The Ādi Granth, or the Holy Scriptures of the Sikhs (1877) · 33

nrsi. ^i^ 3»T ^? 3^ uft- ^t $^(3 *r^ vrtnrra^ ii

" When I was, thou (wast) not. Now art thou and I am not. Now I and thou have become One, my mind is assured seeing One (only)." ^ Amardas says (Oauri, Astp. I., 7, 8, Transl. p. 331):

tT3t bth 7JT»f %^M?m^ ■jfterfH II srfe »Tf;j 3T3Hfw ^33fJT urf^ ii TrraT *rt tj nfT% ^nTs ii

7i.T7^ aj^ijftf ^t JTHTfS II " In the four Yugas the name is the highest (thing); having reflected on the word (of the Guru), The disciple will cross over (the water of existence) in the Kali-yiig. (When) the true (disciple) dies, he does not come nor go (again). Nanak (says): the disciple remains absorbed (in the Supreme)." There are innumerable passages of this kind in the Granth.

SKETCH OF THE RELIGION OF THE SIKHS. cvii

Austerities (3\f). renunciation of the world and its pleasures {Q-i[H), bathing at holy watering- places (3^3^). the giving of alms (.^lA), are not denied to be meritorious acts; but they are by no means sufficient for gaining complete emancipation,' as they are not powerful enough to clear away egotism.- This can only the name of Hari effect, which washes away in a miraculous manner all the filth of sins,^ liberates from all further transmigrations and reunites with Hari. The name of Hari is the universal medicine for mankind; * whoever mutters it, is saved in a moment.

This muttering of the name of Hari (tTU) seems to be a very easy way of salvation; the Sikh Gurus however took good care, lest it should be made too easy, so that they themselves might be con- sidered more or less superfluous guides. They taught therefore, that nobody was able to take the name of Hari by himself; any attempt of this kind was loudly declaimed against and severely con- demned.' The name of Hari can only be obtained from the true Guru (JT5 3TH)> who alone can bestow the right initiation and communicate the mantra of the name of Hari."

The Guru on his part again gives the name of Hari only to those on whose forehead this lot is written from the beginning.' "We meet here again with the de&retum aeternum; salvation by the name is by no means universal, but restricted to the elect; ° they are chosen, not according to their meritorious works, but according to the pleasure of Hari, the leading principles of which

" Tlrthas, austerity, mercy, gifts given: if one obtain (their merit), it is the honour of a sesam-seed."

- Niinak says (Sir! Rag, Astp. XIV., 4, Transl. p. 8C):

"Though I give (in charity) castles of gold and present many excellent horses and elephants. Though I give laud and many cows, yet (there is) egotism within (me)." ' Nauak says (Japjf, 20, Transl. p. 7):

^ ire^Tt TVf ^fs II $ 'n'q^ WH^ "§TT ^fff II

STtW ^f5 VIVT t ^^ II ■©^ W JST% t ^t5T II " If hand, foot, body, trunk become detiled: By washing with water the dust will be removed. If the cloth be ])oIluted by urine: By applying- soap it will be washed. If the intellect be defiled with sins: It is washed by the dye of the name."

* See Ganrl, Sukhmaui IX., 5, Transl. p. 394.

' Nanak says (Gauri, Mah. I., Astp. XII., 5, Transl. p. 326):

t^ -Z^? T^TT 7^ THZ II fsr^ ■gftm TWS TJtft ^Z II fg^ 3T^ ^% WiZ. WrfS II Cf. Transl. p. 337, XXVUI., 4. ' See Ganrl, Mah. I., Astp. XV., 4, Transl. p. 328. " Arjun says (Gauri, Mah. V., Sukhmani IX., 5, Transl. p. 394):

" The praising of the Beautiful one and the singing of (his) excellences Is not obtained by any skill nor by any religious practice. Nanak (says): he obtains it, to whom it is decreed by destiny itself." It is nowhere hinted at, how the Guru knows, or finds out, to whom this lot has been decreed. Tlie meeting of the disciple with tlie Guru, or vlcp versa, of the Guru with the disciple, is therefore ascribed to a providential act of the Supreme, so that the disciple has in this very fact the badge of his salvation. Nanak says (Asa, Mah. I., Sabd XVIII., 4, Transl. p. 501):

7Rf3?3 3T »rf5 3n ^^ 11 H^«^rd 7:\7^_ S^ iT^ 3t U

* Amar-das says (M5Jb, Mah. III., Astp. I., 1, Transl. p. 153):

Sra^ d%?rf3 3T^ fW5Tt II " (Whose) destiny it is, (liini) the true Guru unites (with Hari)."

cviii SKETCH OF THE RELIGION OF THE SIKHS.

are nowhere hinted at, so tliat also the emancipation of the elect necessarily falls under the category of "sport." This is occasionally expressed in very decisive terms. Thus says Arjun (Transl. p. 397, XI., 2): " If it please the Lord, man obtains salvation. If it please the Lord, he makes a stone cross. If it please the Lord, he rescues a sinner. He himself acts, he himself reflects. The inward governor sports and expands. What pleases him, that work he causes to be done."

But on the other hand it was felt that such a doctrine, if strictly carried out, would naturally render men thoroughly indiflcrent to their salvation, if nothing depended on their own exertion. We find it therefore stated in other passages of the Granth, that those, who are seeking the Lord, obtain him in their own heart; that with those, who are thirsting for the sight of the Lord, ho will meet; ' the people are fi-equently exhorted to come to the true Guru (Transl. p. 464, XVIII., 2) and to receive meekly his instruction, which necessarily presupposes in them a free decision for good or evil. The disciple is even warned not to come to the Guru for the sake of food,^ as a mere bodily intercourse with the Guru wiU not save him (see Transl. p. 495, IV., 2-4).

We might naturally expect that Xanak would bring forward some proof that he himself really was the true Guru, sent and confirmed by the Supreme Lord. In the old Janam-Sakhi there is a tradition to this purport, that Niinak was called to the threshold of God and solemnly installed as Guru (see p. xi); but in the Granth itself we find no trace of it and Xanak never alludes to anything of this kind. It is everywhere presupposed as self-evident that he is the true Guru, and he never takes the slightest pains to prove it. The following Gurus in their turn appeal to Xanak, that he had instituted a successive initiation into the Guruship, and dispense therefore with every proof.

The Granth is full of the praise of the Guru, who in every way is extolled and magnified.' The Guru is the only infallible guide to complete emancipation (Transl. p. 95, VII., 1); he is the mediator (f^^SFT^T) between Hari and mankind, without whom nobody can become acceptable at the divine threshold; he is the boat CElfcrW). that carries men over the water of existence (3^ 7T?5) '* yea, he is the very fulness of Hari himself.'

The disciple has therefore to submit to the direction of the Guru unconditionally; mind and bodj- he has to surrender to him, for his salvation depends entirely on the favour and mercy of the Guru, who freely disposes of the treasures of Hari. Baba Xanak says (Transl. p. 209, XXV., Pauri): "If the true Guru become merciful, then (one's) wish is fulfilled. If the true Guru become merciful, the nine treasures are obtained. If the true Guru become merciful, then one is absorbed in the True one." Whatever the Guru does, is approved by Hari; whom the Guru unites with Hari, he remains united with him. The Guru is even possessed of a magic power:, like as the philosopher's stone (,\)ld*1j turns everything, that it is touching, into gold, so the Guru

^ The Gurus used to keep up a large cooking establishment to feed their disciples, no small attraction for a lazy hungry population This was already the practice at the thue of Baba Nanak; see p. Ixxv, 1. 17. Cf. Transl. p. C99, VII.; p. 704, III.

' See a passage of this kind, Transl. p. 3/7, LV., last Slok.

^ Nanak says (Siri Rag, Mali. I., Sahd IX., 3, Transl. p. 26):

^ Arjun says (Siri Rag, Mali. V., Sahd IX., 4, Transl. p. 64):