By obeying His order man is acceptable, and shall then reach his Master's court.

He shall act as pleaseth his Master, and obtain the fruit his heart desireth;

And he shall be clothed with a robe of honour in God's court.

A man at Lahore presented a cow to a Brahman. The Brahman took her with him, but had not wherewithal to pay toll at the Sultanpur ferry. He was stopped by the Khatri toll-keeper. The latter collected the cow's dung, and at once set about plastering his cooking-place therewith. Mardana went towards him, but was ordered off, lest he should defile the toll-keeper's cooking-place. Upon this Guru Nanak uttered the following:--

SLOK XVI

Thou takest toll for a cow and a Brahman, the cow-dung will not save thee.

Thou wearest a dhoti[2] and a frontal mark, and carriest a rosary, yet thou eatest the bread of malechhas.

[1. That is, he draws a horoscope.

2. Dhoti is a cloth tied round the loins, the Latin subligaculum.]

{p. 240}

Thou performest the Hindu worship at home, thou readest the Quran in public, and associatest with Muhammadans,[1] O my brother.

Lay aside hypocrisy, repeat God's name, and thou shalt be saved.

Guru Nanak

They who have strings on their necks eat men, recite the Muhammadan prayers,

And use knives to cut men's throats.[2]

Although the Brahmans sound shells in their houses,

And enjoy their viands as they do themselves;[3]

Yet false is their capital and false their dealings.

By uttering falsehood they maintain themselves.

Far from them is the abode of bashfulness and honesty: Nanak, falsehood everywhere prevaileth.

On their foreheads are sacrificial marks; on their waists reddish[4] dhotis;

And in their hands knives; they are the world's butchers.

Putting on blue clothes, they are acceptable in the Muhammadans' court,

And, while taking bread from the malechhas, worship the Purans.

They eat he-goats killed with unspeakable words,[5]

And allow no one to enter their cooking squares.

Having smeared a space they draw lines around it,

And sit within, false that they are,

Saying, 'Touch not! O touch not!

'Or this food of ours will be defiled.'

But their bodies are defiled; what they do is defiled;

[1. Also translated--Thou actest like Muhammadans.

2. Also translated--They who read prayers devour men, and they who wear strings on their necks ply knives.

3 According to the holy books of the Hindus, Brahmans should not eat in the houses of men who recite Muhammadan prayers.

4. Kâkhâi, reddish, or partially soiled from frequent washing The w word is also applied to the tucking in of a dhoti in a particular way.