Twilight of the Sultanate c18.s3.18

c18.s3.18

It is by complete surrender to Him that self-realisation is possible, not by pilgrimages, idol-worship, practice of austerities, self-torture or mechanical recitation of this or that formulae. He strongly condemns the superstitions of both Hindus and Muslims. "Until thou art saturated with the True name, nothing would avail thee," says Nānak.³⁸ He attacks the caste-system of the Hindus and declares himself to be "with those who are low-born among the lowly."³⁹ To the Musalmans his advice is : "Make kindness thy mosque, sincerity thy prayer-carpet, what is just and lawful thy Qurān".⁴⁰ Like Kabīr, Gurū Nānak is never tired of praising the good and attacking the evil. He threatens sinners with dire punishments, but if they chose to walk along the path of virtue, the mercy of God was always there for He was ever ready to help.