FALSE ASSOCIATION: KUSANG

ਕੁਸੰਗਤਿ ਬਹਹਿ ਸਦਾ ਦੁਖੁ ਪਾਵਹਿ ਦੁਖੋ ਦੁਖੁ ਕਮਾਇਆ ॥੧੧॥:
Kusangati bahahi sadaa dukhu paavahi dukho dukhu kamaaiaa ||11|| (sggs 1068).
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By Maya's own way, Mayaic activities are a source of perplexity for all mortals. These perplexities are like wild forest fire that somehow blazes without being set by anyone! In many Shabad, we have the Gurbani's account describing the pathetic condition of living entities caught in the vertex of material perplexities. The good news is that the Gurbani also guides us as to how to get Free from such perplexed life.

People in material perplexities are called in Gurbani by different names. Some of these names are Kusang (bad company), Saakat or Sakat ( pronounced Saakat ), Manmukh (self-willed, material being...), Aatam-Ghaatee (self-murderer), Chor (thief), Mayadhaaree (Maya-stricken or mammon worshipper), Bimukhan (nonbeliever), Jhooth or Koor (false or fake), Pasoo (beast), non-devotee, mind-centered, demon, idiot, fool, animal, and so on.

Unlike mortals, the Lord remains unaffected by the Maya's perplexities. Similarly, His Gurmukh are also beyond the reach of Maya's far reaching tentacles. Other than that, everything else is Maya-stricken, hence untruth or false. Apart from the association of the Satt within (ਸਤ- Truth) or the Gurmukh; everything is Kusang: False or bad association.

At the time of birth, an infant's mind is more Intact, selfless, etc. But, with the passage of time, it loses all that on account of all sorts of bad association (Kusang). Just as a rain drop which does not have any impurity of its own, but when it comes in contact with the ground or dirt, it becomes contaminated. Also, a piece of paper does not have any smell of its own, however, when the same paper is used to wrap fish or fragrant flowers, gets the smell of the object it is associated with. Similarly, man is affected by the association he keeps.

How can we turn away from associating with Kusang or Saakat? And how can we retrace our steps back to link with the Mool within (Source, Origin...), the True Association? In this context, this Gurbani Reflection will attempt to reflect on the following aspects of Kusang:

Kusang Defined

A Saakat or Manmukh is a person who has forsaken or forgottenNaam or Shabad (Aatam-Giaan...). Also, such person does not understand the Shabad, Hukam (Divine Order), purpose of life, his relationship with the Mool within (Source, Origin...), and the Way of a spiritual life. Consequently his deluded mind acts in cynicism.

According to the Gurbani, thus, anyone who has not realized the Shabad or Naam (Aatam-Giaan of the Gurbani...) alone is Manmukh or Saakat. Opposite to Manmukh is Gurmukh.

A Manmukh, regardless how advanced he may be in material qualifications by education and culture, lacks in Divine Qualities. On the contrary, any person who practices true Bhagti has all the Good Qualities which are found in the Gurmukh.

Everyone is either a servant of Maya or a servant of Parameshar. Those who serve Maya are called Manmukh or demons, and those who serves Parameshar are called Gurmukh or Divine.

Having understood the definition of Kusang, we will now look deeper into mental condition, attributes, and actions of such individuals. We can use this insight as a tool for self-analysis; to determine to what degree a "Kusang", "Saakat" or "Manmukh" is present in us.

Mental Condition Of Kusang

Because of Manmukh's cynicism, his existence fosters demoniac activities in the society such as cheating, swindling, larceny, untruthfulness, bribery, lies, quarrel, disagreement, deceit, cynicism, hypocrisy, duplicity, misinformation, hatred, conflicts, fanaticism, communalism, differences, animosity, destruction, killing, and so on. According to the Gurbani, the mind's disease is its duality (Doojaa Bhaav). A Manmukh is a burning example of such mind.

A Manmukh's life is dominated by his strong bondage to material consciousness, far away from the Spiritual discipline (Aatam-Maarag). Due to his physical-consciousness, his mind becomes flickering, turbulent, restless, obstinating, and very difficult to control. Consequently, it falls pray to mental diseases which are subtle, thereby invisible to our material eyes. The foremost of these diseases is the ignorance-born false ego (Haumai). The projection of this false ego are diseases like lust, anger, greed, attachment, pride, jealousy, enviousness, hatred, animosity, duality, fear, selfishness, quarrel, slandering of others, lower quality thoughts, aggressiveness, cruelty and unfeeling to other beings, wickedness, prejudices, cheating, lie, corruption, fraud, hypocrisy, deceptiveness, etc. And we are tormented by these diseases, day and night.

Mental ailments, in turn, give rise to many bodily diseases. Fortunately, the bodily diseases finish with the death of our physical body, but no the mental diseases. This is how the Jeeva (individual beings) get caught in the vicious cycle of repeated suffering.

Attributes Of Kusang

The attributes of liquor include intoxication. It ruins the user by destroying his brain through its addiction. The quality of bad company (Kusang) is no less deadlier than the liquor. The liquor or drugs effect one's mind in a subtle way. Because of its subtlety, the user in the beginning does not realize its damaging potential. Nonetheless, ultimately he comes to a point where he feels "dead" without it. In other words, the liquor and the addict become one and the same. Similar to liquor and drugs, the attributes of bad company also influence one's mind in a very subtle way. The effects of bad company are so subtle and deadly that one can not even judge that he has fallen into its influence. Why is it so? Because of unwise or deluded mind, one is unable to admit that the bad company has changed his mind and that he is fallen as a result of that. As the saying goes: One becomes the company he keeps." To make us recognize Kusang and beware of it, we are provided with its numerous attributers throughout the Gurbani. Some of these attributes include: disliking for Truth; mental delusion due to doubts; identification with the feeling of "I, me, mine, your"; lust, anger, greed, attachment, and self pride; jealousy and enviousness; hatred; selfishness; lack of contentment and satisfaction; material hankering and lamentation; lack of mental control; restlessness; falsehood; self-centeredness; spiritual ignorance; life full of quarrel and contentions; dividing nature; lack of faith; extrovertedness; engrossment in rituals; unhappiness; attitude of "taking" instead of "giving"; affinity for unholy actions; lack of self-discipline; duality (Doojaa Bhaav); mental agitation; rat-race; always begging for material things from God; complaining nature; finding faults in others; unable to bear pains and sorrows of life; love worldliness instead of God; corruption; engaged in larceny, swindling, bribery, cheating, plundering, stealing, mental speculations, material logic, atheist thinking, deceitful and cynical nature; and so on. Opposite to these are the attributes of a Gurmukh (godly Being).

Because of his egotistical mentality, the Gurbani compares a Manmukh with a bamboo tree. For instance, a bamboo tree growing near a sandalwood does not pick up sandalwood's fragrance; it is too tall and proud. As Kabeer Sahib puts it, the bamboo gets drowned in its egotistical pride. No one should get drown like this. In other words, even though the bamboo dwells near the sandalwood tree, but it does not take up its fragrance or humbleness and gets ruined.

Activities Of Kusang

The Gurbani affirms that the lifestyle of material beings is such that everything they do is evil or ungodly. In other words, individuals with Manmukh mentality do only that, by which filth or material pollution stick to their mind. As mentioned in the Gurbani, a few of their activities are briefly summarized as follows.

Manmukhs take great pleasure in finding faults about other people. Our ego or ignorance never let us admit that our faults are no less than others. As a result, we never see any weakness in ourselves, but we never stop finding faults in others. As oppose to a Manmukh, a Gurmukh always picks on his own faults and, by recognizing his own faults, he then tries to eradicate them. On the contrary, by contemplating on the faults of other people, a Manmukh brings about his own downfall by (1) increasing his own anger, jealousy, enviousness, ego, vanity, bigotry, self-assertion, etc., and (2) thus rendering his own intellect and actions faulty. In essence, a Manmukh is critical of other people's faults, where as a Gurmukh is critical of his own faults. The Gurbani reminds us that there is no need to look for faults in others because we ourselves are full of them!

Manmukhs like to blow their own horns to show to the world that they are the most spiritual or religious persons in the town or community. To this end, such Saakat likes to boast about his devotion and, thus, he likes to make a show of his piety at organized religious places. Also, he loves to perform religious rituals in public; he will do anything to hold titles in the religious organizations; he wants the whole world to know if he gives any charity, etc. Thus, he makes himself a stinky reservoir of self-pride. As the saying goes: like attracts like. Similarly, Manmukhs attract Manmukhs. One with Manmukh mentality has no genuine interest in associating with the Gurmukh. A Manmukh misuses his senses by engaging them in activities harmful to Spiritual progress. For example, he uses is eyes to see objects and read subjects that are adverse to Spirituality; he uses is ears to listen to subjects that are also adverse to Spirituality; he uses his speech to talk about such subjects; then he uses is mind to think and brood over these subjects that are impediments to devotion. Brooding over such things infatuates his intellect and mentality. Engaging in Spiritual discussion and argument with a non-devotee is also a Kusang. There is a tendency on part of Manmukhs to get engaged in such discussions and arguments with sincere aspirants. However, the scriptures advice the seekers to refrain from such temptation. The danger here is that, due to the stubbornness or fanaticism of the Manmukh, an immature aspirant may become agitated and loose his mental calmness in the process. In the 19th Paurree of the Bani popularly know as Asa Di Var - pronounced Aasaa Dee Vaar - Baabaa Nanak says: The Gurbani compares Manmukh's activities at religious places with that of a stork and a crow. For example, a Manmukh goes to a religious place for his own selfish and greedy agenda. Therefore, his sitting at a religious place is no different than the stork's phony Samaadhi (meditational stance). The pastime of a Saakat is to create troubles in the family, organization, group, religion, community, etc. The thorn of egotism has punctured his heart so deep that he perpetually burns himself in anger and envy, and becomes like a half-burnt wooden log!

In order to gain power or recognition, a Manmukh will pretend to be the real friend of people. In truth, he is friend of nobody. His mentality is such that he likes to keep the society torn apart. Because of his demoniac activities, a Manmukh has no time for True Sangat, Naam Simran, or Jap (Understanding of the Gurbani...). Instead, he loves gossip, slandering, hurting those who are Good, feeling good about stealing from others, and so on. A Manmukh likes to be served by others all the time; for he believes only in "taking" rather then "giving".

A Manmukh is a stubborn fanatic. Due to his mental ailment of duality, he creates frightening concepts such as a separate God of Muslims, a separate God of Christian, a separate God of Sikhs, a separate God of Hindus, so on and so forth. To him a Sikh soul is different than a Christian soul or a Hindu soul or a Muslim soul, etc. Thus, a Manmukh sows the seeds of hatred, animosity, and dissatisfaction in the human society. Accordingly, the world history is soaked with wars, holocaust, innocent blood; all in the name of religion and God. In this fallen condition, the Manmukh commit mistakes through their Mann (mind or thought), Bachan (speech or word), and Karma (body or deeds).

Turning Away From Kusang

Why do we need to turn away from Kusang? Based on the Gurbani's Wisdom, it is clear that the Kusang causes perversion of the intellect. In turn, the perverted intellect brings Spiritual downfall of the individual being. Accordingly, the first thing a seeker needs to do is to set his intellect or vision right. For that he needs to turn away from the bad association (Kusang). As indicated in the Gurbani, the one who keeps the company of the Kusang is like feeding himself on the carcass of poison (Maya)!

We are warned by theGurbani that even a few moments of Kusang can mean an irreparable Spiritual loss to an aspirant. However, in spite of such stark reminder, most of us keep living all our lives with Kusang; thus inflicting an unimaginable amount of Spiritual damage on to us! Therefore, the Gurbani reminds us that every moment passed in God's forgetfulness (i.e., Kusang or Manmukh life) should be felt like Soul's death and, hence regretted.

Therefore, the Gurbani reminds us that Kusang (on'e own Mamukh lifestyle or otherwise) is responsible for man's Spiritual downfall (ਆਤਮਕ ਜੀਵਨ ਦੀ ਬਰਬਾਦੀ). Having said that, it should not come surprising to us as to why the Gurbani has laid so much emphasis on avoiding as well taking "roundabout turn" from Kusang.

In order to make us appreciate the damaging potency of Kusang, the Gurbani has compared it with common worldly objects such as soot, garlic, and a black blanket. For example, if we touch a vessel stained with soot, some of the soot is bound to stick to us. Similarly, if we come in contact with garlic, we can not avoid its smell. By washing a black blanket, can we make it white?

We all are making mistakes from the time immemorial. In addition, we are overpowered by the charming Maya. This is the pathetic state of conditioned Jeeva (individual being). Can we escape from it? Yes. By abiding constantly in the Divine Teaching (Aatam-Giaan...), we can escape it. In other words, if we are sincere in our pursuit of the Truth, then there is a way — take a roundabout turn from all types of Kusang. Are we willing to bite the bullet? Choice is ours.

After taking a roundabout turn from the Kusang, where do we go? According to the Gurbani, we must go and join the Satsang, the True Association. That's where the inner transformation from Manmukh to Gurmukh takes place.

— T. Singh
www.gurbani.org

Updated on Saturday, February 4, 2012 2:13 PM (PST)

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