Both worlds, here and hereafter, are filled with God's light ;
The sun and moon are merely servants who hold His torches.^
If, my friend, thou associate with the holy, Thou shalt obtain abiding wealth.
Evil is that society from which evil resulteth, And which will at last bring sorrow in its train.
As far as may be, remain servants and claim not to be Master : ^
A servant ought not to search for aught but service.
Hence, my dear friend, thou oughtest to distinguish between thyself and God. Even if thou art united with
Him, utter not one word which doth not express thy sub- jection to Him. When Mansur said, I am God, they put his head on the gibbet.
This heart of thine, O man, is God's temple : What shall I say ? This is God's ordinance.
Since thou knowest that God abide th in every heart. It is thy duty to treat every one with respect.
Though thy Lord sitteth and con verse th with thee. Yet through thy stupidity thou runnest in every direction to find Him.^
The Omnipotent is manifested by His omnipotence.
Sweetness trickleth from the words of the holy ;
The water of life drippeth from every hair of their bodies.
The saints are the same without and within ; Both worlds are subject to their orders.
They who search for God are ever civil.
Courtesy pointeth out the way that leadeth to God. The discourteous are beyond God's kindness. ^
In the following extract from Nand Lai's Diwan Goya, a clear distinction is drawn between God and man: —
Although the wave and the ocean both consist of water, yet there is a great difference between them. I am one wave of Thee who art an endless sea. Thou art as distinct from me as heaven is from earth.
^ That is, thou goest on idolatrous pilgrimages
LIFE OF GURU GOBIND SINGH 105
Chapter XIII
About this time the Guru, thinking that his kitchen was not well served, paid a visit to it in disguise, and asked for something to eat. He received various refusals from the cooks. One of them said that prayer must first be offered. Another^ * We must first give the Guru his dinner.' When the Guru had received several similar excuses and nothing to eat, though he urged that he was hungry, he went to Nand Lai to beg his dinner. Nand Lai at once brought forth flour, vegetables, salt, and clari- fied butter, and handed them to the supposed mendicant, who took them and departed. Next day the Guru in open court told how he had paid a visit in disguise to his kitchen, and how he had been treated. The cooks were very much ashamed and craved forgiveness. He then gave orders that every wandering Sikh who came to his door should at once receive food, whether raw or cooked, without excuse or delay. The Guru con- tinued : ' There is nothing equal to the bestowal of food. Blest is the man who giveth to the really hungry. Let no one fix a time for the exercise of this virtue. It is not necessary to consider whether it is night or day, evening or morning, whether the moon is dark or full, or if there is a particular anniversary. Nor is it necessary to consider what the social position of the applicant may be. Avoid all delay in such a matter. Charity is of all gifts the greatest, for it saveth life.'
The Guru had an opportunity of making further trial of the masands. Some Sikhs of Patna, Manger, and other parts of Bengal came to see him. These were accompanied by Chaia and Maia, sons of Bulaki, the masand of Dhaka. One of the Sikhs presented a piece of Dhaka muslin to the Guru as an offering. His courtiers began to admire it, and said they had never before seen such a beautiful
io6 THE SIKH RELIGION
fabric. On inquiry it was discovered that the same Sikh had previously made a similar present through the masands to the Guru's mother, but it had never reached her. Chaia and Maia were scourged as a punishment.
The Guru heard that the Ranghars and Gujars of a town called Bajrur, beyond the Satluj, had plun- dered some Sikhs. The Guru took occasion during one of his hunting excursions to proceed thither with a small force. The town was invested and exemplary punishment meted out to its inhabitants, so that no one might afterwards be tempted to annoy the Guru's followers.
A story is told which illustrates the Sikh view of sacred music. A Sikh complained that the musicians on one occasion began to chant before he had quite finished reciting the Sukhmani. The Guru said that reciting the Gurus' hymns bore the same comparison to chanting them to musical accom- paniments as coarse pulse to sweet sacred food. The gyanis supply another comparison, and say that recitation is to chanting with music as well water, which only benefits the owner of a few fields, to rain water which sheds blessings on all.
There is an anecdote told of a Sikh who in the Guru's presence mispronounced a word in the Granth Sahib, and so gave a wrong meaning to the line in which it occurred. The Guru took the mis- take as a text to preach the advantages of correct reading of the Sikh sacred hymns. ' O Sikhs, listen to what I have to tell you on this subject. Read the Gurus' hymns correctly. There is the greatest advantage in such reading, for it will ensure bliss here and hereafter. If a hymn be written incorrectly, correct it and then read it, as one may mend and use a household article which hath been broken. The man who thus correcteth not the Gurus' hymns hath no love for them.'
It will be remembered that Guru Teg Bahadur,
LIFE OF GURU GOBIND SINGH 107
when in prison in Dihli, prophesied the advent of the English. One day the conversation between Guru Gobind Singh and his disciples turned on this subject. His disciples asked him what the condition of the Sikhs would be when the English arrived. The Guru replied, ' The English shall come with a great army. The Sikhs too shall be very powerful, and their army shall engage that of the English. Sometimes victory shall incline to my Sikhs, some- times to the English. As long as the religion of the Sikhs remaineth distinct, so long shall the glory of those who profess it increase. But when the Sikhs become entangled in the love of mammon, think of nothing but their own children, their wives, and their homes ; when those who administer justice oppress the poor and take bribes ; when those who sit on carpets sell their daughters and sisters ; when Sikhs abandon the Gurus' hymns and in lieu of them follow the Shastars and adopt the religion of the Brahmans ; when Sikh rajas forsake their Gurus and fall under the influence of the priests of other religions ; when they scruple not to consort with courtesans, and allow their states to be governed by evil influences, then shall the English rule and their glory increase.'^
The Sikhs asked the Guru what should become of the great empire of the Turks. The Guru replied, * Aurangzeb relying on Makkan oracles is destroying the Hindu religion, and in his insane career will stop at nothing short of a miracle. He is even preparing to contend with me. He respecteth not the religion of the Gurus, but we shall gain the victory, and the glory of the Turks shall fade away. Such of them as survive shall become common labourers and suffer indignities from their masters. At the end of the Sambat year 1800 (a. d. 1743) the Sikhs shall take possession of many countries. Three years after that Sikhs shall spring out of every bush, and there
^ Siiraj Parkas hf Rut III, Chapter 37.
io8 THE SIKH RELIGION
shall subsequently be terrible warfare between the Sikhs and the Muhammadans.
' A powerful monarch shall come from Kandhar ^ and destroy countless Sikhs. Their heads shall be piled in heaps. He shall continue his progress of destruction to Mathura in Hindustan, and alarm many lands. None shall be able to withstand him. As prophesied by Guru Arjan, he shall raze the temple of Amritsar to the ground, but the Sikhs shall plunder his camp on his retreat from India.
' In the Sambat year 1900 (a. d. 1843), the Turks who survive shall lose their empire. A Christian army shall come from Calcutta. The Sikhs who are at variance with one another will join them. There shall be great destruction of life, and men and women shall be expelled from their homes. The Sikhs who abandon their arms and join the Brah- mans against the English, shall have great sufferings. The real Sikhs shall hold their ground and survive.'
A Sikh called Kahn Singh was once plastering a wall and let a drop of mud fall on the Guru. The Guru ordered that he should receive one slight stroke as punishment. The Sikhs exceeded their orders, and several of them beat the man severely. The Guru on discovering this wished to make reparation, and the reparation was to provide the sufferer with a wife. The Guru asked his Sikhs if any of them would give his daughter in marriage to the plasterer. All remained silent. The Guru said, ' You found it easy to obey my order to strike this man. Why not obey my present order ? I find you are Sikhs only for your own advantage.'
It happened that at that time a Sikh called Ajab Singh from Kandhar was present with his virgin daughter in darbar. He said, * O true king, my daughter is at thy disposal.' The Guru compli- mented him and said, ' O Sikh, thou hast to-day
^ This refers to an invasion of Ahmad Shah in a.d. 1762 when he blew up the Har Mandar, or Golden Temple, at Amritsar.
LIFE OF GURU GOBIND SINGH 109
proved that thou art a true member of the Khalsa/ The plasterer represented that he would not marry on account of the endless troubles attending wedded life. The girl on hearing this said to him, ' By the Guru's order I am already thine. If thou accept me not, I will not wed another, but remain here to do service at the Guru's feet.' The Guru then inter- posed and urged the plasterer to wed the girl. He accordingly did so by Sikh marriage rites known as Anand. The Guru promised that he should have five distinguished sons as the result of his marriage, a prophecy which was duly fulfilled.
The Guru now became frequently silent, a matter which caused his mother great anxiety. Seeing him one day alone, she approached him, and after the usual blessing said, ' Blest am I that such a son hath been born from my womb ; but I am now anxious regarding thee. People say that thou art completely altered. Explain why thy spirits are depressed, and thou art no longer cheerful as before.' The Guru repUed, ' Mother dear, I will tell thee my secret. I have been considering how I may confer empire on the Khalsa.'
The Guru prescribed convivial rules as a pre- liminary to his great enterprise. Wherever he had a kitchen, it should be considered God's own, and the Sikhs should eat therefrom. Should any of them object on the ground of caste prejudice, he should be deemed beyond the pale of Sikhism. Before the distribution of sacred food a prayer should first be uttered. After meals the first stanza of the fifth Ashtapadi of the Sukhmani should be recited as a thanksgiving. When a man had satisfied himself at the Guru's kitchen, he should take no food away with him. When a Sikh invited another to dine with him, he should accept his hospitaUty and not find fault with his viands. Whenever a Sikh was hungry, he should be fed and treated with respect.
After this the Guru prescribed some general rules
no THE SIKH RELIGION
for the guidance of his Sikhs. At the beginning of every work or enterprise they should recite suitable prayers. They should always assist one another, they should practise riding and the exercise of arms. If the Sikhs remembered the Guru's instruction, he promised to make all the inhabitants of India sub- ject to them. He who cast a covetous eye on his neighbour's property should go to hell. He who assisted a Sikh to complete any worthy or noble undertaking or study, should obtain spiritual reward.
Being questioned on the subject of marriage relations, the Guru uttered the following : ' When I received understanding, my father Guru Teg Bahadur gave me this instruction, " O son, as long as there is life in thy body, make this thy sacred duty ever to love thine own wife more and more. Approach not another woman's couch either by mistake or even in a dream. Know that the love of another's wife is as a sharp dagger. Believe me, death enter eth the body by making love to another's wife. They who think it great cleverness to enjoy another's wife, shall in the end die the death of dogs." '
Once when there was scarcity in the land the Guru's mother, without consulting him, ordered that food should be cooked only once a day, and even then be sparingly distributed. Upon this the Sikhs complained to the Guru. He said, ' Some evil persons have induced my mother to issue orders contrary to my wishes, but, O Khalsa, the Guru's kitchen shall be ever open. The Turks shall flay those who have given evil advice to my mother.' The Guru's mother on hearing this became much distressed, and with tears in her eyes implored her son's pardon. The Guru pardoned, her, but added, ' If thou close the Guru's kitchen, my curse shall avail, but if thou keep it ever open, my curse shall be retracted.' From that day forth, twofold, nay fourfold supphes poured into the Guru's kitchen.
LIFE OF GURU GOBIND SINGH iii
Chapter XIV
A handsome young goldsmith one day presented himself before the Guru and began to fan him. He said that his father had taken the charanpahul in vogue at the time of the preceding Gurus, and he himself had received baptism according to the new rite. The youth's mother accompanied him, and the Guru invited them both to stay with him. The Guru, to make trial of the goldsmith's skill, gave him ten gold muhars to convert into ornaments. When the work was subsequently submitted for the Guru's inspection he was pleased, and ordered his treasurer to keep the young artisan suppUed with gold, and store all the ornaments he made from it in his treasury. The Guru asked the goldsmith if he had any faults. He rephed, ' O great king, I am the slave of thy feet, I only seek the society of the saints.' Upon this the Guru rephed, ' He who hath great talents must ever possess some fault. What is thine ? The man possessing talent who hath no fault must be in God's own image.' The young man, however, would not admit any imperfection.
After this he was allowed to take as much gold as he pleased to work upon. It was never weighed to him, and he was never asked how much he had taken. One day the Guru told his treasurer to weigh for the future, without the gold- smith's knowledge, all the gold dispensed to him. Upon this the treasurer weighed him out twenty tolas of gold. When the goldsmith presented the ornaments made therefrom, they were found to weigh only seventeen tolas. Upon this the Guru ordered all the ornaments the youth had made since his arrival to be produced and weighed. The treasurer found them to be far short of the amount of gold taken from the treasury. On this the Guru remon- strated with the young goldsmith. ' Thou impliedst
that thou hadst no fault. What greater fault can there be than to misappropriate what is entrusted thee ? Didst thou not receive thy wages from the Guru's house, and was that not sufficient remuneration for thee ? Thou art as evil as the masands whom I have been punishing. I am pleased with those who, though they may wear coarse garbs, eat what they lawfully earn.' It is said that on this censure the youth reformed his ways.
The Guru being asked by a devout Sikh what he should do to cross over the world's ocean, that is, to be saved and obtain deliverance from rebirth, gave the following recipe. ' My brother, repeat the name Wahguru. Eat what thou hast diligently earned. As Baba Nanak hath said, '' He who bestoweth a little out of his earnings recognizeth the right way." Bear no one enmity. Know that God is with thee at all times and remember death. Recog- nize the world as unreal, and God alone as real.*
A Sikh went to the Guru and told him that he had abandoned the world, as it contained only trouble and anxiety. He added that he had come in quest of rest, and requested the Guru to point out the way to him. The Guru congratulated him on having diverted his attention from the wickedness of men, and inquired if he could read. The Sikh replied in the negative. The Guru then said, ' It is necessary that thou shouldst read little or much so as to acquire understanding and improve thy mind. Thou shalt thus learn the difference between good and evil, and what thou oughtest and what thou oughtest not to do. There are besides many other advantages in reading. Thou mayest thereby obtain everything beginning with the knowledge of God. The heart of him who is uninstructed remaineth in blind ignorance. He who readeth Gurumukhi is the best and obtaineth good understanding. There is great merit in reading the Japji and the other hymns of morning and evening divine service, for they
LIFE OF GURU GOBIND SINGH 113
erase the sins of many births. He who orally or mentally fixeth his attention on the Name, who worketh with his hands, who gladdeneth the hearts of holy Sikhs, who ever performeth noble deeds, and preserveth his mind humble, is very dear to me, and it behoves me to minister unto him.'
The Sikh expressed his earnest desire to learn, if he could only find a tutor. The Guru appointed his own Granthi, or reader, to instruct him. When the Sikh read as far as the line in the Anand, *Joy, my mother, that I have found the true Guru ! ' he brought his tuition to an end, and never afterwards pursued his studies. The Guru, after some months, asked his Granthi how the pupil was progressing. The Granthi rephed that he had not seen him since he had read that particular line of the Anand. Upon this the Guru sent for him, and asked him why he had ceased to attend his tutor. He replied that he had read enough, and had attained happiness on meeting the Guru. The Guru smiled and said, ' Even with this little learning thou hast obtained a knowledge of God, and shalt eventually find deliverance.'
The Guru once asked his Sikhs to tell him who was emperor of India in Kabir's time. One Sikh said Humayun ; a second, Alexander the Great ; a third, Madanpal. In short none of them could tell the emperor's name. The Guru made this a text from which to preach the advantages of knowledge, as well as holiness, and the good repute obtained from them in both worlds — ' Every one, even down to ignorant women, knoweth the name of Kabir, though he was only a weaver. That is because he repeated God's name and practised true devotion. Sikandar Lodi was then emperor ; but none of you even knoweth his name, and there is no trace of him left in the world, while Kabir' s fame is blazoned in every country and his memory is universally honoured. Wherefore, members of the Khalsa,
»KH. V J
remember the true Name, serve the saints, be humble, lay your love and devotion at the feet of the immortal God, and you too shall be honoured here and hereafter/
As the Guru's power daily increased, the hill chiefs thought it expedient to send a resident to his court who would inform them of his movements and proceedings. A man called Paramanand was accord- ingly selected for that delicate mission. When he came to the Guru he told him that his object was to be in a position to behold him continually, and thus gain spiritual advantages. He added that he desired to send the rajas occasionally accounts of the Guru's good health and welfare, and to preserve the amicable relations which already subsisted.