In the opinion of the Guru forgetfulness of God's name is the greatest sin.
Saith Nanak, by forgetting the one Name sin is com mitted equal in the estimation of the Hindus to the killing of Brahmans, kine, and virgins, eating the food of the sinful,
And the million transgressions which render men accursed and ever and ever victims of pride.
Let all other wisdom depart, as long as the knowledge of the one God remaineth.
The devotion of the saints is compared to that of the fond wife who cooks elaborate dishes for her spouse : —
As a devoted wife in her husband's house, intensely desiring to perform service for him,
HYMNS OF GURU AMAR DAS 249
Prepareth him viands of many savours, making some tart and others sweet ;
Even with the same devotion the saints praise and apply their hearts to God's name :
They offer the Guru their souls, bodies, and wealth ; they would even sell their heads and place them before him.
Many saints pray for the fear and service of God ; God fulfilleth their desires, and blendeth them with Himself.
The spiritual exaltation of the holy :—
In the heart of the pious man is composure ; his soul ascendeth to the tenth heaven,
Where there is nor sleep nor hunger, and where God's ambrosial name which conferreth bliss abideth.
Nanak, sorrow is not felt where the light of God shineth.
The fate of the perverse :—
The perverse man is of unstable mind ; in his heart he hath many artifices.
What he hath done and what he doeth is all in vain ; he is in no way acceptable.
The fruit of his religious acts and alms shall all go to the king of death.
Without the true Guru the king of death will not release him ; he shall be ruined by his worldly love.
His youth glideth imperceptibly away, and on attaining old age he dieth without repentance.
Children and wives are objects of affection, but at the last moment none of them will assist or accompany him.
The condition of those who practise worldly love .—
Worldly love is an ocean of sorrow, difficult to cross, nay, uncrossable.
The perverse pass their lives in avarice and pine away talking of their possessions.
They can neither retreat nor advance ; they remain entangled in mid ocean.
God .may pardon man's transgressions. The fol-
lowing is repeated by many Sikhs on rising in the morning :—
We commit many sins of which there is no end.
O God, be mercifully pleased to pardon them.
We are great sinners and transgressors.
O God, Thou pardonest and blendest unto Thee ; other wise it will not come to our turn to be pardoned.
The Guru graciously cut off our sins and transgressions by blending us with God.
Hail to those, O Nanak, who have meditated on God's name !
Rely not on the covetous :—
As far as possible rely not on a covetous man ; At the last moment he will lead thee where nobody can lend thee a hand.
The condition of the perverse :—
The perverse are like children and dotards whose hearts take no thought of God.
The perverse and the pious contrasted :—
How shall he who doeth evil be acceptable ? He shall burn in his own anger.
The perverse man is a fool and worrieth himself with quar relling. y He who is pious knowoth everything. Nanak, the pious man struggleth with his own heart.
His singers represented to the Guru that the Dhanasari was a very popular measure, and that whenever they played or sang it they usually re ceived large rewards from others. On this the Guru composed the following :—
The Dhanasari measure is wTorthy of praise, brethren, if it perform the work of the True Guru.1
Brethren, heartily entrust to Him thy body and soul along with thy life ; turn away from the world and obey His order.
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Where He seateth you there sit, brethren ; and whither He sendeth you thither go.
There is no wealth, brethren, so great as the true Name.
May I ever sing the praises of the True One, brethren, and ever abide with the True One !
Make God's attributes and praises your raiment, brethren, and enjoy the relish of the honour He granteth you.
Why merely praise Him, brethren ? You ought to offer sacrifices yourselves for a sight of Him.
A man proud of his long beard went to visit Guru Angad, but would not bow to him. Guru Amar Das thus addressed the offender :—
That is a real beard which toucheth the Guru's feet.
They who day and night serve their Guru ever abide in happiness ;
Nanak, they are seen with beaming faces at the court of the True One.
The advantage of possessing everything true :—
When men speak the truth and act the truth, true are their mouths and true their beards.
The true Word dwelleth in their hearts, and they shall be blended with the True Guru.
From the capital springeth true wealth, and the highest rank is obtained.
They who hear the truth, obey the truth, and practise truth,
Shall obtain a seat in the True court, and be absorbed in the True One.
Nanak, without the true Guru the True One shall not be obtained ; the perverse shall go astray.
The advantage of meeting the Guru :—
The chatrik crieth, ' Prio, prio ' (Beloved! Beloved!) through love of the cloud.
If it meet the Guru, it shall receive cool water to remove all its pain.
Its thirst shall depart, composure ensue ; and it shall cease its cries and screams.
Nanak, the pious who hold the Name to their hearts, obtain peace.
The joy of him who is devoted to God :—
Nanak, he who is absorbed in the service of the true Guru, enjoyeth perpetual spring.
God is pleased with him, his mind and body bloom, and the whole world is clad in verdure for him.
The orison of the holy :—
At early dawn whose name should we take ? We should take the name of God who is omnipotent to destroy and to create.
The inanimate world also praises the Creator :—
But the Lord is ever present ; why call to Him with a loud voice ?
Man ought to be a sacrifice to Him who created the world and made creatures of different species.
The forests and glades of the world meditate on Thee, O God, and thus ever pass their nights and days.
Salvation is not obtained by wearing a sectarial dress :—
Union with God is not obtained by an ochre-coloured robe, nor by a dirty garment :
Nanak, it is obtained sitting in one's own home under the Guru's instruction.
A perusal of the Veds will render man no assist ance :—
Wert thou to wander in all directions and read the Veds through the four ages, it would be all in vain.
Nanak, if thou meet the true Guru, God will dwell in thy heart, and thou shalt attain the gate of deliverance.