The Guru and Shaikh Brahm remained together that night in the forest. A kind-hearted and charitable villager who had seen them, took them a basin of milk before daylight. The Shaikh separated his own share from that of the Guru, and uttered these verses:--

Devotion in the beginning of the night is the blossom, in the end of the night[1] the fruit.

They who watch obtain gifts from the Lord.[2]

The Guru responded:--

Gifts are the Lord's; what can prevail against Him?[3]

Some who are awake receive them not; others who are asleep He awaketh, and conferreth presents upon them.[4]

The Guru then asked Shaikh Brahm to put his hand into the milk and feel what was in it. Farid found that it contained four gold coins. Upon this the villager, deeming that he was in the hands of magicians, went away without his basin. The Guru uttered the following hymn

I

O thou with the beautiful eyes, in the first watch of a dark night

Watch thy property, O mortal; thy turn shall come next.

When thy turn cometh, who will awake thee? Death shall taste thy sweets as thou sleepest.

The night is dark; what shall become of thee when the thief breaketh into and robbeth thy house?

O inaccessible, incomparable Protector, hear my supplication.

O Nanak, the fool hath never thought of God; what can he see in a dark night?

[1. That is, the end of life.

2. Farîd's Sloks.

3. No one can force Him to bestow His gifts.

4. Sri Râg ki Wâr.]

{p. 89}

II

It is the second watch; awake, O heedless one.

Watch thy property, O mortal; thy field is being eaten up.

Watch thy field, love God's praises; while thou art awake, the thief shall not touch thee.

Then shalt thou not go the way of Death, nor suffer from him; the fear and dread of him shall depart.

The lamps of the sun and moon shall shine for thee, if thou under the Guru's instruction ponder on the True One in thy heart, and utter His name with thy lips.

Nanak, the fool heedeth not even now; how shall he obtain happiness in the second watch?

III

It is the third watch, thou art wrapt in slumber.

By wealth, children, and wives men are afflicted with sorrow:

Yet wealth, children, wives, and worldly possessions are dear to man; he nibbleth at the bait, and is continually caught.

If man under the Guru's instruction meditate on the Name, he shall obtain rest, and Death shall not seize him.[1]

Transmigration and death never forsake us; without the Name we are afflicted.

Nanak, in the third watch men, under the influence of the three qualities,[2] feel worldly love.

[1. Death only seizes the soul which has to undergo further transmigration. He does not harass the emancipated soul.