The elect obtain honour in God's court;

The elect shed lustre[4] on the courts of kings.

The attention of the elect is bestowed on the one Guru.[5]

If any one say he can form an idea of God, he way say so,

[1. Magun. This word is understood to be for magan. Those who read magu na translate--

(a) By obeying Him man proceedeth not by the path of destruction.

(b) Man proceedeth by the broad, not the narrow way.

2. This is explained to mean--does not wander in transmigration.

3. Panch, literally five. The number conveys the idea of selection. There is a Hindustâni proverb, Pânehon men Parameshwar hai, Where live are assembled, God is in the midst of them. Others say that panch refers to the live classes of persons previously mentioned-- those who walk according, to God's will, who know Him to be true, who praise Him, who hear His name, and who obey Him.

4. This is the interpretation of sohahi given by Bhâi Chanda Singh in his commentary on the Granth Sâhib.

5. The elect have one God as their Guru or spiritual guide, and meditate on Him.]

{p. 203}

But the Creator's works cannot be numbered.

The bull that is spoken of is righteousness, the offspring of mercy,

Which supported by patience maintaineth the order of nature.[1]

Whoever understandeth this is a true man.

What a load there is upon the bull![2]

Beyond this earth there are more worlds, more and more.

What power can support their weight?

The names of living things, their species, and colours

Have all been written with a flowing pen.

Doth any one know how to write an account of them?

If the account were written, how great it would be

What power and beautiful form are Thine, O God!

Who hath power[3] to know how great Thy gifts are?

By one word[4] Thou didst effect the expansion of the world,

Whereby hundreds of thousands of rivers were produced.

What power have I to describe Thee?

So powerless am I, that I cannot even once be a sacrifice unto Thee.

Whatever pleaseth Thee is good.

Thou, O Formless One, art ever secure.

XVII

Numberless thy worshippers[5], and numberless Thy lovers

Numberless Thine adorers, and numberless they who perform austerities for Thee

Numberless the reciters of sacred books and Veds

[1. Sût, the thread on which the world is strung. The Guru means by patience the adjusted balance of the world, everything being in equipoise.

2. Here Guru Nânak obviously rejects the Hindu story that the earth is supported by a bull.

3. We understand kût as the Arabic kuwwat. If kût be held to mean food, a meaning which the word so pronounced also hears in Arabic, the verse will be translated--Who knoweth the extent of Thy gifts of sustenance?