"SEE WITHOUT EYES, HEAR WITHOUT EARS...."

See without eyes; hear without ears; walk without feet; work without hands;
speak without a tongue - like this, remain dead while yet alive. O Nanak,
recognize God's Hukam (Will), and then link with Him. ||1|| (sggs 139).
<><><><>

How can one see without years; walk without feet; work without hands; speak without a tongue? All these seem like contradictory, paradoxical or confusing statements. But they are not. Contradictions or confusions are only in our Mayaic minds (relativist and dualistic mind). In the Shabad-Guru, there is no contradiction. The problem is lack of our understanding. We think we understand, but in reality most of us don't! This lack of understanding gives rise to the sense of apparent contradictions, paradox or confusion. Thus, contradictions exist only in the limitations of our psycho-physical personality.

What could be the logical explanation for the statements like "See without eyes; hear without years; walk without feet; work without hands; and speak without a tongue"? As indicated by the Gurbani, it's the transcendental state of "Jeevan-Mukt" — living liberated or living dead. Also called Gurmukhs in the Gurbani, this is the state of those spiritual beings who have conquered their physical senses and mind. Simply put, it's the state that rises within upon the death of one's false ego-sense (Haume). The death of ego translates into the end of "five thieves": lust, anger, greed, attachments and pride (along with their numerous variations). Accordingly, the discipline of the Gurbani prescribes sensory and mental control as the basis of spiritual evolution. Not easy at all: it's like swimming upstream!

Out of ten physical senses, the five sense-organs are of knowledge or perception (Giaan-Indriyas — eyes, years, nose, tongue and skin), and the five sense-organs of action (Karam-Indriyas — the genital, anus, mouth, hands and legs). Man engages in the world of gross objects with his sensory faculties and the pleasures they afford only make him desire for more and more. But it's not possible to satisfy desires. Accordingly, we are repeatedly asked by the Gurbani to learn to control them. By mentioning the four Indriyas in the foregoing verse, all our sense-organs of perception and action are indicated.

The mind is the center of all activities of the senses. Thus, when the senses become attracted toward their respective sense-objects, the mind becomes the source of all ideas of about sense-gratification. Thus, the mind and the senses become the repositories of desires and cravings. Upon the death of the false ego (the state of Jeevan-Mukti), the senses become widow! This inner transformation results in purification of the mind, necessary for linking with one's Essential Nature within — "Joti-Svaroopa". Without the complete removal of false ego-sense or complete inner surrender unto the True Self within, the linking with the Spiritual Factor is not possible; no matter how much one tries to be religious. Free to escape through the defiled senses, the deluded mind limits the Truth, and binds one to worldly bondage. Thus, defiled senses with their individual demands, coloring or covering (impurity) can never hope to gain true understanding, and, as a result, one can never hope to liberate his own false self from the delusion. Without which one cannot see the Reality as It Is. Having said this, now let's try to briefly reflect on these statements: "See without without eyes; hear without years; walk without feet; work without hands; and speak without a tongue".

See Without Eyes And Hear Without Ears: The majority of us, living in body-consciousness (sensuous life), use eyes to see things that are undesirable etc.! For example, most of us use them to see others' women, other's wealth or possessions (Par Dhann and Par Tann), and so on. This is akin to a Manmukh (unenlightened) lifestyle. Because of his foolishness, the Manmukh does not realize that what he sees with his eyes is vanishing. Engrossed in Maya (the principle of relativity and duality) and intoxicated with the pleasures of his wealth, he is like the moth that sees fire with its eyes, but it still becomes entangled and burnt. The Gurbani urges us to become the Gurmukhs, and use the eyes to see God's wondrous Play and see Him ever-present everywhere in this Play. If we can do this, it will be as seeing without eyes. However, for this to happen, one needs the ointment of the Guru's Wisdom applied to his eyes. In nutshell, to be without eyes is to see the world the way Gur-Shabad does.

Usually, the majority of us end up using our ears to hear slander (Nindaa), gossip, evil talks, cheap music, and so on. Instead, we are asked by the Gurbani to hear the words of goodness (Shubh Bachan), the Praises of the Lord (Hari Jass or Hri Gun), Shabad-Namm-Baanee, Ambrosial Sermons (Kathaa). This is the state of "He Himself hears, and He Himself sees". In other words, this is the state when an individual light merges into the Infinite Light.

Walk Without Feet And Work Without Hands: To walk without feet is not to walk in the wrong path, and work without hands is not to use hands in doing wrong things such as hurting others, stealing etc. Instead, the Gurbani demands that we should use our feet to walk in the Way of the Lord, and use our hands to do the Work of the Guru-God, Kirat Kamaayee (earning truthful living), and so on.

Speak Without a Tongue: It's through speech that we hear and come to understand the Truth; and again it's through speech that we convey the same Truth to others. To speak without tongue is not to speak untruth, words of deception and insipidness; and also not to indulge tongue in tasting or speaking of relishes. Instead the Gurbani asks us to use speech to speak of the Lord or Truth.

Clearly, here the intent of the Gurbani is not to suggest us to violently suppress our senses, and not use them at all. To the contrary, the Gurbani wants us to use them to their fullness, but in the way the Gur-Shabad does — in becoming Jeevan-Mukat, God-conscious or transforming ourselves from the Manmukh lifestyle to that of the Gurmukh. The factors that can help us in this quest is diligent study of the Gurbani (Vichaar), selfless service and universal love, Namm-Simran (meditation, Japa etc.), adherence to truthfulness, patience, control of the senses, control of desires, humility, and so on.

— T. Singh

To read Gurbani verses in Gurmukhi, click here to download Gurmukhi font.

[Home] [Article Menu]