2. It is said that on one occasion there was scarcity in Guru Arjan's langar khâna, or supply depôt for holy men and mendicants. When the Guru's servants were making excessive efforts to collect provisions, he composed the following for the special occasion. It should not be understood from this hymn that the Guru discountenanced labour or exertion. The Guru himself was most active in his ministrations, in his poetical work, and in his compilation in one great volume of the compositions of his predecessors and of the most famous mediaeval Indian saints. He wrote--

O man, by striving and earning enjoy happiness;

Nanak, by meditating on God, meet Him and thine anxieties shall vanish.

So also Guru Nânak--

They who eat the fruit of their labour and bestow some portion,

O Nanak, recognize the right way.

3 Also translated--O man, why feelest thou anxiety?]

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O my God, they who meet the society of the saints are saved.

Through the favour of the Guru they obtain the highest rank; though they be as dry wood, they are made green.

No one can rely on mother, father, friends, children, or wives.

God provideth every one with his daily food; why, O man, art thou afraid?

The kulang flieth away hundreds of miles, leaving her young behind her.

Who feedeth them? Who giveth them morsels to peck at? Have you not considered this?

God holdeth in the palm of His hand all treasures and the eighteen supernatural powers.

Nanak is ever a sacrifice unto Thee; O God, Thou hast no end or bounds.

SO PURUKH[1]

GURU RAM DAS, RAG ASA

That Being is pure, God is the pure Being, God is altogether inaccessible and illimitable.

All meditate on Thee; all meditate on Thee; O God, Thou art the true Creator.

All creatures are Thine; Thou providest for them all.

O saints, meditate on God who causeth all misery to be forgotten.

God Himself is the Lord, God Himself is the worshipper;[2] Nanak, what a helpless creature is man!

Thou, O God, the one Supreme Being, art fully contained in every heart and pervadest everything.

Some men are givers, some beggars; all are Thy wondrous sport.

Thou Thyself art the Giver; Thou art the Enjoyer; I know none beside Thee.

[1. The following hymn is so known as these are its first words.

2. On the principle that God is everywhere and in every creature.]

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Thou art the totally infinite Supreme Being; what attributes of Thine shall I recount?

The slave Nanak is a sacrifice unto those who serve Thee, unto those who serve Thee.

They who meditate on Thee, who meditate on Thee, O God, abide in happiness in this age.

They who meditate on God are emancipated, are emancipated, my friend; for them Death's noose is broken.

All fear hath departed from those who have meditated on the fearless, the fearless God.