IV

In the fourth watch of night, O merchant friend, the reaper cometh to the field; The secret hath been given to none when Death shall seize and take away his victim. Think upon God; the secret hath been given to none when Death shall seize and take man away. Hollow are the lamentations around. In one moment man's goods become another's. He shall obtain those things on which he hath set his heart.[170] Saith Nanak, O mortal, in the fourth watch the reaper hath reaped the field.[171]

When morning came, the grain-dealer's child died, and the grain-dealer and his relatives came forth weeping and wailing. Mardana asked the Guru what sudden change of fortune had come to those who yesterday had been engaged in their rejoicings ​and saturnalia. Then the Guru uttered the following on the vicissitudes of human life:—

They to whose faces were uttered gratulations and hundreds of thousands of blessings, Now smite their heads in grief; and their minds and bodies suffer agony. Of the dead some are buried, others are thrown into rivers.[172] The gratulations have passed away; but even so do thou, O Nanak, praise the True One.

As the Guru and Mardana pursued their way they saw a small enclosed field of gram.[173] The watchman of the field began to roast some for his dinner, while the Guru and Mardana gazed at him at a distance. As the watchman was preparing to eat, he saw them, and it occurred to him that they wanted something more dainty than gram, so he would go to his house and bring them better fare and comfortable bedding. As he stood up, the Guru, who did not wish to trouble him, asked whither he was going, and, on being informed, uttered the following verses:—

Thy pallet is a coverlet and mattress for me; thy love is my dainty dish. Nanak is already satiated with thy good qualities; come back, O monarch.

In due time the watchman obtained spiritual dignity in return for his kind intentions towards the Guru.

There was at that time a shopkeeper whose mind had taken a religious bent, and who desired to meet a religious guide. He heard of Guru Nanak's arrival, and vowed that he would not eat or drink until he had had an interview with him. Having ​once visited the Guru he continually went to him to receive religious instruction. A neighbouring shopkeeper heard of his friend s visits, and said that he too would go to see the holy man. They proceeded together, but on the way the second shopkeeper saw a woman of whom he became enamoured, and his visit to Nanak was indefinitely postponed. It was the custom of both to set out together, one to visit his mistress, and the other to visit the Guru. The second shopkeeper desired to put the fortunes of both to the test, and said, Thou practisest good works, while I practise bad works. Let us see what shall happen to each of us to-day. If I arrive first, I will sit down and wait for thee; and if thou arrive first, then wait for me/ This was agreed upon. The second shopkeeper went to the house of his mistress as usual, but did not find her. He then proceeded to the spot where his: friend had agreed to meet him, but his friend, who on that day tarried long with the Guru, had not yet arrived. The second shopkeeper needing some occupation in his solitude, drew out his knife and began to whittle the ground with it, when he found a shining gold coin. He continued his excavations with the weak delving implement he possessed, when, to his disappointment, he only discovered a jar of charcoal. He had, however, obtained some reward for his labour.

Meanwhile the first shopkeeper arrived in doleful case. Having left the Guru, a thorn pierced his foot. He bound up the wound, and proceeded sore limping to the trysting-place. His friend told him of his better fortune. They both saw that he who went daily to commit sin prospered, while he who went to his religious teacher to pray and meditate on God, suffered; and they agreed to refer to Guru Nanak for an explanation of their unequal and unmerited fates.

The Guru explained that the sinful shopkeeper had in a former birth given a gold coin as alms to a holy man. That coin was converted into many ​gold coins as a reward for the alms-giver, but, when he entered on his career of sin, the gold coins were turned into charcoal. The original gold coin was, however, restored. The shopkeeper who visited the Guru, had deserved to die by an impaling stake for the sins of deceit and usury, but, as he continued to progress in virtue, the impaling stake was reduced in size till it became merely a thorn. Having been pierced by it, he had fully expiated the sins of a former birth. Thus may the decree of destiny be altered by the practice of virtue. Both men were thoroughly satisfied with this explanation of unequal retribution. The sinful as well as the virtuous man fell at Guru Nanak's feet, and both became true worshippers of God. The Guru then uttered the following verses:—

The heart is the paper, conduct the ink; [174] good and bad are both recorded therewith. Man's life is as his acts constrain him; there is no limit to Thy praises, O God. O fool, why callest thou not to mind Thy Creator? Thy virtues have dissolved away by thy forgetfulness of God. Night is a small net, day a large one; there are as many meshes as there are gharis in the day. With relish thou ever peckest at the bait, and art ensnared; O fool, by what skill shalt thou escape? The body is the furnace, the mind the iron therein; five fires[175] are ever applied to it. Sin is the charcoal added thereto, by which the mind is heated; anxiety is the pincers. The mind hath turned into dross, but it shall again become gold when it meeteth such a Guru As will bestow the ambrosial name of the one God; then, Nanak, the mind shall become fixed.[176]

​The Guru then took the opportunity of discoursing on the immoral shopkeeper's peculiar vice: 'Man is fickle when he beholdeth a courtesan; he then hath a special desire for love's play, and can in no way be restrained. On meeting her he loseth his human birth. Bereft of his religion he falleth into hell, where he undergoeth punishment and profusely lamenteth. Wherefore look not on her, but pass thy time among the holy.'

After this they all separated, and the Guru and Mardana continued their wanderings. On the way they were encountered by robbers. On seeing Guru Nanak, they said to themselves that he on whose face shone such happiness could not be without wealth. They accordingly went and stood around the Guru. As they beheld him morning dawned, so they were able to examine him more closely. He asked them who they were, and what they wanted. They candidly replied that they were thags,[177] and had come to rob him. The Guru gave them spiritual instruction, and said that their sins should be wiped out when they had abandoned their evil career, turned to agriculture, and bestowed charity out of the spoils in their possession. They acted on his suggestions, began to repeat the Name, and reform their lives. The Guru on that occasion composed the following:—

Covetousness is a dog, falsehood a sweeper, food obtained by deceit carrion; Slander of others is merely others' filth in our mouths; the fire of anger is a sweeper.[178] Pleasures and self-praise—these are mine acts, O Creator. My friends, doth any one obtain honour by mere words? Call them the best, who are the best at the gate of the Lord; they who do base acts sit and weep. ​There is pleasure in gold, pleasure in silver and in women, pleasure in the perfume of sandal; There is pleasure in horses, pleasure in couches and in palaces, pleasure in sweets, and pleasure in meats. When such are the pleasures of the body, how shall God's name obtain a dwelling therein? It is proper to utter the words by which honour is obtained. Injury resulteth from uttering harsh words; hearken, O foolish and ignorant man. They who please God are good; what more can be said? They in whose heart God is contained possess wisdom, honour, and wealth. What need is there of praising them? What further decoration can they obtain?

By the following the Guru recommended agricultural labour:—

The oxen are disciples,[180] the ploughman is their Shaikh;[181] The earth is a book, the furrow the writing. The sweat of the ploughman's brow falleth to his heels, And every one eateth of his earning.[182] They who eat the fruit of their earning and bestow a little from it, O Nanak, recognize the true way.

Then the Guru departed thence.