Page:The Sikh Religion, its gurus, sacred writings and authors Vol 1.djvu/252

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THE SIKH RELIGION

He who abideth in the Word and ever worshippeth day and night, hath ended his doubts.

The king then asked if he were Gorakhnath. The Guru showed no inclination to directly gratify his curiosity.

Above us is the sky, Gorakh is above the sky; His inaccessible form dwelleth there;
By the favour of the Guru, whether I am abroad or at home is the same to me; Nanak hath become such an anchoret.[1]

When the Guru had ended, the king invited him to go to his palace and see his queen. He gave him an opportunity of expounding his doctrines to her.

It was during Guru Nanak’s visit to Ceylon that he composed the Pransangali, which contained an account of the silent palace of God, the manner of meditating on Him, the private utterances of the Guru, and the nature of the soul and body. The following are its opening verses:—

The supreme state is altogether a void,[2] all people say;
In the supreme state there is no rejoicing or mourning;
In the supreme state there are felt no hopes or desires;
In the supreme state are seen no castes or caste-marks;
In the supreme state are no sermons or singing of hymns;
In the supreme state abideth heavenly meditation;
In the supreme state are those who know themselves.[3]
Nanak, my mind is satisfied with the supreme state.

Saido and Gheho subsequently wrote out the Pransangali from memory.

  1. Māru
  2. The Greek κοῖλον, the Latin caelum, heaven.
  3. The meaning of this expression is totally different from that of γνῶθι σεαυτόν. To know oneself, in the Sikh sacred writings, means to know God who is within one.