It is cleansed by the love of the Name.

Men do not become saints or sinners by merely calling themselves so.

The recording angels take with them a record of man's acts.

It is he himself soweth, and he himself eateth.

Nānak, man suffereth transmigration by God's order.

XXXI

Pilgrimage, austerities, mercy, and almsgiving on general and special occasions

Whosoever performeth, may obtain some little honour;

But he who heareth and obeyeth and loveth God in his heart,

Shall wash off his impurity in the place of pilgrimage within him.

All virtues are thine, O Lord; none are mine.

There is no devotion without virtue.

From the Self-existent proceeded Māya, 1 whence issued a word which produced Brahma and the rest—

'Thou art true, Thou art beautiful, there is ever pleasure in Thy heart!'

What the time, what the epoch, what the lunar day, and what the week-day,

What the season, and what the month when the world was created,

The Pandits 2 did not discover; had they done so, they would have recorded it in the Purans. 3

Nor did the Qazis 4 discover it; had they done so, they would have recorded it in the Quran:

Neither the Jogi, nor any other mortal, knows the lunar day, or the week-day, or the season, or the month.

Only the Creator who fashioned the world knoweth when He did so.

How shall I address Thee, O God? how shall I praise Thee? how shall I describe Thee? and how shall I know Thee?

Saith Nānak, everybody speaketh of Thee, one wiser than another.

Great is the Lord, great is His name: what He doeth cometh to pass.

Nānak, he who is proud shall not be honoured on his arrival in the next world.

XXII

There are hundreds of thousands of nether and upper regions.

Men have grown weary at last of searching for God's limits; the Veds say one thing, that God has no limit.

The thousands of Purans and Muhammadan books tell that in reality there is but one principle.

If God can be described by writing, then describe Him; but such description is impossible.

O Nānak, call Him great; only He Himself knoweth how great. He is.

XXIII

Praisers praise God, but have not acquired a knowledge of Him.

As rivers and streams fall into the sea, but know not its extent.

Kings and emperors who possess oceans and mountains of property and wealth,

Are not equal to the worm which forgetteth not God in its heart.

.      .      .      .      .

XXVII

(The Sikh Te Deum)

What is that gate, what is that mansion where Thou, O God, sittest and watchest over all things!

How many various and countless instruments are played! How many musicians,

How many musical measures with their consorts, 1 and how many singers sing Thee!

Wind, water, and fire sing Thee; Dharmrāj 2 sings at Thy gate.