Carrying on his substitution of the outer practices of the yogins by Inner Spiritual Disciplines, Nanak recommends that we should make Divine knowledge our food – man does not live by bread alone –, inculcate charity and mercy, and attune ourselves to the Music of the Divine Word.
Nanak also forestalls the dangers that lie on the Spiritual Journey. Not only is wealth a hindrance, but the power one gains through self-discipline and partial Spiritual Attainment may itself become an obstacle in the way of fuller realisation. One begins to practise these occult powers and absorbed in them, one tends to forget the real goal. Nanak, therefore warns us against this possibility. Once we have begun the journey Godwards we must not rest, waver or wander on the Way.
Stanza XXIX
Let Divine Knowledge be your bread1, let Mercy be your steward.1 Let the Divine Music vibrating in all be your trumpet.1 He is the Only Lord2 and has strung creation according to His Will. Wealth3 and supernatural powers4 estrange one from the Lord. The world goes on the two principles of Union and Separation,5 and all receive their share, as He ordains. Hail, Hail, to Him alone, the Primal, Pure, Eternal, Immortal, and Immutable in all ages.
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Explanation: 1) The reference here is to the symbolic rituals of the yogins. When their food is ready, the steward sounds a trumpet to call all the yogins together to partake of the same. Nanak, while addressing them, calls all to come to their goal and taste Divinity, or the Bread of Life, by communion with the Holy Word ringing within all and calling the faithful to the Spiritual Banquet. 2) Nath: The yogins bow to Gorakh Nath. their Teacher. But Nanak advises them to own only one Nath or Master who is controlling the entire creation. 3) Ridh: It means wealth. 4) Sidh: The word used in the original is Sidh, i.e. to accomplish. It is generally used to suggest the mastery of Supernatural Powers. Nanak deprecates not only wealth but also the exercise of these powers as obstacles in the Path to the Highest. 5) Sanjog and Vijog: These are the terms used in the original text and stand for the twin principles of separation and union whereby the play of the Lord unfolds itself. By decree of the Lord, Man being separated from Him, is born in the world of action. Here he is led away into human error of attaching himself to the sensuous phenomena of the world. So long as he remains cognisant of the Divinity diffused in the world, he moves and has his being in Him. But when his petty ego cuts him off from the Lord and he asserts his independence and assumes the role of an active agent he unwittingly gets trapped into transmigration or the cycle of births and deaths. In physical life he suffers pain and misery until he regenerates himself by his innate desire for peace, and works there for. This leads him to seek reunion with the Creator, the fountain-head of Everlasting Joy and Peace. But for this principle in Man for resurrection or reunion, there would be no Spiritual Awakening and no Spiritual Progress and the mighty play of the world would come to naught. Thus the twin-principles of Vijog (separation from the Lord) and Sanjog (the inherent desire for re-union with Him), control the motions of the world. "[…] Our hearts find no rest, until we rest in Thee." – St Augustine