Page:The Sikh Religion, its gurus, sacred writings and authors Vol 1.djvu/203

Rh depart at once, or they would forcibly expel him. The Guru, complying with this insulting order, said that the Guru s place should ever be permanent.

The Guru thence proceeded to a village on the site of the present Goindwal, where he desired to stay, but no one except a poor leper would receive him or allow him to remain there. The leper took him to his hut, and entertained him for the night. The leper thanked God that he had at last seen a human face, for even the lower animals had fled from him. When he began further to bemoan his fate, the Guru uttered the following:—

My mind is ever and ever troubled. In many troubles my body pineth away and ever groweth worse. The body which forgetteth God s word, Screameth like a real leper. To make many complaints is to talk folly Without our complaining everything is known to God, Who made our ears, our eyes, and our noses ; Who gave us tongues wherewith to speak ; Who preserved us in the fire of the womb ; And through whom the breath moveth and speaketh every where. Worldly love, affection, and dainties Are all blackness and stains. If man depart with the brand of sin on his face, He will not be allowed to sit in God s court.

If he meet Thy favour, God, he repeateth Thy name.

By attaching himself to it he is saved ; he hath no other resource.

Even if he be drowning in sin, God will still take care of him.

Nanak, the True One is beneficent to all.

The Guru further warmed towards the leper and blessed him. The leper was cured of his malady, fell at the Guru s feet, and began to utter the Name.