Bhai Vir Singh.pdf - Vidhia.com

Father of Modern Punjabi Literature / 95
So letit be, now
What cooks covered imbibes the full juice.
Praise and blame are both forbidden;
Do not be rejoiced at one,
Nor be saddened by the other.
True comfort is in ending duality,
Tell me if anyone can lead me theretoward. 1
He was in a jocular mood when commenting on the
University doctorate:
In nameless humility did I live,
When this epithet was cast upon me.
What shall I do with it and what shall I fasten it on?
How can interest accrue where there is no principal?
On this interest I am receiving the felicitations.
But who should render gratitude?
Interest
Or principal which modest modest ever was?
Grandfather and father were doctors indeed
And healing was intheir touch.
Aquack all the time,
I could become neither vaid nor hakim.
And now this word doctor stuck onto me,
Howfit, howfair will it be?2
A lifetime of unrelieved hard work and the weight of
advancing years at last began to tell. In early 19E;7 signs of
fatigue andweakness appeared. It was diagnosed as a case of
acute nervous exhaustion and he was advised complete rest.
Midsummerheplannedto go to Kasauli, up inthehills, inhope
of recuperation and of resuming work on his commentary on
theGuru Granth. uponreturnto Amritsar. But a feverinterrupted.
The fever continued in spite of all the medical care and he
grew weaker day by day. Dr Balbir Singh has etched a vivid
and touching glimpse of him in that state of frailty:
1. Mahan Singh Giani, Gurmukh Jiwan, 2000 p. 227.
2. ibid., p. 250.
Page 103 of 108