ASCETICISM- What use are meditation, penances, fasts or worship to the one in whose mind the Lord does not dwell? (Kabirji, Gauri Raag)
- I meditate and practise austerity, and discipline my body and live at a holy place. I give charity and do good deeds, but without the True Lord, what use are all of these? (Guru I, Sri Raag)
- Repetition of mantras, austerities, set way of living, and other deeds and actions, leave us destitute even before out journey ends. You shall not get even half a copper for your fasts and special programme of life. These things, O brother, will not help; for, the requirements of that path are different. (Guru V, Gauri Raag)
- I do not keep the fast, as kept by Hindus, nor that observed by Muslims in Ramadan. I serve Him and Him alone, Who is my ultimate Refuge. (Guru V, Bhairo Raag)
- By abiding in silence and taking meals on the palms of hands than from the plate. By wandering naked through woods, and going about bathing at all the pilgrim places and sacred rivers. Even by wandering throughout the world, the sense of duality does not go, rather it continues to grow in the heart. One may dwell at holy places as much as one wishes, even if one chooses to be sawn alive there, the mind defiled by sin is not cleaned however much one may try. One may give away as a gift his wife laden with gold. One may give away in charity, horses, elephants, land and grain, but one cannot find Lord's gate that way. (Guru V, Sorath Raag)
- By reading the holy books or by controlling the breath and cleansing the inner system by Yogic exercises, one cannot get rid of the five evils. Instead one gets more and more self-conceited. One may worship and make flower offerings to the gods while prostrating like a log before them and perform the six karmas as mentioned in the Shastras(Hindu holy books), but the bonds of egoism do not loosen. Rather, they become even more tight. One does not attain God this way. (Guru V, Sorath Raag)
- One may practice Yoga, like a Sidha and may be able to practice all the eighty-four postures. One may achieve longevity, but shall be born again and again and will not meet God. (Guru V, Sorath Raag )
- O, ignorant man, do not torture your body as if it were a furnace, don't feed the fire with your bones, there is nothing wrong; Why hang yourself upside down? Look within yourself for the Lord and you will attain peace. (Guru I, Shlokas)
- He who abstains from eating bread, deprives himself of this God-given blessing and being led astray suffers much discomfort. He who wears no clothes, remains day and night in tribulations. By practicing silence man intimidates himself. How can he be awakened from the stupor except by the Guru? He walks bare-footed and suffers as he deserves. (Guru I, Asa Raag)
- Some wander about hungry and naked, and invite death by practicing rigorous austerities; They don't know the value of life. (Guru I, Maru Raag)
- He eats filth and puts ashes on his head. The blind fool only loses his self-respect. He spends his days in the wilderness, at graveyards and crematoriums. The foolish man does not know that he will have to regret it afterwards. Only that man finds peace, who meets the Guru and enshrines the Nam of God in his heart. (Guru I, Asa Raag)
- Some go about visiting the places of pilgrimage and don't eat bread, believing it to be a good religious act. Some expose themselves to blazing fire and torture their bodies, but they can get no salvation this way. How could they? They who do not understand the Guru's wisdom, wander in the wilderness. Being ego-centric and with no self control, they don't meditate on God's Nam. They practice falsehood and waste away their lives and in this way fall into the noose of death. (Guru I, Maru Raag)
- Some go to the jungle and sit in silence. Some overcome the chill and the frost and suffer cold water. Some smear their bodies with ashes and do not wash the dirt. Some keep matted hair and appear harsh and frightful. They all put their family to disgrace. Some wander day and night naked and do not sleep. Some burn parts of their body in fire and disfigure themselves. But, the body is like ashes without the Nam of the Lord. What do they say while weeping? Those who serve the true Guru get respect in the presence of the Lord. (Guru I, Malhar Raag)
- He walks bare-footed, reaps the fruit of his actions. He eats dirty food and throws ashes on his head. The blind fool has lost his honour. He lives in deserts and cremation grounds. The blind one does not know the reality and afterwards repents. (Guru I, Asa Raag)
- Having a hungry stomach how can I devote myself to You? Take away Your rosary. (Kabirji, Sorath Raag)
- Shall we go to bathe at the pilgrim places? No, Nam is the only sacred place of pilgrimage. (Guru I, Dhanasri Raag)
- I would bathe at the sacred places, if by doing so I could please Him, but what use is the bathing, if it does not please Him. How can mere bathing help? (Guru I, Japji)
- You will not get a place there (in God's abode) for all your bathing and wandering in different places. All these are useless, they cannot satisfy the conditions of that world. (Guru V, Gauri Raag)
- I shall not go for Haj (pilgrimage) to Mecca, nor worship at the Hindu places. I shall serve only Him and none else. (Guru V, Bhairo Raag)
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