ਇਹੁ ਮਨੁ ਨਿਹਚਲੁ ਹਿਰਦੈ ਵਸੀਅਲੇ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਮੂਲੁ ਪਛਾਣਿ ਰਹੈ ॥:
Ihu manu nihachalu hiradai vaseeale gurmukhi moolu pachhaani rahai:
By becoming the Gurmukh, when one Realizes his Mool (Source, Origin...),
then his mind (that has become stable-ਅਡੋਲ) abides in the Heart within (sggs 945).
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In the companion article — "Self-Realization" — an attempt was made to reflect on Self-realization - why it's important, what hinders us from attaining it, how we can overcome factors inhibiting us from Realizing our true Mool (Source, Origin...) within, "here" and "now", etc.
Now, the question is: Can we tell if someone is Self-realized? We cannot tell. Only a Brahm-Giaanee (or Self-Realized Being...) estimate the limits (the greatness, ਉੱਚੇ ਜੀਵਨ ਦਾ ਅੰਦਾਜਾ...) and reconnize the state (ਹਾਲਤ) of an other Brahm-Giaanee. This is the Gurbani's edict.
Based on the pointers given in the Gurbani, one can tell if he is getting close to such a state of Self-Realization. The purpose of this Gurbani Reflection is to attempt to understand and reflect on the symptoms of a Self-realized person (the Gurmukh) as indicated in the Gurbani (Sri Guru Granth Sahib, SGGS). These symptoms can be used as a tool for self-analysis.
In Self-realization (Chauthaa Pad, Turiyaa Avasthaa, Dasam Duaar, Pure Consciousness, Sahaj Avasthaa, etc.), a devotee through his direct experience comes to know all Truth to be known about his Source or Origin (Mool). His intelligence becomes securely anchored in Aatam-Giaan, Bibek-Budhi, ecstasy of the Soul Bliss within...
In this State, his false ego-sense (Haume) as the doer becomes dissolved. In the Light of the Gurbani, symptoms of such a Realized person may be grouped and looked into as follows:
Ego guided or Mayaic intelligence is liable to mistakes. To put it otherwise, when a man identifies himself with the material body or material life, he is bound to reap the good or bad results of his Mayaic efforts. This is so because such person is guided by the false consciousness of himself as the doer (ego-center).
On the contrary, however, a Realized person never makes mistakes because his wisdom is guided by the Pure Consciousness (Joti-Svaroopa, True Nature, Mool, etc.). On account of his Unconditioned Awareness, he feels not the ego but God working in all his actions. The seeker becomes one with the Omnipresent Cosmic Principle, and transcend Mayaic entanglements.
This human body is likened to a city with nine gates (two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, one mouth, the anus and the genitals). The Gurbani time and again reminds us that all these nine gates are defiled or impure doe to Mayaic entanglements. The mind free to escape through these defiled gates binds the soul in clutches of the material bondage.
One who is Enlightened dwells in the Infinite Cosmic Wisdom, beyond the bodily nine gates. Thus, having mastered his mind through the Shabad-Vichaar, he frees himself from Mayaic efforts. In this way he enjoys the state beyond all miseries, including repeated suffering.
By remaining fixed in the Mool (Source, Origin...), his mind is no longer disturbed by any external happenings. Thus, having penetrated the dense forest of delusion, he becomes indifferent to all that has been heard and all that is to be heard. He becomes indifferent to all the books, all the vanities of the world, and so on. At this point he has nothing left to follow, because, he has already attained everlasting Spiritual Perfection within.
He has completely relinquished all varieties of sense gratifications, which arise from mental concoctions. He is contented in his True Nature (Joti-Svaroop). He remains undisturbed even amidst the so called "filth" or "impurities" of the material world (Maya). His mind has become one with his Mool (Source, Origin...).
Ttranscended the three modes of material nature (Maya), he is situated on the platform of Pure Consciousness, Fourth State, the Tenth Gate, etc. Thus, he has his consciousness attuned to the Divine Consciousness within.
The unstruck melody of the Shabad vibrates in the mind of such a Realized Being (the Gurmukh). There he feels Infinite Joy, Spiritual Silence, Sahaj, Bliss, and no sorrows. His heart revels in absolute Happiness and Peace.
The mind's contamination is its duality (Doojaa Bhaav). The mind of a the Gurmukh is free of impurities of such a pluralistic phenomena (Maya). Although he lives in amidst of this world of pluralities, yet he remains unaffected by it. His mind possesses immunity to the effects of likes and dislikes. His mind ever remains satisfied and satiated (Sat Santokh).
The seeds of Spiritual ignorance of the Gurmukh get roasted in the fire of Divine Wisdom (Aatam-Giaan, Bibek Budhi or the Gurbani). By thus living in the undivided Shabad-Surti, his body-garment becomes immersed in the water of Divine Love. He ever bathes (Ishnaan) in the pool of Truth within.
The mind of such realized person remains intuitively absorbed in his Pure Being (Joti-Svaroopa). Upon realizing the Shabad-Surti, deep within the Pure Self of such an individual takes place the meditation. By meditating on the Divine Name (Giaan), egoism (Haumai) and ignorance are eliminated; and one’s inner being becomes overflowing with the true Ambrosial Nectar (Amrit - Immortality - of the Naam: Giaan...). Those who taste and are satisfied with this sublime Essence become fearless. Those who drink it in, day and night, by the Grace of the Gur-Giaan, are never again to experience repeated suffering.
How Does He Express Himself?
A fool can not be identified as long as he does not speak. As soon as he opens his mouth, he reveals himself. Similarly, one of the most important qualities of a man in God Consciousness (the Gurmukh) is his speech — the way he expresses his mind. The immediate symptom of a God Conscious man is that he speaks only of Lord and matters related to Spirituality. This is the sum and substance of his expression or speech. To him, the speech of the Divine Name (Giaan...) is the most sweetest thing in the world.
If one speaks about all kind of nonsense related to worldly matters (Maya), he is not a Gurmukh; because such person has taken refuge in his own mental concoctions or body-consciousness. To the contrary, the person in link with his real Self has taken refuge in the Pure Consciousness (Joti-Svaroop...).
The mind settled in the Union with the Spirit, knows that he is the eternal servitor of the Lord. Therefore, instead of gratifying his own senses, he engages them in glorifying the Divinity. Thus, through his pure Bhagti, he always remains linked to his True Being within (Mool); never descends to material plane (Mayaic consciousness).
There is contradiction about the person who has not yet become the Gurmukh — he may speak like a wise, but he behaves like an ignorant fool. There is no such contradiction about a Self-realized man. He speaks wise as well as behaves wise.
The person firmly established in Universal Truth does not mistake the body as his real Self; to him the body-consciousness ("I-ness") is the product of deluded consciousness and the source of repeated pain and delusion. He sees the sorrows, pleasures, disease, fear, restlessness, old age, and death experienced by his body not pertaining to him. He sees himself the Timeless, Spaceless, and All-pervading Pure Consciousness (Mool) which encompasses within Itself everything like butter in milk. He sees the whole universe strung on the One as many beads strung on the same thread. He sees no division between himself and others. He sees One, non-dual, Infinite Light of Consciousness as the sole Universal Reality, which is omnipotent and omnipresent and dwells in all beings equally. He sees no "I, me, mine" or "others". He sees all beings of the Universe as his own family. He sees no substance in objectivity, and he is beyond the feeling of "likes and dislikes". He sees rise of no desires in his mind for objective experience. He sees the mirage-like world appearance as unreal, whose reality is the reality of its Substratum which is Unconditioned Consciousness. He remains peaceful and pure at Heart, but outwardly he engages in appropriate actions but remain unattached and unaffected by them like a lotus flower. When he wakes up the whole Universe wakes up with him, when he sleeps the whole Universe sleeps with him, and when he eats the whole Universe eats with him.
How Does He Control His Senses?
One who does not remain in Shabad-Surti is subjected to fateful material consciousness (Maya) — unceasing demands of the senses. Degradation of a material conscious person starts with contemplation on sense objects instead of the Gur-Shabad or Naam (Aatam-Giaan...).
How does a man without control over his senses causes himself into the pitch darkness of spiritual ignorance? Here is a step-by step analysis of his descent. His brooding over objects of the senses causes attachment to them. From such attachment, lust or craving develops; from unfulfilled lust or craving, anger arises; from anger, mental delusion arises; from delusion comes bewilderment or loss of memory of the Mool; the loss of such memory causes loss of intelligence or the discriminating faculty (Bibek-Budhi); upon loss of intelligence or discrimination, one falls down into the material consciousness (Mayaic life-eats poison of Maya); which, in turn, brings annihilation of his spiritual life.
The Gurmukh possesses two formidable lines of defense in his disposal. First, he keeps the senses under complete control and check. This is his outer defense line. Second, he keeps his consciousness focused on the Gur-Shabad (Aaatam-Giaan, Bibek-Budhi...). This is the inner defense line. This outer and inner control keeps him Spiritually fit, unwavering, and steady.
Our body has two sets of sensors — the sensor of nerves, and the sensor of sensory apparatus. The sensor of nerves keeps our organs, limbs, and muscles functional. The sensor of sensory apparatus keeps our brain informed of the outside world of sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing. A Self-realized person can control both sensors at will, because he never let them act independently. Through constant practice, he is able control them according to his own plan.
The best example or analogy can be given that of a tortoise. The tortoise's defense consists of his outer shell. He extends his six limbs or senses (four legs, head and a tail) out of the shell for particular purpose. However, as soon as he feels harm or danger, he immediately withdraws them within the armor of his shell. Similarly, a Spiritually wise person (the Gurmukh) withdraws his six senses — five senses of perception and the mind — the moment he feels danger of worldly temptation!
Senses are liken to venomous serpents. Like snakes, the senses do not like to be restricted. Rather, they like to act not only loosely but also without any control. A Spiritual seeker needs to be very strong to control these serpents — like a snake charmer, who never allows his snakes to act on their own.
Thus, along with mental-control, a Spiritually Wise also has physical or self-control. He knows that, without mental-control, physical control will not last too long! Physically restricting or fasting senses from their objects will not remove taste or longing for them! Therefore, he constantly exercises discrimination (Bibek-Budhi). As a result, he can retire his senses from the objects of perception as soon as he detects temptation.
Once the seeker has developed his inner-purity, the mind grows richer in its receptivity, alertness, comprehension, and in its power of apprehension. Such a mind becomes fit for appreciating the Higher Taste of the Divine Consciousness. Through the sincere practice of attaching our attention to the Higher Taste, one becomes able to detach his senses from the lower taste of material objects (Maya).
All desires can be lumped in four types: Dharma, Artha, Kaam, and Moksha or Mokha. The first three types of desires — Dharma, Artha, and Kaam — relate to the material realm, and are also referred to as "Bhugti" or "Bhukti" in the scriptures. The fourth desire called Moksha, also referred to as "Mukti", relates to the celestial realm. Thus, it amounts to only two types of desires, Bhugti and Mukti. The Men of Realization call these two desires as two witches. As long as these two witches (Bhugti and Mukti) reside in one's mind, until then Bhagti (undertsnading of the Gur-Shabad...) and Self-realization will not manifest in him.
The instinct of sense gratification corrupts one's sensory apparatus. Consequently, through the corrupted sense of sight, man lusts after material objects; through the corrupted sense of hearing, man craves to hear the slow poison of flattery and other sounds that rouse his material nature; through the corrupted sense of smell, he is enticed toward wrong environments and actions; through the corrupted sense of taste, he is lures to consume such foods and drinks that destroy his physical and mental well being; and contaminated sense of touch lusts him for indulgence in physical comforts and lust.
Thus, an average person (the Manmukh) is slave of his sensory apparatus or four kinds of desires noted above. Consequently, he is directed by the dictation of his senses. On the contrary, the Gurmukh being the master of his senses — they are directed by his dictation or plan. He never allow them to act independently.
Just as a tortoise, a Spiritually Wise utilizes his senses for particular purpose. However, as soon as he feels harm or danger in the form of worldly temptations, he immediately withdraws them within at his will. A true seeker utilizes his senses only for some particular purpose — to selflessly serve God and his creation. He withdraws them otherwise. Instead of using them for his own sense gratification, he ever keeps them occupied in selfless service (Sevaa). How does he manage to do that?
He keeps his mind in Shabad-Surti (Aatm-Giaan, Bibek-Budhi...). He uses his speech glorifying the Divine Name (Aatam-Giaan...), his hands doing the Spiritual Service, his ears hearing the Divine Glories, his eyes seeing the omnipresence of the Divine, his body serving the devotees, his tongue tasting the Nectar of the Divine Name, his nose smelling the fragrance of the Divine Name within, his legs traveling on the road to link with his Mool within, his head and false ego in offering his obeisance unto the Divine within, and so on. He has only one desire — to fulfill the desire of the Divine! Thus, the senses can be fully controlled only by the strength of our sincere Bhagti.
The Gurbani asserts that, without restraining desires, one can not even begin Bhagti. That is to say, it's imperative to free mind from all kinds of desires — material as well as celestial. We have only one mind. If we do not empty it of material desires, we can not fill it with Bhagti. Its that simple!
Mind is the only cause of our material bondage or liberation from it. Simply put: The mind attached to the material objects (Maya) becomes the cause of our bondage, and the mind detached from material objects becomes the cause of our attainment of the Divine Status. A mind devoid of desires becomes free of evil passions — lust, anger, greed, emotional attachment, pride, enviousness and stubborn mindedness. Such person is Jeevanmukta or living-liberated.
— T. Singh
www.gurbani.org
Updated on Wednesday, March 7, 2012 7:35 PM (PST)
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