Japji (The Sikh Religion, vol. 1) · 1

DIVINE SERVICES BY GURU NANAK

AND OTHER GURUS

THE JAPJI[1]

There is but one God whose name is true, the Creator,[2] devoid of fear and enmity, immortal, unborn, self-existent;[3] by the favour of the Guru.[4]

Repeat His Name

The True One was in the beginning; the True One was in the primal age.

The True One is[5] now also, O Nanak; the True One also shall be. [6]

By thinking I cannot obtain a conception of Him, even though I think hundreds of thousands of times. Even though I be silent and keep my attention firmly fixed on Him, I cannot preserve silence. The hunger of the hungry for God subsideth not though they obtain the load of the worlds. If man should have thousands and hundreds of thousands of devices, even one would not assist him in obtaining God. How shall man become true before God? How shall the veil of falsehood be rent?[7] By walking, O Nanak, according to the will[8] of the Commander as preordained.

II

By His order bodies are produced; His order cannot be described. By His order souls[9] are infused into them; by His order greatness is obtained. By His order men are high or low; by His order they obtain preordained pain or pleasure. By His order some obtain their reward;[10] by His order others must ever wander in transmigration. All are subject to His order; none is exempt from it. He who understandeth God's order, O Nanak, is never guilty of egoism.[11]

III

Who can sing His power? Who hath power to sing it?[12] Who can sing His gifts or know His signs?[13] ​ Who can sing His attributes, His greatness, and His deeds? [14] Who can sing His knowledge whose study is arduous? Who can sing Him, who fashioneth the body and again destroyeth it? Who can sing Him, who taketh away life and again restoreth it? Who can sing Him, who appeareth to be far, but is known to be near. Who can sing Him, who is all-seeing and omnipresent? [15] In describing Him there would never be an end. Millions of men give millions upon millions of descriptions of Him, but they fail to describe Him. The Giver giveth; the receiver groweth weary of receiving. In every age man subsisteth by His bounty. The Commander by His order hath laid out the way of the world. Nanak, God the unconcerned is happy.

IV

True is the Lord, true is His name; it is uttered with endless love. [16] People pray and beg, 'Give us, give us'; the Giver giveth His gifts; Then what can we offer Him whereby His court may be seen? What words shall we utter with our lips, on hearing which He may love us? At the ambrosial hour of morning meditate on the true Name and God's greatness. ​The Kind One will give us a robe of honour, and by His favour we shall reach the gate of salvation. [17] Nanak, we shall thus know that God is altogether true.[18]

He is not established, nor is He created. The pure one existeth by Himself. They who worshipped Him have obtained honour. Nanak, sing His praises who is the Treasury of excellences. Sing and hear and put His love into your hearts. Thus shall your sorrows be removed, and you shall be absorbed in Him who is the abode of happiness.[19] Under the Guru s instruction God's word is heard; under the Guru's instruction its knowledge is acquired; under the Guru's instruction man learns that God is everywhere contained.[20] The Guru is Shiv; the Guru is Vishnu and Brahma; the Guru is Parbati, Lakhshmi,[21] and Saraswati.[22] ​ If I knew Him, should I not describe Him? He cannot be described by words. My Guru hath explained one thing to me- That there is but one Bestower on all living beings; may I not forget Him!

VI

If I please Him, that is my place of pilgrimage to bathe in; if I please Him not, what ablutions shall I make? What can all the created beings I behold obtain without previous good acts? Precious stones, jewels, and gems shall be treasured up in thy heart if thou hearken to even one word of the Guru. The Guru hath explained one thing to me - That there is but one Bestower on all living beings; may I not forget Him!

VII

Were man to live through the four ages, yea ten times longer; Were he to be known on the nine continents, and were everybody to follow in his train;[23] Were he to obtain a great name and praise and renown in the world; If God's look of favour fell not on him, no one would notice him. He would be accounted a worm among worms, and even sinners would impute sin to him. ​ Nanak, God may bestow virtue on those who are devoid of it, as well as on those who already possess it; But no such person is seen as can bestow virtue upon Him.

VIII

By hearing the name of God men become Sidhs, Pirs, Surs, 1 and Naths; By hearing the Name man under standeth the real nature of the earth, its supporting bull, 2 and Heaven; By hearing the Name man obtaineth a knowledge of the continents, the worlds, and the nether regions. By hearing the Name death doth not affect one. 3 Nanak, the saints are ever happy. By hearing the Name sorrow and sin are no more.

IX

By hearing the Name man becometh as Shiv, Brahma, and Indar. By hearing the Name even the low become highly lauded. 4 By hearing the Name the way of Jog and the secrets of the body are obtained. By hearing the Name man understandeth the real nature of the Shastars, the Simritis, and the Veds. Nanak, the saints are ever happy. By hearing the Name sorrow and sin are no more.

By hearing the Name truth, contentment, and divine knowledge are obtained. Hearing the Name is equal to bathing at the sixty-eight places of pilgrimage. By hearing the Name and reading it man obtaineth honour. 5

1 Surs are spiritual heroes.

2 The bull which the Hindus believe supports the earth. This is not believed in by the Sikhs. See below, pauri xvi.

3 Man shall not die again, but obtain deliverance.

4 Also translated By hearing the Name one is praised by high and low.

5 Also translated On hearing the Name man obtaineth honour by the knowledge acquired. ​ By hearing the Name the mind is composed and fixed on God. 1

Nanak, the saints are ever happy.