Lehal Library

36 The Punjab and the Birth of Sikhism great standby was his kindly sense of humour, which he did not hesitate to turn against himself: When I am quiet, they say I have no knowledge: When I speak, I talk too much they say. When I sit, they say an unwelcome guest has come to stay; When 1 depart, I have deserted my family and run away. When I bow, they say it is of fear tbal I pray. Nothing can I do that in peace I may spend my time. Preserve Thy servant's honour now and hereafter, 0 Lord sublime. (Prabhiit1) Nanak was a poet of uncommon sensitivity who could tum his pen from gentle satire to rapturous praise. He loved the Punjab and painted its landscape as it had never been done before. The ripening of the cornfields, the flight of deer in the woodlands, the chirping of cicadas when the shadows lengthen, the pitterpatter of raindrops during the monsoon, are drawn with the consummate skill of an artist with a feeling for the music of words.2.~ Nanak's poetry was in great measure responsible for his popularity. The theologian Bhai Gurdas described Nanak's achievements in the following words:26 The true Guru, Nanak, was then born The fog and mist evaporated And light s.hone on the eanh. As the rising Sun dispels the dark and outshines the Stars As flee the herd of deer when the lion roars Without pause, without turning back for assurance (So fled evil from the world). The Teaching of Nanak Nanak not only founded a new religion and started a new pattern of living, he also set in motion an agrarian movement whose impact was felt all over the country. To get a comprehensive picture of his achievements, it is necessary to know the religious and secular aspects of his teaching. We will first refer to some salient points of his faith. 25 See Appendix 5, especially the Bara Maha, p. 351. 26 Bhai Gurdas, Varii.z!.