The Ādi Granth, or the Holy Scriptures of the Sikhs (1877) · 8

"WTien I keep silence, they say, in this man there is no understanding.

'When I speak, they say, he rattles much away.

"WTien I sit down, they say, he is seated on a bed of straw, he has laid down.

When I rise and go, they say, he is gone having thrown ashes on his head.

When I bow down, they say, he performs worship continually bowing down.

There is no abuse and no taunt, by which I may cut off their false accusation.

(But) here and there, (says) Nanak, the true Guru (=God) preserves (my) honour.

He did not remain there twenty-four minutes. Alardana said then: " Sir, ^what order has been given (by God) regarding these people? " The Baba answered: " Mardana, this town will be thriving." Then they went to another town. There much attention was paid to them, they re- mained there a night. Early in the morning they rose and started. Then the Guru said: " This town will be ruined, it will become a place ■where eight roads meet.'" ilardana said: "I see a fine justice at thy gate; where thou dost not get a place to sit on, that (town) is made thriving (by thee), and by whom much attention and service is rendered to thee, their town is ruined." The Guru Baba replied: " 0 ilardana, when the people of that city wiU go to another town, then others also wtU be spoiled, and when the people of this town will go to another town, they will also save them and give them good advice." Mardana answered: " Sir, if it please thee, procure also salvation to that town! " Then the Baba recited a Sabd, in the Kag ilalar, llahala I. [there follow four verses].'

Then they went again to the country of Asa.' There was Shekh Farid, who lived in a jungle, to -which the Baba -went. Shekh Farid said: "ABah, Allah, 0 Darvesh!" The Guru Baba answered: " Allah, 0 Farid, is my aim.* Come, Shekh Farid, Allah, AUah is always my aim." Then taking his hand he sat down. Shekh Farid looking at the face of the Baba said, entering into a conversation ■with him:

Do not put thy feet on two boats, lest thou drown thy goods! The Gum Baba answered with the Slok:

Put thy feet on two boats, ship thy goods in two: One boat may be sunk, one may pass across. (They require) neither water nor a boat. They are not sunk nor do they pass away: The goods, the true wealth, are naturally contained (in God). Then Shekh Farid recited this Slok:

0 Farid, who art enamoured with (this) witch, the world is a false distinction. 0 Nanak, whilst looking on -with the eyes the field is wasted.

' The sense is: it will be totally trodden under foot. ' Rag Malar, Sabd 1, Mah. I.

Cf. Lahore ed., Sakhi 28. It is not kuown exactly, if Asa is a real or only a fancy name. Farid, a Mubammadan Pir, lived not far from Lahore, lower down the Ravi. There are still many followers of Farid in the Panjab. A great portion of his poetical compositions has been incorporated in the Granth. Farid is not mentioued by De Tassy in his " Histoire de la litterature Hindoui et Hindustani."

* The original is: nf^^U <i6\-i -HJ-il. literally: Allah is my effort, I am striving for him (-HO-/! = Arab. ^Aj=- or _; jLi:>-). There is no doubt that \anak picked up some little Arabic as weU as Persian by his frequent intercourse with Mubammadan Faqirs.

Love to the witch comes, springing up by itself, by itself. 0 Xanak, the field is not wasted, if its guardian be attentive.

0 FaiTd, the body has lost its strength, the heart is broken, no strength whatever is left. The beloved has become (my) physician, he appUes remedies and medicines (to me).

Verify in thy own person the true friend, to talk with the mouth is senseless. Perceive him in the heart, my friend is not far from thee.

Then the Shekh uttered a Sabd (as written) in the Rag SuhT [there foUow three verses].' The Guru Baba answered with the Sabd in the Bag Suhi, Mahala I. [there follow five verses].* Then Farld uttered a Sabd, in the Bag Asa [there follow three verses].' The Baba answered with a Sabd in the Bag Suhi, Mahala I. [there follows one verse].*

The Baba and Shekh Farld remained together one night in the jungle. Then came one servant of God there. Having seen (them) he rose and went home, filled a bowl with milk and brought it towards the close of the night, after having thrown four Ashrafls into it. The Shekh took his portion (of the milk) and left the portion of the Guru. Then Shekh Farid uttered this Sl5k:

Those who wake obtain gifts from the Lord.

At the commencement of the night there is the blossom, at the end of the night also the fruit.

The gifts are the Lord's, what can he be prevailed upon?

Some, though waking, do not obtain (them), some, who are asleep, he makes rise and meets (with them).

Then the Baba said: "Shekh FarlJ, move thy hand in this milk and see what it is." Wlien Shekh Farid looked, there were four Ashrafis; he dropped the bowl and went away. Then the Guru Baba recited a Sabd, in the Bag TukharT, Mahala I. [there follow five verses].' Then the liaba and Shekh Farid started thence. Then that man came and saw that the bowl was lying on the ground. When he lifted it up, it was of gold, and filled with Ashrafis. He began to regret it and said: "Those were wealthy Fuqirs; if it had come into my mind, I would have put in re- ligion: so I have brought money and have got money." He took the bowl and went home.

Then the Guru Baba and Shekh Farid came to the country of Asa. At that time the Raja of the country of Asa, whose name was Samundar,^ had died. His skuU did not burn (when his corpse was burnt), though they made difierent efibrts. Thereupon the astrologers were asked, who said: "This one has once told a falsehood, therefore his soul has come into trouble." The people of the country of Asa were speaking the truth, by day they were sowing and by night they were cutting (the corn). The people of Asa began to lament. The astrologers said: "He will then become emancipated, when the feet of a saint touch (him)." The road to the country of Asa was therefore shut up, only one gate was left, that if by chance a Faqir should come, he would be carried along from that gate. At that time Baba Xanak and Shekh Farid arrived there. When

' Rag Suhi, Farid, 2. ' Rag Suhi, Sabd 4, Mah. I.

' Rag Asa, Shekh Farid, 1. * Apparently a misquotation, fur the verse is not found there.

' R.ag TiikhSri, Chant, BSraliamalra 2, Mali. I. (p. 1234).

° In the Lahore edition and in MS. (B.) the name is given as: Syam Samundur.