THERE IS NO DEFEAT- BUT ALL VICTORY

The Gurbani declares here that, for the true Gurmukh (spiritual being situated in Higher Awareness), there is no such thing as defeat. To him it's all victory! He is all victorious over his mind and senses, in all situations and circumstances. In other words, accepting defeat in one's life is very important, and we should be able to do it. Simply put, the real victory is achieved when one is able to accept both likes and dislikes (duality or Doojaa Bhaav) with intuitively balanced head.

Also, the Gurbani wants us to be aware that at the surface a Gurmukh may seem to be drowning or losing in life, but in truth he is the only one wining! To the contrary, a Manmukh (a Saakat or material being established in ego, Haume, lower consciousness, worldly consciousness etc.) may seem to be winning in the world, but in truth is he is just losing all.

• ਜੀਤੋ ਬੂਡੈ ਹਾਰੋ ਤਿਰੈ ॥: Jeeto boodai haaro tirai: The victorious are drowned, while the defeated swim across (sggs 1161).
• ਹਾਰ ਚਲੇ ਗੁਰਮੁਖ ਜਗ ਜੀਤਾ ॥: Haar challe gurmukh jag jeetaa: The gurmukhs who seem to be losing i.e. who turn their faces from the evil propensities, conquer the world (Bhai Gurdaas Ji, Vaar 10).
• ਜੋ ਭਲਾਈ ਸੋ ਬੁਰਾ ਜਾਨੈ ॥ ਸਾਚੁ ਕਹੈ ਸੋ ਬਿਖੈ ਸਮਾਨੈ ॥ ਜਾਣੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਜੀਤ ਅਰੁ ਹਾਰ ॥ ਇਹੁ ਵਲੇਵਾ ਸਾਕਤ ਸੰਸਾਰ ॥੨॥: Jo bhalaaee so buraa jaanai ...: That which is for (one's) own good, (he) thinks is evil. If someone tells (him) the truth, (he) looks upon that as poison. (He) cannot tell victory from defeat (i.e., he cannot tell what is good to win the game of life - ਜੀਵਨ-ਬਾਜੀ - or what will bring him the defeat). This is the way of life in the world of the Saakat. ||2|| (sggs 180).
• ਕਰਿ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਜਉ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਮਿਲਿਓ ॥ ਮਨ ਮੰਦਰ ਮਹਿ ਦੀਪਕੁ ਜਲਿਓ ॥ ਜੀਤ ਹਾਰ ਕੀ ਸੋਝੀ ਕਰੀ ॥ ਤਉ ਇਸੁ ਘਰ ਕੀ ਕੀਮਤਿ ਪਰੀ ॥੭॥: Kar kirapaa jo sathigur miliou. man mandhar mehi dheepak jaliou. jeeth haar kee sojhee karee.tho eis ghar kee keemath paree: When, by His Grace, Satguru is met, the lamp (of spiritual Wisdom - ਗਿਆਨ) is lit within the temple of the mind. Then one realizes what victory and defeat really are. Then he comes to appreciate the true value of this body (ਅਪਨੇ ਸਰੂਪ ਦੀ). ||7|| (sggs 235).
• ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਲਾਹਾ ਲੈ ਗਏ ਮਨਮੁਖ ਚਲੇ ਮੂਲੁ ਗਵਾਇ ਜੀਉ ॥੧੯॥: Gurmukhi laahaa lai gaye manmukh chale moolu gavaai jeeou ||19||: Those who have become the Gurmukhs (Spiritual Beings...), reap their (Spiritual) Profits (of Naam, Gurmat: Aatam Giaan...) and leave, while the Mmanmukhs (self-willed...) lose their Mool and depart. ||19|| (sggs 74).

A Great Soul says that "The attitude "I will only accept success" is wrong. We should also be able to accept defeat. It is not the number of victories in one's life that determines whether or not it was successful. In fact, life is a mixture of success and failure. Real victory is achieved when one is able to accept both with mental equanimity."

The attitude of defeat and victory is duality, the relativist consciousness. It is the false ego-sense or Haume — the deluded mind. When we live in such fragmented mind or Haume and follow it (Manmukh lifestyle), there is the distinction of defeat and success. Living an egoistic life, thus, we forget who we really are. In reality we all are "Joti-Svaroopa" or unconditioned consciousness, but we have forgotten about it. Ego or Haume makes us forget Simplicity or humility. All changes are of the mind, not our True Nature.

Even when we have small responsibilities or small problems at hand (defeat etc.), our egos flare up. As a result, we forget to smile and be happy and peaceful within. But look at all the Masters, how enormous were their responsibilities! No matter how many fields of action they were involved in, they enacted and fulfilled all of them beautifully. Without seeing anything as insignificant, they took up all kinds of responsibilities and saw them to completion. They were happy, smiling, humble, and simpler than the simplest. They were established in the Higher Awareness.

The worldly consciousness is the repeated suffering. When established in our True Nature, there is only true happiness and peace within, there is no suffering. Consequently, then one sees no bad or defeat, but all good or victory. The Gurbani wants us to become such rare persons, free of the worldly, ego or Haume consciousness.

• ਹਰਿ ਭਜਿ ਜਨਮੁ ਪਦਾਰਥੁ ਜੀਤ ॥: Har bhaj janam padaarath jeet: Meditating on the Lord, he is victorious in this precious human life (sggs 980).
• ਜਨਮ ਪਦਾਰਥੁ ਜੀਤੀਐ ਜਪਿ ਹਰਿ ਬੈਰਾਗਰੁ ॥: Janam padaarath jeeteeai jap har bairaagar: The treasure of this human life is won, meditating on the Lord who is ever Detached (sggs 1318).
• ਤਨਿ ਪ੍ਰੇਮੁ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਲਾਇ ਚਾਬਕੁ ਮਨੁ ਜਿਣੈ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਜੀਤਿਆ ॥: Tani prem har har laai chaabak manu jinai gurmukh jeetiaa: Applying the whip of the Lord's Love to his body, the Gurmukh conquers his mind, and wins the battle of life (sggs 575).
• ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਵਸਤੁ ਮਾਇਆ ਗੜ੍ਹ੍ਹਿ ਵੇੜ੍ਹ੍ਹੀ ਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਲੀਓ ਗੜੁ ਜੀਤਿ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥: Har har vasat Maya garrih verrhee gur kai sabad leeou garr jeet ||1||Pause||: The commodity of the Lordis locked in the fortress of Maya; through the Gur-Shabad, I have conquered the fortress ||1||Pause|| (sgga 1295).
• ਜਿਹਿ ਪ੍ਰਾਨੀ ਹਰਿ ਜਸੁ ਕਹਿਓ ਨਾਨਕ ਤਿਹਿ ਜਗੁ ਜੀਤਿ ॥: Jihi praanee har jas kahiou Nanak tihi jag jeet: That mortal who chants the Praises of the Lord, O Nanak, conquers the material world (sggs 1428).

— T. Singh
www.gurbani.org