Page:The Sikh Religion, its gurus, sacred writings and authors Vol 1.djvu/272

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176
THE SIKH RELIGION


superior, the Hindu or the Muhammadan religion. The Guru replied, Without good acts the professors of both religions shall suffer. Neither the Hindus nor the Muhammadans shall obtain entrance into God s court. All their devotions shall vanish like the fleeting dye of safflower. Both sects are jealous of each other. The Hindus insist on saying Ram and the Moslems Rahim, but they know not the one God. Satan hath led them both along his own flowery way/ On that occasion the Guru uttered the following hymn in the Tilang measure :

Thy fasting and worship shall be acceptable

When thou, O man, keepest watch over the ten apertures of thy body, hatest the world,

Chastenest thy mind, restrainest thy sight, and fleest worldly desires and wr anglings.

Every day of the month offer thy love to the Lord; thus shalt thou be recognized as pure and gentle.

Keep the fast of meditation, and let the renunciation of pleasure be thy dance;

Keep watch over thy heart, so shalt thou be a really learned man;

Abandon delights, ease, evil speaking, mental anxiety, and vexation;

Treasure kindness in thy heart, and renounce the devices of infidelity; Extinguish the fire of lust in thy heart, and thus become cool.

Saith Nanak, thus practise fasting, and thy faith shall be perfect. [1]

When the Guru had finished, the Qazi said, Well done! I have to-day for the first time seen a real saint of God.’ The Qazi then went and told the high priest that the darwesh Nanak had arrived. The high priest went to see him, shook hands with him,

  1. This hymn is not found in the Granth Sahib.