Gurbani says don’t Remain ‘Bull of Kohlu’

Also used in the Gurbani for teaching purpose, ‘Bull of Kohlu‘ or ‘Bull of Koloo’ is a frequently used popular proverb in Indian subcontinent – (‘ ਕੋਲੂ ਦਾ ਬੈਲ ‘ / ‘ कोल्हू का बैल ‘ / ‘ کولُھو کا بَیل ‘).

The Divine Counsel of the Gurbani enshrined within the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) teaches humans NOT to become or remain a bull of Kohlu (or Koloo) in life.

Literally:
Kohlu (ਕੋਲੂ ) or Koloo = oil-press; the machine that extracts oil from oil-seeds
Bail (ਬੈਲ) or Balad (ਬਲਦ) = Bullock, Ox

Kohlu or Koloo is an ancient oil extraction machine, driven by bull. Oil extracted by this method is also called ‘cold pressed’ oil, because the heat involved is less and the medicinal properties of the oil are retained. The bull is blindfolded, and it continuously keeps moving round and round in circle in the same direction day in, day out.

The Gurus and Bhagats – composers of Bani (ਬਾਣੀਕਾਰ) who are included in the SGGS – were not only God-Connected within, they were also excellent communicators, poets, and presenters. To explain very complex spiritual ideas, they effectively used idioms, metaphors, proverbs, language, vocabulary, beliefs, phrases, terms, and traditions that were already within the use and within the psyche of people of the time.

Idioms / metaphors etc capture subtle nuances of spirituality and create imagery in the mind and make the reader see things in a new way, improving understanding. Since the entirety of the Gurbani enshrined within the SGGS addresses the human mind, proverb, idioms, metaphors etc expressing the subtlety of the spiritual experiences of the Gurus and Bhagats have been used in their Bani. They magnify and boost the spiritual Message of the Shabad, drawing the reader’s attention by Awakening his/her slumbering mind.

This proverb ‘Bull of Kohlu‘ is used metaphorically in the Gurbani in a Spiritual context meaning: Someone who works or do something day in and day out without any thought, critical thinking and advancement just as the Kohlu or Koloo’s Bull, without stopping.

ਜੋ ਨਿੰਦਾ ਕਰੇ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪੂਰੇ ਕੀ ਸੁ ਅਉਖਾ ਜਗ ਮਹਿ ਹੋਇਆ ॥ ਨਰਕ ਘੋਰੁ ਦੁਖ ਖੂਹੁ ਹੈ ਓਥੈ ਪਕੜਿ ਓਹੁ ਢੋਇਆ ॥ ਕੂਕ ਪੁਕਾਰ ਕੋ ਨ ਸੁਣੇ ਓਹੁ ਅਉਖਾ ਹੋਇ ਹੋਇ ਰੋਇਆ ॥ ਓਨਿ ਹਲਤੁ ਪਲਤੁ ਸਭੁ ਗਵਾਇਆ ਲਾਹਾ ਮੂਲੁ ਸਭੁ ਖੋਇਆ ॥ ਓਹੁ ਤੇਲੀ ਸੰਦਾ ਬਲਦੁ ਕਰਿ ਨਿਤ ਭਲਕੇ ਉਠਿ ਪ੍ਰਭਿ ਜੋਇਆ ॥ ਹਰਿ ਵੇਖੈ ਸੁਣੈ ਨਿਤ ਸਭੁ ਕਿਛੁ ਤਿਦੂ ਕਿਛੁ ਗੁਝਾ ਨ ਹੋਇਆ ॥ ਜੈਸਾ ਬੀਜੇ ਸੋ ਲੁਣੈ ਜੇਹਾ ਪੁਰਬਿ ਕਿਨੈ ਬੋਇਆ ॥ ਜਿਸੁ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਕਰੇ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਆਪਣੀ ਤਿਸੁ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕੇ ਚਰਣ ਧੋਇਆ ॥ ਗੁਰ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪਿਛੈ ਤਰਿ ਗਇਆ ਜਿਉ ਲੋਹਾ ਕਾਠ ਸੰਗੋਇਆ ॥ ਜਨ ਨਾਨਕ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਇ ਤੂ ਜਪਿ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮਿ ਸੁਖੁ ਹੋਇਆ ॥੧॥ : A person who bad mouth true Wisdom of the Guru (ਸੱਚਾ ਗਿਆਨ) that person suffers in life. That person gets subjected to much suffering as if he/she is caught and thrown into a deep well of hellish existence. No one listens to that person’s cries for help when he/she wails being in hard times/suffering. (Consequently) that person loses all life – past and future – and loses all possible spiritual ‘Laahaa‘ (spiritual benefit from human birth). Such a person is like the oilman’s bullock that is made to get up and be yoked every day (to the Koloo). The Creator within (as Divine Hukam – the Law of consequences) watches and listens to everything we do and say, nothing is concealed from the Creator (a bull goes around the oil extracting machine, day in and day out, puts in effort by going in circles, but not getting any share itself. Similarly a person engrossed Un-Gurmat practices / materialism / Maya and works hard will have no Spiritual ‘Laahaa‘ to show for). Based on the principle of as one sows so one reaps, whatever a person has sowed in his/her life to-date gets the consequences of that. But one who makes him/herself fit for the Divine Grace within, that person follows the enlightening Spiritual Wisdom contained within the Guru Shabad. Like iron is ferried across water in the company of wood, a person gets across the ocean (Bhav Saagar) worldly attractions and their corrupting influences by following the true Wisdom of the Guru (ਸੱਚਾ ਗਿਆਨ). Nanak, you should remember Divine Naam (Wisdom / Virtues / Hukam…) to realize peace-Sukh within. ॥1॥(sggs 309).

For example, the Gurbani repeatedly points out how the majority (probably over 99%) in their stubborn mindedness keep repeating Sanatani Karamkaand (rituals) sans of any understanding and any positive change in the mindset or vision in life, without critical thinking, and without using commonsense. This may include but not limited to the following ‘Parpanch‘ / ‘Pakhand’ / imitation or sheepish mentality in the name of Dharma:

engaging in Un-Gurmat Karamkaand and Pakhand entire life that have been debunked and rejected in the Shabad Guru (SGGS),
visiting Gurdwaras entire life,
performing ritual pilgrimages entire life,
ritual bathing in Srovars, ponds and rivers entire life,
ritual/robotic reading of the Gurbani entire life,
ritual/robotic singing of the Gurbani entire life (kirtan – ‘ਰੋਟੀਆ ਕਾਰਣਿ’),
maintaining mere external religious robes or religious appearance entire life,
maintaining religious paraphernalia entire life,
preaching entire life for the sake of Maya only to exploit people for bountiful gains (‘ਪੜਿਆ ਮੂਰਖੁ’ – learned fool); and so on. For example, nowadays, greedy and self-serving clergy/Pujaaree clique – selfish granthis, ragis, kirtanias, parcharaks, kathavachaks, Jathedars, sadh babas, and some writers – mislead the Sangat by nonstop repetition of concocted historical narratives, and by the distorted interpretations of Bani in accordance with the prevailing Snatani ideology (Bipar-vaad).

Such hypocrite (Pakhandi) or Parpanchi individuals being ignorant, deluded, illusioned, unenlightened, foolish, Mann Matiya (ਮੰਨ ਮੱਤੀਆ) etc are compared in the Gurbani with the Kohlu’s bull. In addition, they are also compared with the spinning wheel, the grinding stones which grind grain to flour, the potter’s wheel, whirlwinds in the desert, churning spindles, birds wandering in their flights without break etc, they all move a lot ceaselessly.

In this context, here is an another eye opening Shabad of Baba Nanak:

ਵਾਇਨਿ ਚੇਲੇ ਨਚਨਿ ਗੁਰ ॥ ਪੈਰ ਹਲਾਇਨਿ ਫੇਰਨਿੑ ਸਿਰ ॥ ਉਡਿ ਉਡਿ ਰਾਵਾ ਝਾਟੈ ਪਾਇ ॥ ਵੇਖੈ ਲੋਕੁ ਹਸੈ ਘਰਿ ਜਾਇ ॥ ਰੋਟੀਆ ਕਾਰਣਿ ਪੂਰਹਿ ਤਾਲ ॥ ਆਪੁ ਪਛਾੜਹਿ ਧਰਤੀ ਨਾਲਿ ॥ ….. ਕੋਲੂ ਚਰਖਾ ਚਕੀ ਚਕੁ ॥ ਥਲ ਵਾਰੋਲੇ ਬਹੁਤੁ ਅਨੰਤੁ ॥ ਲਾਟੂ ਮਾਧਾਣੀਆ ਅਨਗਾਹ ॥ ਪੰਖੀ ਭਉਦੀਆ ਲੈਨਿ ਨ ਸਾਹ ॥ ਸੂਐ ਚਾੜਿ ਭਵਾਈਅਹਿ ਜੰਤ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਭਉਦਿਆ ਗਣਤ ਨ ਅੰਤ ॥ ਬੰਧਨ ਬੰਧਿ ਭਵਾਏ ਸੋਇ ॥ ਪਇਐ ਕਿਰਤਿ ਨਚੈ ਸਭੁ ਕੋਇ ॥ : While staging these shows, disciples play the music, and their so called gurus dance. While dancing they kick around their feet and turn around their heads. The dust flies and falls upon their heads. Beholding them, the people laugh, and then go home. They perform to the beat for the sake of bread – as a means of livelihood. They throw themselves upon the ground. ….. The oil-press (Koloo), the spinning wheel, the grinding stones and the potter’s wheel, Whirlwinds in the desert; they all move a lot ceaselessly. The spinning tops, the churning spindles, the threshers, the breathless tumbling of the birds, and the creatures moving round and round in ignorance. Nanak, there is no end to such examples of beings so whirled around in ignorance. Everyone acts trapped in chains by their own actions (Law of consequences). (sggs 465).

The people who spread religious rituals (Karamkaand) and those who accept their influence (become brainwashed) are told that if you perform religious rituals as told, then at the end of the day, you will have all your desires in this life as well as after this life (after death) fulfilled. When nothing like that happens, then they become frustrated with life.

In the following Shabad, the Gurbani teaches that those who follow ignorance or mistake ignorance for Wisdom, dance to the rhythm of drums and cymbals. Seeing their Pakhand, some people laugh inwardly at their ignorance because they know that these dancers follow the rhythm for the sake of bread (‘ਰੋਟੀਆ ਕਾਰਣਿ ਪੂਰਹਿ ਤਾਲ’). They praise and preach about concocted demigods and gods, fake hell and heaven, fake Sach Khand, fabricated Jum Doot-Dharma Raj-Chitr Gupt, rubbish of afterlife reincarnation, anti-Gurmat rituals to divert our attention from the real Granth (SGGS) etc, and falsely associate rest of the humanity with them. In other words, they (Pakhandi clergy and their followers) have become Kohlu’s bull themselves, and they want rest of the population to remain Kohlu’s bull as well.

ਗਿਆਨੀ ਧਿਆਨੀ ਬਹੁ ਉਪਦੇਸੀ ਇਹੁ ਜਗੁ ਸਗਲੋ ਧੰਧਾ ॥ ਕਹਿ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਕ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਬਿਨੁ ਇਆ ਜਗੁ ਮਾਇਆ ਅੰਧਾ ॥੨॥੧॥੧੬॥੬੭॥ : Many ‘Giyanis’ (scholars etc.) discuss knowledge, many ‘Dhiaanis‘ sit in Samadhi (meditation etc.), many give sermons; (but in fact) these are professions for earning livelihood in the world. Kabeer says – without Awareness of NAAM (Wisdom, Virtues…), this world is gone (mentally) blind in Maya (temptations). ||2||1||16||67|| (sggs 338).

The life of those churning water instead of churning Gurbani (SGGS) is compared with the intoxicated bull who runs around wildly, romps, eats and then falls into hellish existence by becoming a subservient to others entire life, or a donkey who arising each day grazes upon the green grass; it laughs and brays, and then dies.

ਹਰਿ ਕੇ ਨਾਮ ਬਿਨੁ ਧ੍ਰਿਗੁ ਸ੍ਰੋਤ ॥ ਜੀਵਨ ਰੂਪ ਬਿਸਾਰਿ ਜੀਵਹਿ ਤਿਹ ਕਤ ਜੀਵਨ ਹੋਤ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ ਖਾਤ ਪੀਤ ਅਨੇਕ ਬਿੰਜਨ ਜੈਸੇ ਭਾਰ ਬਾਹਕ ਖੋਤ ॥ ਆਠ ਪਹਰ ਮਹਾ ਸ੍ਰਮੁ ਪਾਇਆ ਜੈਸੇ ਬਿਰਖ ਜੰਤੀ ਜੋਤ ॥੧॥ ਤਜਿ ਗੋੁਪਾਲ ਜਿ ਆਨ ਲਾਗੇ ਸੇ ਬਹੁ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਰੀ ਰੋਤ ॥ ਕਰ ਜੋਰਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਦਾਨੁ ਮਾਗੈ ਹਰਿ ਰਖਉ ਕੰਠਿ ਪਰੋਤ ॥੨॥੫॥੧੩॥ : It is disgraceful for the human being who are blessed with the ears – and other organs of the body – not to listen to and live without the Divine Naam (Giyan-Wisdom / Virtues / Hukam). What is the life of those people who live (spend life) oblivious of the Creator?). ||Pause|| Forgetting to live by Divine Naam, those who remain confined to eating, drinking are like donkeys carrying loads. They engage themselves to toil for material gains round the clock like an ox yoked to a grinding machine. ||1|| Forgetting the Creator, those who are engaged in other ideas, they suffer in numerous ways. Nanak, I beg for the gift of the Divine Naam, I will always remember it in my mind — I always remain on the path of Divine Naam (Giyan-Wisdom / Virtues / Hukam). ||2||5||13|| (sggs 1121).
ਹਰੀ ਅੰਗੂਰੀ ਗਦਹਾ ਚਰੈ ॥ ਨਿਤ ਉਠਿ ਹਾਸੈ ਹੀਗੈ ਮਰੈ ॥੧॥ ਮਾਤਾ ਭੈਸਾ ਅੰਮੁਹਾ ਜਾਇ ॥ ਕੁਦਿ ਕੁਦਿ ਚਰੈ ਰਸਾਤਲਿ ਪਾਇ ॥੨॥ : The donkey (i.e., the foolish mind) grazes upon the green grass (of vices/Bikaar or Maya); arising each day, (the mind) laughs and brays (like a donkey), and (finally) dies (in this ‘hee-haw’ or a donkey-lifestyle). ||1|| The intoxicated bull (of the deluded and Bikaaree mind) wanders around wildly. It romps (in false ego-sense) and eats (the crop of Bikaar, Maya …) and then is ruined completely (live a hellish existence or low life…). ||2|| (sggs 326).

The spirituality of the Gurbani (SGGS) is of the SELF, for the SELF, and by the SELF. Therefore, the Gurbani is meant to be understood and internalized by oneself, for oneself and with self-efforts! Because, simply put: there is NO concept of transfer of blessings in the Pure, Unique, and Revolutionary spirituality of the Gurbani (SGGS).

ਜਿਸ ਕਾ ਤਨੁ ਮਨੁ ਧਨੁ ਸਭੁ ਤਿਸ ਕਾ ਸੋਈ ਸੁਘੜੁ ਸੁਜਾਨੀ ॥ : One who is in complete control of one’s senses, mind is one who is an Enlightened and Realized being. (sggs 671).

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That said, Sikhi is a spiritual journey to the realization of the Creator within (as Hukam). Therefore a Sikh is supposed to be a lifelong learner. If one does not want to learn, then he/she is a Pakhandi Sikh of mere Bhekh (only religious robes or religious paraphernalia or appearance, etc), NOT a Sikh of Baba Nanak’s Pure and Unique Gurmat / Sikhi.

ਸਿਖੀ ਸਿਖਿਆ ਗੁਰ ਵੀਚਾਰਿ ॥ ਨਦਰੀ ਕਰਮਿ ਲਘਾਏ ਪਾਰਿ ॥ : Sikhi is contemplation on Guru’s teaching (Instructions, Wisdom, Counsel, Guide, Upadesh, Giyan, Bibek) and acting on it. Being blessed by the Grace of the Guru’s teaching one then crosses the ocean of worldly temptations and their corrupting influences (Bhav Saagar). (sggs 465).

According to the Gurbani, the only way to shatter or escape our Parpanchi mindset is:

ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਭੇਟਿਐ ਸੋਝੀ ਪਾਇ ॥ ਪਰਪੰਚੁ ਚੂਕੈ ਸਚਿ ਸਮਾਇ ॥੧॥: Meeting the Satigur, keen understanding is obtained. Then, the ‘Parpanch‘ (the illusion of the material world, deception…) ends, and one realizes the Creator within. ||1|| (sggs 842).

Otherwise, a human will remain Kohlu’s Bull entire life. Bhagat Kabeer’s Counsel is as follows:

ਭ੍ਰਮਤ ਫਿਰਤ ਤੇਲਕ ਕੇ ਕਪਿ ਜਿਉ ਗਤਿ ਬਿਨੁ ਰੈਨਿ ਬਿਹਈਹੈ ॥ ਕਹਤ ਕਬੀਰ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਬਿਨੁ ਮੂੰਡ ਧੁਨੇ ਪਛੁਤਈਹੈ ॥੪॥੧॥ : (Life sans of Naam (Giyan-Wisdom / Virtues / Hukam) entire night of human life would pass away revolving like an bull of the oil-press (Kohlu or Koloo) or dancing like a juggler’s monkey without attaining freedom. Kabir says, sans of Divine Naam, in the end one would repent pounding head for wasting life in vain. ||4||1|| (sggs 524).

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