1 BdM Ndnak. 23
2 one returned from the dead. He seemed to them
3 like one in a dream, and when questioned as to
4 what had befallen him he uttered only these words,
5 " There is no Hindu and no Muhammadan," and for
6 two whole days no other sentence escaped his lips.
7 Nanak now resolved to devote his whole life to
8 his mission. He abandoned his post at the granary,
9 and, having distributed his earthly goods amongst
10 the poor, took up his abode in the jungle, and
11 assumed the garb and manner of life of a fakir.
12 Here he practised all the austerities of his holy
13 calling, and began to give utterance to those inspired
14 songs afterwards collected and preserved in the Adi
15 Granth Sahib, the Sacred Book of the Sikhs. His
16 sole companion at this time was his faithful servant
17 and disciple Mardana, who attended him in all his
18 subsequent wanderings. Mardana , was a skilled
19 musician, and morning and evening sang his master's
20 songs to the accompaniment of the rebec.
21 Kalu and his whole family were greatly distressed
22 when they learnt that Nanak had become a fakir,
23 and did all in their power to induce him to return
24 to the world. They even went in person to remon-
25 strate with him, and offered him land, a house to
26 live in, horses, jewels, rich clothes — in short, every-
27 thing that money could procure — if he would yield
28 to their entreaties. But though he received them
29 with every sign of affection, nothing could turn him
30 from his holy purpose. Their prayers and their
31 bribes were alike disregarded, and they were con-
32 strained to accept a fakir's blessing, and to depart
33 whence they had come,