Men dig deep foundations and build palaces thereon. Was any one longer lived than Markand l who put grass on his head and thus whiled away his days ? Only God the Creator is dear to me ; 2
0 man, why art thou proud ? this unsubstantial body shall be destroyed.
The Kauravs, Duryodhan and his brothers, used to say, ' Everything is ours '.
Their umbrellas3 extended over a space of twelve jojans, yet the vultures devoured their bodies.
Lanka was all gold ; was any one greater than Rawan ?
What availed him the elephants tethered at his gate ? In a moment they became the property of others.
The Yadavs practised deception on Durbasa,4 and ob tained the fruit thereof.
God showed mercy to His slave ; Namdev singeth His praises.
The following hymn was addressed to a Jogi who endeavoured to induce Namdev to embrace his religion : —
1 have restrained the ten organs of sense ; the very name of the five evil passions I have erased.
Having extracted the poison from the seventy-two tanks 5 of the heart, I have filled them with ambrosia ; I shall not allow the poison to return again.
The ambrosial word I utter from my heart ; my spirit I instruct not to attach itself to worldly things.
I have destroyed worldly love with an axe of adamant : T touch the guru's feet and implore him.
Turning away from the world, I have become a servant of the saints and I fear them.1
I shall be saved from this world the moment I cease to be entangled by Maya.
Maya is the name of the power which placeth man in the womb ; abandoning it I shall obtain a sight of God.
The man who worshippeth in this way shall be freed from all fear.
Saith Namdev, O man, why wander abroad ? 2 obtain God in the way / have told thee.
Namdev tells by familiar examples how dear God is to him.
As water is dear to the traveller in Marwar, and the creeper to the camel ;
As the huntsman's bell at night is dear to the hind, so is God to my soul —
Thy name is beautiful, Thy form is beautiful, very beauti ful Thy colour, O my God—
As rain is dear to the earth, as the odour of flowers is dear to the bumble-bee ;
As the mango is dear to the kokil,3 so is God to my soul.
As the sun is dear to the sheldrake, as the lake of Man- sarowar is dear to the swan ;
As the husband is dear to the wife, so is God to my soul.
As milk is dear to the child, as a torrent of rain to the mouth of the chatrik ;
As water is dear to the fish, so is God to my soul.
All penitents, sidhs, and munis seek God, but few have seen Him.
NAMDEV'S HYMNS 49
As Thy name is dear to all creation, so is Vitthal to Nama's heart.
Namdev asked his guru how the world had been created. The guru replied : —
Before the world a lotus was formed ; From it proceeded Brahma, and from Brahma all men. Know that everything else was produced from Maya, who leadeth the world a dance.
Namdev then inquired how Maya was produced. The guru replied :—
First a voice proceeded from God ;
Afterwards Maya proceeded from God
Through that voice the parts of this Maya and of that God blended,1 and the world was produced.
In this garden of God men dance like water in the pots of a well ; 2
Women and men dance.3
There is no god but God —
Argue not on this point.
If thou have doubts,
God saith, ' Consider in thy heart that this world .and I are one.'
The world is like water-pots, sometimes above, sometimes below.
Wandering about I have come to Thy gate.
God— Who art Thou ?
Nama — I am Nama, Sire —
He should next subdue his senses ; Then the soul and God become one.
The above hymn is also translated so as to give different versions of creation : —
T. First a lotus was made by the all-pervading God ; From it proceeded Brahma and from him all human beings.
2Others say — Know that everything was produced by Maya who maketh men dance various dances.
3A third version is this — First a voice proceeded from God ; through that voice
Maya and God united,
Whence God's garden,1 in which men dance like water in water-pots.
Namdev gives his own opinion : — Women and men dance ; There is nothing but God, Dispute not this ; If thou have doubts, pray.
The world is like water-pots, now high now low. Wandering and wandering I have come to Thy door. God — Who art thou ?
1 am, Sire, Namdev ; save me from the world which bringeth death.
Namdev is happier than demigods and worldly men who profess religion.
Which is far from even demigods, worldly men, munis,
and saints.
Compassionate to the poor, O God, destroyer of pride, Nama hath found the asylum of Thy feet, and is a sacrifice
unto Thee.
NAMDEV'S HYMNS 51
It is said that Namdev composed the following on hearing two pandits disputing whether God was far or near : —
TODI
Some say God is near, others that He is far away. To say He is near or far is, as it were, to say that a fish could climb a date-tree.1 Why, Sir, talkest thou nonsense ? They who have found God have concealed the fact. Men who are pandits shout the Veds, But the ignorant Namdev only knoweth God.
On the eleventh day of every half-lunar month the Hindus fast. Namdev relinquished the practice, and also ceased to go on pilgrimages. A visitor to his house reproached him with his neglect of both these religious duties. The following is his reply :—
Who that uttereth God's name retaineth the stain of sin ?
Sinners have become pure by uttering His name.
In the company of God His slave Namdev hath acquired ocular evidence.
He hath ceased to fast on the eleventh day, and why should he go on pilgrimages ?
Saith Namdev, my acts and thoughts have become good.
Who hath not gone to heaven by uttering the name of God under the guru's instruction ?
Namdev is satisfied with God as his portion.
There is a play on three sets of words. There is a pot in a potter's house, an elephant in a king's house,
E 2
A widow 1 in a Brahman's house 2 — sing randi, sandi, handi O ! 3
Asafoetida in a baniya's house, horns on a buffalo's fore head,
A lingam in a temple of Shiv — sing ling, sing, hing O ! 4 Oil in an oilman's house, creepers in a forest, Plantains in a gardener's house — sing kel, bel, tel O ! 5 Gobind in the company of the saints, Krishan in Gokal, And God in Nama — sing Ram, Siyam, Gobind O ! 6
TILANG
Namdev feels his dependence on God whom he magnifies.
Of me who am blind Thy name, O King, is the prop.
I am poor, I am miserable, Thy name is my support.
Bounteous and merciful Allah, Thou art generous ;
I believe that Thou art present before me ;
Thou art a river of bounty, Thou art the Giver, Thou art exceeding wealthy ;
Thou alone givest and takest, there is none other ;
Thou art wise, Thou art far-sighted ; what conception can I form of Thee ?
Namdev on the way to Dwaraka was seized by a Mughal official and made a forced labourer. In his devotion he appears to have recognized the
NAMDEV'S HYMNS 53
Mughal as God, and to have believed that his de gradation was God's will. He composed the follow ing on the occasion : —
Halloo ! my Friend, halloo my Friend, how art Thou ?
I am a sacrifice unto Thee, I am a sacrifice unto Thee.
Good is Thy forced labour, exalted Thy name ;
Whence hast Thou come ? where hast Thou been ? and whither art Thou going ?
This is the city of Dwaraka ; tell the truth.1
Handsome is Thy turban, sweet Thy discourse ;
But why should there be a Mughal in the city of Dwaraka ?
Among several thousands of people Thou art the only Mughal seen ;
Thou art the very picture of the king of sable hue ; 2
Thou art the Lord of the horse, the Lord of the elephant, and the Ruler of men.3
Thou art Nama's Lord, the King of all, and the Giver of salvation.
BILAWAL
Through his guru Namdev has obtained dis cernment and rendered his life profitable.
The guru hath made my life profitable — I have forgotten sorrow and obtained joy within me. The guru hath granted me the eye-salve of divine know ledge.4
0 my soul, without God's name man's life is vain. Namdev knoweth God by keeping Him in mind :
My soul is absorbed in Him who giveth life to the world.
To sing God's praises and remember Him is infinitely superior to all Hindu forms of devotion.
GAUND
Were I to perform the horse-sacrifice,1
Give my weight in gold as alms,
Bathe at Pryag,
It would not be equal, O Nama, to singing God's praises.
0 listless man, worship thy God. Were I to offer rice-balls 2 at Gaya, Dwell at Banaras,
Recite the four Veds,
Fulfil all religious offices,
Restrain my senses under the guru's instruction,
Perform the six duties of Brahmans,
Read the conversations between Shiv and his consort 3 —
All these different occupations would be useless ; O my soul, lay them aside,
And remember, remember God's name.
Worship Him, Nama, and thou shalt swim across the world's ocean.
Namdev by familiar examples describes his love for God.
As the deer followeth the huntsman's bell, And giveth up its own life rather than cease its atten tion,
In the same way I gaze on God.
1 do not leave Him to turn my mind in another direction. As the kingfisher gazeth on the fish,
As the goldsmith meditateth stealing gold while fashion ing it,
As the lustful man gazeth on the wife of another,
NAMDEV'S HYMNS 55
As the gambler meditateth cheating while playing kauris,1
So Nama ever meditateth on God's feet — Wherever I gaze there is God.
A prayer for salvation : —
Float me over, O God, float me over ! 2
I am unskilful and know not how to swim ; O God, my Father, give me Thine arm.
He to whom the true guru hath taught knowledge, is changed in a moment from a man into a demigod.
I have obtained the medicine by which, though begotten by man, I have conquered heaven.
Place me even for a short time where Thou hast placed Dhru and Narad.
By the support of Thy name many have been saved : this is Nama's private opinion.
By other familiar examples Namdev describes his ardent longing for God.
I am ardently longing for the Friend- Without her calf a cow is lonely, Without water a fish writheth, So without God's name doth poor Nama. As the calf, when let loose,
Sucketh his dam's teats and swalloweth her milk, So Namdev hath obtained God —
When man meeteth the guru he showeth the Unseen — As the wicked man loveth another man's wife, So Nama loveth God.
As man's body burneth in the bright sunshine, So doth poor Nama without the name of God.
The advantages of repeating God's name.
By repeating the name of God all doubts are dispelled —
Repeating the name of God is the highest religious exercise —
By repeating the name of God caste and lineage are effaced.
That God is the staff of the blind man.
I bow before God ! I bow before God !
By repeating God's name Death tortureth not.
God took the life of Harnakhas,
And made for Ajamal a dwelling in heaven.
The courtesan who taught her parrot to repeat God's name was saved —
That God is the apple of mine eye- By repeating the name of God, Putana l full of deceit,
The destroyer of children was saved ;
By remembering the name of God the daughter of Drupad was saved ;
Gautam's wife 2 though turned into a stone, was saved.
2 Gautam, the husband of Ahalya, was a pious Rikhi who used to go and bathe in the Ganges after the first watch of night. The god Indar was wont to visit Gautam's wife during his absence. One night the moon rose at midnight. Ahalya became impatient for the visit of her divine paramour, and went to awake her husband, telling him it was the usual time for his ablutions in the sacred river. Gautam arose and proceeded on his pious duty. While bathing a voice proceeded from the Ganges, and told him not to come so early to bathe. Gautam replied that it was the usual time of his visit. The Ganges explained to him that it was not three o'clock in the morning. He must not judge by a deceptive midnight moon. Gautam cursed the moon. He returned to his house and found his daughter Anjani sitting in the court-yard.' He asked her who was in the house ; she said ' Manjara ', a word which means either cat or mother's lover. Gautam, on account of her equivocation, cursed her too. He prayed that she a virgin might bear a child, and in due time she bore Hanuman, the monkey-god. Gautam on entering his house found Indar with his wife. The holy Rikhi cursed Indar with dire
NAMDEV'S HYMNS 57
God destroyed Kesi 1 and Kans, And conferred the gift of life on Kalinag. Nama representeth, by repeating the name of such a God fear and trouble depart.
The fate of worshippers of false gods.
They who worship Bhairav shall become sprites ;
They who worship Sitala shall ride on donkeys and scatter dust —
For myself I take the name of the one God ;
I would give all other gods in exchange for it.
They who repeat the name of Shiv and worship him,
Shall ride on an ox and play the drum ;
They who worship the great mother Durga,
Shall be born as women instead of men.
Thou callest thyself, 0 Durga, the primal Bhawani,
When it came to my turn to be saved, where didst thou hide thyself ?
Under the instruction of the guru, 0 my friend, cling to God's name —
Nama representeth, thus saith the Gita.2
and shameful result. He cursed his wife too, and she was turned into a stone in the forest. The god Ram in his travels stumbled against the stone, and by the divine touch Ahalya obtained the boon of salvation.
Shiv in this form is represented riding on a dog.
Sitala is the goddess who presides over small-pox. She is re presented riding on a donkey, and is largely worshipped by Indian women, particularly during epidemics of the disease.
Those who worship Bhairav, sprites, Sitala, and Shiv, contract the qualities of the steeds of the objects of their worship.
Durga cannot confer salvation. She bestows wealth, offspring, &c. When King Pipa asked her for salvation she professed herself unable to grant it.
Namdev admonishes an idolatrous Brahman.
To-day I Nama saw God, I now admonish the fool —
O pandit, thy gayatri used to graze on the boor's field ;
He took a stick and broke her leg ; since then she hath walked lame.1
O pandit, I have seen thy great god Shiv going along on a white bullock.
In his consort Parbati's house a banquet for him was prepared ; he killed her son.2
0 pandit, thy Ram Chandar — I have seen him too going along ;
Having lost his wife he fought with Rawan.
The Hindus are blind, the Musalmans purblind ;
The man who knoweth God is wiser than either.
The Hindus worship their temple, the Musalmans their mosque.
Nama worshippeth Him who hath neither temple nor mosque.
The saint Trilochan once twitted Namdev with
NAMDEV'S HYMNS 59
being always engaged in his trade. Namdev made him the following reply : —
RAMKALI
A boy taketh paper, cutteth it into a kite, and flyeth it in the sky.
While conversing with his companions, he keepeth his attention on the string.
I have pierced my soul with God's name,
As the goldsmith's attention is engrossed in his work.
The queen's female servant taketh her pitcher, nlleth it with water,
Converseth laughingly and pleasantly, yet keepeth her attention on the pitcher.
If the cows of a city with ten gates1 be let loose to graze,
And they go grazing for even five miles, they will remem ber their young, and return each by her own gate.
Saith Namdev, hear, O Trilochan, when a child is laid in its cradle,
Its mother, whether engaged at home or abroad, keepeth her thoughts on her child.
The following hymn embodying Namdev's reso lutions is also believed to have been addressed to Trilochan :—
The endless songs and poetry of the Veds, Purans, and Shastars I will not sing ;
I will play unbeaten music in the imperishable region of God;
Ceasing to love the wrorld I will sing of God.
Imbued with Him who is beyond expression and indes tructible, I shall go to the abode of the Inscrutable One.
I will cease to hold my breath in the right or left nostril or between them both.
6o BHAGATS OF THE GRANTH SAHIB
I deem the left and right nostril the same ; I shall be blended with the light of God.
I will not go to see places of pilgrimages nor enter their waters ; I will not annoy men or lower animals.
The guru showed me the sixty-eight places of pilgrimage in my heart where I will bathe.
I will not have myself glorified and congratulated by my select friends.
Nama saith, my heart is dyed with God, and I shall be absorbed in Him.
God preceded all creation, all religious books, and all karma.
When there was no mother, no father, no karma, and nobody ;
When we were not and you were not, who was there and whence did he come ?
Man's dwelling in this world is like the perching of a bird on a tree.
When there was no moon, no sun, when there was only water and air blended together,
When there were no Shastars and no Veds, whence did karma come ? x
1 have by the favour of the guru obtained God, for whom the Jogis suspend their breath, and fix their attention on the bridges of their noses, and the Bairagis wear necklaces of sweet basil.
Nama representeth, God is the Primal Essence ; when there is a true guru he showeth Him.
The repetition of God's name is superior to all other forms of worship.
If one perform penance with body reversed at Banaras,
NAMDEV'S HYMNS 61
and die at a place of pilgrimage ; if one burn one's body with fire, or strive to make it survive for a kalpa ; x
If one perform the horse sacrifice or offer secret presents 2 of gold, all that would not be equal to the name of God.
0 hypocritical man, renounce deception ; practise it not ; Ever and ever take God's name.
Wert thou to go to the Ganges and the Godavari every twelfth year, bathe at Kedarnath,
And make offerings of thousands of cows at the Gomti ; 3
Wert thou to perform millions of pilgrimages, freeze thy body in the Himalayas, all would not be equal to the name of God ;
Wert thou to offer horses, elephants, women with their couches, lands, and make such gifts continually to Brahmans ;
Wert thou to purify thy body and offer its weight in gold, all would not be equal to the name of God.
Look for the pure dignity of Nirvan, and be not after wards angry with thyself, or attribute blame to the god of death.4
Nama represent eth, drink the real nectareous elixir of my king Ram Chandar, the son of Jasarath Rai.5