Thus Spoke Guru Nanak - Sir Jogendra Singh

Thus Spoke Guru 'Hanak
by
III .. Jollf.nd.... BlnllEb
Published by
Chief Khalsa Diwan

AMRITSAR
/,rice Rs, 3-00
THUS SPOKE GURU NANAK
THUS SPOKE GURU NA NAK
A COLLECTlON OF THE SAYINGS

OF GURU NANAK
COMPILED BY
SIR JOGENDRA SINGH
Author of A Life of Malabari, Nnr Jeban, Nasrin ,

Kamla and Kamni
WITH A FOREWORD BY
SIR EDWARD MACLAGAN, K,C.S.I.. K.C.I.E.
Late Governor of the Punjab.
Published by:
The Chief Khalsa Diwan, Amritsar.

First Edition-1934, Published by tbe Authors.
Second Edition-1 967, Published by Chief Kbalsa Diwan.
Third Editlon-l~73, Published by Chief Khalsa Diwan.
Price: Rs. 3/·
Puhlished by :· S. Sant Singb, Honorary Secretary,

Chief Khalsa Diwan, Amritsar.
Prillted by Maninder Singb

at the Babrab Printlng Agency,
Near Ganga Building,
G. T. Road, Amritsar.
CONTENTS
PAGE
Foreword by Sir Edward Maclagan v
Preface vii
Introduction ix
Guru Nanak's Views On God 3
The Power of God's Name 19

Love For God 29
The Inevitability Of Death 3~
True Knowledge of God 41
The Wickedness of Sin 49

The Patb To Salvation 59
Concerning Holiness 79
Happiness Through Knowledge Of God 89

JudiemenT According To Our Deed, On Eartb Y5
PAGE
In What True Religion Consists 101

On False Ideas on mpurity 107
Destiny 1J7
The Illusion Of PermaDe nee ••• 12 1
Guru Nanak's Views On Caste 125

A Prayer 129
FOREWORD
The sayings of Guru Nanak, which this book

reproduces, are, as Sardar Sir Jogendra Singh explains,
already known to scholars, but, whereas they have hitherto
been embodied in erudite volumes of scholastic Tesearch,
they are now ",esented in a form more accessible aod more
altractive to the general reader. AS set forth in this volume,
they have moreover the advantage of beiog clothed in the
same admirable English and embellished by the same
distinctive ' style. wh iell has always marked tbe Sardar's
writings.
It has been a problem in Indian history to explaia

how tbe sayings of Nanak, the gen ties! and most peaceable
of prophets, should bave f<'rmed the basis of scr ipture for a
a race like the jsts of tbe Punjab, one of the bravest and
most manly peasantries of the East. Mnch might 00 doubt
be said on this point, but a brief perusal of tbese sayings
will suffice to tbrow some light On tllis .eoming anomaly.
( vi)
On many occasions and in many fields-in tbe Mutiny. on

tbe North-West Frontier. in the Great War, and elsewhere -
the Sikh soldier has shown to the world what kind of a man
he is. and if it is from Nature that he has inherited .. fine
physique and marked tenacity of purpose, it is not faociful to
surmise that for many of his otber qualities - his fidelity, his
loyalty, his ~ndurance. his disregard for physical danger, his
unexpected enthusiasms, and his qaiet tru~ts in this form of
faith -he is in no small degree indebted to the simple, poetic
utterances of tbe First Guru. However tbis may be, tbe
saying. to which we arc introduced in this little book, have
fOf generations bun a sOlUce of consolation to many,
toldie.. aDd c.ivilians alike, in the Sikh districts of India.
·and for tbis, if for no other reason. the volume should b~
a boon to all Western readers who are in teres ted in the
religous experiences of the East.
March 1933. E, D . Maclagao.

PREFACE
I Am a believer in prophets and tbeir missions, Tbey

come with a message from God and bring light to suffering
humanity. Guru Nanak, born on the banks of the Ravi,
came as propbets bave always come, from a bumble home .
He began his work without any delay. Those who carne
to impart education to bim. be instructed bow to acquire
true knowledge; and his father. wbo was eager to srrike a
good bargain, bow to ruake true profit. He healed the sick
and brought comfort to the down·trodden, delivering bis
message of love from one end of India to the other. and
from Arabia to Ceylon.
I beard Guru Nanak speak througb tbe lips of my

mother. as she read the story of his life with a faith whicb
knew no clouding. J I bas been my endeavour to let tbe Guru
speak as 1 heard bim speak, and pe~chance many a thirsting
loul may find comfQrt and light in bis word.
I viii )
I have arranged the order of the sayings at my own

discretion, with no otber desire thaD to place the teachings
witbin tbe range of those who are unfamiliar willI our system
of thought in as simple a language as possible.
J must say no more, but let the Guru speak so that

those who caD bear may listeD to him in that spirit of
bumilityaod faitb, in which all good and great thiDgs have
to be learnt,
Sardar KahaD Singb and tbe late Mr. Macauliffe

worked together to render the teachings of the Sikh Gurus
' into Englisb. I have drawn on their translation freely and
) gratefully acknowledge my indebtedness to thoir
monumental work.
Lam aLso iDdebted to my friend ColoDel Jeffery for

arranging the !o"ayiogs-in their various sections, and to Mr.
E.P. Moon for reading Ihe proofs.
August, 1934. Jogeodra Singh
' . .
, '
INTRODUCTION
In "Thus Spoke Guru Nanak" Sir Jogindra Singh has

flO personal commenls to give; it is Guru N anak whp speaks
directly through these pages, The stream of nectar flows
pure and sparkling; these are songs of rapture and divine
inspiration. It is the sou l's intercourse with the Transcen-
dent ; the natural and the supernatural get merged; his
words become a universal experience and an i n.voca lion.
There is juxtaposition of and swift alternation
between the most subtly phjlo30phical vjews. and the
simplest ide'as of daily life. but all is steeped in a divine
beauty; a golden thread runs through every thing. The
personal and the impersonal, the transcendent aDd the
. immanent, the static and the dynamic aspects of the divine
reality are all melted and merged in tbe unity of lkonkar.
Guru Nanak 's poetry has a vigour and a force not
found in the mystics like Iacopne da Todi, or Boehme, or
even St. Augustine ; and it is not all emotionalism as., is,
the case . with the poetry of Khawaja Hafiz and Sheikh
Farid•.ud-Din A-tlar, THus to (ranslate Guru Nanak and
( x)
to convey the exact effect, the right flavour of feeling and the
true force of thought is really II difficult job, but Sir
Jogendr. Singh's success in this field is highly praise wort by;
all we can say with confidence is that none bas surpa~sed
him in recent times. The only acbievemet comparable to
tbi~ is Rabindra !'lath Tagore's translate 00 of the Poems
of Kabir.
Sir J"gendra Singb was our mo~t eminent and gifted
scholar, writer, and politician only three decades back.
He was a fine pr01uct of weSlern edu ~ tation and the eastern
philosophy, a really great man who in his sterling character
displayed all the best and the truest qualitie" 0(' a Sikh.
In the dust and tumble of politics he did not lose his mystic
bearings; be was a clear eyed realist in tbe practical affairs
of every day life, but bis " true romantic spirit shines through
his narratives of "N ur Jehan H
,uNasrin'\ "Kamla", and
"Kamni", and if his gifl of poetic cliction is at work io the ·
pales of "Thus Spoke Guru Nanak" his mastery of prose
Slyle is seen at its best in his "Life of Malabari".
The Cbief Khalsa Diwao bas uodertaken publication

of tbe second edition of this rare book, with the help of
Dr. Mool Singh Kattak Parchar Fund, a permanent fund
with the Dewan. Its inlerest only is utilised every year
for Parchar publications.
May 1967 SANT SINGH

Honorary Secretary,
Chief Khalsa Diwan, Amritlar.
GURU NANAK' S VIEWS ON GOD
GURU NANAK'S VIEWS ON GOD
In th< b<ginning there was indscribable darkness;

There was no earth or beaven. naugbt but God',
unequalled being .
There was no day, or night, OJ' moon , or sun;
There were no sources of life, voices, or wind, or
water ;
Neither creation nor destruction, nor coming nor goioll'
There were no continents, or hills, or seven sea~ or
rivers or flowi ng streams;
Nor was there paradise, nor a vortex of I8rtb, nOI
nether regions ;
Nor the Hell nor eaven of the Muhammadans; nor
the destroyer. Death;
Nor the Hell nor Heaven of the Hindus. nor birth nOI
death; nor did anyone come or go.
There was no male or fema!e, or caste, or birth; nor
did anyone feel pain or pleasure
Thert Was DO Brahmal , 'Vishnu' or Shiva' ;
No one existed bUI the One God.
'Brahma=Creator. 'Vi,hnu=Suslaioer.
'Shiva=Destroyer,
2
Tners is but One God whose name is True, the Cr.3!or,
Immortal , Unborn, Self-"x .tent, wilhout Fear and
without Hate
The True One wa. in the Beginning. The True One
was in the Primal age.
The True One is. was a Nanak . aod the True One
also shall be .
Dy thinking r cannot obtain conception of Him, even
though I think a hundred .hou,and limes.
. 3
From the True One proceedeth air, frum air ",aler,
And from water the three worlds.
God in union with Maya ' gave birth to three cb i1dren.
One of them is the Creator, the second the Provider,
the third performeth the function of Destroyer .
As it pleaseth God, He directeth tbem by His orders.
Separation and Union are Ihe law, by whicb He regu-
Isteth this universe.
Seeing all He is not seen,
The Creator b-holdeth His creation.
Nanak, true is the work of the True One.
4
It is tbe one God WilD created (Jur understanding;
It is from the one God tbat tbe mountains and tbe ag.u
of the world emanated.
It is the one God who hesroweth · knowledge.
It is by the Name of the One God that the pious are
saved.
1 Maya- IlIU.i'OD,
GOD
5
The Unseen, Tnfinite, Inaccessible, incomprehensible

God is not subject to destiny,
He is of no caste, unborn , self·cdstent, without rear
or doubt.
He hath no form, or colour, or outline ; He becometh
manifest by the true word.
Ae hath no motber, father , son , or kinsman; He feeleth
not lust. and hath no wife,
Or famil v ; H. i, pure, tndle", and infinite ; all light.
H i ~ light is conceaJed in e very heart.
Beyond this earlh, there are numberless earths and skies.

Rivers and earths illnumerable. Who can describe this
creal ion ?
Ais lamps are the ~un and the Moon, and His light
pervadeth the three worlds .
The pious have light d3y and night , but for the per·
verse tbere is only sable darkness.
The ascrtic sitteth lD med itative posture, and ever
arglleth, but can he see Goel even with both his
eyes?
They in whose hearts there is lighT. are awakened by
the sound of the Word; the true Guru' hears their
prayers .
1 Guru ~ True Teacher.

6 THUS SPOKE GURU NANAK
7
Wherever I look, tbere art Thou,

Tby worth caDDot be estimated or describ<:d ;
They who seek to describe Thee are absorbed in Thee.
None knoweth the extent of Thy being.
Though all meditative men were to meet and meditate
upon Thee,
Though ail appraisers were to meet and appraise Thee,
They could not coruprehend eveD the smallest part of
Thy greatness.
To The. SiDg angels who men's deeds record

For judgement final by ,he Kj "g "f justice.
To Tbee sing the chaste alld patient of mankind,
Unyielding heroe, of true fa,th app ,oved.
To Thee sing Pundits, aDd Chiefs, a ud Samts ;
To Thee sing heroes and men of might,
And the sources four, fro m which all life doth sprinK ;
To Thee sing those whose deeds delight the eye;
The host. who wear the colours of Thy faith ;
The whole Creation ,ings Thy glorious name.
9
G"d the first principle, the pure One, is in all things:

of this there i, no doubt. .
Nanak hath obtained, God the Inf'inite Supreme Being;
as his Guru.
GOD 1
10
In fear the winds and breezes ever blow;

In fear flow hundreds of thousands of riven;
111 fear performetb fire its forced labour ;
In fear the earth is trodden into dust;
In fear are the stars and the firmament;
In fear are migbty men and divine heroes;
Tn fear rj\·er!'t of men come and go ;
In fear are the Siddhas ' , the Buddha,,, demi-gods, and
the Natlls'_
In fear sittetb Dharmaraj' at God's gate ;
God hath destined fear for everyone, Nanale, the
tormle lOne, the True, is the One without fear.
II
God having c· eated hi. creation. gave" the names. and

appointed Dharmaraj to Judge its aclS.
At His court the rcal truth is adjudged;
There the fabe fi nd no place;
The Hypocrites are revealed as they truly are;
They go [0 Hell with blackened faces,
12
There is the One God. the God of all Gods, the Supreme
God of souls
1 Siddha=Ascetic. , Buddha=Knower
3 Dharmaraj = l he king of Justice.
-;8 THUS SPOKE GURU NANAK
13
All creatures are subjec to destiny from the beginning;
there i. none not subject to it.
God alone is not subject to destiny; He beholdeth the
work of His own omnipotence ;
He causeth His order to be executed.
14
How many shrubs and trees have we .cen ?
.How many beasts are created by Tbee 1
How many species of creeping tbings. and bow many
birds bast Thou caused to fly 1
15
Men rob and steal, and the ~ bide themselves.
They look before tbem, they look behind them, but
where can they hide tbem",:Yes from Thee?
16
The One Lord who created tbe world is tbe Lord of
all,
Whose form is subtle. whose name js the Bright One
and whose image is in all minds.
He continueth to gi ve us our daily bread which never
failetb.
17
Wby should we worship a second who is born and
dietb ?
Remember tbe One God, Nanak, who porvadc th sea
and land.
OOD 9
IS
The lamp that the knower lights,
He moulds it on the wheel sf good deeds, and lights
the wick by the fire of his heart;
The lamp burns through day and night;
It cannot be put out by wind or rain ;
It shows the way of true knowledge;
By its light God's throne may be seen .
19
Thou art the tablet. 0 Lord, Thou art the pen, and
Thou art also the wri ting.
20
In Thee I shah dwell in peace ; to dwell in Thee is
all I Wish.
If it please Thee, Thou bestowest a throne and great-
ness.
If it please Thee. Thou makest man a forlorn beggar;
If the please Thee. rivers flow over dry land, and the
lotus bloomelh in the heavens ;
If it please Thee, man crosseth the terrible ocean;
When I have Thee, I have everything ; Thou, 0 Lord,
art my treasure.
21
What wonder would it be if God caused 10 live without
breath, au the animals which live hy breathing?
Nanak. as it 'pleaseth the True One, so He giveth us
sustenance.
22
How great, 0 God, is Try power? How great Thy
gift!
MyriOlls of men and animals utter Thy praises day
and night!
How many arc Thy forms and colours; how many
are Thy ca;tes both high and low!
When the true Guru is found, he awakens truth, and
man becoming lrue is absorbed in the truth.
23
What is that gale, that mansion what, where Thou
dos! sit and watch o'er all Thy wondrous works?
Many the harps and songs which tune Thy praise.
Yes countless; Thy musicians, \:I'ho can tell ?
How many measure, sung with high delight,
And voices wIDch exalt Thy peerless names ;
To Thee sing waler, wind, and breathing fire;
To Thee sings Dharmaraj in regions drear.
. 24
Nanak ullereth the word of the True One, and will
proclaim the trutb at the True One's appointed time ,
God can cause lions, hawks, kestrels, and falcons to
eat gra" ;
And the animals which eat grass He can cause to
eat meat.
He can cau e hills to appear in rivers unfathomable,
and rivers in sandy deserts;
He can appoint a worm to sovereignty, and reduce an
army to ashes.
GOD 11
25
The One Lord who created the world is the lord of
all.
Fortunate is their advent into the world, whO!e hearts
remain attached to God's service.
o foolish man, why hast tbou forgolten Him?
When tholl adjuste' t thine account, my friend, thou
shalt be deemed instructed.
26
The Lord bath a tree whose fruit is ambrosia .
They who have partaken of it are satisfied.
27
Why appearest Thou not unto me, 0 Lord. sioce
Thou abides! with all?
How sball my thirst be slaked when there is a screen
between Thee and me 1
28
Soul and body are all in Thy power ;
Thou art near, Thou art distant, and Thou art midway ;
Thou seest and hearest ; by Thy power dost Thou
create tbe world.
Whalever order plea seth Thee. saith Nanak, that is
acceptable.
29
Birds have no money in their possession.
They depend on trees and water onlY;
God is their Giver.
There is on ly Thou, there is only Thou, 0 God.
30
No one hath a .on, no one hath a mother :

Deceived by worldly love man wandereth in doubt.
By the Guru's favour evil inclinations depart.
Wherever I gaz, there is on Iy one God.
31
If a beggar at God's gate cry aloud, God heareth
in the neXI world.
32
Some Thou blendest with Thyself ; others Thou lead est
astray from Th,e.
33
All the world is Thine, 0 Lord ; Thou alone art the
Giver; there is, none otber, my brethren.
34
God Himself bestoweth greatness ; He Himself cau~eth
man to do good work, ;
He appointeth all men to their respective duties ;
He is the greatest of the great; great is His word.
35
Gifts are the Lord's; what can prevail against Him?
Some who are awake receive them not;
Others who are asleep He awaketh, and cooferreth
blessings upon them.
GOD 13
36
o Lord, be thou the Saviour and by Thy grace take
Ole acro~s.
Steep is the mountain and difficult of escent; there

is no ladder which will reach it ;
Everything that came into this . world shall dePa,I;l;
the Creator alone is immortal.
o vicious unbeliever. know thine own origin.
37
As the moon to the night.
Thy gift, 0 Lord, is as light to the mind.
By which darkness is dispelled.
38
The One God fashioned the vessels, and it is His light
that filleth the three..worlds.
Everything is inferior to kuth; tbe practice af truth il
superior to all else.
39
All men err; it is . only. tbe great. Creator who arreth
not.
40
The body j, the palace, the temple and the hou,e of
God; in it His eternal light dwelleth .
41
~re is none hut Thee, 0 my BelQved; there i. none
. hut Thee, 0 God. .
In all eolours and forms art Thou; Thou pardonc,t him
on whom Thou lookest w.th favour.
42
The virtuou. wife enjoyeth trlle union ; why doth the

bad one bewail ?
If sbe becomes, virtuous, then she too shall find her
beloved.
43
Jllimitable, infinite beyond reach, needing no support

beyond time and action ;
Beyond birth, unbirth, fear and desire. self-existeDt
and true .
Without form and colour, Supreme Baing, knowo by
the true word.
Having 00 fatber or motber <IIr son or relation or wife,
passionless, pure and ,free .
Unattainable, spotless . without attribule5 and yet
appea, ing with atlributes.
In all the three worlds is Hi! shinin& light;
He is the great w.>rld-protector.
44
My Lord is one, 0 brother,. He is one, He is one.
45
In all things is His light and it is in His light that all
things find light.
Always present ; He is watching; nowhere is He
,
absent.
GOD IS'
46
This world is the dwelling place of -the True One, in
it the True One dwells.
47
His command reiills and He pervades the univer;e.
48
] cannot ceunt the worlds and the underworlds in-
numerable.
49
Says Nanak, fear is ordained for all; only He tbe True
One is withouf fear.
sp
Tbe sun and the moon, 0 L6rd, are Thy lamps, the
firmament Thy salver;
The stars are the pearls encased jn it.
The perfume of the sandal is Thine incense ;
The wind is Thy fan; all the forests are Thy flowers,
o Load of light
The light which is in everything: is Thine, 0 Lord of
light ;
From its brillianc>: everything i. br.illiant ;
By the Guru's teaching the" light becomes manifest.
What pleaseth Thee is real worship.
Sl
Know the one God to be insIde and outside, and then by
the grace of thy Guru the fire of aesite wlll die out.
S2
He who filleth all space, 0 Nanak, Him I carry in my
heart -
His light filletb the three worlds.
In every being is present the unapproachable and the
endless one and the true;
By subduring thine own self, Join Him.
53
When the meditation turns the flower upward, then
the stream of immonality enters the tentb door.
God himself peryadetb the tbree worlds.
54
Sitting in the secret cave in soundless Samadbil.
Pervaded by the God filling that dwelling.
The lord holds conYersation witb the deyoteo.
55
Rising in splendour of beauty,
Out of kindne.. He gracefully enters His own home,
Then rai,ns tbe immortal nectar ; the supreme word
purifying and producing rapture.
If one under~tands the nature of this One,
H[mself becomes one with the One, tbe Creator.
'Samadhi: It is affirmed that meditation leads' to

Samadhi, that is complete si1encirg of the senses. The
sUllreme word touches the down-lurne(\ .I!>tus to an awaken-.
inll: lead,iQlll? uD.1JIed,ia\c.rcalizati9.D, · .. • . . , .
THE POWER OF GOD'S NAME
THE POWER OF GOD'S NAME
Were a mansion of pearls erecled and inlaid ·witb gems

for me.
Perfumed wilh musk saffron. fragranl aloes. and sandal,
to confer delight,
May it nol be, that on beholding Ibese thiogs I miShl
forgel Thee, 0 God, and not rrmember Thy name?
Were th~ earth studded with diamonds and rubies and
my couch as richly adorned;
Were fascinating damsel,. whose faces were decked witb
jewels. 10 - sbed lustre and enbance the pleasure of
the scene ;
May it not be that on beholding them I might forget Thee
and not remember Thy name?
Were I to become a Siddha and work miracles, aDd
command the wealth of the universe;
Were I able to disappear aDd appear at pleasure, and
we . e the world to honour me ;
May it Dot be that on account of these tbings,
1 migb t forget Thee and not remember Thy name·?
19
Were J to become a monarch, occupy a throne, and

command an army;
Were dominion and regal revenue mine, 0 Nanak .
May it not he that on beholding these things I might
forget Thee and not remember Thy name?
I have ascertained from my Guru . that there is no other
shelter than in God _
Life growetb shorter every day.

Eam here the profit of God' s name;
And in tbe nelt! world ye shali abide in happiness,
And find an eternal home and return na more to this
....orld.
Knower of hearts, infinite God, fulfil this desire of my

heart.
Give me the gift of becoming the dust of tbe reet of
Tby devotees.
Whllm God awaketb and givetb tbis gift, be knows the
atory of tb. ineffable.
GOD'SNAMB 21
.'
Entering the world doomed to die, man builds for
long life.
The greedy mind rernaineth not still; it wandereth in all
directions.
While some depart, 0 Lord, tbe fire is approaching those
who remain.
Nanak says, Thy na~e alone can assist at the ,last hour,
Chiefs and Kings have no abiding place;

Bankers die and pass empty-handed to tbe other side.
o God, grant me Thine ambrosial name as my wealth 1
Death cannot conquer him in whose heart
God' s true name dwelkth, and who singeth God's praises.
The world is transient like a flash of lighting ,
Yet, foolish heart of mine, thou tbinkest not of the
olher life.
Grant me only one thing-Thy name; the poisooou$
Ihings of the world, please me not ,
It is difficult to repeat the true Name.

If a man hunger after the true Name,
His pain shaJl cepart.
True is the Lord , true if His name;
Then how could I forget iI , 0 my m<>thrr?
7
Wear the white clotbing of cbarily ; ,

Destroy the blackness of Sin; use it as a ' trin1D1ing in
blue ';
Make conlenlment the waiMband imbued with tbe
colour of God"~ riame ;
Put on the real raiment of meditation;
Enjoy the wealth and glory of His name.
Mother, all other dress affordetb ruinous happiness;
By pUlling it on, the b Jdy is pained and sin en,.reth tbe
mind.
Pain is poison ; the Dame of God is the antidote . .

o my great Lord, deep and profound, brimful of,
excellences.
If ( repeal the Name, I lIve; If! forget, I die.
The name alone is my lamp; sufferin~ tbe oil In tbe

COD tainer.
The lamp's light hath dried up Ihe oil, and I bave e.caped
suITering.
GOD'S NAME 23
10
&orne read Vedas" some tbe Puraoas',

Some repeat names 00 their rosaries and mediate on
them.
I know not aad never knew anything; I recogni;z:o
, only Thy name.
By obeying Him, 0 Nanak, man wandereth not in quest
of alms,
So pure is God's Dame .
Whoever obeyeth -God, know.eth the pleasure of it in
his own heart.
II
There is longing between beauty and love, and hUDger

between tbe famished and. dainty food;
There is craving between greed and wealth as between a
sleepy man for a bed and coverlet.
It is vain to worry witb worldly occupations.
The anger that barketh is despised.
To be silent, 0 Nanak, is good; without the Name the
mouth is defiled.
'Vedas~Ancient books of knowledge or revelation.

' Puranas= Ancient mythical books.
12
To p\eaee Thee i. my empire! to say more were
altogether useless.
The plea lUre of Thy name is mansions and palaces. .
Father, all else atTord.lh ruinous happiness;
By Indulging in it, the body is pained and sin eotereth
the mind.
13
o my bretbren, your bodies and wealth ,hall not

accompany you.
God's name is pure wealtb; God giveth it tbrougb tbe
Guru.
14
The ~aints are few, not many deceIt and wrangling

prevaillD the world.
God's name in Ihis world and the next, ID the past and
tbe future, is my support.
15
The desert is oot satisfied with rain, and the hunger "r
fire is not appeased by fuel;
Kings are not satisfied witb dominions: who hath 'ever
tilled Ihe ooean ?
How niuch hath Nanak inquired after tbe true Name aud
not·been .. tisfied ?
GOD'S NAME 25
16
I may apply di,tilled, alone wood and sandel-wood past. to

my body,
I may were silks and satins,
But without God's name how shalll obtain happiness?
11
o Sire, T am neither high, nor low, nor middling;

I am of God's people and I seek Hi> prntection,
Salth Nanak. grant me Thy name a8 my wealth that
I may wear it a' a necklace on my heart .
18
If llepeat the Nam e, [live! Lf I forget it I die,

It is difficult to repeat the true Name,
If man hunger after the tTo.e Name,
His sins shall depart.
Tben bow could I forget it, 0 my mother?
True is tbeLord, true is His name.
On the stone of mind , rub the sandal-wood paste of
the Name, mixed with the (;Olour of good deeds,
and worship Him ",ithin the sdf,
19
The valuable ruby, God's name, can be acquired by

hearing from the Guru.
2J
By the name of G0d salYation is attained,

An escape found from the pain of birth and death.
21
He is the Pundit Who throws away the bondage of the

three Guoas' and rememhers tbe Name lir God .
Let no one be proud of his caste: whosoever knows God
is Brahman.
'Gunas= The Three attributes.

LOVE FOR GuO
LOVE FOR GOO
He Himself Who hath laid out this garden knoweth and

actoth.
Sing the praises of the Bel',vod; sing His p. aises by
which happiness is ever obtained.
She who enjoyeth not her union with love sball
afterwards repent;
She shall wring her hands, and beat her head as tbe
night passeth away.
I cannot live for a moment in this world without Him;

so much do J thirst for Him .
The lotus . on the lake on behold ins the sunbeams of
heaven rejoiceth ;
o my Beloved, such is the longing I feel in my bearts
·that my little Iigbt may blend with Tbine.
29
The true wine i. that which contai neth the true Name ;
it is prepared without molas es.
Man is known as properl y intoxicated when he is
intoxicated with G od's love.
Make divine knowlcdge thy molasses, meditation tby

Dhava' flowers, good actions thy fermentating bark.
Make the love of God .thy furnace, devotion the sealing
of the still; in this way shall n.ctar be distilled.
Father, by quaffing th~ divine juice the mind becometh

intoxicated and easily absorbed in God's love.
I have fixed my attention on God, day and night, and
heard the wondrous sound
God is true, His cup is pure; He giveth this drink to
him on whom He casteth a favouring glance.
Why should he. who dealeth in nectar feel any thirst
for earthly wine ;
'Dhav.: Flowers of a plant which are fermented for

making alchol.
LOVE FOR GOD 31
The kind One saveth those on whom He looketh with

favour.
Nanak, they who have lhe fear of God in the;r hearts
have also love.
The body is the ~alace, the temple and the house of

God; in it H is eternal light dwelleth.
In all things is His light; from it He is known, but
He is found by love.
The true One is fOUlld wheo the mind cornteth horne.
It i. not obtained by intellect, or study, or by great

cleverness; what the hea rt desireth is obtained by
love .
Nanak. God is my Beloved ; I b,long to none besides.
When man hath love and devotion and is himself lowly.

it is then, 0 Nanak, he obtainetb salvation.
10
Simpleton Nanak, they say, hath becom. mad unon the

Lord.
He is only aware of the fear of God.
And knoweth the worthlessness of the world.
He recognizeth the Master's order.
When man loveth the Lord and deemeth himself
worthless.
And the rest of the world good . he is called mad .
o Man, entertain sucb love for God as the lotus batb
for tbe water,
II
Drunkards abandon not drink, nor fishes water ;

So God is pleasing beyond all else to those who are
imbued with tbe wine of bis love.
THE INEVITABILITY OF DEATH
THE INEVITABILITY OF DEATH
Caparisoned horses fleet as the wind, and women

adorned with every aid to beauty.
Men fix tbeir bearts on them, dwell in mansions,
pavilions. and palaces, and make display ;
They enjoy pleasures to their hearts' content; but
they know not God. and work towards destruction
of self.
However great and wealthy a man may be,

The Ministers of death throw a chain on his neck and
take him away.
There an account of his acts is read;
The Judge on bis seat taketh the acconnt and passeth
sentence.
Such a man finds no place of shelter;
Blind mind thou hasl wasted thy life.
3
The knot of Life is untying; arise, thine allotted time

hath come.
All pleasure and happiness are at an end;
Death will lead thee away captive,
Without being seen or heard he will lead tbee captive.
The ripe field shall be cut down, everyone must
have his turn.
An account of every hour aDd minute shall be taken,
and the soul shall obtain pun ishment or reward.
The words man speaketl) shall be taken into account;
the food he eateth shall be taken into a~ount; that
which he hearetb and sooth shall be taken into
account;
Every breath he drawelb shall b. taken inta account.
Wby criest tbou 'Alas'? God is and shall be

Ye weep for others, but who will weep for thee ?
The dead bear not, ye only cry to be heard 'by others.
He'lvho laid them to sleep, Nanak, will awake ·them .
Man decketh his body: dresseth it in silk,

And issueth many orders;
He maketh a couch of 'ease and sleepelh thereoD .
Wby weepeth he, when he falleth into the hands of
death?
DEATH
For wea lth many are ruined; this wealth hatb disgraced
many;
It is not amassed without sin, and it goes not with the
dead.
7
Empire, we .fth. and youth are all shadows;
So arc carriages alld magn ificent mansio ns.
What ha,h man brought into the world ?
What sha ll he take away when Dealh dr:ves him to
his doom?
H· cometh naked into the world, and ag ain he

departeth naked.
Such de<tiny shall aliened ii , as God's pcn hath recorded
upou his forehead.
Subjects, headmen, lords, sovereigns.
N one a re permanent in thi s world .
9
What i, that fear, by fearing which the fear of death
may t, ke fright?
I'utlhe fea r of God into th y heart and the n the lear
of death shall depart in fear.
Fear is menIal d.isturbance, if thou hath any olher
f,ar than that of God.
\0
As herdsmen slay for a short time in the pasture ground,

so do men stay in this world.
Awake, awake, ye sleepers;
Know the truth, the body shall fall and the soul
depart.
II
I have DO anxiety regarding death, and 1 have no
desire for life .
12
Deatb must come to all and all must pari company,
Go and ask the wise if meo shall meet thereafter or
not .
13
Who soever hath come will go . everyone hath his
turn;
Why forget the Lord 7 Life and death are His.
14
Why irriga!e barren land ? Why spend life u, eles,ly ?

The mud wall must tumble down; why heavi,y pla, ter it?
15
He who while living is dead [0 the life of the world
and devoted to God ,
Whrn he hears the eternal sound attains fearlessn ....
TRUE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD
TRUE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD
His in. tructir" hOI11 placed ne in Itlne with God:

My so ul allli body are bedewed with nectar.
A nd in my h,oo" is Ihe jewel of love, and 1 feel one
with the primal essence
r applied the great salve of divine knowledge to my
eyes, and saw God's form wh'eh fi IIcth Ihe three
worlds.
On beholding Him [ have bec ome free from desire;
the pain of b ir th and dea th is at an end.
fn the rea lm of knowl edge the di"ine light is lumi nous .

There arc fashioned kn owledge, wisdom. inkll;: c ', and
underst.anding.
Which illuminate demi-god < and men or supernatu ral
pO\',,'er.
You say, 0 Pundits: 'As darkness is dispelled when

a lamp is lighted,
'So by reading the Veda. sinful inclinations are
destroyed !'
I say to you: 'When the sun riseth tbe moon is not
seen,'
'Where divine knowledge appcareth ignorance is
dispelled. '
L have Inquired of my Guru regarding the trll O

knowledge of God .
J have inquired of lhe true Gmu, regarding the
knowledge of God; o humble bee, thou art
enamoured of the flowers ;
When tbe sun riseth, thou flutte , est about the flower;
Without the Word thOll art bound and punished on tbe
road of dealh.
Verily, sailh N.nak, think of it, thou sholt die, 0 bumble
bee.
5
He who knoweth divine knowledge is the learned

Pundit,
He who knoweth the one God in all creatures would
ne'er say, ' I exist hy myself'.
KNOWLEDGE 43
God cannot be known by cleverness.

Without cha,tening the mind bow can God be
appraised?
In the bou," is nect a r. which the . thieves are taking
away;
No one tries to restrain thenl.
If thou wilt Jearn to guard the nec tar, G od Himself will
confer greatness on thee.
Pleasant is the night for those who long for Him in their
hearts;
By the Guru's instruction to his disciples this knowledge
is obtained.
The kind One saveth those on whom He looketb with
favour ;
The worshippers on wh om God be,toweth kir.dess
worship Him.
Why ho ld woma" as weak, from whom are born K iogs

and Saint' ./
Call not by the name of wisdom. skill in argument.

It is . by wisdom what is read is understood; it is by
wisdom alms are properly bestowed.
By wisdom the Lord is worshipped; hy wisdom honour
is obtained.
Nanak sailh. these are lhe ways of wisdom; all otile"
are ways of ignorance.
\0
It is useless to endeavour to inslruct a fool ,

JuSI as placing a light before a blind man, or burning
fifty lamps for him, is of no avail.
II
When man is filled with fear Ihrough the Guru's

instructions, then he obtaincl h understanding. and
honour resulteth.
N.nak, Ihe true King tl:en blendelh man with
Him .. lf.
12
I, Nanak , have souglrt and searched, and scen that the

wOlld is a mansion of smoke.
KNOWLEDGE
13
Repeat Om, th z th , ee wo rlds are in it.
14
Ma ke your life a shop, with tbe tru o Name as ' its

capital.
Store it with the Word And true knowledge.
15
You go to bathe in t he holy wate r. the Name is the

holy pool.
Bathe in the meditation of the Word and raise. tlte . '
shrine of knowledge.
16
[n each and everyo ne there is eternal light; know this

the essence of the Guru's t.eaching.
17
Fore,t and home a re the same to Olle wQo ,reJ}il>C lIM
~elf.
18
Keep the fast of non-desire, repeat . God 's .IIAMI! ,without

outward recitation .
Know the One God filling Ihe three worlds; then thou
knowest the true meaning of the self restraint of
sences, and the divine truth.
19
Water is cnntained in the vessel ; it could not stand

without a vessel.
Knowledge is contained in the mind and knowledge
cannot be acquir<d without a teacber.
20
Daylight is there; here is aU night.

Three states of mind are known;
The fourth state is kuown through the help of the true
Guru;
It leads to the knowledge of God .
21
He who avoids the three, lives in the fourth;

He bas attained' the supreme state .
Having killed bope and desire; and rising above thetbree
Gunas. beyond the stings of disapPointment,
In the fourth Etate, the follower of the true Guru is found
in saintly company.
THE WICKEDNESS OF SIN
THE WICKEDNESS OF SIN
Nobody ob,yeth the Shastras' or the Vedas;

Everybody worshippeth himself.
The Qazi I .itteth .to administer justice ;
He turnelh over his beadf and invoketh God,
But he taketh bribes and doeth injustice.
If anyone questions he cites texIs.
Men without divine know ; edg~ sing hymns

The hungray Muila' maketh a home for himself and
calkth it a House of God.
One man who earnethnothing . • Iitteth hia ears ;
Auother becometh a beg~ar and wandereth bowl in
hand.
Touch not the reet of those, who call theniBelves
, I
Gurus and Pirs', and who go a-begging.
'Shastras=Ancient b ooks.
"Qazi=A Mu&lim Priesl or Judge.
"Mull.=MusJirti P~iek
'Pir= Muslim Teac'her.
49
1
I am base and worthless: I covet my neighbour's house.

Lust and anger, whicb are pariahs , dwell in my beart.
o Creator, I wander in tbe disguise of a huntsman;
In saint's dress I plan to entrap otbers,
I am a chearin a connl! y of cheats.
I deem myself very clever, and yet load myself with
sin.
o Creator, I wander a disguised huntsman.
4
Gre!d and sin are ruler and financier, falsehood is
master of the mint.
Lust, bis minister, summonetn and exam in th men.
and sitteth in judgement:
Men blind aad without Ic.nowledge, fill him with
deadening bribes.
Thou practisest avarice, covetousness. and falsebood,

and bea,re, t many burdens ;
Thou slanderest and bearest fal.e witness against
otners.
I bave seen tbee, 0 body, trodden . s a;hes on tbe
ground.
Man digg<tb deep foundations and constructetb edifices
on them, but they shall become at l.st beaps of
dust.
SIN 51
6
The five evil passions dwell concealed within the beart ;

Wbere~ore it remainetb not fixed, but wandereth like
a wanderer.
Cruelty, worldly love, avarice, and wrath are four

streams of fire;
They who fall into tbem are burnt, 0 Nanak, but
deliverance is obtained by clinging to His feet.
Entanglements are motber, father, and the whole

world ;
Entanglements are sons, daughter., and kinsmen,
Entanglements are religious ceremonies, performed
through ostentation.
Nanak, to what bath the world come 1

No com~ion or friend remaineth ;
Love bath ceased among brethren and kinsmen;
Faith is lost on account of mammon·
12 THUS SPOKE GURU-NANAK
10
It is the nature of pride tbat it produces' egoism.

This egoism is a trammd which suhjecleth man to
transmigration and his acts make his Karma',
lJ
In egoism a man is bo_rn, in ego ism he performeth

action.
Egoism is the bondage which comples man to be born
again and again.
What is the origin of egoism and by what device
shall it depart?
Egoism is the disease, love the sovereign rCI11t:d ~'
.
conceaied
. in every heart .
12
Preaching and Ihlening are a. the sough of the wind

when illusion. of the world cloud man·s mind,
The sin of the body is a puddle ; the mind is a toad
therein, unaware of the lotus.
JKarma=Result of 31,1 &ct don. in a former life.

SIN
1'3
Nanak, this bod v of ours hatb one carriage and onc

driver.
They are botb changed ill every age ; the holy rna,!.
knoweth this.
1n tbe: Sat age ~ontentment was the carriage, piety .
the driver in front;
In the Dwaper age penance was the carriage, truth
the driver in front ;
In the Kal age passion IS the carriage, falsehood the
driver in front.
14
Night is a small net, day a lar~e , one ; there are

as many meshes as there are minutes in the day.
With relish thou ever pecke.t at the bait, and art
ensna~ed; 0 fool, by what skill sbalt thou escape ?
15
There is pleasure in the perfume of >andal-wuod,

There is pleasure in horses) plea~ure in couches,
Pleasure III palacts. pleasure In sweets, and pleasure
in meats.
Wben sucb are 'the pleasures ' of the body,' how shall
God 's name " btain a dwelling therein?
S4 THUS SPOKE GURU NANAK
16
Wonderful is this age ; a blind man it caHeth a guide,

The sleeper to be awake, and be wbo is awake it
says sleeper ;
It ca!leth what is sweet bitter, and want is bitter
sweet ;
It slandereth those who love God and applaudeth the
sinner.
17
The Brabman taketh ·life and tben batheth in ,he

Gange~ ;
Tbe ignorani Yogi' knoweth not the way of Union and
yet is full of pretences;
They ruin the world.
18
Cease to covet another's wife and another's goods,

shun the deadly sins of pride,
Evil inclinations, slander, and lust and wrath the
executioners.
'Yoga=The psycho-phys;cal discipline practised by

the Hindus for liberation or salvation. ·A Yogi is one
who practises Yoga.
SIN 55
19
See how sugar-cane is cut down 3nd made into sheaves

after the stalks are cleaned .
The labourers put it into a press and squeeze it.
Having expressed the juice, they put it into a pan.
and it groaneth as it burneth ;
The residue is collec)ed and put into the pan over
flaming fire.
Nanak, sweet things are thus ill-treated; come and
ICC, 0 People.
20
He came to me in my dreams and agam vanished, upon

which I wept my full,
T am weeping; the whole world weepeth; yea, even my
birds of the forest weep for me,
One tbing weepeth not for me, tbe passion of my
body which parted me from my Beloved.
21
We spend nights in sleep and days in feeding.

Bartering away this priceless life for an empty shell.
22
Uttering falseh ood amounts to eating carrion.
23
. .,
Make good deeds the accompaniment of thy facing
towards Kaba and then call thyself a Moslem.
Nanak says, all false ones indulge in falsehood. and
fall into the fit of falsehood.
THE PATH TO SALVATION
THE PATH TO SALVATION
Religious men perform no re/igious acts, and yet want'

the door of salvation.
Forsake vice and pursue virtue:

Abandon covetousness and slander; f<Jf~wear falsehood
ftnd thou shalt obtain tbe true rr~it through the
Guru's instruction.
Thou mayest earn lalls of r upecs : tbou mayest

amass and ~pend Jakhs; Jill.may come and lakbs
may g~ ;
B'Jt, if thy ,soul obtains not credit in account witb
God all else is useless.
..
Does anyone take anything with him?
Then knowing this why ama!s wealth?
Become a true business man and make .iOnle profit
to carry with thee.
Sow the seed or truth in tpc soil oehooesty,
Forsake vice, practise virtue and obtain true wealth.
Health, beauty, youth, and power are five robbers.

These robbers have robbed the world.
Only tbey who fali at the Guru's feet escape tbeir
raid.
The terrible ocean is deep, and fathomles,; '

There is npt boat nor raft, no saIlor with an 08r,
o Lord, be Tbou tbe Saviour and by Thy grace take
me acros&.
7
If ih ou art to cross the water, C'lD,S UIt those who
have the ski ll 10 cross.
They are very wise and will keep clear of the
whirlpool'
Domestic entanglements are a whirlpool, 0 brother;
Sin is a stone which prevents swimming.
SALVA.TION 61
Make a raft of devotion and penance, so mayest thou

cross Ihe stream.
Put thy soul On the rart of God's f~ar, and tboil shalt
be saved.
Saith Nanak, such a ran God giveth but to few,
The city is frail, the King i> a boy and loveth the
wicked;
He is said '0 have two mothers and two fathers;
o Pundit, think of it.
How I am to obtain the Lord "f Ufe ?
Within me is the fire and an ocean, and the garden
is in bloom,
The moon and s"n arc both io . my heart; hast thou
obtained such knowledge, 0 Pundit?
10
In me are all demerits; I have not one merit;

How shall I meet my Beloved?
No beauty of I"strous eyes is mine,
No f!!lI!i1y, 00 manners,. nor sweet speech ,
o God' mercifullY attach me to Thy feet.
I ha>e no wisdom, understanding, or cleverness.
1 have surfered through. heing sepalated from Thee
from birth to hirth.
II
Intoxicated witb avarice, covetousness, and pride, snd ·

absorbed in mammon.
o foolish woman, by these mean. tbe loved one is not
obtained ;
Go and ask the bappy wives by what means tbey have
won tbe Beloved.
12
I will go and ask my friend, how they have won tbe

Beloved.
I will touch their feet, implore them, and induce them
to show me the way.
13
Wbat:(is that word, what that virtue, what that price-

IC9& spell ?
What dress shall ( wear by whicb I may captivate

my Lord 1
SfU-AVATION 63
14
To rejoice in whatever He doth, without questioning

and ordering,
To apply the mmd to the worship of His reet by
whose love what is most valued is obtained ;
Do whatever tbe I, ved One biddeth thee;
Sucb perfumes apply. surrender thy body and soul ;
Efface thyself. 80 shalt thou obtain the Bridegroom;
what other art is there ?
Thus speak the happy wives; 0 sister, by these
means the Spouse is obtained.
15
Humility is the word. forhearance the virlue, and love
the pricele.. spell.
Make these three thy dress, 0 sister, and the Lord
shall he thine.
16
Nanak, to obey is to apply sandal-wood paste and

scents ;
Merits are tbe incantations whicb win tbe Beloved.
True union is realized wheo bearts are united .
However much One may desire it, a meeting is oot
effected by word, ;
Metal blendeth with metal, and love . blendeth with
love.
64 THUS SPoKE GURU NANAK
17
if thou desire to play at love with me.

Come my way. with thy head in tbe palm of thy
hand.
Put thy feet on this road;
Give tby head regardless of tbe world's opinion.
P ut the Guru's word into thy heart for tbe rings in

thine ears; wear the patched coat of forbearance;
Wbatever God ' doth consider as good : In this way
shalt thou obtain the treasure of Y~ ga.
19
Reduce thy five senSeS to subje<;tion. 0 Yogi. and

make a pure heart thy staff;
In this way sball ..tholl obtain ~h~ way ;of·Yoga.
20
Make 'wlsdom thy m'o th~r. contentment tby fatber,

Truth thy brotner -tbis is ri&ht relationship.
SA LVA'nON 6S
21
Make morcy thy cotton, contentment ' thy 'tbie'ad;
continence its knol, trulh itdwist,
Place this sacred thread on the soul
If thou bast ii, 0 Brabman, tb,e? put it 00 me.
It will DOt break, or become soiled, or be burnl, or
lost .
Blest the man, 0 Nanak, who goelb witb Su'dh a
thread on his neck.
22
Make continence Ihy furnace; resignation thy goldsmith,

Understanding tby anvil. divIne knowledge .thy 'tools,
The 'fear of God tby bellows: austerities ihy fire,
Divine love thy crucible and ,"ell tbe self lhereiti.
In sucb a mint true union is attaioed.
23
Tie up virtue as thy Ira veiling expenses, and think

not of tomorrow.
Make faith in the Name thine occuption and
devotion,
Restraint ' of evil thy M:rvice, inclination thy asceti-
cism ; so shalt ~I'u ? btain grace
Wheo thou arrivest in the land of God" thou ~h~lt
obtain happiness in His abode.
66 THUS SPOKE OUlW
, NANAK
24
Put thou lust, wrath, and .lander away;

Abandon avarice, and covetousness, and thou shalt
be free from care.
25
Bat~e in the waters of virtues; apply the perfume of

truth to thy body .
Then shalt thy face become bright, and the Oiver
will bestow hundreds of thousands of gifts on thee.
26
Make understanding thy blan~ishment, the love of ODd

thy drum ;
Make tile perpetual visioa of Ood the bell for tby
feet .
In this wise dan~e beating time;
This i. devotion, this is austerity,
In this wise dance beat iog lime ,with thy feel;
Other dances are &eosuous pleasures.
27
Why should I go searching in the wood? My he~r:t
is a verdant forest.
The true Word balh come to my beart and abidetb
there.
Wherever I look there is Ood; I see nothing else.
Whosoever doth the Guru's work, shall fiDd God's coilrt.
SALVATION 67
28
There is one Lord and two ways;
Which shall r adopt and which reject?
Tltere is but one Lord and one way ;
Adopt the way and reject tbe darkness.
29
Witbout the true Guru none hath found God; without

the true Guru none bath found God.
God hath put Himself into tbe true Guru ; H e hatb
made manifest and procla imed this.
Salvation i. ever obtained by meeting the true Guru,
who bath banished worldly love from within him.
Who hath fixed his mind on the True One and is
absorbed in meditation.
He hath found the Giver of Life to the world.
30
The holy meet the hoJy ; by love for the Guru.

contentmet dwells in the heart.
The gate of deliverance is only through the Guru's
instruction. who bestows Gad's name whicb fills . the
mind for ever.
He who drinketb tbe nectar of tbe Name, sball be
satisfied. and go to God's court in robes of bODour.
68 THUS SPoKE GURU NANAK
31
Do business, 0 man of business, and take care of

thy merchandise,
Buy such goods, as sball go with tbee,
In the next world the knower will accept only the
genuine treasure.
o my brotber, utter G"d's name with all thy mind.
Take with thee God's praise as thy mercbandise, so
that wheo the Ma.ter so.th it, He may be pleased,
32
He who obtaineth the ambrosial name of the pure God

and fills hi' Yogi's cup with it, makes divine know-
ledge bi. staff; .n,d he who smeareth on. his body
tbe asbes of renuciation ,shaU enjoy -the elixir of
divine knowiedge,
o father, in tbis way the soul which bath been a
pilgrim in every age, uniteth witb tbe Supreme Lord,
33
It is proPl'r to utter the words by which bonour is

obtained.
Injury resultetb from tittering barsh words, barken,
o foolisb and ignorant man.,
Tbey in wbose hearl God i. contained possess wisdo'm,
bonour and weallh.
S,uVATION 69
34
The sweat of ploughman's bro~ faHeth to hIS heels,

And everyune .aleth of his earning.
They wbo eat the fruit of their earning and bestow
a little from it,
o Nanak , recognize the true way.
35
The saints of God are absorhed in God 's name, ana

have destroyed the pa in and rear of t ra nsmigration.
36
By searching abroa~ thou shalt suffer m,uch . aff~ctioD;

tbe' water of life is at home in thy heart.
37
By meeting the Guru, my brother, the fear of God

entereth tbe heart.
To d ie in the fear of GM is man's true destiny.
38
I a m neiiber an ascetic nor truly learned : I was born

a stupid fila\.
'hove sought the shelter of those who forget Th~
not, 0 God.
39
The heart cannot be cleansed without the word from

the True One.
40
Very narrow is the way, like the edge of a sword.
41
He shall obtain nectar in his own heart, whoae con-

duct is according to the Guru's precious instruction.
Nanak, in the next world he fares the best who
walketb not in the way of sin.
42
In the supreme state there is no rejoicing and no

mourning;
In the supreme state thero are felt no hopes or desires;
In the supreme state are se~n no caste-marks ;
In the supreme state are no sermons . or singing of
hymns;
In the supreme state is realized true meditation;
10 the supreme state are those who know themselves.
Nanak, my mind is satisfied with the supreme state.
SALVATION 71
43
There vibrate harmonies from which millions of joys

and plealures proceed .
Beauty is the attribute of the realm of happiness.
44
oI wandering Jiva', remember God, and be saved,

Nanak speaks the truth.
45
As the humble bee thirsts for flowers, I lhirst for

thee night and day.
Give the water of thy favour to the thirsty Nanak:. so
tha t hi. thirst be quenched.
46
Nanak says; tbis heing is bound by his deeds.

Salvation is not obtained wilhout the true Guru.
47
What mind says wish performs. This mind is director

of good aod evil .
n THUS SPQK.E GURU NANAK
48
Mind established in truth love, cootement and attains·

emancipation.
49
Man ruineth himself by p~rpetual silence: how can he

who .Ieepeth in ignorance be awakened, without a
Guru 7
50
The ignorant man who dwelleth io the wilderness

and at burial aod cremation grounds, knoweth not
God and shall afterward s regft t .
He who meelS the true Guru alld fixeth God's name
in his heart, obtaineth comfort.
Nanak, on whom God looketb witb. favour, obtaineth
Him.
He becometh free from ho~es and rears and destroyeth
his pride by means of the Word.
51
By repeating His name as .the Guru guides,. thou shalt

atlain the true fruit.
PIaise God, praise the Word and let His will be
done.
SALVATION 73
'52
The hand is blessed, that write, praise of God,

Feet become pure and sacred, walking in God's path,
He who Ihes on lhe fruit of bis owo labour and gives
part of it in cbarity, such a one knows tbe patb
of salvation.
o mind, practise such renunciation as to hold your

senses in subjection, and create a wilderness in tile
heart.
Abstinence in diet, rostraint in sleep, practice . of
compass OD,
Forgiveness, love of modesty and contentment will
give freedom fmni the sla.vory of Gunas.
54
Wben desire, anger, egoism, avarice, self-assertion

and attachment are not allowed to alTect the mind,
Then the self is seen, and union a'tained with tbe
great, all-pervading God.
55
Awake dear soul, the Guru is speaking-hear and

grasp infinite truth.
The myaterious story, the changeless word, some rare
follower of the Guru will understand.
He would give himself up in the name of God, lose
his own self and know tbe tbree worlds.
He will remain beyond reach, devoted to the Supreme,
filling his mind with truth.
It is only by His grace, we call repeat His name, and
-fill the Atma' with love.
Then the Atma becomes one with tbe Parmatma'
and duality is destroyed.
By the gra.ce of the Guru, He is fotlnd: when mind
rests witb God, death doth not destroy it.
56
The wise, the true Guru, revealeth the secret borne

in the self.
Hearing the music in Sukbmani, devoted to the play
of stillness.
Meditating on the inexpressihle trutb , the desires of
the mind disappear.
The resounding note of the true ruler pervades and
the souDd of the five notes is beard,
'Atma~Soul. 'Paramatma=Supreme Soul.

SALVATION 75
57
The mind wanders no more, and the lotus of immortaility
turns upwards.
The seven companions of knowledge unite with tbe five
sen.es of action and find peace.
Nanak, he who in tbe light of tbe true Word finds tbis
true place of peace is indeed exalted.
Tbe true devotee becomes one with the Begi.lDingless.
58
The Yogi satisfied in the conte-npl ati on of self, identifies

individual self with tbe source of life, then light
appears.
59
Unless outgoing energies of mind are overcome, success
cannot be attained.
60
Duality and evillhought rule the mind. It is under the
Guru's inslruclion, by meditation of the Guru's word,
tbat these are overcome.
61
When desire dies, man Eees the Lord in the secret places
of tho heart.
62
o my mind, lreasure is in lhy heart, do nol sea rch
outsiue.
63
The mind is .like an elephant, the body a fQr~st, the Guru

leads it straight hy the magic of the Word.
By accepting the Guru's teacping . desire dies.
64
With the birth of true understanding, comes the right

contemplation of God.
The inner light flames up and subdues the mind, and by
God's garee Samadhi is attained.
65
The true Bair.gi' without desire. concentrated on the

self within',
Content with the food of God' s name, drinks of
immortal nectar.
66
The body has six shrines in it.
When renunciation fills the mind and the mind is
concentrated on the Word,
'rben the eternal music harmoDizes the mind .
And through tbe Guru', word, the true name is
rea lized.
67
Without meeting a true guide emancipation can Dot be
gained.
I Bai'agi=One who has renounced tbe world .

CONCERNING HOLINESS
CONCERNING HOLINESS
He is a Yogi who knoweth the way

And who by the Guru's favour recognizeth the One.
He is Qazi who turneth man away from the world.
And who by the Guru's favour while alive is dead.
A Mussulman is he who cleanseth his impurity;
He who readeth and acteth on ",hat he readeth.
He shall bear on his forehead , the stamp of God's
acceptance.
A true Bairagi treasureth the Word in his heart; he

is ever absorbed in the fear of God and serveth the
Guru.
He thinketh OD the one God, his mind waverth not
and he restraineth its wanderings.
He is intoxicated with God's love, ever absorbed in
ecstasy, and be singeth the praises of the True God.
He who in the midst of desires is without desires, and
who loveth the one God is a Sannyasi'.
ISanoyasi=One who has renounced the world.
3
He who burnelh Ihe bopes and desires of the woman,

Who uttereth and causelh olbers to utter God 's
name,
Finds his way to God's OWn abode througb tbe Guru.
His body shall become gold be God's incomparable
light,
And be shall behold God's form in all the world • .
How sball man become true before God?

By walking, 0 Nanak', acco'rding to His will.
To win tby peace is as tbe music ?f massed bands.

To pursue virtue is as quivers, arrows, bows, spears
and sword;
To be' bonourably distinguished is as bands and lances;
Thy favour, 0 God, is as a castle for me.
Fatber, other conveyance affordetb ruinou s happiness;
By UJing them tbe .body is weakened, and si~ entereth
the mind.
HOLINESS
PUI the Goru'-s word iOlo ' lby heart for the' riitgS' in
thine ears ;
Welf the patched coat of forbearance;
Whatever God doeth consider as good;
In this way shalt tbou obtain the treasure of Yoga,
Wben a servant while performing service is proud and

quarrelsome,
And lallcetb too much, he pleasetb not bis master,
It is only by effacing himself tbat be can win
approval.
He is a Brahman who knoweth, G<>d,

Who performeth works of devotion,
Penance and self-restraint.
,
o friends, doth anyone obtain bonour by more
words 1
Call them tbe best. wbo are the best at tbt ga.... · of'
tbe Lord,
10
Perverse _men, ncr abide in misery; Ood conferreth

areatoess on the holy,
11
om. rear from the mind, fix attention on God and

b. His devotee.
12
The body is 'like a shop, its mind is the dealer.

Nanak the True One deal. in truth.
13
Let thy tongue never ulter an untruth,
14
~peak evil of none, and avoid "seless quarrels,
IS
Grasp _the truth, nevee speak evil of any ;

Never Quarrel with a fool or speak ill of others. '
HOllN~S &3
16
Speak so that thy words win respect :

To speak iII is to reveal ignorance.
17
He who sees all 8S equal, may be called a Yogi.

The head that aoes not how to Goa may 8S well be
severed;
Nouri!h the body tbat it may remember lhe Lord.
18
Faisebood must di~appe8r and trutb prevail. ,
19
Truth is known to prevail wben it enters tbe bear\ and

cleaIlBCs tbe did of falsehood.
20
Lawful possessions of others arc unlawful to tbe

MuslilD like tbe pig, to the Hindu like the cow,
The Guru and the Pir will only suppoq \bose who
do nq\ ea\ carrion.
84 ..
21
Following the true path, the world', praise is won.
There are fiv~ prayers to be said at five limes and tbey
have five names.
First truth, second what is lawful, third to give in
God's name,
Fourth right attitude of mind, and fifth praise of God.
22
They are not really pure, who wash the body,

They are truly pure, in whose hear! God dwells.
In the holy temple of contentment keep the rast of

truth,
Bathe in tbe pool of kn,owlepge and bear tbe fl;llit of
contemplation.
24
Such good men are rare wbo wear

! , • '
The garments of restraint,

Resplendent with an awakened intelligence
Display the cait-mark of virtue, and drink tbe wine
of love .
25
The secret of unity is revealed when in the dadoe58 of
tl\e wo~ld tbe soul .. rem.a.i.1IJ UIlto.uc.~ed
by it.
darkness.
HOLINESS
26
Burn egoism, individuality and avarice, remove impurity

with the help of God 's Word;
Burn a ttachment, grind it down into ink. powder, wash
the mind into clean paper.
Make love your pen. let your consciousness be the
scribe, ask the Guru and write down the truth.
Write the praise of God's name, write down that
He has no end and He is beyond reach.
27
Make mind the farmer, tbis body tbe earth, good deeds·
tbe seed,
Irrigate it with tbe rain of devotion.
Produce God in the beart and gain imperishable merit.
2M
Bring up tbe water of immortality and fill the field of

bOlly with it.
Make sensuality and anger into the spade, 0 brothQr.
Dig the earth . Thus become a gardener.
As much as thou d igest, so much ' tbou will lIain;
Good work can never be lost.
86 THUS SPOKE GURU NANAIt
29
True charity and cempassien bring tbe mind back

frem wandering.
30
Bathe in the inner peel ef immertality, then the pure

jeins the pure.
The ene Ged pervades all space ; there ,I S no. ether
wership.
Repeat the name of Ged, wership Him, meditate o.n
the Guru's werd.
31
True deeds rem eve all illusien and lead to. tho
contemplatien ef the fearless.
He is a Brahman who. attains Brahma, Who. practises the

recitatien ef Ged's name whese dharma' is mede' ty
and contentment.
Who. breaks the bend and becomes Mukta ', such Brahman
deserves worship.
'Dbarma= The law ef life.

'Mukta=Liberated.
HAPPINESS THROUGH
KNOWLEDGE OF GOD
HAPPINESS THROUGH KNOWLEDGE OF GOD
F~ieDds have come 10 my bouse:

The True One hath caused me to meet them,
When it pleased God He caused me tn meet them
withont my own effort ;
By meeting the elect happiness i$ a ttained.
That which the heart desires.
When I meet the saints, my .oul i, happy, hearth and
home look brjght.
Come, beloved friend"
Sing a song of rejoicing,
My Beloved hatb come to m ~' house.
The pJuce is ad orn ed by H i m.
Fortunate is their advent into the world . whose hearts

remain attached to God's service.
o foolish man, why bast thou forgotten Him ?
The worshippers on whom God's grace deecendeth

worship Him;
Pleasant is tbe night for tho~e who long for Bim in
their hearts.
Ye worry with worldly occupations, my brethren, and

practise falsehood ;
If man knows his OWn home in God, then shall be
find peace.
In tbe minds of the generous, contentment is produced

by their desire to give;
Others give, hut ask a thousandfold more, and still
want the world to honour them .
Saith Nanak, the saints hunger to praise Thee, Thy
true Name is their support,
10 everlasting joy tbey' abide day and night .
May I obtain the dusl of the feet of sucb virtuous
men?
HAPPINESS 91
Everybody asketh for happiness. nobody asketh for

misery ;
Great misery attendeth on happiness, but the perverse
understand it not ;
Th~y who consider happiness and misery the same,
and know the secret of the Word, shall be happy.
o Sire, what shall I ask ? Notbing appeareth permanent

in tbis world, except the ebb and flow or life,
o mortal, there is no happiness without God'. service;
without the Guru the EIO does not depart.
Blame Dot others, blame thy owo Karma.

Comfort pervadetb the hearts of those whose minds
are attached to God's feet.
everyone desires happiness-oo ooe desires sorrow.

Pleasure ioevitably ends in pain, The igooraot do
not understand,
When pleasure and pain become the same, the secret of
the Word Is knowo and true peace is found.
92 THUS SPOKE 'GlmV NANAK
10
In all four al!es, those who recognize the !'ruth are

happy,
Having destroyed desir., they Jive in truth which
Jlervadeth their hearts,
JUDGEMENT ACCORDING TO OUR
DEEDS ON EARTH
JUDGEMENT ACCORDING TO OUR DEEDS
ON EARTH
Men do not become saints or sinners merely by calling

tbemselves so ;
They carry the record of their own acts themselvel.
The primal Being is tbe Giver; He alone is true.

No account sball be due by tbe pious wbo serve Him.
Tbey wbo practise trutb and perform service sball
obtain tbeir reward.
When hair groweth white, it sbinetb without coametics.
Beath sbaIl no! punish godly people.

Nor sball they experience the pain of tbc diflicul t road,
Those wbo worsbip God and repeat Hi5 name,
They sball go witb a robe of bonour to His court and
be bappy by tbe true Kina's order.
See how wrong it would be that givers should go to

hell aod receivers to heaven.
Becoming a shop-keeper I take a scale and try to
weigh-my actions,
My sins are numerous as the sands of tbe sea .
Mao soweth poison and expecteth ambrolia ; behold

that for ju, tice !
Nanak, it is only _the fruit or wbat man giveth from

his earninlls that he sball obtain in the next world .
Some people show tbe way to others, but walk not in

it themselves-
Him whom the Creator de~troyeth He firwt depriveth of
virtue.
Au fi.h without water, so suffer tb. ,odleis.

JUDGEMENT 97
In eating, drinking, .leeping, and laughing . death - is

forgotten .
Evil is the result of forgetting the Lord; a wasted
life and a mortal ond .
10
The mere one readeth and writ.th, the more is one

tormented;
The inOre one wandereth on pilgrimages, the mote one
babbleth;
The more religious garbs man weareth, the more
discomfort he causeth his body.
Bear, 0 my soul, the result of thine OWn acts.
He wbo eateth not corn bath lost tbe relish of l!fe ;
Then suffer pain through tbeir attachment to mammon.
II
Whatever you sow that you reap, life remains barren

without virtue.
12
We gatber tbe fruit of wbatever company we keep.

Bad company like poison destroys life,
Mind and body become evil. trading in evil.
13
Whosoever thinketh evil or others, will never prosper.
14
Everyone bows to himself. 110 one bows to others,

In the scale, the side that goes down is the heaviest.
15
Good deeds bring \load results and bad deeds bad

results.
16
He is not a true lover who keepeth an account.

The work one does, is his caste and his birth.
IN WHAT TRUE RELIGION
CONSISTS
IN WHAT TRUE RELIGION CONSISTS
Religion coDsisteth not in a patched coal; nor in a

Yogi's staff, nor in ashes over Ibe body ;
ReUgion consitetlj not in the wearing of ear-rings, nor a
shaveD, head, nor io the blowing of conches;
But in abiding pure, amid the impurities of the world,
Ibe way of religion i, found.
Rel igion consisleth oot in mere words ;

He who looketh on all men as equal is religious.
Religion consi,leth not i~ wandering 10 tombs or places
of cremation , nor sittina in attitudes of
contemplation ;
But by abiding pure amid the impurHies of the world,
the way of religion is found .
Thou in the house keepest an idol with its attendant

gods ;
Thou washest it and worshippest it ;
Thou otierest it saffron , sandal-wood, and flowers;
Thou fallest at its reet and propitiatest it to the
utmost;
Yet it is by continually begaing of men tbat thou
clothest and supportest thyself.
Castes are folly, names are folly ;

All creatures have one shelter. that of God .
U a man call himself g..od,
The truth shall be known 0 Nanak, when his account i.
called,
Under the Guru's instruction regard all men as equal.
sin ce God's light is dontained in the heart of each,
RELIGION 103
The Mussulmans praise the Shari at, rcad it, and reflect
on it;
But God's servants are they, who accept the slavery
of H is service in order to behold Him.
The Hind"s praise the Praised One, whose appearance
and form are incomparable;
They bat/:e in ho ly streams, perform idol worship aDd
adoration, use copious iocense of sandal.
The Yogis meditate no God the Creator, whom they
call the Unseen .
Though men perform lip-devotion, penance, and

allsteril ies, dwell at places of pilrimage,
BeslOW alms and perfNm acts of devotion, what are
Ihese without lhe True One?
Perish the ritual by which I rorgol my Beloved .
Nanak, ser\'e Him who giveth ever and ever;

Nanak, serve Him by whose service sorrow deparlcth,
' Sins are erased, meri" take their place. and peace
aibdeth in the hearl.
10~ . THUS SPOKE GUR U NANAK
9
Blessings on that man, who whether householder.

Sannyasi or Yogi. fixeth his at.ention OB God's feet.
He who embarketb in a boat of stone shall be
drowned with his cargo.
10
God's court cannot be reached by occasional senice.
II
The Brahmans wor.hip stone pebbJes as shaJigram'

and tell of tulsi wood rosaries.
Without the raft of God's name, and without tbe
Idndness of the compassionate One, Ibe ocean of life
cannot be crossed.
ISha ligram - A stone which is worshipped as God,

ON FALSE IDEAS OF IMPU~I"tY
ON FALSE IDEAS OF IMPURITY
If the idea of Impurity be adm itted, there is impurity

in everYlhing .
[n the first place, there is life in waler by which
everything is made green.
There are worms in cow-dung and in wood:
There is no grain of corn without life.
How shall we avoid impurity?
Saith Nanak, impurity is not thus washed away
it is washed away dy divine knowledge.
Impurity of .the eyes is gazing on another's wealth.
on his wife and her ""auly:
Impurity of heart is greed. impurity of tongue is
ralsehood:
Impurity of ears i, listening to ,lander.
The corn is holy, the water is holy, the fire and salt
are holy; the fifth ingredient, butter, is holy.
When food cntereth a sinful body it becometh
impure.
The mouth which uttereth not the Name, and eateth
even dcJjcacie~t
Consider, 0 Nanak, unholy.
A.ll imputity consisteth in superstition and attachment to

worldly thin~s
The eating and drinking wh;ch God sent as sustenance
are pure.
IMPURTTY 109
FOOlS wrangle about e"ling meat bul do not cuhivale

discrimination or meditation_
They Know not what is flesh and hold their noses
about it, but show no mercy to sellow men.
What is vegetable? In what consisteth sin?
They who forswear flesh and will not tread on a
worm,
They talk of harmlesness and harm men.
Corn, sugar-cane and coUon are produded tram water:
from water the three worlds are said to have
sprung.
Water saith,'1 am good in many ways', many are the
modiFications of water.
o . Brahman, thou thyself knowest not true knowledge,
yet thou callest thyself wise.
Thou thyself hsst no understanding; yet thou instructest
others, 0 Pundit; thou art indeed wise.
He who acleth blindly is blind .
s
Thcy who have the sacred thread on their necks cat
man, or recite the Mohammadan prayers
And use knives to cut men's throats .
They eat goats killed with unspeakable words,
And allow no one to enter their cooking squares.
Having smeared a space they draw lines around it,
And sit with in, false they are,
Saying: 'Touch not! 0 tonch not!
Or this food of ours will be defiled I'
But their bodies are defiled; what they do is defiled.;
Their hearts are false, and cannot be cleansed by
performing abluations before meals .
Thou bathest, and washest, and worsbippest stones.

But without being imbued with God thou art tbe
filtblest of the filthy .
EVil-mindedness is a low woman ; cruelty a butCher's

wife ; a slanderous beart a sweeper woman; wrath
wbich ruinetb the world a pariah woman.
When these fout' are seated with ~hee how ~an tbe plaoe
b. pure?
IMPURITY III
Covetousness is a dog, falsehood a sweeper, food

obtained by deceit carrion;
Sland<r of others filth, anger the fire which burns.
Ple1sure and self-prAise-these are acts, 0 Creator. on
which men seek redemptioll.
We are impure-minded aDd black-hearted, yet WI wear

Ihe white robes of innocence.
We envy those who stand and serve at His gate.
In words we are good, bUI in acts bad.
10
Men of evil minds and thievish bodies iO to bathe at

places of pilgrimage.
One part of their filth departelb by balhini. - bul they
accumulate twice as much in the process.
H2 THUS SPOKE GURU NANAK
II
When tbe m'nd is impure the body is irr.pure.

The mouth is impure by uttering impurity; how shall it
be made pure?
,2
There is no impudty in song, there is no impurity in

knowledge;
There is no impurity in rhe Moon or _the Sun 's different
.
phases .
13
When the hands. feet, and other members of the body

are covered with filth
It is removed by washing With water.
When clothes are poilu ted, soap is applied aDd the
impurity is washed away.
So when the mind is defiled by sin,
It is c1ean.sed by love of,the Name.
IMPURITY J 13
14
Man hath obtuined a dwelling in llwt tunk "hose water

/ is muddy.
I
"'His feet cannot move in the mire of worldly love; he is
drowning therein .
o foolish man, turn thy thought to the one God in thy
heart
1~
Men ore led astray by empty words, ritualists are very

proud.
WhAt availeth it to bathe in A holy place if Ihe filth of
pride fills the heart 7
16
If clothes become defiled by blood falling on them,

How can the henrts be pure that drink human blood ?
17
Renounce evil, cultivate virtue, evil brings sufferinl(.

Those who do not discriminate between a clear reservoir
and a dirty pool, sink in the morass.
Soiled witbin by the dirt of greed and falsehood, why
wash tbe outside?
Cleanse thyself of greed, falsehood and calumny,
II~ THUS SPOKE GURU NANAK
18
By drinking intoxicants, the sense (If discrimination is

Jost and confusion fills the mind.
IY
Man comes polluted, and adds further pollution.

DESTINY
DESTINY
An animals boro in the world have their destinies

recorded 00 their foreheads, and must bear what is
destined.
Wbat separation is there for tbose who are separated

f~om 'God ?
Aud what meeting is there for th.s~ Who hay. not met
Hjm ?
By destiny they who meet separate, 0 Nanak, but eveD so
they meet again by God's favour.
This being is bound by his own deeds,

THE ILLUSION OF PERMANENCE
THE ILLUSION OF PERMANENCE
In Ihi. illusive affeclion, tbe world has sunk.
My wandering mind, why art Ihou falling in snares?

The Irue God dwells in thy hearl, why fa lies! thou in
snares of death?
The world of delusions and passions seems sweet, but its
delusions do not endure.
Why love that whjoh is not permanent?
The whole crea tion is impermanent, what love can I

~ce.k.
122 THUS SPOKE GURU NANAK:
He who is born, inlIer its the Ilisease of egoism anll

delu,ion.
>
Rewove attachment, harmfulness and illusion from this
mind.
With the disappearance of attachment .11 evil deeds

disappear.
The three Gunas pervade the world, tbe fourth is to b.

found by a rare seeker,
•
GURU NA~AK'S VIEWS ON CASTE
C.URU NANA K' S VI EWS ON CASTE
Recognize the divi ne light, do not inquire ah< ·uI caste ;

there is no caste in the next world.
Let no ooe be proud of his caste, whosoever knows God
is a Brahman.
o ignorant fool, why art thou proud of caste ? Thi~ pride
brings on much trouble.
The whole world is made of the sa me clay, as a potter

makes v~.ssel!or
different shapes.
The union of five elements ' makes up Ihe body; il is

played upon by the in visible.
A PRAYER
A PRAYER
Remember the creator, and then Guru Naoak.

Meditate on Guru Aogad, Amar Dass, Ram Oass, may
their grace be wi th us.
Remember Guru Arjan. Hargovind, Har Rai, Harkishen

whose sight dispels all sorrows.
Remember Guru Teg Bahad ur at whose remembrance nine

treasures come hastening home.
May the Guru Goviod Singh, the tentb Guru, give us his
protection I
God Himself knowetb, He Himself acteth ; it is He who

adjusteth .
Meditating on Ihe deathless One, endowed with all power,
compassionate, and just, utter Wah-Guru I
Standing in H is presence, let us pray;
'Sikhs of tae true immortal God, turn your thoughts to
the teachings of tbe Granth Sabib and the deeds of
tbe Khalsa, utter Wah-Guru !'
1;0 THUS SPOKB·tfiJJtU fifANAK
Meditating on the deeds of those who worshipped tne

Name, shand their food with otbers in companionship
ann overlooked the faults of their fellow men, 0
Khalsa, utter Wah-Guru !
o deathless illimitable Creator, this creature Forgetting

Thy Name, is so attached to worldly goods, that he
hath forgotten Thee.
Without Thy supreme mercy how shall he cross the ocean

of the world?
o great K iog. IlIst, wrath , greed , wo rldly love, jcal o u~y,

and other c::vil p a~s ion lj; pos~ess. his mind;
On ly on coming toward s Thee wo rldly maladies and

afflictions arc (Iispelled and healed.
Show us such favour that we may by word and deed be
Thin •.
That in all things we may obtain Thine assistance and
~ llpport .
Standing in Thy presence, we pray.

Grant to Thy Sikhs the gift of Sikhism;
The gift of the Guru's in~truction ;
The gift of faith ,
The gift of confidence, ar.d the gift of reading and
understanding the holy Granth Sahib.
A PRAYER 131
May the Sikh choirs, maDsions, and banners, ever abide t

Victory to the faith ! May the minds of Sikhs be
humble but their intellects exalted! Utter
Wah-Guru !
We offer tbis praver in Thy presence and at Thy lotus
feet.
Pardon our errors and mistakes.
Mayall Sikhs who read and bear the Guru's hymn& be
profited!
Through -Nanak, may Thy name, 0 God. be exalted.
And all prosper by Thy grace!
Sri Wah-Guru Ji Ka Khalsa ! Sri Wah-Guru Ji Ki
Fateh!
The Khalsa is of God, and to G od is tbe Victory.
He is of the Khalsa,' who is absorbed in God', name.

He is of the Khalsa who is devoted to the Guru .
He is of the Khalsa who speaks evil of none l
He is of the Khalsa who fights in the van.
I. This prayer Is by a disciple of Guru Kanak, whose name I

have not !'nn able to trac•.
2. Khalia : Another name by which the Sikh community Is
known .
He is of Ihe Khalsa who does DOl covet aDot,h er mao ',

wife or weallh.
He isor the Kbalsa who is as hard as' steel.
He is of the Kbalsa who helps the poo r,
He is of the Khalsa wbo destorys the evil doer.
Ile is of th~ Kh alsa wbo rides a fiery sleed,
.
He is of ,he Khalsa who figb Is evil passions,
'.
Publications of the
CHIEF KHALSA OIWAN
BOOKS IN ENGLISH
I. Ten Masters by Pror. Puran Singh 6-00
2. Thus Spoke Guru Nanak
by Sir Joginder Singh 3-00
3. Sikhs and Sikhism by Dr. Ganda Singh I ·ll
4. Japji Sahib by M. L. Peace (English) o.-!
5. Sukhmani Sahib H n., 2<
6. Zararnama " n U ()..
7. 33-Swayyas " .. (Englisb & Punjabi) I

8. Sikhs in the Field or Education Q.
9. Panch (15 Powri., of Japji)
by S. B. Dr. Sohan Singb o.-JV
10. Guru Nonak in His Own Words
by Dr. Harnam Sing h Shan 3-00
I J. Jaap Sahib by M. L. Peace 0-75
12. Shor l Scripls on Guru Gobind Singh Ji 2-00
13. Shon Sto ries from tho Life of
Guru Gobind Singh Ji 2.(JO
14. Brief Life Sketch of Guru Gobind Singh Ji 0-75
15. Baramahan Majh by M. L. Peace 0-75
16. Jangnama Sh ah MoM. 0-87
17. F ive Hundred Yea r< of Sikhism
by Prof. Rajinder Singh I-SO
18. Akal Usia ! by M . L. Peace I-SO.
BOOKS IN PUNJABI
9t. ',.iB 1\13 iJ'T<R'O B<1C rR-UI iii O-'ll.l'
'lO. ' qrilH3 ROl13' fS!3 9': W: 1l'<m! ..1" fFiUl Ml,
li!': 81!5al<! rRUI i11l>tTre 4-001
'l'l, q]Ofl3 ofl:l fS!3 J1. sure" ofifea fAUI 'l-oo
';,? 'l~8::> ~ Ilif3 1liTiJl o 0 - 40

Thus Spoke Guru Nanak - Sir Jogendra Singh

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Thus Spoke Guru Nanak - Sir Jogendra Singh

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Thus Spoke Guru 'Hanak

Chief Khalsa Diwan

A COLLECTlON OF THE SAYINGS

Author of A Life of Malabari, Nnr Jeban, Nasrin ,

The Chief Khalsa Diwan, Amritsar.

Price: Rs. 3/·

Puhlished by :· S. Sant Singb, Honorary Secretary,

Prillted by Maninder Singb

Foreword by Sir Edward Maclagan v

The Power of God's Name 19

True Knowledge of God 41

The Wickedness of Sin 49

Happiness Through Knowledge Of God 89

In What True Religion Consists 101

Guru Nanak's Views On Caste 125

The sayings of Guru Nanak, which this book

It has been a problem in Indian history to explaia

On many occasions and in many fields-in tbe Mutiny. on

March 1933. E, D . Maclagao.

I Am a believer in prophets and tbeir missions, Tbey

I beard Guru Nanak speak througb tbe lips of my

I have arranged the order of the sayings at my own

J must say no more, but let the Guru speak so that

Sardar KahaD Singb and tbe late Mr. Macauliffe

Lam aLso iDdebted to my friend ColoDel Jeffery for

August, 1934. Jogeodra Singh

In "Thus Spoke Guru Nanak" Sir Jogindra Singh has

The Cbief Khalsa Diwao bas uodertaken publication

May 1967 SANT SINGH

In th< b<ginning there was indscribable darkness;

The Unseen, Tnfinite, Inaccessible, incomprehensible

Beyond this earlh, there are numberless earths and skies.

1 Guru ~ True Teacher.

Wherever I look, tbere art Thou,

To The. SiDg angels who men's deeds record

G"d the first principle, the pure One, is in all things:

In fear the winds and breezes ever blow;

God having c· eated hi. creation. gave" the names. and

No one hath a .on, no one hath a mother :

Steep is the mountain and difficult of escent; there

The virtuou. wife enjoyeth trlle union ; why doth the

Jllimitable, infinite beyond reach, needing no support

'Samadhi: It is affirmed that meditation leads' to

Were a mansion of pearls erecled and inlaid ·witb gems

Were J to become a monarch, occupy a throne, and

Life growetb shorter every day.

Knower of hearts, infinite God, fulfil this desire of my

Chiefs and Kings have no abiding place;

It is difficult to repeat the true Name.

Wear the white clotbing of cbarily ; ,

Pain is poison ; the Dame of God is the antidote . .

The name alone is my lamp; sufferin~ tbe oil In tbe

&orne read Vedas" some tbe Puraoas',

There is longing between beauty and love, and hUDger

'Vedas~Ancient books of knowledge or revelation.

o my bretbren, your bodies and wealth ,hall not

The ~aints are few, not many deceIt and wrangling

I may apply di,tilled, alone wood and sandel-wood past. to

o Sire, T am neither high, nor low, nor middling;

If llepeat the Nam e, [live! Lf I forget it I die,

The valuable ruby, God's name, can be acquired by

By the name of G0d salYation is attained,

He is the Pundit Who throws away the bondage of the