Hymns Of Guru Nanak | Internet Sacred Text Archive

Sikhism

HYMNS OF GURU NANAK

SRI RAG

THE following was addressed to a man addicted to intoxicants:--

The Giver gave man a pill of the intoxicant illusion.

In his intoxication he forgot death and enjoyed pleasure for four days.

The abstainers[1] obtained truth to keep them in God's court.

Nanak, know the True One alone as true.

By serving Him man obtaineth happiness and proceedeth with honour to His court.

The true wine is that which containeth the true Name; it is prepared without molasses.

I am a sacrifice unto those who hear and explain this.

Man is known as properly intoxicated when he obtaineth a place in God's court.

Bathe in the water of virtues; apply the perfume of truth to thy body;

Then shall thy face become bright, and the One Giver bestow hundreds of thousands of gifts on thee.

Inform God, with whom resteth happiness, of thine unhappiness.

Why forget Him who owneth thy soul and life?

All clothing and food are impure without Him.

All else is false; what pleaseth Thee, O God, is acceptable.

A Sikh called Prema asked the Guru where God resided, in what. state He dwelt, and how He

[1. Sofiân. These must not be confounded with the Sûfis of Persia whose predilections are in the opposite direction. By abstainers are here meant the truthful.]

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could be found. The following was the Guru's reply:--

The virtues of the virtuous woman are blazoned abroad; she who is not virtuous regretteth it.

O woman, if thou desire thy Spouse, practise truth. He cannot be obtained by falsehood.

No boat or raft will take thee to the distant Beloved.

My Lord is perfect; His throne is secure.

He whom the perfect Guru maketh holy, shall obtain the True and unrivalled One.

God's palace is beautiful; it is adorned with bright gems, rubies,

Pearls, and diamonds; it is surrounded by a golden fortress, and is an abode of pleasure.

How shall I scale the fortress without a ladder? By meditating on God through the Guru I shall behold Him.

The Guru giving me God's name is my ladder, my boat, and my raft;

The Guru is the lake, the sea, and the boat; the Guru is the sacred stream.

If it please God, I shall go to bathe in the true tank[1] and become pure.

He is called the most perfect; He reposeth on a perfect throne.

His seat is perfectly beautiful; He fulfilleth the hopes of the hopeless.

Nanak, if man obtain the Perfect One how can his virtues decrease?

A man can only find favour with God by devotion:--

Accursed is her life who is separated from her Spouse she is ruined by mammon.

Like a wall impregnated with kallar she crumbleth down day and night.