The Sikh Religion, Volume 1
The Rahiras

They who have worshipped, who have worshipped my God, are absorbed in Him.

Blest, blest are they who have meditated on God; the slave Nanak will become a sacrifice unto them.

O Infinite One, Thine infinite storehouses are filled with Thy worship, Thy worship.

O Infinite One, many are Thy saints, many are Thy saints who praise Thee.

They offer various, various worship to Thee, O God; they practise austerities and repeat Thy name, O endless One.

Various, various saints of Thine read many Simritis and Shastars, perform their daily duties and the six acts prescribed for Brahmans;[1]

But only they are saints, good saints, saith Nanak, who please God, the Omnipotent.

Thou art the primal Being, the illimitable Creator; there is none so great as Thou.

Thou art the same in every age; Thou art ever and ever the same; Thou art the eternal Creator.

What pleaseth Thee prevaileth; what Thou doest cometh to pass.

Thou Thyself didst fashion the whole creation, yet, being created, it shall disappear.[2]

Nanak singeth the praises of the Creator who knoweth all things.

[1. Reading the Veds, expounding them, making sacrifice, assisting others in doing the same, receiving alms and giving them to other Brahmans.

2. Only God Himself is permanent.]

{p. 256}

GURU RAM DAS, RAG ASA

Thou art the true Creator, my Lord.

What pleaseth Thee shall come to pass; what Thou givest I shall receive.

Everything is Thine: all meditate on Thee.

They to whom Thou showest kindness, obtain the jewel of Thy name.

The pious[1] have gained, and the perverse have lost it.

Thou Thyself hast separated these and blended those with Thee.

Thou art an ocean: all are contained in Thee.

There is none beside Thee.

All living creatures are Thy play.

When Thou didst desire separation, they who had met Thee were separated from Thee; when Thou didst desire union, Thou didst blend them with Thyself.[2]

That saint whom Thou causest to know Thee shall know Thee,

And ever dwell on Thy praises.

They who have served God have found happiness,

And have become easily absorbed in His name.

Thou Thyself art the Creator; everything that is made is Thine;

There is none beside Thee;

Thou beholdest and knowest Thy handiwork.

The slave Nanak saith, under the Guru's instruction Thou becomest manifest.

GURU NANAK, RAG ASA

Man hath obtained a dwelling in that tank[3] whose water God hath made as hot as fire.

Man's feet cannot move in the mire of worldly love; we have seen him drowning therein.

[1. Gurumukh, literally--they who follow the Guru's instruction.

2. Also translated--Those separated from the saints Thou didst separate from Thee; those united with them Thou didst blend with Thyself.

3. That is, the world.]

{p. 257}