Compare to modern societies, the ancient societies seem more superstitious. Nonetheless, as the Gurbani says, "the world wanders lost in doubt" . From ancient time, the educated are generally less subject to such beliefs. Fears related to bad omens and superstitions have a hold over the generally uneducated segment of any society. Although the rich and educated are anything but immune to many of the widespread omens and superstitions. Even among the educated, generally the spiritually inclined persons (those with spiritual knowledge or Aatam-Giaan etc.) are less likely to cleave to omens and superstitions as opposed to the people possessing material knowledge. Although many omens and superstitions are unique to local areas, but some appear to have a universal appeal.

• auqm miDm jwqIN ijnsI Brim BvY sMswru: Outam madhim jaateen jinasee bharam bhavai sansaar: High and low, social class and castes - the world wanders lost in doubt (sggs 1243).
• BRm kI kUeI iqRsnw rs pMkj Aiq qIK´x moh kI Pws: Bhram kee kooee trisanaa ras pankaj ati teekhyan moh kee faas: Superstition is the well, thirst for pleasure is the mud, and exceedingly tight is the noose of emotional attachment around neck (sggs 204).
• rogu Brmu Bydu min dUjw: Rog bharam bhed mani doojaa: The mind is diseased with doubt, differentiation and duality (sggs 416).

What is superstition or omen? According to Merriam-Webster's dictionary, superstition is 1 (a): a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation (b): an irrational abject attitude of mind toward the supernatural, nature, or God resulting from superstition. 2: a notion maintained despite evidence to the contrary. Omen is: an occurrence or phenomenon believed to portend a future event.

The belief that objects, or living beings could possess special spiritual properties was widespread in primitive societies. That belief still exists in modern societies. Stones, trees, springs, caves, lakes, swamps, mountains, animals, bugs, days, moon, planets, eclipses, furniture, nature, and so on, are all deemed to be hosts to spirits. Some of these omens are strange, laughable, etc. In fact, many make living by forecasting omens and then providing remedies for them. Of course one has to pay them for their services!

• nwir purK pwxI Agin iCk pd ihfkI vrqwrw: Naar purakh paanee agan shik pada hidakee varataaraa: It is superstitious to draw good or bad omens from meeting a widow, a bare headed man, water, fire, sneezing, breaking wind, hiccups (Bhai Gurdaas Jee, Vaar 5).
• ikqVy saux svwxI hoey: Kitarre saoun savaanee hoye: Many are there who forecast about the good and bad omens and thus earn their livelihood (Bhai Gurdaas Jee, Vaar 8).

In context of good and bad omens, and superstitions, the Gurbani helps us understand the followings: (1) who in the first place belive in these; (2) why they believe in these; and (3) remedy.

(1) Who Does Believe In Omens, etc.

The gurbani questions: "When He (God) kept Himself, All-in-all, unto His Own Heart, then who considered omens to be good or bad?" In other words, when all power, wisdom, scriptures, etc. were latent within God, then who was there to consider omens (to be good or bad) and superstitions? Therefore the Gurbani boldly declares that "Only idiots and fools worry about these omens and days".

• iQqI vwr siB sbid suhwey ]siqguru syvy qw Plu pwey ]iQqI vwr siB Awvih jwih ]gur sbdu inhclu sdw sic smwih ]iQqI vwr qw jw sic rwqy ]ibnu nwvY siB Brmih kwcy ]7].....Awpy pUrw kry su hoie ]eyih iQqI vwr dUjw doie ]siqgur bwJhu AMDu gubwru ]iQqI vwr syvih mugD gvwr ]nwnk gurmuiK bUJY soJI pwie ]iekqu nwim sdw rihAw smwie ]10]2]: Ehi thitee vaar doojaa doi. Satgur seve taa fal paaye. Thitee vaar sabh sabadi suhaae. Gur sabad nihachal sadaa sach samaahi. Thitee vaar taa jaa sach raate. Bin naavai sabh bharamahi kaache ||7||....Aapae pooraa kare su hoi. Ehi thitee vaar doojaa doi. Satgur baajhahu andh gubaar. Thitee vaar sevahi mugadh gavaar. Nanak gurmukh boojhai sojhee paai. Ikat naam sadaa rahiaa samaai ||10||2||: All the lunar days, and the days of the week are beautiful, when one contemplates the Shabad. If one serves the True Guru, he obtains the fruits of his rewards. The omens and days all come and go. But the the Guru's Shabad is eternal and unchanging. Through it, one merges in the True Lord. The days are auspicious, when one is imbued with Truth. Without the Name, all the false ones wander deluded. ||7||.....Whatever the Perfect Lord does, that alone happens.Concern with these omens and days leads only to duality. Without the True Guru, there is only pitch darkness. Only idiots and fools worry about these omens and days.O Nanak, the Gurmukh obtains understanding and realization;he remains forever merged in the Name of the One Lord. ||10||2|| (sggs 842-843).
• jb ApnI soBw Awpn sMig bnweI ]qb kvn mwie bwp imqR suq BweI ]jh srb klw Awpih prbIn ]qh byd kqyb khw koaU cIn ]jb Awpn Awpu Awip auir DwrY ]qau sgn Apsgn khw bIcwrY ]jh Awpn aUc Awpn Awip nyrw ]qh kaun Twkuru kaunu khIAY cyrw ]ibsmn ibsm rhy ibsmwd ]nwnk ApnI giq jwnhu Awip ]5]: Jab apanee sobhaa aapan sang banaaee. Tabb kavan maai baap mitr sut bhaaee. Jah sarab kalaa aapahi parabeen. Tah bed kateb kahaa koou cheen. Jabb aapan aap aap ouri dhaarai. Taou sagan apasagan kahaa beechaarai. Jah aapan ouch aapan aap neraa. Tah koun thaakur koun kaheeai cheraa. Bisaman bisam rahe bisamaad, Nanak apanee gati jaanahu aap ||5||: When His Glory was contained within Himself, then who was mother, father, friend, child or sibling? When all power and wisdom was latent within Him, then where were the Vedas and the scriptures, and who was there to read them? When He (God) kept Himself, All-in-all, unto His Own Heart, then who considered omens to be good or bad? When He Himself was lofty, and He Himself was near at hand, then who was called master, and who was called disciple? We are wonder-struck at the wondrous wonder of the Lord. O Nanak, He alone knows His own state ||5|| (sggs 291).
• saux sgun bIcwrxy nauN gRh bwrh rwis vIcwrw]kwmx tUxy AausIAW kx sohI pwswr pwswrw: Saoun sagun beechaarane noun grah baarah raas veechaaraa. Kaaman toone aouseeaaan kan sohee paasaar paasaaraa: The life led in the light of omens, the nine planets, the twelve signs of the zodiac; incantations, magic divination by lines and by the voice is all futile (Bhai Gurdaas Jee, Vaar 5).

(2) Why People Believe In Omens

Then why people believe in them? What is the symbolism behind our belief in omens and superstitions? When we have lust, anger, greed, attachment, self-conceit, jealousy, stubborn mindedness (and numerous variations of these evil propensities) — that is our omens and superstitions. In other words, when these evil passions dwell within us, we are omens ourselves. That is to say, when there are evil tendencies in our thoughts, words and deeds, we become omens for others. That's why the Gurbani repeatedly urge us to remove these negativities and defilements from our Haume-minds (Bikaars).

• BIqir pMc gupq min vwsy: Bheethar panch gupat mani vaase: The five evil passions dwell hidden within the mind (sggs 359).
• pMc dUq icqvih ivkwrw: Panch doot chitavahi vikaaraa: The five demons think of evil and corruption (sggs 1068).
• pMc doK iCdR ieAw qn mih ibKY ibAwiD kI krxI: Panch dokh shidr iaa tann mahi bikhai biaadh kee karanee: The five wicked enemies are within this body; they lead the mortal to practice evil and corruption (sggs 1219).
• pMc dUq ibAwpq AMiDAwr: Panch doot biaapat andhiaar: (Maya) torments us through the darkness of the five evil passions (sggs 182).
• pMc smweI suKI sBu logu: Panch samaaee sukhee sabh logu: (As the Gurmukh when) one overcomes the five evil passions, he becomes the happiest of all men (sggs 414).

The Gurbani also reveals to us as to who most likely is to be effected by omens. Regardless of one's level of education or status in the society, the Gurbani states that "Good omens and bad omens affect those who do not keep the Lord in the mind".

• sgun Apsgun iqs kau lgih ijsu cIiq n AwvY: Sagun apasagun tis kaou lagahi jis cheet na aavai: Good omens and bad omens affect those who do not keep the Lord in the mind (sggs 401).

• hir ibsrq shsw duKu ibAwpY: Har bisarat sahasaa dukh biaapai: Forgetting the Lord, superstition and sorrows overtake the mortal (sggs 190).
• Awqmu n cIn@Y BrmY ivic sUqw: Aatam na cheenhai bharamai vich sootaa: They (Manmukhs or unenlightened beings) do not remember their soul (soul-nature, Aatamic Jeevan etc.); they are asleep in doubt (sggs 362).
  

(3) Remedy

Does the Gurbani provides us with remedy? Yes. The remedy it provides us is also free of charge! The Gurbani asks us to simply engage in Naam-Simran (meditation on the God's Name or Jap), and attain genuine understanding of spiritual practices. Because, as the Gurbani says, lack of both the genuine understanding and concern with omens and days lead only to duality (Doojaa Bhaav). Bhoot-Pret (demons and goblins), good and bad omens, etc. all are "attached to duality". The Gurbani asks us not to worry about things like bad omens, days, and foretold. Because, whether we laugh or cry, omens, days and predictions are going to pass. Therefore, in spiritual life, the Gurbani emphasizes that we should go beyond the instinctive mind wandering in delusion.

• grh invwry siqgurU dy Apxw nwau: Garah nivaare satguru de apanaa naaou: Bestowing His Name, the True Guru removes the evil omens (sggs 400).
• vrqu nymu inqwpRiq pUjw] ibnu bUJy sBu Bwau hY dUjw: Varat nem nitaaprati poojaa. Bin boojhe sabh bhaaou hai doojaa: Without genuine understanding, all fasts, religious rituals and daily worship services lead only to the love of duality (sggs 841).
• eyih iQqI vwr dUjw doie: Ehi thitee vaar doojaa doi: Concern with these omens and days leads only to duality (sggs 842-843).
• iQqI vwr siB sbid suhwey ]siqguru syvy qw Plu pwey: Thitee vaar sabh sabadi suhaae. Satgur seve taa fal paaye: All the lunar days, and the days of the week are beautiful, when one contemplates the Shabad (sggs 842-843).
• pRyq BUq siB dUjY lwey: Praet bhoot sabh doojai laaye: All the goblins and demons are attached to duality (sggs 841).
• iQqI vwr qw jw sic rwqy ]ibnu nwvY siB Brmih kwcy: Thitee vaar taa jaa sach raate. Bin naavai sabh bharamahi kaache: The days are auspicious, when one is imbued with Truth. Without the Name, all the false ones wander deluded (sggs 842-843).

— T. Singh
www.gurbani.org

Updated on Friday, August 29, 2008 11:47 PM (PST)

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