The Ādi Granth, or the Holy Scriptures of the Sikhs (1877) · 52

What is (thy) power? what (thy) thought? I cannot be sacrificed (to it) one time.

What is pleasing to thee, that is a good work. Thou art always in safety, 0 Formless!

(There are) innumerable fools, stark-blind ones. Innumerable thieves, living on the wages of iniquity.

Inniunerable rulers,' who commit tyranny. Innumerable cut-throats, who commit murder.

Innumerable sinners, who commit sin. Innumerable liars, who wander about in falsehood.

Innumerable barbarians, who eat dirt. Innumerable calumniators, who put a load on (their) heads.

I cannot be sacrificed one time {i.e. I cannot reach thee).

What is pleasing to thee, that is a good work. Thou art always in safety, 0 Formless!

(There are) innumerable names,* innumerable places. (There are) innumerable, inaccessible, inac- cessible worlds.

Innumerable speak (his praise), bending the head downwards."

Of letters (consists) the name, of letters the praise (of the name). Of letters (divine) knowledge, songs, the metrical recitals of (his) qualities.

Of letters (consists) writing, speaking, voice.

In letters is the description of destiny.' By whom these (letters) have been written, upon him it {i.e. destiny) is not.

' Explained by (be commentator: "SXf "^Jl % jfj^ ^ " Thou art free from form and colour."

' Hfvl SM TTS is inverted, for the sake of the rhyme, instead of HJ^ 3\f " iron-eating iu the face," an idiomatic expression for — exposing one's face bravely to the iron (in battle).

' JWT^ is explained by ^iT rajas; it may be =^^^ (its broken pliir. is y«l). But it may also be translated: lunumeralile give orders of violence.

* Names, i.e. of created beings or tilings.

' ffllddlH is adjective, bending the liead downwards (and the feet upwards), as some Faqirs do. An old commentator (without name) says: fiT3375^1§ «jfg$ tTT o^d^ ^^ " ^Vith the head downwards tliey praise him."

' ^^\i\ conjunction, instead of ^tTT 'ferTST conjunction and separation (of tlie beings) = destiny.

As he commands, so, so it falls. As much as is created, so much is the name (of it).'

What is (thy) power? what (thy) thought? I cannot be sacrificed one time.

What is pleasing to thee, that is a good work. Thou art always in safety, 0 Formless!

If hand, foot, body and trunk become defiled. By washing with water the dust will be removed. If the cloth be polluted by urine. By applying soap it will be washed. If the intellect be defiled with sins. It is washed in the dye of the name (of God). There is no rehearsal of meritorious (or) sinful deeds.* Having done a deed, (man) puts it down in writing' and takes it with him (to Tama).

He himself having sown -will himself eat (the fniit). 0 Nanak I by order (man) comes and goes.*

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

If (the name of God) be heard, minded and loved in the heart: he bathes inwardly (as) at a Tirtha.

All virtues are thine, I have none. Without virtues being practised worship is not made.

Be blessed! is the speech of the Brahman. He is pleasing to the True one, (who has) always a desire in (his) heart.*

What is that season, what the time, what the lunar date, what the week-day? What those seasons, what the month, in which the forms have been created?

The time is not found out by the Pandits, though it be written out of a Puran. The time is not found out by the Kazis, though they write out a document from the Koran.