How far can this worm speak ?
It is only Thou, O God, who knowest Thine own praises. As a son knoweth not the time of his father's birth, How can I tell Thy secret ? Thy greatness becometh Thee ; It cannot be described by others. Thou knowest Thine own works, O God. How shall high or low describe Thee ? Sheshnag whom Thou didst create with a thousand heads, Whom two thousand tongues ^ adorn. Until now is uttering Thy boundless names ; Yet even still he cannot find their limit. How far can any one describe Thy works ? The intellect is perplexed in trying to understand them. Thy subtile form cannot be described ; I shall describe Thy great form. When I have obtained Thy love and service. Then shall I put aside all other narratives and describe Thee.
I shall now relate my own history. And how the Sodhi family originated.
At first when God extended Himself, The world was created by Him. The man who doeth good deeds Is called a demigod in the world ; He who doeth bad deeds in the world Is styled a demon.
Kalsain was the first king ;
His strength and form were unsurpassed, incomparable, and unrivalled.
Kalket was the second king ;
Krurbaras was appointed the third king in the world ;
Kaldhuj was the fourth king who graced sovereignty.
In this line Raghu was born,
From whom the Raghu race was descended.
COMPOSITIONS OF GURU GOBIND SINGH 291
From them an excellent son Aj was born,
A great charioteer and archer.
When he assumed the garb of a Jogi,
He bestowed his empire and throne on Dasarath,
Who also became a great archer.
He felt desire and married three wives.
His first son was the prince Ram,
The second Bharat, the third Lachhman, and the fourth Shatrughan.
They ruled for a long time ;
They then died and went to heaven.
Sita's sons, Lahu^ and Kushu, afterwards both became kings,
And graced kingdoms and thrones.
On their marriage with the daughters of the king of the Panjab,
They performed various sacrifices.
They built there two cities.
One Kasur, the second Lahaur (Lahore).
Both became very famous.
Ceylon and Amrawati, the city of Indar, became ashamed on beholding them.
Kushu and Lahu reigned for a long time.
But were at length caught in the noose of Death.
Their sons and grandsons
Also ruled in this world.
How far shall I tell their history ?
I cannot even recount their names.
It is related that Kalket ^ and Kalrai ^ Had innumerable sons in their homes. Kalket possessed peerless strength. And expelled Kalrai from the city. He fled to the Sanaudh ^ country Where he married a king's daughter.
^ Lav in the Rdmayan.
* Near Banaras. Its inhabitants, the Sanaudhis, were afterwards called Sodhis.
U 2
The son born in his house of that marriage He named Sodhi Rai. The Sodhi race began from that time. It was made by the supremely pure Creator. The sons and grandsons who sprang from Sodhi Rai Were all called Sodhis in this world. They became very distinguished among men, And their wealth increased day by day. They exercised independent sway And conquered the kings of many countries. They enforced religion everywhere, Caused umbrellas to wave over their heads, And on many occasions performed sacrifices at royal coronations.
Afterwards dissension arose among them,
And no holy man could arrest its progress.
Heroes and invincible warriors went about caparisoned.
Took arms and went to fight in the field of battle.
For wealth and land ancient is the struggle,^
To compass which men willingly die.
Worldly love and pride have extended quarrels ;
Lust and wrath have conquered the whole world.
Nobody can compute the time
When enmity, dissension, and pride were diffused.
In this world their basis is greed.
By the desire for which every one killeth himself.
The Sodhis returned to the Pan jab and waged war with the descendants of Kushu who had been left behind. The descendants of Kushu being defeated fled to Banaras, where they became readers of the Veds.
Those of the expelled descendants of Kushu who read the Veds were called Bedis.
COMPOSITIONS OF GURU GOBIND SINGH 293
They carefully attended to their religious duties.
The king of the Pan jab dispatched them a conciliatory letter
To forget the enmity that prevailed among them.
The raja's messenger arrived in Banaras,
And explained the contents of the missive to all the Bedis.
Upon this all the readers of the Veds proceeded to the Panjab,
And on their arrival made obeisance to the king.
He caused them to recite the Veds.
While all his brethren were seated near him in the assembly,
They recited the Sam Ved, the Yajur Ved,
Then the Rig Ved, making gesticulations with their hands,
And finally the Atharav Ved.
The raja was pleased
And gave them all his possessions.
He elected to live in the forest
To remove his great sins.
On giving them his kingdom
He assumed the garb of a Rikhi.
The people tried to restrain him,
But he dismissed all regret.
And, relinquishing wealth and place.
Became absorbed in God's love.
The Bedi chief was pleased on obtaining the kingdom, And in the joy of his heart blessed the Sodhi king, saying, ' When I come in the Kal age under the name of Nanak, I will make thee worthy of worship in the world, and thou shalt attain the highest dignity.
Thou hast heard the three Veds from us,
On hearing the fourth Ved thou gavest thy territory.
Having assumed three births ^,
^ When I have become Guru Nanak, Guru Angad, and Guru Amar Das.
In my fourth I will make thee Guru.' ^
On the one hand the Sodhi king went to the forest,
On the other the Bedi king was happy in his sovereignty.
How far shall I amplify this story ?
I very much fear to swell my book.
Afterwards again quarrels increased among the Bedis^ Which no one could adjust. It was the will of God That sovereignty should pass from their family.
Only twenty villages remained to the Bedis,
Which they began to till.
A long time passed^ in that way
Until the epoch for the birth of Nanak arrived.
Nanak Rai, born in the line of those Bedis, Conferred happiness on all his disciples, and assisted them in this world and the next.
He established religion in the Kal age, And showed the way unto all holy men. Sin never troubleth those Who follow in his footsteps. God removeth all suffering and sin From those who embrace his religion : Pain and hunger never annoy them. And they never fall into Death's noose. Nanak assumed the body of Angad, And made his religion current in the world. Afterwards Nanak was called Amar Das, As one lamp is lit from another.
When the time for the fulfilment of the blessing came. Then Ram Das Sodhi became Guru. Amar Das gave him the Guruship according to the ancient blessing,
^ The reference is to Guru Ram Das.
COMPOSITIONS OF GURU GOBIND SINGH 295
And took the road to paradise himself. The holy Nanak was revered as Angad, Angad was recognized as Amar Das, And Amar Das became Ram Das. The pious saw this, but not the fools. Who thought them all distinct ;
But some rare person recognized that they were all one. They who understood this obtained perfection — Without understanding perfection cannot be obtained. When Ram Das was blended with God, He gave the Guruship to Arjan. When Arjan was going to God's city He appointed Har Gobind in his place. When Har Gobind was going to God's city. He seated Har Rai in his place. Har Krishan his son afterwards became Guru. After him came Teg Bahadur,
Who protected the frontal marks and sacrificial threads of the Hindus J And displayed great bravery in the 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 rehgion ; 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 Dihh, he departed to paradise.
None came into the world who performed such deeds as he.
which is generally translated— I gave my head but not God's secret.
At his departure there was mourning in this world ; There was grief through the world, but joy in paradise.
Guru Gobind Singh now speaks regarding himself:— -
I shall now tell my own history,
How God brought me into the world as I was performing penance
On the mountain of Hem Kunt,i
Where the seven peaks are conspicuous —
The place is called the Sapt Shring 2— -
Where King Pandu practised Jog.
There I performed very great austerities
And worshipped Great-death.
I performed such penance
That I became blended with God.
My father and mother had also worshipped the Unseen One,
And strove in many ways to unite themselves with Him. The Supreme Guru was pleased With their devotion to Him. When God gave me the order I assumed birth in this Kal age. I did not desire to come, As my attention was fixed on God's feet. God remonstrated earnestly with me, And sent me into this world with the following orders :— * When I created this world
I first made the demons, who became enemies and op- pressors.
They became intoxicated with the strength of their arms, And ceased to worship Me, the Supreme Being. I became angry and at once destroyed them. In their places I estabhshed the gods :
COMPOSITIONS OF GURU GOBIND SINGH 297
They also busied themselves with receiving sacrifices and worship,
And called themselves supreme beings.
Mahadev called himself the imperishable God.
Vishnu too declared himself to be God ;
Brahma called himself the supreme Brahm,
And nobody thought Me to be God.
Then I made the eight Sakhis ^
Who were appointed to keep watch over creatures.
They told people to worship them,
And said, " There is no God but us."
They who did not recognize the Primal Essence,
Worshipped them as God.
How many worshipped the sun and moon !
How many made burnt offerings ! how many worshipped the wind !
Some recognized a stone as God.
How many bathed in the water according to Shastrik rites!
How many, recognizing Dharmraj as their supreme judge,
Performed religious ceremonies through fear !
They whom I appointed to watch over creatures,
On coming into this world called themselves God.
They altogether forgot My orders,
And became absorbed each in his own praise.
When they did not recognize Me,
Then I created men. , _—- — >
They too fell under the influence of pride,
And made gods out of stones.
Then I created the Sidhs and the Sadhs,
But they too found not the Supreme Being.
Whoever was clever in the world
Established his own sect,
And no one found the Creator.
Enmity, contention, and pride increased.
Men began to burn trunk and leaves in their own fire,^
^ These are believed to be the Dikpals or regents of the eight points of the compass.
And none of them' went My way.
They who obtained a little spiritual power
Struck out their own way.
None of them recognized the Supreme Being,
But became mad boasting of themselves.
None of them recognized the Real Essence,
But each became absorbed in himself.
Then I created the supreme Rikhis
Who afterwards made their own Simritis current.
They who were smitten by the Simritis
Abandoned My worship.
They who attached their hearts to My feet
Did not walk in the way of the Simritis.^
Brahma made the four Veds
And caused all to act according to them ;
But they whose love was attached to My feet
Renounced the Veds.
They who abandoned the tenets of the Veds and of other religious books,
Became devoted to Me, the supreme God.
They who follow true religion
Shall have their sins of various kinds blotted out.
They who endure bodily suffering
And cease not to love Me,
Shall all to go paradise,
And there shall be no difference between Me and them.
They who shrink from suffering,
And, forsaking Me, adopt the way of the Veds and Simritis
Shall fall into the pit of hell.
And continually suffer transmigration.
Afterwards I created Dattatre
Who also struck out his own path.
He pared not his finger nails, he decorated his head with matted hair,^
And paid no heed to My worship.
Then I created Gorakh
^ The Simritis purport to follow the Veds.
COMPOSITIONS OF GURU GOBIND SINGH 299
Who made great kings his disciples,
And tearing their ears put rings in them :
But he thought not of the way of My love.
Then I created Ramanand
Who wore the garb of a Bairagi,
Put a wooden necklace on his neck,
And paid no heed to My worship.^
They who were created by Me
Struck out their several paths.
I then created Muhammad,
And made him king of Arabia.
He too established a religion of his own,
Cut off the foreskins of all his followers.
And made every one repeat his name ; ^
But no one fixed the true Name in man's heart.
All these were wrapped up in themselves,
And none of them recognized Me, the Supreme Being.
I have cherished thee as My son,
And created thee to extend My religion.
Go and spread My rehgion there.
And restrain the world from senseless acts.'
I stood up, clasped my hands, bowed my head, and replied : —
' Thy religion shall prevail in the world when Thou vouch - safest assistance.'
On this account God sent me.
Then I took birth and came into the world.
As He spoke to me so I speak unto men :
1 bear no enmity to any one.
All who call me the Supreme Being Shall fall into the pit of hell. Recognize me as God's servant only :
^ This is not the Ramanand whose hymn is found in the Granth Sahib. The author of that hymn lived long after this, and subsequent to the era of Muhammad. He was the Guru of Kabir who flourished in the fifteenth century a.d.
Have no doubt whatever of this.
I am the slave of the Supreme Being,
And have come to behold the wonders of the world.
I tell the world what God told me,
And will not remain silent through fear of mortals.
As God spoke to me I speak,
I pay no regard to any one besides.
I am satisfied with no religious garb ;
I sow the seed of the Invisible.
I am not a worshipper of stones.
Nor am I satisfied with any religious garb.
I will sing the Name of the Infinite,
And obtain the Supreme Being.
I will not wear matted hair on my head.
Nor will I put on earrings ;
I will pay no regard to any one but God.
What God told me I will do.
I will repeat the one Name
Which will be everywhere profitable.
I will not repeat any other name,
Nor establish any other God in my heart.
I will meditate on the name of the Endless One,
And obtain the supreme light.
I am imbued with Thy name, 0 God ;
I am not intoxicated with any other honour.
I will meditate on the Supreme,
And thus remove endless sins.
I am enamoured of Thy form ;
No other gift hath charms for me.
I will repeat Thy name,
And avoid endless sorrow.
Sorrow and sin have not approached those
Who have meditated on Thy name.
They who meditate on any one else
Shall die of arguments and contentions.
The divine Guru sent me for religion's sake :
On this account I have come into the world —
' Extend the faith everywhere ;
COMPOSITIONS OF GURU GOBIND SINGH 301
Seize and destroy the evil and the sinful.'
Understand this, ye holy men, in your souls.
I assumed birth for the purpose
Of spreading the faith, saving the saints.
And extirpating all tyrants.
All the first incarnations
Caused men to repeat their names.
They killed no one who had offended against God,
And they struck out no path of real rehgion.
The Ghauses ^ and Prophets who existed
Left the world talking of themselves.
None of them recognized the great Being
Or knew anything of real religion.
Nothing is to be obtained by putting hopes in others ;
Put the hopes of your hearts in the One God alone.
Nothing is obtained by hoping in others ;
Put the hopes of your hearts in Him.
Some millions read the Purans together ;
How many silly persons recite the Quran !
But these books shall be of no assistance at last,
And shall save no one from Death's toils.
Why not, O brethren, repeat the name of Him
Who will aid you at the last moment ?
Consider spurious religion as superstition.
No such things will avail you.
On this account God created me ;
Having communicated to me the secret ,2
He sent me into the world.
I shall proclaim to all men what He told me.
I will repeat God's name, And all my affairs shall prosper. I will not close mine eyes,^ Or do anything for show.
^ Muhammadan saints of excessive devotion. 2 That spurious religion is of no avail. ^ As some Indian faqlrs do.
They who wear a rehgious garb
Are deemed naught by the saints of God.
Understand this, all men, in your hearts,
That God is not obtained by hypocrisy.
They who act for the sake of display.
Shall not obtain salvation in the next world ;
And it is only for life their affairs prosper.
Kings on seeing their acting worship them ;
But God is not to be found by mummery.
Yet every one wandereth about thus searching for Him.^
He who keepeth his heart in subjection
Recognizeth the Supreme Being.
They who by wearing a religious garb keep the people of the world in subjection.
Shall at last be cut with the shears of Death and take up their abode in hell.
They who present appearances to the world, Experience extreme pleasure in fleecing ^ others. Spurious, and not worth a kauri, is the religion Of those who practise suspension of breath by stopping their noses.
They who practise spurious religion in the world Shall fall into the pit of hell. He who can in no way subdue his heart Shall not go to heaven by gesticulation.
What God Himself told me I proclaim to the world. They who meditate on Him shall go to heaven at last.
God and God's servant are both one — deem not that there is any difference between them —
As waves produced from water are again blended with it.
COMPOSITIONS OF GURU GOBIND SINGH 303
God remaineth apart from those Who indulge in wrangHng and pride. He is not found in the Veds or the books of the Muham- madans.
Know this in your hearts, O saints of God.
They who practise hypocrisy by closing their eyes
Should be treated as blind men.
Since the road is not seen by closing one's eyes,
How can such persons, my brethren, meet the Infinite ? ^
How far could any one amplify this ?
Men would grow weary trying to understand it.
Though one had a miUion tongues,
Even then he would fail to recount God's praises.
My father departed for the East
And bathed at various places of pilgrimage.
When he arrived at the Tribeni (Priyag),
He passed his days in meritorious works and alms.
There was I conceived.
I was bom in Patna city,
And afterwards taken to the Pan jab.
Where nurses of different kinds fondled me.
And tended my body in every way.
I received instruction in various forms.
When I arrived at the age to perform my rehgious duties,
My father departed to God's city.
When I obtained sovereignty,
I promoted religion to the best of my power.
I hunted various sorts of game in the forest,
And killed bears, nilgaus,^ and elks.
I afterwards left that country.
And proceeded to the city of Paunta.
I enjoyed myself on the bank of the Kalindri (Jamna),
And saw amusements of every kind.
There I selected and killed many lions,
And slew many nilgaus and bears.
Fatah Shah who was the king became angry with me,
And came to blows with me without cause.
Here follow in the Vichitar Natak an account of the battle of Bhangani ; the dispatch of Mian Khan and Alif Khan to Jammu and Nadaun respectively to collect revenue ; the victory gained with the Guru's assistance by Raja Bhim Chand over Alif Khan ; the dispatch of General Dilawar Khan against the hill chiefs and of his son against the Guru, who was left unmolested owing to the son's flight ; the dispatch by Dilawar Khan of Husain Khan to reduce the Guru to subjection ; the failure of Husain Khan to carry out his orders ; his attack on the weaker of the hill chiefs ; the victory of Gopal, King of Guler, and of Ram Singh, King of Jaswan, over Himmat, one of Husain Khan's officers, whom they put to death ; the single-handed combat between Raja Ram Singh and Jujhar Singh, Raja of Chander, in which the latter was slain ; the dispatch by Aurangzeb of his son to the Panjab, where the masands, fearing that he would attack the Guru, deserted him and fled to the highest mountains ; the dispatch of an officer named Mirza Beg to support the young prince and the subsequent expedition of an army under four other officers who, believing that the masands were men of wealth, destroyed their houses and plundered their property. All these details have been given at length in the Guru's life.