Mool – ਮੂਲ

The Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) reveals to us that the Original Nature of our mind is Jot Sroop. The SGGS asks us to recognize this Truth Here and Now, not afterlife or after death.

• ਇਉ ਕਹੈ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਮਨ ਤੂੰ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਰੂਪੁ ਹੈ ਅਪਣਾ ਮੂਲੁ ਪਛਾਣੁ ॥੫॥ : This is what Nanak says – Mind, you are the Embodiment of the Divine Light (i.e. ‘Jot Saroop‘), realize your own true Origin (i.e. ‘Mool’ – Creator within). ||5|| (sggs 441).

The SGGS repeatedly reminds us the very purpose of human birth — Recognizing or Understanding the mind’s Original Nature (ਅਪਣੇ ਅਸਲੀ ਸਰੂਪ ਨੂੰ ਪਛਾਣ ਲੈਣਾਂ), and thus become One with the Mool within (ਮੂਲ : Source, Jot Saroop).

• ਯਾ ਜੁਗ ਮਹਿ ਏਕਹਿ ਕਉ ਆਇਆ ॥ ਜਨਮਤ ਮੋਹਿਓ ਮੋਹਨੀ ਮਾਇਆ ॥: (Man) is born in this life only to become ONE (with Prabh, Mool, etc. – through Naam…). (But) ever since (man’s) birth, (he) has been enticed and deceived by Maya. (sggs 251).

Once we become One with our Mool within (i.e. become Saabat Soorat-ਸਾਬਤ ਸੂਰਤਿ, recognition of ownself etc.), then we become One with everything else.

In nutshell, the mind’s Mool is the untainted Conscience, while our Mayaic or ego-impacted mind is our outer or material consciousness (perplexed, Bikaaree…).

The Gurbani tells us without being united (linked) with one’s Mool within, the mind will not be truly satisfied (contented-ਸਤ ਸੰਤੋਖੀ, killed or annihilated, frozen or conquered…).

If not connected to its Original Nature within, the mind will certainly remain connected to Maya outside (Bhav Saagar, the sense of duality, Doojaa-Bhaav, Dubidhaa, two-ness, the principle of plurality…). This is the edict (ਫੈਸਲਾ) of the universal Wisdom the SGGS:

• ਮਮਾ ਮੂਲ ਗਹਿਆ ਮਨੁ ਮਾਨੈ ॥: MAMAA: Clinging to the Mool, the mind is satisfied (ਮੰਨੇ, ਸਮਝੇ, comply…). (sggs 342).
• ਮੂਲੁ ਛੋਡਿ ਲਾਗੇ ਦੂਜੈ ਭਾਈ ॥: Abandoning the Mool, (Mayaic Jeev) become attached to the love of duality. (sggs 232).
• ਮੂਲੁ ਨ ਬੂਝਹਿ ਸਾਚਿ ਨ ਰੀਝਹਿ ਦੂਜੈ ਭਰਮਿ ਭੁਲਾਈ ਹੇ ॥੩॥: (The false ones) do not understand their Mool, they are not pleased (satisfied or gratified) with the Truth, and so they wander in duality and doubt. ||3|| (sggs 1024).
• ਚਿਟੇ ਜਿਨ ਕੇ ਕਪੜੇ ਮੈਲੇ ਚਿਤ ਕਠੋਰ ਜੀਉ ॥ ਤਿਨ ਮੁਖਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਨ ਊਪਜੈ ਦੂਜੈ ਵਿਆਪੇ ਚੋਰ ਜੀਉ ॥ ਮੂਲੁ ਨ ਬੂਝਹਿ ਆਪਣਾ ਸੇ ਪਸੂਆ ਸੇ ਢੋਰ ਜੀਉ ॥੩॥: Their clothes are white (beautiful religious robes) but their conscience is cruel and filthy (full of vices — they look holy or Mahaatamaa on the outside only). Their minds don’t acquire  Naam (Giaan-Wisdom, Virtues…); engrossed in duality they cheat people (i.e. their external appearance is only pretense-Pakhand to cheat people). They do not Understand their own Mool (Source, Jot Saroop…); that’s why they are fools with animal intelligence ||3|| (sggs 751).

Question: If Jot Sroop is the mind’s Real Nature, what did shatter it? In other words, what did go wrong?

Simply put: it is the rise of Mayaic Budhi or false ego-sense (Haumai), doubts, etc., that create havoc in the forest of the body – the birth of man’s all troubles.

On account of duality, doubts (Bharam), false intellect (ਝੂਠੀ ਮਤ) etc., Haumai, our psychological or mental conditioning veils the mind’s Original Nature. As a result, one thinks himself either ‘other’ than his Mool, or separate from it.

This is the notion of two-ness (ਦੁਬਿਧਾ-Dubidhaa…). Thus, duality is nothing but our love (Bhaav) of two-ness (Doojaa…).

To put it otherwise, by associating with duality one looses spiritual Understanding. This loosening of Divine Understanding gives rise to forgetfulness, ignorance, or obliviousness of one’s Mool so much talked about in the SGGS.

As a result, the mind miss out the opportunity to Realize its Original Nature as Jot Saroop. It is Maya with her dualistic principle of delusion or the law of opposites that deludes us from our very birth.

• ਨਉ ਘਰ ਦੇਖਿ ਜੁ ਕਾਮਨਿ ਭੂਲੀ ਬਸਤੁ ਅਨੂਪ ਨ ਪਾਈ ॥: Seeing the nine openings of the body, the soul-bride (ਜੀਵ-ਇਸਤ੍ਰੀ, Jeev) is led astray, and does not attain the Incomparable Substance (peerless, unequal, unique, or Real Thing within – Mool, ਜੋਤ-ਰੂਪ…). (sggs 339).

As a result – although our Mool within is our Mooring – but we have lost that Mooring, and consequently have gone astray. In other words, it’s one’s Manmukh or Saakat or Mayadhaaree state of the mind responsible for losing connection with the Mool within.

• ਮਨਮੁਖ ਮੂਲਹੁ ਭੁਲਿਆ ਵਿਚਿ ਲਬੁ ਲੋਭੁ ਅਹੰਕਾਰੁ ॥: The Manmukh (self-willed…) forget the Mool; for they are caught in greed, avarice, and pride (i.e., Bikaar). (sggs 316).
• ਸਾਕਤ ਨਿਰਗੁਣਿਆਰਿਆ ਆਪਣਾ ਮੂਲੁ ਪਛਾਣੁ ॥: O devoid of all virtues – ਗੁਣ-ਹੀਨ, Saakat – recognize your own Mool! (sggs 63).
• ਮੂਲੁ ਨ ਬੂਝੈ ਆਪੁ ਨ ਸੂਝੈ ਭਰਮਿ ਬਿਆਪੀ ਅਹੰ ਮਨੀ ॥੧॥: Engrossed in doubt and egotism, (The mortal does) not know the Mool; he does not understand his ownself. ||1|| (sggs 1186).

The Gurbani says we can still regain our link with our Original Mooring (Mool) while still living in the midst of the happenings of the world (Maya). But, that requires making our Mann (ਮਨ), Chit (ਚਿਤ), and Hukam as One — Gurmukh Mindset Enlightened State of the mind.

• ਤ੍ਰਿਤੀਆ ਤੀਨੇ ਸਮ ਕਰਿ ਲਿਆਵੈ ॥ ਆਨਦ ਮੂਲ ਪਰਮ ਪਦੁ ਪਾਵੈ ॥: Triteeaa (Third…), one who maintains his equilibrium (Aatmac Adolataa-ਆਤਮਕ ਅਡੋਲਤਾ) amidst the three modes (of Maya – making Mann, Chit, and Hukam as One…), realize the Mool, and the Param Pada (the Supreme State of becoming One with the Shabad within, ਉੱਚੀ ਆਤਮਕ ਅਵਸਥਾ…). (sggs 343).
• ਜੇ ਇਕੁ ਹੋਇ ਤ ਉਗਵੈ ਰੁਤੀ ਹੂ ਰੁਤਿ ਹੋਇ ॥: The seed sprouts only if the seed is whole (undivided, Saabat-ਸਾਬਤ…) and if the season is proper (similarly, the Naam-seed sprouts within only if the mind and Consciousness – ਮੱਨ ਅਤੇ ਚਿੱਤ – are one: whole, complete, unfragmented, total, Saabat-ਸਾਬਤ…). (sggs 468).

The Gurbani is the Way of understanding. For one to link with his Mool within, the Gurbani says that he needs to become Enlightened. Because, the Gurbani indicates that only by becoming the Enlightened (Gurmukh Mindset) one can come out of the egg of doubt and eliminate the negative impact of the false ego-sense (Haumai) and become established in Sahaj Avasthaa (Natural State of Being, Enlightened state).

• ਇਹੁ ਮਨੁ ਨਿਹਚਲੁ ਹਿਰਦੈ ਵਸੀਅਲੇ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਮੂਲੁ ਪਛਾਣਿ ਰਹੈ ॥: Internalization of the spiritual Message of the Shabad (the Gurmukh-Hood State of Mind) enables its Essence to be Rooted (Mool) within the mind permanently. (sggs 945).

A Manmukh only knows how to get trapped in Bhav Saagar. But, the Gurmukh is opposite of the Manmukh.

The Gurbani indicates that when the Surat (ਸੁਰਤ, consciences) gets absorbed in its Mool from which it was born, then the fear of death, Mayaic thoughts etc. do not come near it (i.e. becomes Free from repeated suffering).

• ਮੂਲੁ ਪਛਾਣਨਿ ਤਿਨ ਨਿਜ ਘਰਿ ਵਾਸਾ ਸਹਜੇ ਹੀ ਸੁਖੁ ਹੋਈ ॥: (Those who) understand their own Mool dwell within the Home of their Inner Being (Nij Ghar) in Peace and Sahaj (Natural State of Being, ਆਤਮਕ ਅਡੋਲਤਾ, ਗਿਆਨ ਅਵਸਤਾ…). (sggs 1334)
• ਮੂਲੁ ਜਾਣਿ ਗਲਾ ਕਰੇ ਹਾਣਿ ਲਾਏ ਹਾਣੁ ॥: (One who assays his ownself…) Speaks with those (ਆਪਣੇ ਸੁਭਾਉ ਵਾਲੇ, who have similar inclinations…) who know the Mool. (sggs 148).

The Gurbani (SGGS) is meant to be read / listened by oneself, its true meanings understood through Shabad-Vichaar, and its Message then applied to one’s day-to-day living.

Merely keeping the Gurbani wrapped in fancy fabric and worshiping it like an idol as propagated by the self serving Pujaaree (clergy: Granthis, Parcharaks, Ragis, Dhadees etc.) and the freeloading Deraa-Vaad Baabaas (ਵੇਹਲੜ) and their religious Pakhand will not do the trick — Mool Realization cannot be made to an order or given to somebody as a mundane gift! This is the Gurbani’s edict.

• ਆਪਣ ਹਥੀ ਆਪਣਾ ਆਪੇ ਹੀ ਕਾਜੁ ਸਵਾਰੀਐ ॥੨੦॥: (So long there is breath — Praan) accomplish the task (of God Realization) yourself ( i.e. with self-efforts: Shabad-Vichaar …). ||20|| (sggs 474).

According to the SGGS, the key is one has to mend the mind through the Gurmat Wisdom — reform the mind, bring about positive change in thinking.

• ਆਪੁ ਸਵਾਰਹਿ ਮੈ ਮਿਲਹਿ ਮੈ ਮਿਲਿਆ ਸੁਖੁ ਹੋਇ ॥ ਫਰੀਦਾ ਜੇ ਤੂ ਮੇਰਾ ਹੋਇ ਰਹਹਿ ਸਭੁ ਜਗੁ ਤੇਰਾ ਹੋਇ ॥੯੫॥: If you REFORM yourself then you will Realize Me (i.e. God), and when you Realize Me (i.e. God), you will rejoice in Spiritual Bliss. O Farid, (reforming yourself) if you become Mine then the entire world would become yours. ||95|| (sggs 1382).

In other words, mere robotic, mechanical, or ritualistic reading (for the sake of making money etc.) and hearing of the Gurbani without living it and without understanding the Mool with the help of its Divine Knowledge would be unavailing.

• ਮੂਰਖ ਦੁਬਿਧਾ ਪੜ੍ਹਹਿ ਮੂਲੁ ਨ ਪਛਾਣਹਿ ਬਿਰਥਾ ਜਨਮੁ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥: Fools read in duality, (as a result, they) do not recognize their Mool; (thus, they) waste their lives uselessly. (sggs 1133).
• ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਸੁਨਿ ਕਛੁ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਨ ਉਪਜਿਓ ਪਸੁ ਜਿਉ ਉਦਰੁ ਭਰਉ ॥: Listening to the Gurmat (Shabad-Giaan, Teaching of the Gurbani, etc.), (if) no Spiritual Wisdom (understanding of the Spiritual Life…) wells up within; (then it would be) like a beast (routinely) filling its belly (sggs 685).

One of the examples used in the Gurbani is that of ‘ladles‘ (ਕੜਛੀਆ). Although ladles cruise through all sorts of food, but they do not know the relish of that food – they just remain empty of it!

• ਕੜਛੀਆ ਫਿਰੰਨ੍ਹ੍ਹਿ ਸੁਆਉ ਨ ਜਾਣਨ੍ਹ੍ਹਿ ਸੁਞੀਆ ॥ ਸੇਈ ਮੁਖ ਦਿਸੰਨ੍ਹ੍ਹਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਰਤੇ ਪ੍ਰੇਮ ਰਸਿ ॥੧॥: Ladles cruise through food, (but) they do not know the taste of the food. (Similarly, Nanak, only they enjoyed the (Ruhani or spiritual taste) who are tinged with the taste of the Divine Love (rest of us remain like ‘ladles’). ||1|| (sggs 521).