Father, by quaffing the divine juice the mind becometh
intoxicated and easily absorbed in God’s love.
I have arranged to fix my attention on God day and
night, and heard the unbeaten sound.
God is true, His cup is pure; He giveth it to drink to
him on whom He casteth a favouring glance.
Why should he who dealeth in nectar feel love for paltry
wine?
The Guru’s word is a nectar-speech; by drinking it man
becometh acceptable.
When man performeth service at God’s gate[1] to obtain
a sight of Him, what careth he for salvation or paradise?
He who is dyed with God’s praises never loveth the world,
and loseth not his life in the game.
Saith Nanak, hear, Jogi Bharthari, I am intoxicated with
the nectareous stream.[2]
The Jogis inquired if he lived by begging. The Guru replied, ‘Why should he who is absorbed in the Formless go to beg alms?’ They then asked if he were an Udasi or hermit. The Guru replied:—
He who taketh the sword of knowledge and wrestleth
with his heart;
Who knoweth the secrets of the ten organs of action and
perception[3] and of the five evil passions;
Who can knot divine knowledge to his mind;
Who maketh pilgrimage on each of the three hundred and
sixty days of the year;
Who washeth the filth of pride from his heart—
Nanak saith, he is a hermit.
- ↑ Sikhs and Moslems use the expression ‘Gate of God’ for God’s throne or God’s court. The latent allusion is to a king who removes himself from his subjects’ gaze. It is at his gate those who appeal to him for justice wait, and it is at his gate when he goes forth his subjects can obtain a sight of him.
- ↑ Āsa.
- ↑ The organs of action are the mouth, the hands, the feet, and the generative and excretory organs. The organs of perception are the five senses.
