Life Of Guru Nanak: Chapter VII | Internet Sacred Text Archive

Sikhism

CHAPTER VII

The Guru and Mardana after their travels in Eastern India returned to the Panjab, and proceeded on a visit to the shrine of Shaikh Farid, a Moslem saint, at a place then called Ajodhan, but now Pak Pattan, in the southern part of that province. A saint called Shaikh Brahm (Ibrahim) was then the incumbent of the shrine. He was the first to speak. On seeing the Guru, whom he knew to be a religious man, dressed in ordinary secular costume, he said:--

Either seek for high position[2] or for God.

Put not thy feet on two boats lest thy property founder.[3]

The Guru replied:--

[1. Also translated--lo! this is thy devotional attitude, Padam âsan is one of the Jogis' attitudes.

2. Muqaddami, literally, the headship of a town.

3. The meaning is--lead either a Secular or a religious life. Do not combine both.]

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Put thy feet on two boats and thy property also on them:[1]

One boat may sink, but the other shall cross over.[2]

For me there is no water, no boat, no wreck, and no loss.

Nanak, the True One is my property and wealth, and He is naturally everywhere contained.

Shaikh Brahm replied:--

O Farid, the world is enamoured of the witch[3] who is found to be when her secret is known.

Nanak, while thou lookest on, the field[4] is ruined.

Upon this the Guru urged:--

O Farid, love for the witch hath prevailed from the very beginning.

Nanak, the field shall not be ruined if the watchman be on the alert.

Then Shaikh Brahm:--

Farid, my body faileth, my heart is broken, and no strength whatever remaineth me.

Arise, beloved, become my physician and give me medicine.

Then the Guru exhorted him:--

My friend, examine the truth, lip-worship is hollow.

Nanak, the Beloved is not far from thee; behold Him in thy heart.

Then Shaikh Brahm uttered the following:--

When thou oughtest to have made thy raft, thou didst not do so;

When the full river[5] overfloweth, it is difficult to cross over.

[1. That is, enjoy the world and also remember God.

2. The body may perish, but the soul shall be saved.

3. Worldly love.

4. Man's body.

5. When the body has completed its measure of sin. Sarwar is, literally, a tank or lake, but Shaikh Brahm refers to the broad river Satluj, near which he lived.]

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Put not thy hand into the fire or it will burn,[1] my dear.

Some have obtained honour for themselves by uttering God's name.

As milk will not return to the udder, so the soul will not again enter the same body.

Saith Farid, O my companions, when the Spouse calleth you,

The soul shall depart in perplexity, and the body become a heap of dust.[2]

The Guru replied by a hymn in the same measure:--