The Ādi Granth, or the Holy Scriptures of the Sikhs (1877) · 58

Many Rags of thLue with the Eaginis are sung, many are thy singers. To thee sing wind, water, fire, to thee sings Dharm-raja at thy gate.

To thee sing the Citraguptas, who write down continually, know and weigh the religious deeds. To thee sing Isar, Brahma, the Devi, having always remembered thee they obtain honour.

At (thy) gate sings Indra with the Gods sitting on Indra's seat. To thee sing the Siddhs in their deep meditations, to thee sing the Sadhs (saints) having reflected.

To thee sing the chaste, the truthful, the contented, to thee sing the hardy heroes. To thee sing the Pandits and Eakhisars, who read continually with the Yedas (in their hands).

To thee sing the fascinating women, who enchant the mind in heaven, on earth and in the nether region. To thee sing the gems, created by thee, with the sixty-eight Tirthas.

To thee sing the heroes very powerful in battle, to thee sing the four mines. To thee sing the regions, the countries (orbs), the worlds, which are made and preserved by thee.

Those sing to thee, who please thee; thy worshippers, steeped (in thy love) are full of happiness. Many others, who sing to thee, do not come to my mind; what can Nanak judge?

He, he is always the true Lord, true, of a true name. He is and will be, he will not cease to be, by whom creation is made.

By whom a Maya of various colours, kinds and sorts is produced. Having made it he sees, his own work is as his greatness is.

What is pleasing to him, that he will do, his order cannot be reversed. He is King, Lord of Kings; Nanak (says): the order of the Lord abides.'

(1). Having heard (it) every one calls him great. How great he is, has it been seen? His value cannot be obtained nor told. The expounders (of it) remain absorbed in thee I*

0 my great Lord, O deep and profound one! 0 abode of qualities! Nobody knows^ how much and great thy attire is!

(2). AH intelligent ones have met and worked up their intelligence. All valuers have met and put down his value.

' So dar, the words, with which the following Sabd begins. They are taken from Rag Asa and inserted here, because they are used for evening prayer by the Sikhs. We find them already in the Jap-ji (with some few alterations), v. 27.

^ Mahala ( = mahdlla) always denotes the authorship of a piece, as mahala pahila, the first quarter = Baba Nanak; mahala duja = Augad, etc.

' These and the like verses, without a fixed number of lines, are called by the Sikhs sabds (words).

* This is a Caupada (a verse consisting of four couplets).

By the men endowed -with divine knowledge and the Gurus of the Gurus.' Not a bit can his greatness be told.

(3). All truths, all austerities, aU good actions. The greatnesses of the Siddhs (Jogis).

"Without thee perfections haye been obtained by none. By destiny they are obtained and not prevented.

(4). "WTiat is the helpless praiser (of thy name)? With praises thy store-rooms are filled.

To whom thou givest, what means has he (to refuse it)? 0 Nanak! the True one is upholding (him).

Asa; mahald I. III. (1). If I praise (the name), I live; if it be forgotten, I die. Praising the true name is difficult. If one has hunger after the true name. He removes his pain by that hunger. '

"WTiy is he forgotten, 0 my mother? True is the Lord, of a true name.

(2). Having told a little of the greatness of the name, they have become tired, its value was not found. If all having met begin to tell it: it does not become greater nor smaller.

(3). He does not die nor become sorrowful. He keeps on giving and does not take food (himself). This is his quality, there is no other. Nor has there been another, nor will there be another.

(4). As great as thou thyself art, so great is thy gift. By whom day and night has been made.

Those, who forget the Lord, are low caste people. 0 JTanak! without the name they are low (mean) people.'

IV. (1). 0 people of Hari, 0 true men of the true Guru, make supplication to (=near) the Guru! We low worms are in the asylum of the true Guru; mercifully manifest (to us) the name!

0 my friend, 0 Gur-dev! manifest to me the name of EamI Tbe name taught by the Guru is my soul's friend, the glory of Hari is my prayer {i.e. I desire).