Crushing Mental Load

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The level of intelligence of an utterly foolish or stupid person sans of divine Giyan-Wisdom / Virtues, is generally compared with that of a donkey. Poor Donkey! A donkey or an ass is known to be the beast of burden. It carries burden day and night, without knowing for who and why it is doing it. It is happy so long its belly is filled!

  • ਇਕਨਾ ਸੁਧਿ ਨ ਬੁਧਿ ਨ ਅਕਲਿ ਸਰ ਅਖਰ ਕਾ ਭੇਉ ਨ ਲਹੰਤਿ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਸੇ ਨਰ ਅਸਲਿ ਖਰ ਜਿ ਬਿਨੁ ਗੁਣ ਗਰਬੁ ਕਰੰਤਿ ॥੨॥ : There are many people who do not have any spiritual understanding, Wisdom, intelligence, and do not understand the Guru Shabad. Nanak, such people who pretend to be good or righteous without Virtues (and are proud of their memorized letter knowledge), those people are real donkeys. ||2|| (sggs 1246).

During the journey of life on this earth, we humans also overload ourselves with the crushing load which we carry entire life.

What is this crushing load?

The negative impact of false ego-sense (Haumai) – lust, anger, greed, attachment and pride along with its various faults (vices/Bikaar) is identified by the Gurbani enshrined within the the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) to be the crushing burden/load on human mind.

  • ਹਉਮੈ ਮੋਹ ਭਰਮ ਭੈ ਭਾਰ ॥ : Egotism, attachment, doubt and fear are loads. (sggs 292).
  • ਹਉਮੈ ਬਿਖੁ ਮਨੁ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਲਦਿਆ ਅਜਗਰ ਭਾਰੀ ॥ : Haumai or false ego-sense is poison (that brings death to divine life of wisdom and Virtues), (man’s) mind remains lured by this (poison of Haumai), and remains loaded by this heavy dragon (of Haumai). (sggs 1260).
  • ਹਉ ਹਉ ਕਰਤੇ ਕਰਮ ਰਤ ਤਾ ਕੋ ਭਾਰੁ ਅਫਾਰ ॥ : Acting in egotism, people carry the unbearable load (252).
  • ਬਹੁਤੁ ਸਿਆਣਪ ਆਗਲ ਭਾਰਾ ॥ : Through clever tricks (performed in the love of Maya), the weight (of vices/Bikaar) is only piled on more and more. (sggs 178).
  • ਲੋਭ ਵਿਕਾਰ ਨਾਵ ਡੁਬਦੀ ਨਿਕਲੀ ਜਾ ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਦਿੜਾਏ ॥ : My boat (of life) was sinking under the weight of greed and vices/Bikaar, but it was saved as I firmly became abided in the Divine Naam (Giyan-Wisdom / Virtues) through the Satguru’s Instructions. (sggs 443).
  • ਅਸੰਖ ਨਿੰਦਕ ਸਿਰਿ ਕਰਹਿ ਭਾਰੁ ॥ : (My Enlightened Conscience brings Realization of my) countless acts of denying the Creator that burden my mind or Conscience. (sggs 4).
  • ਮਾਇਆ ਮੋਹੁ ਅਗਿਆਨੁ ਹੈ ਬਿਖਮੁ ਅਤਿ ਭਾਰੀ ॥ : Attachment to Maya is ignorance; it is terrible and very heavy load (sggs 509).
  • ਮਾਇਆ ਮਾਇਆ ਕੇ ਜੋ ਅਧਿਕਾਈ ਵਿਚਿ ਮਾਇਆ ਪਚੈ ਪਚੀਜੈ ॥ ਅਗਿਆਨੁ ਅੰਧੇਰੁ ਮਹਾ ਪੰਥੁ ਬਿਖੜਾ ਅਹੰਕਾਰਿ ਭਾਰਿ ਲਦਿ ਲੀਜੈ ॥ : Those who are entirely in love with Maya, rot away in Maya (consumed by the hunger or desires of Maya…). (For such person) the Spiritual ignorance becomes darkness and (in that darkness, he) remains strayed on the path (of his life, because he ever remains) loaded with the load of egotism (sggs 1326).

Because of mental load, one is burden by all the thoughts that are running through one’s wandering mind day in and day out and we constantly worry and in madness we work like a donkey.

The Creator is Jot-Light

The Gurbani (SGGS) defines the Creator or Universal Energy as Formless, beyond causation, non-dual, Blissful, Eternal, Timeless (i.e. beyond the purview of time), Changeless (because change can only be conceived within the parameter of time) etc. Accordingly, the Creator is also said to be without a beginning, middle, or an end because the beginning, middle, or end can only be conceived within the confines of time-space-causation.

  • ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੰਭਉ ਕਲਿ ਅੰਧਕਾਰ ਦੀਪਾਈ ॥ : The Creator is immortal, self manifested and free of incarnation; He illuminates the darkness of spiritual ignorance of ‘kali‘ (i.e. mind’s state of falsehood, Mayaic wandering etc) with Divine Wisdom. ||18|| (sggs 916).
  • ਓਅੰ ਸਾਧ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਨਮਸਕਾਰੰ ॥ ਆਦਿ ਮਧਿ ਅੰਤਿ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰੰ ॥ : I bow in reverence to the Universal Creator, the holy Satigur. This ‘Nirankaar‘ / Formless Creator was there in the beginning of the creation, is present now and will be there in the end. (sggs 250).

This Supreme Reality or Universal Energy is also characterized as Jot (ਜੋਤ-light, spirit, energy etc.) etc.

  • ਆਪੇ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਰੂਪੀ ਬਾਲਾ ॥ : The Creator (Universal Energy) is present in the form of ‘Jot’ / Divine Light and is ever young. (sggs 1021).
  • ਜੋਤਿ ਸਰੂਪੀ ਸਭੁ ਜਗੁ ਮਉਲੋ ॥ : The Creator (Universal Energy) is the Divine Light (‘Jot’) that makes the whole world blossom. (sggs 1083).
  • ਜੋਤਿ ਸਰੂਪ ਜਾ ਕੀ ਸਭ ਵਥੁ ॥ : This entire Universe is created by the Creator and is the Embodiment of the Divine Light. (sggs 1150).
  • ਜੋਤਿ ਸਰੂਪੀ ਤਤ ਅਨੂਪ ॥ ਅਮਲ ਨ ਮਲ ਨ ਛਾਹ ਨਹੀ ਧੂਪ ॥੧੧॥ : (The Creator) is pure Light (‘Jot’), the essence of the universe and is Unique (i.e. unlike the concept of physical God). (The Creator) having no filth of world-play; neither there is shade or sunlight (i.e. the Creator is Unchanging – always in one Stable State). ||11|| (sggs 344).

Mind’s Original (untainted) Nature is also Jot: Jot Saroop

The Gurbani believes in downward causation where Absolute Consciousness (call it God, Divine, Allah, Bhagwaan, Hari, Ram, Truth …) is the Highest Spiritual State of Being, followed by the mind and the body. Unlike the mind, the body is matter. Matter is divisible and has a location (time and space). This separation of body and mind is described in the Gurbani very clearly.

Furthermore, in its Purest form, the mind (or soul) in its Unconditioned or Original State is said to be the Image or embodiment of the Divine Jot (‘Jot Saroop’). The word ‘Saroop’ is made of two words, namely ‘Sva‘ and ‘Roop‘. The first part ‘Sva‘ means ‘your own’, and the second part ‘Roop’ means ‘state, image, embodiment, etc’. The Gurbani says we are That ‘Jot Saroop‘ — the true image or embodiment of Cosmic Consciousness prior to the movement of the false ego-sense (Haume) in it. The true Dharma of the mind is to abide in this Truth.

  • ਮਨ ਤੂੰ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਰੂਪੁ ਹੈ ਆਪਣਾ ਮੂਲੁ ਪਛਾਣੁ ॥ ਮਨ ਹਰਿ ਜੀ ਤੇਰੈ ਨਾਲਿ ਹੈ ਗੁਰਮਤੀ ਰੰਗੁ ਮਾਣੁ ॥ ਮੂਲੁ ਪਛਾਣਹਿ ਤਾਂ ਸਹੁ ਜਾਣਹਿ ਮਰਣ ਜੀਵਣ ਕੀ ਸੋਝੀ ਹੋਈ ॥ ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦੀ ਏਕੋ ਜਾਣਹਿ ਤਾਂ ਦੂਜਾ ਭਾਉ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥ ਮਨਿ ਸਾਂਤਿ ਆਈ ਵਜੀ ਵਧਾਈ ਤਾ ਹੋਆ ਪਰਵਾਣੁ ॥ ਇਉ ਕਹੈ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਮਨ ਤੂੰ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਰੂਪੁ ਹੈ ਅਪਣਾ ਮੂਲੁ ਪਛਾਣੁ ॥੫॥ : O mind, you are the ‘Jot Saroop’ – embodiment of Energy! Recognize your Mool (i.e. Root, Origin…). … (sggs 441).
  • ਤਤੁ ਨਿਰੰਜਨੁ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਬਾਈ ਸੋਹੰ ਭੇਦੁ ਨ ਕੋਈ ਜੀਉ ॥ : The Essence which is free from the influence of Maya, the Light/Jot of all — I am He and He is me — there is no difference. (sggs 599).

Jot is Mass-Less

In the Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity and the equation e=mc², the speed of light is unchanging – constant. Constituted of photons, light has zero mass. As a result, the speed of light is not effected by the gravitational force. Because of light’s zero mass, even the tremendous pull of the gravitational force of the so called ‘black hole’ cannot affect the speed of light, only the direction is changed.

The implication here is that in order to link with Universal Jot (Light, Spirit, Energy…), our mind (‘Jot Saroop’) also needs becoming weightless, light or mass-less (‘ਹੁਕਮਿ ਰਜਾਈ ਚਲਣਾ’).

Becoming weightless, light weighted or mass-less does not mean to go on crash diet to become very skinny, anorexic etc.

To link with its Mass-Less Mool, mind has to become mass-less as well

Since mind is the True Image of ‘Jot’ or Mass-less Light (‘Jot Saroop‘), to Realize That Universal Light, we need to become like That Light too (i.e. mass-less) Unless and until we have become exactly like That Jot/Light, we cannot become connected to IT. The Gurbani says:

  • ਜੋ ਤੇਰੀ ਸਰਨਾਗਤਾ ਤਿਨ ਨਾਹੀ ਭਾਰੁ ॥ ਊਚ ਨੀਚ ਤੁਮ ਤੇ ਤਰੇ ਆਲਜੁ ਸੰਸਾਰੁ ॥੨॥ : O God, all those who realize You (within) do not carry any load of vices/Bikaar. People belonging to high or low status swim across the ocean of worldly temptations and their corrupting influences (Bhav Saagar). ||2|| (sggs 858).
  • ਮਨੁ ਮੈਲਾ ਸਚੁ ਨਿਰਮਲਾ ਕਿਉ ਕਰਿ ਮਿਲਿਆ ਜਾਇ ॥ : The Truth is Pure; (so long the man’s) mind is impure (with Haumai, Bikaar, etc.); he cannot realize (the Truth) (sggs 755).

That said, the Gurbani (SGGS) counsels removal of all traces of this crushing mental load so that we can become a part and parcel of the Cosmic Jot/Light for which we were created, and bring it sincerely in life. 

Once the mind is unburdened from this ‘crushing load’, the mind regains its ‘Jot Saroop’ status again, and becomes light / mass-less (‘ਹਰੂਏ ਹਰੂਏ’, ਹਲਕੇ, ਹੌਲੇ), and so on. Consider the following Salok of Kabeer Sahib.

  • ਕਬੀਰ ਬੇੜਾ ਜਰਜਰਾ ਫੂਟੇ ਛੇਂਕ ਹਜਾਰ ॥ ਹਰੂਏ ਹਰੂਏ ਤਿਰਿ ਗਏ ਡੂਬੇ ਜਿਨ ਸਿਰ ਭਾਰ ॥੩੫॥ : Kabir, if the boat is worn out and cracked with thousands holes, that ship is bound to sink in the ocean — MEANING: Human body of weak-minded people is like a worn out ship exposed to numerous vices/Bikaar in the ocean (Bhav Sagar) of worldly attractions with their corrupting influences. Only those who do not carry load of vices/Bikaar (i.e. Gurmukhs / enlightened / Guru Shabad-Oriented) swim across this ocean of worldly life (become God Realized within – ‘ਹੁਕਮਿ ਰਜਾਈ ਚਲਣਾ’), whereas those who carry the load of vices/Bikaar are drowned under the load in this ocean of worldliness (spiritually ruined, die wasting human life). ||35|| (sggs 1366).

In this context, also consider the following anecdote from the life of Guru Nanak. This little story gives us a glimpse into Guru Nanak’s pure state of no-ego or no-Haumai (mass-less state of the mind).

It is said that Guru Nanak with his companion, Mardana, went to Multan (in 1530). At that time, the city was known for its many fake Sants, gurus, Pirs (Sufi priests), Fakirs, etc. They were afraid of some true one coming in their town and disillusioning crowds that worshipped them. Guru Nanak and Mardana stopped by the side of a river there and sat down in a garden outside the town. Because of his intensive traveling, Guru Nanak was well known there. Worried of Guru Nanak’s presence there, it is said that the head of the spin masters (Pir Bahauddin of Multan) sent an emissary to meet Guru Nanak with a bowl of milk completely filled to the brim: too full to have another drop. Symbolically, implying that: (1) the place was already full of Pirs and Fakirs and that there was hardly any room for more; (2) therefore he was not welcome there; (3) so he should move along.

Guru Nanak knew the implication in the offer made by the Pir! A spiritually elevated person like Guru Nanak, as a rule, has no conflict or friction with anybody. Instead of boasting about himself, it is said that in utmost humility Guru Nanak plucked a jasmine flower from the garden and gently placed it on the surface of the milk and returned the bowl to the Pir. The jasmine flower was a symbolic message in return, meaning that there was still room for one more – he would float as lightly as the flower and give fragrance to all of them. The Pirs and the Fakirs, finally, allowed Guru Nanak to enter the city. He gave them a sweet discourse. The proud and arrogant Pirs came to their senses and learnt humility.

  • ਮੇਲਿਓ ਬਾਬਾ ਉਠਿਆ ਮੁਲਤਾਨੇ ਦੀ ਜਾਰਤਿ ਜਾਈ ॥ ਅਗੋਂ ਪੀਰ ਮੁਲਤਾਨ ਦੇ ਦੁਧ ਕਟੋਰਾ ਭਰ ਲੈ ਆਈ ॥ ਬਾਬੇ ਕਢ ਕਰ ਬਗਲ ਤੇ ਚੰਬੇਲੀ ਦੁੱਧ ਵਿਚ ਮਿਲਾਈ ॥ ਜਿਉਂ ਸਾਗਰ ਵਿਚ ਗੰਗ ਸਮਾਈ ॥44॥ : Leaving the fair at Achal Vatala Baba went on a pilgrimage to Multan. At Multan the Pirs came forward holding a bowl of milk full to the brim (which means that Pirs here are already in plenty). Baba took out a jasmine flower from the side and floated it on the milk (which meant that he was not going to put anybody to trouble). It was such a scene as if the Ganges were merging into the sea. ||44||. (Bhai Gurdaas Ji, Vaar 1, Paurree 44).

Simply put, becoming weightless, light weighted or mass-less is the Inner Game – ‘ਹੁਕਮਿ ਰਜਾਈ ਚਲਣਾ’.

The Gurbani teaches that those who become the Gurmukhs (enlightened / Guru Shabad-Oriented) ONLY know what it means by being weighted or otherwise.

  • ਅਪਰੰਪਰੁ ਅਗਮ ਅਗੋਚਰੁ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਹਰਿ ਆਪਿ ਤੁਲਾਏ ਅਤੁਲੁ ਤੋਲਿ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ : The infinite, incomprehensible and unfathomable God’s Virtues are inestimable, but those who become Gurmukh (enlightened / Guru Shabad-Oriented) can realize the Creator within (‘ਹੁਕਮਿ ਰਜਾਈ ਚਲਣਾ’). ||1||Pause|| (sggs 1170).
  • ਕਾਇਆ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਤੋਲਿ ਤੁਲਾਵੈ ਆਪੇ ਤੋਲਣਹਾਰਾ ॥ : In the human body also dwells the Creator, the weigher, who weighs (i.e. assesses) people’s performance with the Divine Hukam (‘ਹੁਕਮਿ ਰਜਾਈ ਚਲਣਾ’). (sggs 754).

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