m: 1.
māṇas khāṇe karahi nivāj. churī vagāini tin gali tāg.
tin ghari brahmaṇ pūrahi nād. un̖ā bhi āvahi oī sād.
kūṛī rāsi kūṛā vāpāru. kūṛu boli karahi āhāru.
saram dharam kā ḍerā dūri. nānak kūṛu rahiā bharpūri.
mathai ṭikā teṛi dhotī kakhāī. hathi churī jagat kāsāī.
nīl vastra pahiri hovahi parvāṇu. malech dhānu le pūjahi purāṇu.
abhākhiā kā kuṭhā bakrā khāṇā. caüke upari kisai na jāṇā.
de ke caükā kaḍhī kār. upari āi baiṭhe kūṛiār.
matu bhiṭai ve matu bhiṭai. ihu annu asāḍā phiṭai.
tani phiṭai pheṛ kareni. mani jūṭhai culī bhareni.
kahu nānak sacu dhiāīai. suci hovai tā sacu pāīai.2.
māṇas khāṇe karahi nivāj. churī vagāini tin gali tāg.
tin ghari brahmaṇ pūrahi nād. un̖ā bhi āvahi oī sād.
kūṛī rāsi kūṛā vāpāru. kūṛu boli karahi āhāru.
saram dharam kā ḍerā dūri. nānak kūṛu rahiā bharpūri.
mathai ṭikā teṛi dhotī kakhāī. hathi churī jagat kāsāī.
nīl vastra pahiri hovahi parvāṇu. malech dhānu le pūjahi purāṇu.
abhākhiā kā kuṭhā bakrā khāṇā. caüke upari kisai na jāṇā.
de ke caükā kaḍhī kār. upari āi baiṭhe kūṛiār.
matu bhiṭai ve matu bhiṭai. ihu annu asāḍā phiṭai.
tani phiṭai pheṛ kareni. mani jūṭhai culī bhareni.
kahu nānak sacu dhiāīai. suci hovai tā sacu pāīai.2.
m: 1. |
māṇas khāṇe karahi nivāj. churī vagāini tin gali tāg. |
tin ghari brahmaṇ pūrahi nād. un̖ā bhi āvahi oī sād. |
kūṛī rāsi kūṛā vāpāru. kūṛu boli karahi āhāru. |
saram dharam kā ḍerā dūri. nānak kūṛu rahiā bharpūri. |
mathai ṭikā teṛi dhotī kakhāī. hathi churī jagat kāsāī. |
nīl vastra pahiri hovahi parvāṇu. malech dhānu le pūjahi purāṇu. |
abhākhiā kā kuṭhā bakrā khāṇā. caüke upari kisai na jāṇā. |
de ke caükā kaḍhī kār. upari āi baiṭhe kūṛiār. |
matu bhiṭai ve matu bhiṭai. ihu annu asāḍā phiṭai. |
tani phiṭai pheṛ kareni. mani jūṭhai culī bhareni. |
kahu nānak sacu dhiāīai. suci hovai tā sacu pāīai.2. |

Guru Nanak spends the second verse focused on the hypocrisy of the irreligious Hindus and Muslims, calling them man-eaters. These man-eaters (Muslim rulers and their Qazis, or religious figures), pretend to do their prescribed prayers to Allah. Their accomplices, the Hindus who stab their own people in the back with daggers to please their masters, do all of this while wearing their sacred threads. Both oppress the constituents and live off other people’s labor while performing piety and purity.
At the doors of the corrupt Hindu officials — the degraded Brahmin priests go and chant their mantras and blow their conches. The Brahmins also relish the same tastes as the Hindu officials whose homes they visit. They have no qualms accepting offerings from the officials they have partnered with, and eat from their ill-gotten wealth. They wear the uniform of the Brahmin, marks on their foreheads, saffron loincloths around their waists, but in their hands, they hold a knife — they are the butchers of the world. Outside of the home, these same Brahmins dress in blue just like the Muslim administrators, to become acceptable to them. They accept food slaughtered in the Muslim way from the very people they call dirty and impure, and then go home to worship Puranas as per their own religious tradition behind closed doors, saying that no one should approach their cooking squares, lest they are defiled and made impure. Guru Nanak says, having applied cow dung to purify the cooking square, and drawing a line that no one enters it, the liars came and sat on the cooking square. They bring with them their impurity, due to the hypocrisy of their actions.
Guru Nanak says, false is the capital of all their religious practices, false is their trade. They lie to earn a living and eat from it. In this way, falsity pervades every facet of their lives. They lie in the public sphere, and then, in the private sphere, must lie even more in order to justify their public lies. Humility and righteousness are far from them — they are shameless in their actions, and disregard their religious duty.
Their very bodies are defiled, as they indulge in corrupt action. With impure minds, they fill their hands with water, wash their mouths out, and think they have become pure, but their purity is only superficial and exists only for show. Guru Nanak says, internal purity of the mind can only be achieved when we connect with 1Force, the eternal embodiment of truth, through Identification.
At the doors of the corrupt Hindu officials — the degraded Brahmin priests go and chant their mantras and blow their conches. The Brahmins also relish the same tastes as the Hindu officials whose homes they visit. They have no qualms accepting offerings from the officials they have partnered with, and eat from their ill-gotten wealth. They wear the uniform of the Brahmin, marks on their foreheads, saffron loincloths around their waists, but in their hands, they hold a knife — they are the butchers of the world. Outside of the home, these same Brahmins dress in blue just like the Muslim administrators, to become acceptable to them. They accept food slaughtered in the Muslim way from the very people they call dirty and impure, and then go home to worship Puranas as per their own religious tradition behind closed doors, saying that no one should approach their cooking squares, lest they are defiled and made impure. Guru Nanak says, having applied cow dung to purify the cooking square, and drawing a line that no one enters it, the liars came and sat on the cooking square. They bring with them their impurity, due to the hypocrisy of their actions.
Guru Nanak says, false is the capital of all their religious practices, false is their trade. They lie to earn a living and eat from it. In this way, falsity pervades every facet of their lives. They lie in the public sphere, and then, in the private sphere, must lie even more in order to justify their public lies. Humility and righteousness are far from them — they are shameless in their actions, and disregard their religious duty.
Their very bodies are defiled, as they indulge in corrupt action. With impure minds, they fill their hands with water, wash their mouths out, and think they have become pure, but their purity is only superficial and exists only for show. Guru Nanak says, internal purity of the mind can only be achieved when we connect with 1Force, the eternal embodiment of truth, through Identification.
Those Muslim rulers who infringe on others’ rights (devour humans) offer namaz. Their officials who wear the janeu around their necks, wield their knives; both oppress the constituents, and live off other people’s labor.
Brahmins who wield their knives, go to the homes of the corrupt officials, pray and blow conch-shells. The Brahmins also relish the same tastes; they have no qualms accepting offerings from the officials they have partnered with, and eat from their ill-gotten wealth.
False is the capital of their religious practices, false is their trade. They lie to earn a living, and eat from it.
Abode of modesty and righteousness is far from them, they are neither ashamed of anything, nor are they mindful of their righteous duty. Nanak! Falsehood is pervading everywhere.
There is a mark on the forehead of the Brahmin, a saffron pleated loin-cloth around the waist. But in his hand is a knife; he has become the butcher of the world.
Outside of the home, the Brahmins dress in blue-green, just like the Muslim rulers, to become acceptable to them. Accepting food from those Muslims they call ‘uncivilized,’ the Brahmins go home to worship Puranas as per their own Sanatan tradition.
O Brahmin! On the one hand you eat a goat slaughtered while reading of Muslim prayer in the language of Muslims, and on the other hand, you say that no one should approach your cooking square, lest it is defiled.
Having applied cow dung to purify the cooking square, a line was drawn so that no one enters it, but the Brahmins (liars) came and sat on that cooking square.
They tell others, “No one should come near our cooking square, lest it is defiled, and our food is spoiled.”
With an impure body they indulge in corrupt deeds. With an impure mind they outwardly fill hands with water and think that they have become pure, but their outer purity is only for show.
Nanak’s statement is that one must contemplate on the eternal embodiment of Truth, IkOankar. By identification with IkOankar alone, purity of mind can be achieved. Only if there is purity of the mind, the embodiment of Truth, IkOankar, can be obtained.
Brahmins who wield their knives, go to the homes of the corrupt officials, pray and blow conch-shells. The Brahmins also relish the same tastes; they have no qualms accepting offerings from the officials they have partnered with, and eat from their ill-gotten wealth.
False is the capital of their religious practices, false is their trade. They lie to earn a living, and eat from it.
Abode of modesty and righteousness is far from them, they are neither ashamed of anything, nor are they mindful of their righteous duty. Nanak! Falsehood is pervading everywhere.
There is a mark on the forehead of the Brahmin, a saffron pleated loin-cloth around the waist. But in his hand is a knife; he has become the butcher of the world.
Outside of the home, the Brahmins dress in blue-green, just like the Muslim rulers, to become acceptable to them. Accepting food from those Muslims they call ‘uncivilized,’ the Brahmins go home to worship Puranas as per their own Sanatan tradition.
O Brahmin! On the one hand you eat a goat slaughtered while reading of Muslim prayer in the language of Muslims, and on the other hand, you say that no one should approach your cooking square, lest it is defiled.
Having applied cow dung to purify the cooking square, a line was drawn so that no one enters it, but the Brahmins (liars) came and sat on that cooking square.
They tell others, “No one should come near our cooking square, lest it is defiled, and our food is spoiled.”
With an impure body they indulge in corrupt deeds. With an impure mind they outwardly fill hands with water and think that they have become pure, but their outer purity is only for show.
Nanak’s statement is that one must contemplate on the eternal embodiment of Truth, IkOankar. By identification with IkOankar alone, purity of mind can be achieved. Only if there is purity of the mind, the embodiment of Truth, IkOankar, can be obtained.
Those who devour humans, offer Namaz (and their officials who) have janeu around their neck, wield knife.
In those (officials’) homes, Brahmins (go and) blow conch-shells. They also experience the same tastes.
False is the capital (of their religious practices), false is (their) trade. They eat, having lied.
Dwelling of shame and righteousness is far away. Nanak! Falsehood is pervading (everywhere).
There is a mark on the forehead (of the Brahmin, and) a pleated loin-cloth around the waist. In the hand is a knife; (he has become) the butcher of the world.
Wearing blue-green clothes (outside of the home, Brahmins) become acceptable. (And) taking food of the ‘uncivilized’ (malech, they) worship puranas (inside their homes).
(O Brahmin! On the one hand) eating goat (meat) slaughtered (while reading of Muslim prayer) in the language of (those you call) ‘uncivilized;’ (on the other hand saying that) no one’s entry (can) be (allowed) in (our) cooking square.
(To purify it), a line was drawn, having coated the cooking square (with a layer of cow dung), (but) the liars arrived and sat on it.
(They tell others, “no one should come near our cooking square), lest it is defiled, O! Lest it is defiled and this food of ours is spoiled.”
With the impure body, they do bad deeds. With the impure mind, they take handfuls (of water).
Nanak’s statement is (that) Truth must be meditated upon (to gain internal purity). If there is internal purity, (only) then can Truth be obtained.
In those (officials’) homes, Brahmins (go and) blow conch-shells. They also experience the same tastes.
False is the capital (of their religious practices), false is (their) trade. They eat, having lied.
Dwelling of shame and righteousness is far away. Nanak! Falsehood is pervading (everywhere).
There is a mark on the forehead (of the Brahmin, and) a pleated loin-cloth around the waist. In the hand is a knife; (he has become) the butcher of the world.
Wearing blue-green clothes (outside of the home, Brahmins) become acceptable. (And) taking food of the ‘uncivilized’ (malech, they) worship puranas (inside their homes).
(O Brahmin! On the one hand) eating goat (meat) slaughtered (while reading of Muslim prayer) in the language of (those you call) ‘uncivilized;’ (on the other hand saying that) no one’s entry (can) be (allowed) in (our) cooking square.
(To purify it), a line was drawn, having coated the cooking square (with a layer of cow dung), (but) the liars arrived and sat on it.
(They tell others, “no one should come near our cooking square), lest it is defiled, O! Lest it is defiled and this food of ours is spoiled.”
With the impure body, they do bad deeds. With the impure mind, they take handfuls (of water).
Nanak’s statement is (that) Truth must be meditated upon (to gain internal purity). If there is internal purity, (only) then can Truth be obtained.
With familiar vocabulary/verbiage, satire has been invoked in a very effective manner in this salok. Through this literary scheme, the Guru has brought into focus the hypocrisy of the Brahmins and the Kshatriya, and their degraded way of life. The last two lines of this salok are special, because these lines contain the solution to the corruption and anarchy described in all the previous lines. Thus, this salok binds itself in a poetic structure of ‘problem and solution’ endlessly enhancing the communication and effectiveness of the meaning contained in the salok. These lines propose that it is only by remembering IkOankar that we can obtain Truth.
This salok has 22 lines. According to the vocabulary and pronunciation, every line has a meter convention of 15+15. If the two lines come together to make a pair, this meter convention can be placed under a four line verse with 16 or 15 characters each (caupaī chand). This salok has been created by combining 11 caupaīs.
This salok has 22 lines. According to the vocabulary and pronunciation, every line has a meter convention of 15+15. If the two lines come together to make a pair, this meter convention can be placed under a four line verse with 16 or 15 characters each (caupaī chand). This salok has been created by combining 11 caupaīs.