Lehal Library

40 The Punjab and the Birth of Sikhism monastic other-worldliness sustained by charity. 'Having renounced grihastha, why go begging at the householder's door?' be asked. He believed that one of the essential requisites for the betterment of individuals was sadh sangat (the society of holy men).:'·' and righteous conduct towards one's neighbours. Saco_n ore sabh ko upar sac iicar Truth above all, Above truth, truthful conduct. CASTELESS SOCIE1Y. The Bhaktas had paid only lip service to the ideal of a casteless society; Nanak took practical steps to break the vicious hold of caste by starting free community kitchensguru ko. langar-in all centres and persuading his followers, irrespective of their castes, to eat together. Nanak's writings abound with passages deploring the system and other practices which grew out of caste concepts, particularly the notion held by Brahmins that even the shadow of a lower-caste man, on a place where food was being cooked, made it impure. Said Nanak: Once we say: This is pure, this unclean, See that in all things there is life unseen. There are worms in wood and cowdung cakes, There is life in the corn ground into bread. There is life in the water which makes it green. How then be clean when impurity is over the kitchen spread? Impurity of the hean is greed, Of tongue, untruth, Impurity of Lhe eye is coveting life and thy cargo: Nanak replied: 'IL is best to place your feet in two boats and trade with lwo worlds. One may founder, and the other take thee across. But for Nanak there is neither water, nor boat, nor wreck, nor cargo to lose, for his merchandise and capital is truth, which is all penoading and in which he finds gentle repose.' (Janamsakhi, p. 48.) 33 In a sermon delivered ac Kwukshetra, Nanak said there were four ways by which, in addition to the repetition of God's name, one could reach God: 'In the company of holy men, by being absolutely truthful, by living in contentment, and by keeping the senses in restraint.'