Corrupt and the Best of the Best Men

As repeatedly indicated in the the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS), there are only two different groups of people living together on earth: the ‘rare’ Gurmukhs (Enlightened mindset) and the majority Manmukhs (Unenlightened).

The Gurbani asks us to become the Gurmukhs and live a Divine Life (Enlightened or Guru Shabad-Oriented mindset).

Throughout the SGGS, the Gurmat Wisdom talks about the corrupt beings (i.e. the Manmukhs-Saakat-Mayadhaaree…), and the best of the best beings (supreme, distinguished, eminent or ‘Pardhaan‘ etc.) — the ‘perfect’ human being (i.e., the Gurmukhs)!

• ਸਾਰਾ ਦਿਨੁ ਲਾਲਚਿ ਅਟਿਆ ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਹੋਰੇ ਗਲਾ ॥ ਰਾਤੀ ਊਘੈ ਦਬਿਆ ਨਵੇ ਸੋਤ ਸਭਿ ਢਿਲਾ ॥ ਮਨਮੁਖਾ ਦੈ ਸਿਰਿ ਜੋਰਾ ਅਮਰੁ ਹੈ ਨਿਤ ਦੇਵਹਿ ਭਲਾ ॥ ਜੋਰਾ ਦਾ ਆਖਿਆ ਪੁਰਖ ਕਮਾਵਦੇ ਸੇ ਅਪਵਿਤ ਅਮੇਧ ਖਲਾ ॥ ਕਾਮਿ ਵਿਆਪੇ ਕੁਸੁਧ ਨਰ ਸੇ ਜੋਰਾ ਪੁਛਿ ਚਲਾ ॥ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਆਖਿਐ ਜੋ ਚਲੈ ਸੋ ਸਤਿ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਭਲ ਭਲਾ ॥ : All day long, a Manmukh is occupied with greed and talks about other things (i.e. other than Naam…). At night, he is overcome by fatigue (due his occupation with greed and related activities during all day along), and all his nine senses (ਇੰਦੀਆਂ) become sluggish (ਢਿੱਲੇ). Over the head of such Manmukh (controlled by his lustful propensities-ਵਿਛੇ ਦਾ ਮਾਰਿਆ ਹੋਇਆ ਗੰਦੇ ਆਚਰਨ ਵਾਲਾ…) is the order of the woman; he ever gives them (shower them with) good (many gifts). (Such) men who (are controlled by their lustful propensities…) act according to the orders of women are corrupt, filthy and foolish (of corrupt intellect, devoid of Bibek-Budhi, unwise…). Such corrupt men (ਕਾਮੀ, Manmukh…) engrossed in lust (lustful propensities, ਕਾਮ-ਵਾਸਨਾ, ਵਿਛੇ-ਵਾਸਨਾ…), consult their women and walk accordingly. One who walks as the Satgur (true Wisdom-ਸੱਚਾ ਗਿਆਨ) tells him to is the true man, the best of the best.  (sggs 304).
• ਸਾਕਤ ਜਾਇ ਨਿਵਹਿ ਗੁਰ ਆਗੈ ਮਨਿ ਖੋਟੇ ਕੂੜਿ ਕੂੜਿਆਰੇ ॥ : Even if the Saakat beings bow down before the Satguru, (yet) they remain false in mind and remain corrupt. (sggs 312).
• ਸਾਕਤ ਬਧਿਕ ਮਾਇਆਧਾਰੀ ਤਿਨ ਜਮ ਜੋਹਨਿ ਲਾਗੇ ॥ : People who make Maya the mainstay of their life break away from Truth, become ruthless, ‘Jamm’ (Bikaar: lust, anger, greed etc.) stalks them. (sggs 172).
• ਰੰਨਾ ਹੋਈਆ ਬੋਧੀਆ ਪੁਰਸ ਹੋਏ ਸਈਆਦ ॥ ਸੀਲੁ ਸੰਜਮੁ ਸੁਚ ਭੰਨੀ ਖਾਣਾ ਖਾਜੁ ਅਹਾਜੁ ॥ ਸਰਮੁ ਗਇਆ ਘਰਿ ਆਪਣੈ ਪਤਿ ਉਠਿ ਚਲੀ ਨਾਲਿ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਚਾ ਏਕੁ ਹੈ ਅਉਰੁ ਨ ਸਚਾ ਭਾਲਿ ॥੨॥ : (Without Giyan or Wisdom) men have become brutal and oppressors (ਜ਼ਾਲਮ), and women have become their counselors (i.e. submissive to them) for such cruelty. Politeness, self-control and mental purity have vanished, and dishonest living has become the way of life of these men. The sense of shame and honor has disappeared from the society. Nanak, there is only One Creator, don’t search for another one. ||2|| (sggs 1243).

In short, a Gurmukh (Bhagat, Daas, Jan…) is a person who is Wise, brave, good, virtuous, stable, fearless, blissful (Anand), pious, Joyful, positive, Happy, balanced and poised etc.

As indicated throughout the Gurbani, a Manmukh-Saakat-Mayadhaaree is a corrupt person for he follows the dictate of his Bikaars (i.e. lust, anger, greed etc.).

• ਚੋਰਾ ਜਾਰਾ ਰੰਡੀਆ ਕੁਟਣੀਆ ਦੀਬਾਣੁ ॥ ਵੇਦੀਨਾ ਕੀ ਦੋਸਤੀ ਵੇਦੀਨਾ ਕਾ ਖਾਣੁ ॥ ਸਿਫਤੀ ਸਾਰ ਨ ਜਾਣਨੀ ਸਦਾ ਵਸੈ ਸੈਤਾਨੁ ॥ ਗਦਹੁ ਚੰਦਨਿ ਖਉਲੀਐ ਭੀ ਸਾਹੂ ਸਿਉ ਪਾਣੁ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਕੂੜੈ ਕਤਿਐ ਕੂੜਾ ਤਣੀਐ ਤਾਣੁ ॥ ਕੂੜਾ ਕਪੜੁ ਕਛੀਐ ਕੂੜਾ ਪੈਨਣੁ ਮਾਣੁ ॥੧॥ : Thieves, adulterers, prostitutes and pimps stand side by side. Those who are deprived of Dharma have friendship, eating and drinking among themselves. They know no value of the truth and have devils forever in their minds. Decorate an ass with sandalwood but it will still run to the dust. If you spin a false thread, you get a false cloth in turn. False the cloth, false the dimensions and false the pride in such apparels. ||1|| (sggs 790).

In nutshell, a Manmukh-Saakat-Mayadhaaree is the denier or resistant of the Gurmat (opposes the Gurbani’s Wisdom…) or Truth (‘ਸਚ’); he is full of Bikaar (ਬਿਕਾਰੀ ਬੰਦਾ, Mayadhaaree…); he is disconnected from his Mool (True Nature or Jot Saroop…); his mind is free to escape through his defiled senses and run after sense-objects; his Akal (intellect) follows his mind’s dictates; he remains uncontended; he remains in love with Maya -ਮਾਇਆ ਨਾਲ ਜੁੜਿਆ ਹੋਇਆ; he is doubt-ridden and duality-ridden; he is ‘Mugadhu Gubaaru‘ (ਮੁਗਧੁ ਗੁਬਾਰੁ-foolish…); he is the self-willed (ਮੱਨਮਤੀਆ); and so on.

• ਮਾਇਆਧਾਰੀ ਅਤਿ ਅੰਨਾ ਬੋਲਾ ॥ ਸਬਦੁ ਨ ਸੁਣਈ ਬਹੁ ਰੋਲ ਘਚੋਲਾ ॥ : One who is attached to Maya is (spiritually) very much blind and deaf (to the Gur-Shabad…). (In such conditioned state), he is unable to listen (i.e., don’t pay attention…) to the Shabad; (but, in love or hunger of Maya) he makes much uproar and tumult (ਰੌਲਾ-ਗੌਲਾ, noise, chatter, etc.). (sggs 313).

Also, as indicated throughout the Gurbani, one who walks as the Satgur’s Giaan or Wisdom, is the true man, the best of the best (supreme, distinguished, eminent or ‘Pardhaan‘ etc.) — the ‘perfect’ human being!

• ਸੋ ਸਾਹੁ ਸਾਚਾ ਜਿਸੁ ਹਰਿ ਧਨੁ ਰਾਸਿ ॥ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਪੂਰਾ ਤਿਸੁ ਸਾਬਾਸਿ ॥ : He alone is the True banker (wealthy), who possesses the capital of the Naam (Wisdom…). By becoming the Gurmukh, one becomes Perfect, (say) wow wow to him. (sggs 232).
• ਜਿਨ ਕਉ ਤਖਤਿ ਮਿਲੈ ਵਡਿਆਈ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਸੇ ਪਰਧਾਨ ਕੀਏ ॥ : By becoming the Gurmukh, people who have the honor of sitting on the Hirda-Takht (i.e. Mool-abidance) become ‘Pardhaan‘. (sggs 1172).
• ਅਚਾਰਵੰਤਿ ਸਾਈ ਪਰਧਾਨੇ ॥ : He alone is Pardhaan who is of a good moral character (leads a pure life). (sggs 97).

In other words, the one who follows the Gurmat (Wisdom, Upadesh or Way of the SGGS) is the true, and best of the best. They are also called the ‘rare’  Gurmukhs in the Gurbani.

• ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਬਿਬੇਕ ਬੁਧਿ ਹੋਇ ॥ : The Gurmukh is blessed with spiritual wisdom and discerning intellect (sggs 317).

In short, a Gurmukh (Bhagat, Daas, Jan…) is a person who is Wise, brave, good, virtuous, stable, fearless, blissful (Anand), pious, Joyful, positive, Happy, balanced and poised etc.

• ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਰਤਨੁ ਕੋ ਵਿਰਲਾ ਲੇਵੈ ॥ : Rare is the person, who, by becoming the Gurmukh, take the Jewel of the Naam (Wisdom…). (sggs 233).
• ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਲਾਹਾ ਲੈ ਗਏ ਮਨਮੁਖ ਚਲੇ ਮੂਲੁ ਗਵਾਇ ਜੀਉ ॥੧੯॥ : Those who have become Gurmukhs, reap their (Spiritual) Profits (of Naam, Wisdom, Virtues, Truth…) and leave, while Manmukhs lose their investment (ਰਾਸ-ਪੂੰਜੀ or life) and depart. ||19|| (sggs 74).