They sing the paean of murder, O Nanak, and smear themselves with the saffron of blood.

Nanak singeth the praises of the Lord in the city of corpses, and uttereth this commonplace--

[1. He who performs heartfelt devotion.

2. Tilang, Ashtapadi.

3. This refers to the licentiousness of Bâbar's army.]

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He who made men assigned them different positions; He sitteth apart alone and regardeth them.

True is the Lord, true His decision, true the justice He meteth out as an example.

Bodies shall be cut like shreds of cloth; Hindustan will remember what I say.

They shall come in '78, depart in '97, and then shall rise another disciple of a hero.[1]

Nanak uttereth the word of the True One, and will proclaim the truth at the True One's appointed time.[2]

Lalo asked the Guru what he meant by saying that God had assigned men different positions. The Guru replied as follows:--

God can cause lions, hawks, kestrels, and falcons to eat grass;

And the animals which eat grass He can cause to eat meat--such a custom can He establish.

He can cause hills to appear in rivers, and unfathomable rivers in sandy deserts.

He can appoint a worm to sovereignty, and reduce an army to ashes.

What wonder would it be if God caused to live without breath all the animals which live by breathing?

Nanak, as it pleaseth the True One, so He giveth us sustenance.[3]

A Brahman came to the Guru, offered him a basket of fruit, and said, 'My friend, thou art uttering hymns of wrath.' The Guru replied, 'Remain not here; there is a pool three miles distant; go thither with thy family. All who remain here will be put

[1. That is, the Mughals shall come in Sambat 1578, and depart in Sambat 1597 (A.D. 1540). The Sambat year is fifty-seven years in advance of annus Domini. The departing monarch was Humâyûn. The disciple of a hero is understood to be Sher Shâh Sûri, who dispossessed him. This line appears to be an answer to a question put to the Guru by Lâlo.

2. Tilang.

3 Mâjh ki Wâr.]

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to death.' The Brahman acted on his advice. After some days Babar assaulted and destroyed the city. He also devastated the neighbouring villages. There was a general massacre of the people, and Pathan as well as Hindu habitations were plundered and razed to the ground.

The lives of the Guru and Mardana were spared, probably because they were strangers, but they were imprisoned and placed under the superintendence of Mir Khan, an officer of Babar's army. Mir Khan, on seeing them, ordered, 'Take away these slaves to work.' The Guru was condemned to carry loads on his head, and Mardana to do the work of a groom. The Guru upon this uttered the following:--

I am a purchased slave, my name is Lucky.