Page:A History of Hindi Literature.djvu/41

EARLY BHAKTI POETS 27 undoubtedly owe a great deal to him, though Nanak stands nearer to Hinduism than Kabir. Nanak made journeys in several directions accompanied by his disciple Mardana, who played the rebeck while Nanak sang. His hymns and other poetical utterances were in a mixture of Punjabi and Hindi. Although he is not equal to Kabir as a poet, yet his verse is clear and pithy, and not lacking in poetical excellence. Nanak soon gathered a number of followers and one of his most famous compositions is the Japji, a collection of verses which he arranged for their daily use in praise and prayer. Besides this he composed a very large number of other verses which are included in the Sikh Grayith. The following is one verse from the Japjl. — "There is no limit to God's praises; to those who repeat them there is no limit. There is no limit to His mercy, and to His gifts there is no limit. There is no limit to what God seeth, no limit to what He heareth. The limit of the secret of His heart cannot be known. The limit of His creation cannot be known ; neither His near nor His far side can be discovered. To know His limits how many vex their hearts. His limits cannot be ascertained ; Nobody knoweth His limits. The more we say, the more there remains to be said. Great is the Lord, and exalted is His seat. His exalted name is higher than the most exalted. Were any one else ever so exalted, Then He would know that exalted Being : How great He is He knoweth Himself. Nanak, God bestoweth gifts on whom He looketh with favour and mercy. "^ The Krishna Cult.— The followers of Ramananda, as well as those of Kabir and Nanak, generally gave the name of Rama to the Supreme God, though other names were sometimes used. The followers of Ramananda accepted Rama as an incarnation, and permitted idolatry, but the doctrine of incarnation and the use of images were both rejected by Kabir and Nanak. It was indeed still bhakti to Rama which they ^ Japjl, XXIV; Translation by Macauliffe, "The Sikh Religion," Vol. I. 208.