attach ment for it ;
I never remembered the Protector of the poor, who is my companion and helper ;
I remained night and day absorbed in worldly affairs, and the filth of my heart forsook me not.
Saith Nanak, I have now nowhere salvation except in the protection of God.
TILANG
O mortal, if thou have wisdom, then think of God night and day ;
Every moment life is passing away like water from a cracked vessel.
Why singest thou not the praises of God, thou ignorant fool?
Attached to false avarice thou hast not thought of death ; No harm hath yet been done if thou even now sing God's praises.
Saith Nanak, by singing them thou shalt obtain the fear less dignity.
Awake, O man, awake ; why dost thou heedlessly sleep ? The body which was born with thee shall not depart with thee ;
The mother, father, sons, and relatives whom thou lovest,
Will throw thy body into the fire when the soul departeth from it.
Know that the affairs of the world last only during life.
Nanak, sing God's praises ; everything is like a dream.
O man, sing the praises of God who is with thee :
The opportunity is passing away, obey my words.
Thou hast loved too well wealth, equipages, women, and empire.
When Death's noose falleth on thy neck, all shall become the property of others.
O madman, thou hast intentionally ruined thine affairs ;
Thou didst not shrink from the commission of sin or dismiss pride.
Hear, O my brother, how the Guru hath instructed me.
Nanak loudly proclaimeth — seek God's protection.
BILAWAL
Recognize God's name as the remover of sorrow :
Know in thy heart that by remembering Him Ajamal and the courtesan were saved ;
The elephant's fear departed directly he muttered God's name.
The boy Dhru listened to Narad's instruction, and became engrossed in worship ;
He obtained the durable, immortal, and fearless rank, and the world was amazed.
Nanak saith, admit that God the Protector of saints is near thee.
Without God's name thou shalt suffer ;
Without piety doubts are not at an end ; the Guru gave me this secret.
If thou enter not God's asylum, what shall pilgrimage and fasting avail thee ?
HYMNS OF GURU TEG BAHADUR 407
Be assured that the practice of Jog and sacrificial feasts
are fruitless if man forget the praises of God.
Such man as layeth aside both pride and worldly love,
and singeth God's praises,
Saith Nanak, shall be said to have obtained salvation
during life.
He in whom there is no devotion to God, Hath lost his life in vain ; bear this in mind. I speak verily unto you ; believe his piety to be fruitless Who performeth pilgrimage and even fasting, but who
hath not control over his heart.
As water penetrateth not stone immersed in it,
So deem that mortal who worshippeth not.1
In the Kal age salvation is obtained by the name of God ;
the Guru discloseth this secret.
Saith Nanak, he is a great man who singeth God's praises.
RAMKALI
O my soul, take shelter in God's name ;
By remembering it evil thoughts are dispelled, and the rank of nirvan obtained.
Know that that man is very fortunate who singeth God's praises ;
Having lost the sins of different births he shall go to heaven.
At the last moment Ajamal thought of God,
And obtained in an instant the state which superior Jogis desire.
The elephant had no merits, no learning, and what religious ceremonies had he performed ?
Yet, O Nanak, behold the daily practice of God who granted him safety.
O my good people, what way shall man now adopt
By which all evil thoughts may be dispelled and his heart be steeped in devotion to God.
The heart remaineth entangled by mammon, and knoweth naught of divine knowledge.
Whose name is that in the world by remembering which thou shalt obtain the rank of nirvan ?
When the saints were compassionate and kind they taught me this —
Know that he who hath sung God's praises hath performed all religious duties ;
And he who night and day claspeth God's name to his heart, even for a moment,
Shall lose all fear of Death and reform his life.
0 mortal, think of God :
Every moment life decreaseth ; night and day it passeth away in vain.
Thou hast lost thy youth in sensual pleasures and thy childhood in ignorance ;
Thou hast grown old and even now thou understandest not in what folly thou art entangled.
Why hast thou forgotten God who gave thee human birth ?
Thou hast not sung for a moment the praises of Him by remembering whom man obtaineth salvation.
Why art thou proud of worldly wealth ? it will not depart with any one.
Nanak saith, think upon the Fulfiller of desires ; He will be our Helper at last.
MARU
God's name ever bestoweth comfort ;
By remembering it Ajamal was saved, and the courtesan also obtained deliverance ;
Panchali l at the royal assemblage remembered the name of God ;
HYMNS OF GURU TEG BAHADUR 409
The Merciful One removed her suffering and enhanced His own renown.
The Ocean of mercy assisteth whomsoever hath sung His praises ;
Saith Nanak, relying on this I have come and sought His protection.
Now what shall I do, O mother ?
I have lost my whole life in sensual pleasures and have not remembered God.
When Death throweth his halter on my neck, I shall have lost all my reason.1
Except the name of God what shall assist me in that affliction ?
The wealth thou deemest thine own becometh in one moment another's.
Saith Nanak, I have been reflecting in my mind that I have never sung God's praises.
0 mother, I have not renounced the pride of my heart ;
1 have passed my life in the intoxication of worldly love, and have not applied myself to the worship of God.
When Death's mace fell upon my head, then I awoke from my slumber.
But what availeth present repentance ? I shall not escape even by running.2
When this thought arose in my mind I fell in love with the Guru's feet.
Life is only profitable, Nanak, when we are absorbed in God's praises.
all. Duryodhan finding himself in possession of Draupadi ordered her to sweep his house. On her refusal she was dragged by Dhusasan, Duryodhan's brother, before an assemblage of the Kauravs. He endeavoured to pull off her clothes, but God saved her from disgrace. Draupadi is here called Panchali, for she was daughter of Drupad the king of Panchal.
BASANT
O good people, know that this body is temporary ;
The God who dwelleth within it recognize as permanent.
This world is like wealth obtained in a dream ; why be elated on beholding it ?
Why are you wrapped up in it ? nothing shall depart with you.
Renounce both flattery and slander ; take God's praises to thy heart.
Nanak, the one God filleth all things.
The sinner hath given lust a seat in his heart ; l Wherefore his restless mind is not restrained. This net of lust is cast Over Jogis, Jangams, and Sanyasis. They who remember the name of God Cross over the terrible ocean. The slave Nanak hath taken refuge in God ; Grant me Thy name, 0 God, that I may continue to sing Thy praises.
0 mother, I have obtained God's name as my wealth ; My heart hath ceased to wander and lain down to rest. Worldly love and selfishness have fled from my body, and
pure spiritual knowledge hath sprung up in me.
Avarice and worldly love cannot touch me ; I have em braced God's service.
When I acquired the jewel of the Name, the fear of con tinual birth was at an end.
When all covetousness hath departed from the heart it is absorbed in special happiness.
He to whom the Ocean of mercy is compassionate, singeth His praises.
HYMNS OF GURU TEG BAHADUR 411
Saith Nanak, this form of wealth some rare holy man obtaineth.
O my soul, why hast thou forgotten God's name ? When the body perisheth thou shalt have to do with Death.
This world is a hill of smoke ; What induced thee to consider it real ? Understand that wealth, wife, property, and home Will not depart with thee ; The worship of God alone will accompany thee. Saith Nanak, adore Him with unmixed love.
Why hast thou gone astray and attached thyself to false avarice ?
There is no harm done if even to-day thou awake.
Know that this world is like a dream ;
It will be destroyed in a moment ; accept this as true.
Adore that God day and night, O my friend,
Who dwelleth continually with thee.
Sing the praises of Him,
Saith Nanak, who will assist thee at the last moment.
SARANG
Thou hast no helper but God ;
Who hath a mother, father, son, or wife ? who hath a brother ?
Of all the wealth, land, and property which thou deemest thine own,
Nothing shall depart with thee when thou diest ; why art thou wrapped up in them ?
Thou hast not increased thy love for Him who is com passionate to the poor and ever the Destroyer of misery.
Nanak saith, the whole world is unreal like a nightly dream.
0 my soul, why art thou entangled in sensual pleasures ? In this world none may remain ; one cometh and another
goeth.
Who hath body and wealth ? who hath property ? what shall one love ?
Everything which is visible shall vanish like the shadow of a cloud.
Lay aside pride, grasp the protection of the saints, and thou shalt at once obtain salvation.
Nanak, without worshipping God there is no happiness even in one's dreams.
Why, O man, hast thou wasted thy life ?
Intoxicated by worldly love thou hast attached thyself to sensual pleasures and not entered God's protection.
This world is all a dream ; so why art thou covetous ?
Everything that was created shall perish ; nothing shall be allowed to remain.
This temporary body thou deemest permanent ; in this way hast thou entangled thyself.
Nanak, only he who applieth his mind to the adoration of God, shall obtain salvation in this world.1
1 never heartily sang the praises of God ;
I remained attached to sensual pleasures night and day, and did what pleased myself.
I never carefully listened to the Guru's instruction : I became entangled with others' wives.
I busied myself greatly in calumniating others, and under stood not the counsels I received.
How far shall I describe my acts — how I have wasted my life ?
Saith Nanak, in me are all demerits ; protect me, O God, I have come to thy sanctuary.
HYMNS OF GURU TEG BAHADUR 413
JAIJAWANTI l
Remember God, remember God, this is thy duty ;
Abandon the companionship of worldly love ; cling to God's sanctuary ; admit that the pleasures of the world are false ; everything is unreal.
Consider wealth as a dream ; of what art thou proud ? the empire of the earth is as a wall of sand.
The slave Nanak saith, thy body shall be destroyed ; yesterday passed away moment by moment, so also shall to-day.
Adore God, adore God ; thy life passeth away.
Why should I warn thee every moment ? why under- standest thou not, O fool ? The body is like hail, it vanisheth in a moment.
Reject all doubt and repeat God's name ; at the last moment this alone will depart with thee.
Forsake sensual pleasures as poison ; take the praise of God to thy heart ; Nanak proclaimeth, the opportunity is passing away.
O man, what shall be thy condition ?
In this world the only means of salvation is God's name to which thou hast not attentively listened ; thou hast been excessively addicted to sensual pleasures, and not diverted thy thoughts from them.
Thou hast obtained human life, yet thou hast not remem bered God for a moment ; thou hast been in subjection to the charms of woman and thy feet are fettered.
Nanak proclaimeth, the extension of the world is like a dream ; why thinkest thou not upon God to whom mam mon is but a handmaiden ? 2
Thy life shall pass away, shall pass away in vain ; Though thou hearest night and day the ancient histories,
yet, O silly man, thou understandest them not ; Death hath arrived ; whither shalt thou flee ?
That body of thine which thou thinkest permanent shall become dust ; why repeatest thou not the name of God, thou shameless fool ?
Introduce the service of God into thy heart ; renounce mental pride, so shalt thou, Nanak asserteth, be illustrious in the world.