The Sikh Religion. Its Gurus Sacred Writings and Authors

THE SIKH RELIGION ITS GURUS SACRED WRITINGS AND AUTHORS By MAX ARTHUR MACAULIFFE The egg of superstition hath burst; the mind is illumined : The Guru hath cut the fetters off the feet and freed the captive. [...] He was informed of the greatness of the late Guru Nanak and of the succession of Guru Angad to his spiritual sovereignty and advised to seek his assistance. [...] known without the music of Mardana.' The Guru could endure the ingratitude of the minstrels who owed everything to him but lie could not endure the disrespect shown to Guru Nanak's court so he cursed them and said Their children shall wander forlorn and none shall cherish them.' The Guru then assigned the duty of singing the hymns to his Sikhs. [...] ' The Sikhs err ' said Bhai Ladha but the Guru can pardon and mend what is broken.'24 THE SIKH RELIGION The Guru granted Bhai Ladha's request and comending his self-devotion took the opportunity of expatiating on the merits of philanthropy : The best devotion is the remembrance of the True Name ; the best act is philanthropy : without both of these accursed is man's human birth. [...] The pauris were added with the intention of making a complete panegyric on the Gurus up to the time of Guru Arjan and obtaining for the ode the honour of insertion in the Granth Sahib.