Page:The Sikh Religion, its gurus, sacred writings and authors Vol 1.djvu/213

Rh The Primal Being is now called Allah ; the turn of the Shaikhs hath come.

There is a tax on the shrines of the gods ; such is the practice established.

There are ablution-pots, calls to prayer, five daily prayers, prayer-carpets, and God appeareth dressed in blue. 1

In every house all say Mian ; 2 your language hath been changed.

Since Thou, who art Lord of the earth hast appointed Babar a Mir, 3 what power have we ?

In the four directions men make Thee obeisance, and

Thy praises are uttered in every house.

The profit which is obtained from pilgrimages, repeating the Simritis, 4 and bestowing alms all day long,

Is, O Nanak, obtained in one ghari by remembering the Name which conferreth greatness. 5

The Hindus and the Musalmans who returned to Saiyidpur began to dispose of their dead, and there was weeping and mourning in every house. People said, Such and such was the deceased/ Upon this the Guru fell into a trance, and uttered the following hymn:

As herdsmen stay for a short time in the pasture-ground, 6 so do men stay in this world.

Men by the exercise of falsehood build houses for themselves.

Awake, awake, ye sleepers ; lo ! the soul the dealer departeth.

If ye are to remain here for ever, then build houses.

The body shall fall and the soul depart, if any one desire to know the truth.

The Muhammadans frequently vcar blue clothes, a custom which has descended from the ancient Egyptians.

2 Mian, a title of respect addressed to Muhammadans. In the hill districts of India it is given to the sons of Rajput princes.

3 Mir, a lord or master.

4 Simrifit, the traditional ceremonial and legal institutes of the Hindus. The principal Simritis are twenty-seven in number.

f) Basant Ashtapadi. This refers to the nomadic life which prevailed around the Guru’s natal village.