ELEPHANT-MIND

The mind is an elephant in the forest of the body (sggs 221).
The mind is intoxicated, like the elephant with wine (sggs665).
<><><><>

Spiritually speaking, when we talk about wild elephants, their three main aspects come to light: (1) elephants' lustful urges, (2) its conduct, which is like a drunkard being, and (3) its enormously fat size. The Gurbani (Sri Guru Granth Sahib, SGGS) compares all these aspects of an elephant with the human ego-mind (the consciousness of time-space-causation). The ego-mind sees infinite diversity in Unity. Although the ego-sense (Haume) seems real to us, but in reality it's a long dream. The ego-mind heads us to calamity, first creating delusion and wickedness (corruption or falsehood), and these later expand into sorrow.

The first aspect (elephant's lustful nature) can be better understood by knowing as to how elephants are captured in India. Several methods are used to this end. One of these methods include using decoys of straw or trained female elephants to sexually attract or lure the wild beast for capture. Large pits are dug in/near pathways just behind the decoys. Once lured by lust, the elephant rushes towards the decoys and fall into the pit. Thus, it gets trapped there in the pit and captured. In this way, attracted by the lure of lust, the elephant loses its world and freedom. Similarly, the deluded ego-mind is enticed by the enchanting and mirage-like world appearance and its gross objects (Maya). The material world is a snare, like the pit if the senses are defiled.

Second, if we let lose a drunkard elephant in the banana forest, it will go crazy and create havoc. Similarly, as asserted by the Gurbani, the ego-mind is like the drunkard elephant that constantly creates havoc in the forest of the body, day in and day out. That is why we are told to be sleeping unconsciously in an unending slumber, from which we do not want to be awakened. The deluded or ego-mind is like a mirage. When the mind rests in false ego-sense, the consciousness becomes conditioned and reflects through the defiled senses, from which arises the illusion of self-limitation of the consciousness (body-consciousness). When thus repeatedly experienced and thought of, the false ego-sense and the illusion of self-limitation acquire a false validity. Thus, egoism is self-created, an idea based on a false association of the Soul with the physical elements.

Third, on account of the inflated ego, the mind has become fat, like the elephant. False ego associated with the body-consciousness is the foremost evil; and all beings in this world are afflicted with this evil. In body-consciousness, all worldly relationships become bondage; all enjoyments turn into great disease; all desires for happiness is only mirage; one's own senses and mind become his worst enemy; man's wisdom goes weak; all actions performed in ignorance lead to unhappiness and mental restlessness; untruthful living becomes the norm; selfless love and compassion are not to be found in people's heart; in envy, people display unhappiness at the prosperity and happiness of others; weakness overtakes strength; cowardice overpowers courage; Kusang (bad association) becomes easily available while the Saadh-sangat (Holy company) is hard to come by. In body-consciousness, the Reality thus becomes unreal and unknown.

What is the remedy or cure offered by the Gurbani? In other words, how can this wild elephant of the mind be tamed? By applying the "whip" or "prod" of the "Gur-Shabad", says the Gurbani. Sooner we apply the Gur-Shabad the better. Because, sooner than we realize, the elephant of the mind and the body-forest it lives in will become old and weary. In other words, the mortality of the human body is a certainty but the Self within is imperishable. We need undoing egoism and cultivating a sense of discrimination (Viveka) that is able to perceive the imperishable and changeless behind the perishable and changing aspects of the world.

Undoing egoism simply means transforming it into the Divine Self. The ego-mind (Haume) alone is the seed for the body. When the tree (body) dies, the seed (ego or Haume) does not: the ego-mind goes on to create another body for itself. Only when the seed (false ego) perishes, the tree also dies (body or individualized consciousness, skepticism or doubts, all evil passions, etc.) with it!

— T. Singh
www.gurbani.org

Updated on Tuesday, February 14, 2012 11:37 AM (PST)

[Home] [Article Menu]