He is delivered by meditation on the Word and by God's name.

Many birds roost by night on a tree--

Some happy, others unhappy--they whose minds have worldly love perish.

When night hath passed away, they gaze upon the sky:[1]

They fly in every direction according to the destiny recorded for them.

They who are associated with the Name deem the world like a meeting-place of cowherds:

The poisonous vessels of lust and wrath have burst for them.

To those without the capital of the Name houses and shops are empty;

But by meeting the Guru the adamant doors of their understanding are opened.

A holy man is met by primal destiny.

God's perfect people are rendered happy by truth

They barter their souls and bodies for divine knowledge and God's love.

Nanak toucheth their feet.

The following is a conversation between soul and body:--

The Soul: 'O body, thou thinkest thyself immortal, and that thou shalt be always happy--know that this world is a play,

[1. When life ceases, their souls take flight.]

{p. 293}

Thou practisest avarice, covetousness, and excessive falsehood, and bearest many burdens.

I have seen thee, O body, trodden as ashes on the ground.'

The Body: 'Hearken, hearken to mine instruction.

If thou have done good works, they shall abide with thee; O my soul, thou shalt not again find such opportunity.'

The Soul: 'I address thee, O my body, hearken to my 'instruction.

Thou slanderest[1] and bearest false witness against others.'

The Body: 'Thou covetest another's vine,[2] O Soul; thou committest theft and evil deeds.'

The Soul: 'When the soul departeth, thou shalt remain behind like an abandoned woman.

Thou, O body, shalt remain but as a dream-what good deeds hast thou done? '

The Body: 'Whatever I took by stealth was pleasing to thee.

Thou hast no honour in this world, and thou shalt be rejected in the next; thou hast lost thy human dwelling in vain.'

I am very unhappy, O father, saith Nanak, no one careth for me.

Arabian and Turkish steeds, gold, silver, and loads of raiment

No one taketh with him; they leave him in this world, O fool.

Sugar, fruit, all have I tasted; it is only Thine ambrosial Name which is sweet.

Man diggeth deep foundations and constructeth edifices on them, but they shall become at last heaps of dust.

He hoardeth, and hoardeth, and giveth to no one; the fool thinketh that all is his own.

Rawan nominally possessed a golden Lanka and a golden palace, but they were no one's property.

Hear, O foolish and ignorant soul:

What pleaseth God shall be done.

My Lord is a great Merchant, we are His retail-dealers.

[1. Ninda chinda is an alliteration.