The Ādi Granth, or the Holy Scriptures of the Sikhs (1877) · 9

they had come near, Guru Nanak said: " Shekh Farld, put thy foot (on it)." Shekh Furid re- plied: "What is my power, that I should put forth my foot?" Then the Baba put his foot (on it) and the skull burst; he was emancipated. Then all the people of the country of Asa came and fell down at (their) feet. The Baba recited a Sabd, in the Eag Maru, Mahala I. [there follow four verses].' Then the people brought bread. Who offered bread to Shekh Farld, to him he said: " I have abeady eaten bread and also bound some up in the hem of my garment." Then the people of the Asa country said: "0 servant of God, art thou some untruthful man of that country, in which Shekh Farid lives, who has a loaf of bread made of wood and if one offers him bread, says: 'I have eaten already and also bound some up in the hem of my garment.'" Then Farid threw down the bread of wood and said: "For telling once a lie the Eaja has got such a great punishment (what will then be my state)?" ^ The Baba was pleased at this. "When Shekh Farid took leave, the Baba said: "Shekh Farid, truly God is in thee, but take thou a Pir (spiritual leader)." Shekh Farid answered: "Well, it may be." When Shekh Farid departed, they em- braced each other. The Guru Baba recited then a Sabd, in the Eag Sri Eag, Mahala I. [there follow four verses].' The Baba remained some days (longer) in the Asa country and the whole country began to mutter: "Guru, Guru!" and became devotees of the name. In the Asa country there is (still) a Manji.* The Baba was much pleased with the Asa country. Say: vah Guru!

Then the Baba came to the country of Bisiar. There they gave him no place to sit on. Wherever they go and stand, there the people apply cow-dung,* seeing them gone. Then he came to Jhanda, the carpenter, who took him to his house. This one was drinking after he had washed his feet. Whilst he was drinking, the Guru came into sight. He became an UdasI (Faqir) and began to wander about with (Nanak).

By the favour of the holy true Guru! The writing of the Jugavali * (comes now). At that time he {;i.e. the Guru) was sitting on the sea-shore; he practised wind-eating; with him was Jhanda, the carpenter, of the Bisiar country. He got the Jugavali, with Jhanda it was finished.

At that time it was read with astonishment. [There follows the Jugavali.] '

Kanak was pleased and discharged Jhanda, the carpenter, to the Bisiar country. Then the Baba and Mardana departed thence. Going along they came into a great desert, where they did not meet with anybody. Mardana, who had become very hungry, said: "Out of attachment to thee I became thy musician and was eating the morsels, I begged from the country; this also is now denied to me. We have fallen into a great jungle; if God ever will draw us out, we shall come out of it. Now if some lion will roar and fall on (us), he will kill us." The Baba replied: "0 Mardana, none wiU come near thee, but be thou prudent!" He said: "Sir, how shall I be prudent? I have fallen into a desert." The Baba replied: "0 Mardana, we are not in a desert, we are in a village, wherever the name comes into our mind." There the Baba uttered the Sabd, in the Eag Asa, Mahala I. [there follow four verses].' Then the Baba said: "0 Mardana, keep (this) Sabd in (thy) mind, except by thee (these) words are not understood." Then the Baba said: "Mardana, play

' This I liave supplied from tbc Lahore edition, as it is missing in the original.

* V(^, properly a small couch or stool, bedecked with silk clothes, on nhicli the Granth is placed and adored by the people.

' As if the place had been polluted. ° TTJIIt^iA. the row of Yugas.

' All the other Janam-sakhis do not mention this. It is apparently an old interpolation, as it has nothing whatever to do with the narrative of Nanak's wanderings.

the rebeck!" Mardana replied: "My body is pierced by hunger, I cannot play this rebeck." The Baba said: " ilardana, follow me, we will go to some village." JIardana replied: " I cannot go even to a village, my body is pierced by hunger; I am Mardana." The Baba said then: "0 Mardana, I shall not let thee die, be sensible!" Mardana replied: '"Sir, how shall I be sensible, I am Mardana, my life is done for." The Baba said then: "Mardana, eat the fruit of this tree till thou art satiated, but put none into the hem of thy garment!" Mardana answered: "Well, Sir!" and began to eat. He liked the flavour of the fruit and said: "If possible I will eat all, perhaps they may never come to hand." Some of them be also bound up in the hem of his garment, saying (to himself): "If I become hungry again, I will eat them." When Mardana became hungry again, •he said: "I will eat some of the (fruits)." When he put it into his mouth, he fell down at that very time. The Baba said: "What is the matter, Mardana?" He replied: " IThou hadst said,

0 King, that I should eat to my satiety, but I should bind none into the hem of my garment.

1 said to myself that I would also bind some into the hem of my garment, perhaps they might not come to hand again. These I have put into my mouth; this is the matter that happened." The Baba said: "Thou hast done wrong, that thou didst put them into thy mouth, these are poisonous fruits, but having pronounced a word over them they were made nectar-fruits. Then the Baba put his foot on his head and he became quite well again, rose and sat down. Then Mardana said: "A fine thing is the attachment to thee and serving thee! I am a Dum and desire to eat by asking and begging; thou art a gi-eat man free from pleasure and pain, thou dost not eat nor drink anything nor dost thou enter any village, how shall I remain with thee? give me leave to go!" The Baba said: "Mardana, I am much pleased with thee, why dost thou ask leave from me?" Mardana replied: "It is all very well, that thou art pleased with me, but discharge me, I -win go home." The Baba replied: "Mardana, by all means remain!" Mardana said: "I will remain, if thou stiUest my hunger; what thy food is, that should be mine, make it also my food! If thou do this, then I will remain with thee. If thou makost this promise, that thou wilt also think of my business, then I will remain with thee, if thou wilt not do it, then give me leave." The Guru Baba replied: " Go, Mardana! thou hast been exalted in this and that world." Then Mardana sprang up and fell down at his feet. By the Guru Baba so many things were imparted (to him); with the raising up of his head he got the thorough knowledge of the Shastras and Vedas. Then Mardana commenced (again) to wander about with the Baba.

Twelve' years, after he had become an TJdasT, ho (=yanak) came to Talvandi and sat down outside, two Kos from it, in a desert. Stopping there for twenty-four minutes, Mardana begged and said: "If order be given to me, I will go home and inquire after my house (=wife), and see how ray people are, if somebody is still alive or not." The Baba laughed and said: "Mardana, thy people will die, how wilt thou hold fast the world? But if it be thy mind, then go; having met with them come again, but come quickly! Go also to the house of Kalu, but do not take our name." Mardana having fallen down at his feet went and came to Talvand! and entered his house. Then many people assembled; every one who came, fell down at his feet and all people said: "It is Mardana, the Dum, but he is the shade of Nanak. He is no (more) that, he has become greater than the world." All who come fall down at his feet. Mardana having seen his famUy went to the yard in front of the house of Kalu and sat down. Then the mother of the Baba rose and fell on his neck and began to weep. Having wept she said: "Mardana, from whence? hast thou also information about Nanak?" Then all the people of the yard gathered together and began to ask. Mardana said: "My dear, when the Baba was at Sultanpur, I was with him as Dum; since that time I know nothing of him." Having sat there for twenty-four minutes Mardana rose and

' Compare: Sikha de raj di vithia, p. 291.

went. The mother of the Baba said then: " ily clear, that this one has so quickly risen and departed from the yard, that has its reason." She stood up, took some clothes and some sweet- meats and went after Mardana, with whom she met and said: "Mardana, bring me to Nanak!" Maidaua remained silent. They went on above two Kos to the place where the Baba was sitting. When the Baba saw that his mother and Mardana had come, he came and fell down at her feet. His mother began to weep and kissed his head and said: "I am a sacrifice, I am a sacrifice, my son, for thee I am a sacrifice. I am a sacrifice] for that place, where thou art wandering about. I have been made happy by thee, that thou hast shown me thy face." The Baba. seeing the love of his mother became soft and began to weep. Having wept he laughed and said: "Mardana, play the rebeck!" Mardana played the rebeck and the Biiba made the Sabd, in the Eag Vadhaus, Mahala I. [there follow four verses].' Then his mother put the clothes and sweetmeats before him and said, "Son, eat!" The Baba answered: "0 mother, I am satiated." His mother said: "Son, with what food art thou satiated?" The holy Guru Baba said: "Mardana, play the rebeck!" Mardaua played it and the Baba made the Sabd, in the Siri Bag, Mahala I. [there follows one verse and one Eahau].- His mother said again: "Take this patched quilt off thy neck and put on new clothes!" Then the Baba recited the second Pauri [there follows one verse with a Kahau]. His father Ealu also heard this news, he mounted a horse and came. When he had come, the Baba fell down at his feet and paid reverence to him. Then Kfilu began to weep and said: " Nanak, mount the horse and come to our house." Then the Guru replied: "0 father, horses are of no use to me." He recited the third Pauri [there follows one verse with a Rahau]. Kalu said again: "Go once to (our) house, we have huilt a new house, see it, thou hast returned after a long time. There is thy family, meet with it, and if it shall please thee, thou mayst go again." Then the Baba uttered the fourth Pauri [there follows one verse with a Eahau]. Kalu went on to say: "0 son, thy soul has become embittered by some matter, tell it me! if thou tell me, I will procure thee another marriage; I will get up a good company for thee at the wedding-procession, with splendour I will get thy marriage solemnized." The Baba uttered a Sabd in the Bag Suhi, Chant, Mahala I. [there follow four ver.ses].' Then the Baba said: " 0 father and mother, that one is the all- arranging Supreme Being; the union, that is made by him, is good." His mother said then: "0 son, rise and go! give up this perverse talk, what union may be made again, by which we shaU again meet?" The Baba made then the Sabd, in llagu Maru, Mahala I. [there follow four verses].* After this the Baba said: "0 father and mother, we, who have come, shall come (again) at some fit opportunity. But mind now the order: I am an UdasT." His mother replied: "O son, how shall this give contentment to my heart, as thou hast come after having led a retired life for many years?" The Baba said: "0 mother, mind my word, thou wilt obtain contentment." Then his mother kept silence. The holy Guru Baba departed then from that place.

Having seen the Kavl and the Canau (Chenab) he went into the wilderness and came to the country of Patau.' Three Kos from the country of Patau, was a desert, thither he went and sat down, Mardana being with him. The Pir of Patan had been Shekh Farid; on his throne sat (now) Shekh Briham. One of his disciples had come early in the morning to collect wood, whose name ■was Shekh Kamal; he had gone out to collect fuel for the kitchen of the Pir. He saw that near an Akk-tree both the Baba and Mardana were sitting. Mardana pla3-ed then the rebeck and began to sing a Sabd; he gave a SlOk in the Hag Asa. Shekh Brihaiu hal had a conversation with the Baba (before).

' Rag Vadliaus, Sabd 1,.Mah. I. ' Siri Rag, Sabd 7, Mali. I.

' Rag Suhi, Chant 4, iMah. I. * Rag Maru, Sabd 1, Mah. I.

Thou thyself art the wooden tablet, thou thyself art the pen, thou art also the writing upon it. Why should the One be called another, 0 Nanak?

When Kamal heard this Slok, he left his wood and came near and said: "Sir, tell this RaliabT (player of the rebeck), that he should repeat this verse." Srardana was told to do so and repeated it. Kamal learnt it; lie took the wood he had collected, made his salara and returned to Patau. Having thrown down the wood he went to his Pir, made his salam and said: " Pir, health to thee! a beloved man of God has fallen in with me." The Pir said: "Kamal, where did he meet with thee?" Kamal answered: "0 Pir, health to thee! I had gone to gather fuel; a EababI is with him and his name is Nanak; he recites his own Sloks." The Pir said: "Son, hast thou learnt some verse? " Kamal replied: " 0 Pir, health to thee! One verse I also have committed to memory." He says: ' Thou thyself art the wooden tablet, thou thyself art the pen, thou art also the writing upon it. Why should the One be called another, 0 Nanak?'" The Pir said: "0 sou, hast thou somewhat understood the meaning of this verse or not?" Kamal answered: "Pir, health to thee! to thee all is manifest." Then the Pir said: " 0 son, by whom this verse has been spoken, his sight I have seen (already), he is a Faqlr of God, bring me also to him! words of God are spoken by him." Then Shekh Briham ascended a sedan-chair and went taking Kamal with hira; he went along above three Kos; when he looked, the Baba was sitting there. Shekh Biraham' went and standing said: "Nanak, peace be on thee!" The Guru Baba answered: "And on thee be peace! 0 Pir, health to thee, come! God has been merciful to us, that I have got a sight of thee." Then having kissed the hands mutually they sat down. The Pir asked then: "0 Nanak, having heard one verso of thine, I have become astonished. I said: 'By whom this verse has been spoken, his sight I have seen.'" Nfmak replied: "Sir, a favour has been bestowed on me, that I have obtained a sight of you." The Pir said: " Nanak, give me an explanation of this verse. Thou sayst: ' There is one, 0 Nanak, why another? ' But there is one Lord and two definitions. What shall I accept, and what shall I reject? Thou sayst: 'There is only One,' but the Hindus say that the truth is with them, and the Musalraans say that the truth is with them. Say, who is right and who is wrong? " Babii Nanak answered: " Sir, there is one Lord and one definition, accept the One and reject another (God)."

Why should another be served, who is born and dies?

Remember the One, 0 Nanak, who is contained in water and earth!

When the Baba had given this Slok, the Pir said:

Tear the silk petticoat and make a flag of it,^ put on a small blanket! Put on those clothes, in which the bridegroom is obtained.

Sitting in the house the bridegroom is obtained, if thou keep thy mind firm (on him). In the house is the woman, her beloved abroad, she grieves continually remembering hira. He meets with her without delay, if she make a sincere desire (for him).

The name is written differently: Briham, Biraham, and Biraham, as here. Very likely it is corrupted from Ibrahim.

* The Faqlrs are in the habit of erecting a flag in front of their dwellings.

When Nanak had given this answer, the Pir said:

SM. I have been young and he did not sport (with me). Having grown up I departed. The woman has sunk into the grave weeping: "I have not met with my Lord."

The woman is foolish, thin, black, of an impure heart.