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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Astroboy" data-source="post: 63332" data-attributes="member: 4990">Guru Nanak, in this stanza, gives the picture of those engaged in good deeds, those who seek to reach Him in diverse ways.  STANZA XVII<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Countless there are that remember Thee, and countless those that love Thee; Countless there are that worship Thee, and countless those that seek Thee in austerity and penance; Countless there are that recite from sacred books Thy praises; and Countless those that, absorbed in Yoga, stand indifferent to the world; Countless those Thy devotees who contemplate Thy attributes and wisdom; and Countless those that practice truth and charity; Countless are the heroes that boldly face the foeman's steel; and Countless those who have vowed silence, meditate on Thee with unceasing love. What power have I to conceive of Thy wonderful nature? Too poor, am I, to make an offering of my life to Thee. Whatever pleaseth Thee is good: Thou art forevermore; O, Formless One.</li> </ul>Having spoken of the pious, Nanak now lists the impious.  STANZA XVIII<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Innumerable are the fools, stark blind in ignorance; and Innumerable the thieves and crooks that thrive on ill-gotten gains; Innumerable those that exercise tyranny and oppression; and Innumerable the cut-throats living by heinous crimes; Innumerable those that revel in shameless sins; and Innumerable the liars that practise fraud and falsehood; Innumerable the impious that live on unwholesome(1) foods; and Innumerable the slanderers who add to their burden by calumniating others. Innumerable, the many for lowly Nanak to describe. What power have I to conceive of Thy wonderful nature? Too poor, am I, to make an offering of my life to Thee. Whatever pleaseth Thee is good; Thou art forevermore; O Formless One !</li> </ul>(1). The words used in the original are Mal and Bhakh. which mean eating unwholesome food and refer to non-vegetarian diet and intoxicants. Even vegetarian diet and otherwise harmless drinks, if procured by unfair means, are also classed as unwholesome and as such their use proves a positive hindrance on the Path.   If we closely look into the above two Stanzas of Japji Sahib, it would be clear that our discussion is grossly misleading and that we are twisting the meanings around to fulfill our own desires. </blockquote>

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