The wind waving (its) chawri (over Thee);

All forest vegetation (lit. vegetable kingdom) as flowers, O Light!

What a rejoicing (Arati or hymn of praise) O De

stroyer of fear (or samsâra); the Anatal Shabdha (the soundless or unstruck sound) sounds as (Thy) kettle-drum.

'Thousands

none;

are Thy eyes; Nay! Nay! Thou hast

Thousands are Thy forms; Nay! Nay! Thou hast

none;

Thousands are Thy holy feet; Nay! Nay! Thou hast none;

Thou art without nostril (lit. sense of smell) yet
Thou hast a thousand nostrils ;

This wondrous working of Thine bewilders (us),
In everything, O Glory! is Thy Light.

In every one the Light of That (Light) shines. In Guru's presence (or by Guru's teaching) shineth forth that Light;

A

That is rejoicing (Arati) which to Him is pleasing.*

-GURU NANAK'S ÂRATI.

If a hundred moons and a thousand suns were to rise, And there were so much light, without Guru there would be (still) awful darkness.*

I sought Him in the ten quarters, I found Him in the house;

*From Annie Besant's Lecture on Sikhism.

I met him, when the true Guru brought me face to face with Him.*

[GURU I. OMKAR.]

From the cotton of compassion spin out the thread of love; make the knots of abstinence and truth; let your mind put on this thread; it is not broken, nor soiled, nor burned, nor lost. Praised be they who have put this on. -NANAK.

Even if we rub and scrub our body with water, still, O Brother! it is impure;

Let us bathe in the mighty waters of knowledge, O Brother! so that the mind and body be purified."

*

[GURU I. SORATH.]

Call them not pure who wash their bodies and sit,. O Nanak! Those alone are pure in whose heart He dwells.*

[GURU I. VAR ASA.]

Without practising virtue, devotion is not possible.* [GURU I. JAPA.]

The man who performs good actions,
He is called a Deva (in this) world:

He who does evil deeds in this world,

Men call him an Asura (demon).*

[GURU X. VICHITRA NATAK.]

*

The best devotion is that remembrance of the True Name: the best act is philanthropy. Without both of

*From Annie Besant's Lecture on Sikhism.

these accursed is man's human birth. He merely vegetateth and heedeth not what is best for him. He is a beast without a tail or horn, and vain is his advent into the world. At the last moment the myrmidons of Death shall firmly seize him and he shall depart grieving with empty hands. Alms-gift, penance, and sacrifices are not equal to philanthropy. Of the various sins that man commits none is equal to selfishness.

-GURU ANGAD.

Truth and falsehood stand to one another in the relation of a stone to an earthen vessel. If a stone be thrown at an earthen vessel the latter will break. either case it is the earthen vessel that suffereth.*

-SIKH TEACHING.

In

To the earth the mountains which touch the sky appear not heavy, nor do a million forts and houses, nor do the oceans, rivers, and streams, nor do trees laden with their fruit, nor do the countless men and lower animals who wander on it. What appeareth heavy is the load of the ungrateful, who are the worst of all men.

A thief went and entered a king's house. Having searched the lower apartments, he proceeded to the upper story. Having made a bundle of gold and silver, he

went in quest of more. Maddened with a fit of greed,

he seized a vessel of salt. When he took it up and tasted it, he changed his mind, and took not a particle of the king's property away, because he reflected that he who is untrue to his salt is the worst sinner.*

-SIKH TEACHING.

* From a Lecture on the Sikhs by Mr. Macauliffe, C. S.

Renounce slander and envy of others;

Renounce the sins of lust and wrath;
Renounce works of pride and covetousness.*

-GURU ARJAN.

There is a time when we carry hawkst on our hands, and Dhaunsas‡ (large kettle drums) thunder at our doors. There is a time again when we are on foot and carry loads upon our necks or shoulders.

There is a time when we have no appetite for the choicest delicacies.

There is a time too when even a handful of wheat we cannot get.

There is a time when we have crowds of beggars at our doors.

There is a time when we sit as a supplicant at the

doors of others.

Let us not then forget the name of the Lord nor lose heart, let us be content in whatever state it pleaseth God to keep.

The want of education can be supplied if you will only guarantee the success of this national institution. No nation can maintain its existence without combining religious instruction with intellectual education. If modern education is to prove destructive of the sacred and spiritual teachings of the Gurus, it will be highly

• From a Lecture on the Sikhs by Mr. Macauliffe, C.S.
+ Emblem of royalty.

‡ Kettledrum and banners constitute the insignia of chiefship.

Poem composed by Sirdar Jassa Singh Ramgarhia and which he used frequently to repeat. From the annals of Ramgarhia Sirdars by Sirdar Sundar Singh Ramgarhia.

unfortunate for us, and if intellectual culture is to result in a deterioration of physique, and in a diminution of spirit, of fidelity and loyalty to the Crown, our national existence will be in peril. We can benefit only from that education, which preserves our religious faith, and at the same time helps to build up our physical strength and courage. An education so called which renders our youths incapable of handing the sword because they use the pen, will be harmful and injurious to us as a nation, but that day will be a blessed day for the Khâlsâ, when the hand which draws the sword against the enemies of the British Crown, is equally ready to take up the pen when needed in the same cause. Khâlsâ brethren, this is a most -critical moment in the history of our nation. There are only two courses open to you to day, either to go forward or to go backward. It is impossible to remain stationary. You are at liberty now to choose either course for yourself. I only wish to warn you that if you are to stand still, while other sections of the community are making such marked progress, you will bring about your own fall. The College is an instrument of your advancement in learning and it is your bounden duty to help it; if you eagerly desire that your sons may obtain moral and religious education based on the inspired writings of the Gurus, which are marked by simplicity, universal toleration, and purity, you must now come forward to show your sympathy in a practical manner. If you are sincere well-wishers of the nation, have a true love for the Gurus, are anxious to keep

the martyrs, and wish to

up the memory of

rance with the light of

knowledge,

and desire to see

your nation become good, great, and wise, you should

come forward and help the Khâlsâ College in order to