The Guru’s Shabad is the antidote to the poison of the Maya-serpent – ‘Gaarurr Mantar’ (‘ਗਾਰੁੜ ਮੰਤ੍ਰ’). And an Enlightened Mind (the Gurmukh Mindset) knows how to apply it.
- ਬਿਸੀਅਰ ਬਿਸੂ ਭਰੇ ਹੈ ਪੂਰਨ ਗੁਰੁ ਗਰੁੜ ਸਬਦੁ ਮੁਖਿ ਪਾਵੈਗੋ ॥ ਮਾਇਆ ਭੁਇਅੰਗ ਤਿਸੁ ਨੇੜਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਬਿਖੁ ਝਾਰਿ ਝਾਰਿ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਵੈਗੋ ॥੨॥: The snakes are filled with poisonous venom; the Guru’s Shabad is the ‘Garurr’ Mantar (antidote that neutralize the poison) – place it in your mouth. Maya- serpent (i.e. lures or temptations of the world…), does not affect that person who is rid of the poison by fixing attention on Naam. ||2|| (sggs 1310).
- ਮਾਇਆ ਭੁਇਅੰਗਮੁ ਸਰਪੁ ਹੈ ਜਗੁ ਘੇਰਿਆ ਬਿਖੁ ਮਾਇ ॥ ਬਿਖੁ ਕਾ ਮਾਰਣੁ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਹੈ ਗੁਰ ਗਰੁੜ ਸਬਦੁ ਮੁਖਿ ਪਾਇ ॥: Maya-snake is the big snake (i.e. lures or temptations of the world…) and has surrounded the world with its coils. Filled with the poison that brings spiritual death, this Maya-snake surrounds the world. Antidote to this poisonous venom is Awareness of the divine Naam; the Gur-Shabad is the ‘Gaarurr’ Mantar, keep it in your mouth. (sggs 1415).
What is ‘Garurr’ (‘ਗਰੁੜ’), ‘Gaararroo‘ (‘ਗਾਰੜੂ’), and ‘Gaarurree‘ (‘ਗਾਰੁੜੀ’)?
Garurr (‘ਗਰੁੜ’) and ‘Gaararroo‘ (‘ਗਾਰੜੂ’) hint to indicate Gaarurr Mantar (ਗਾਰੁੜ ਮੰਤਰ) – an incantation for removing the effects of a serpent’s venom.
And ‘Gaarurree‘ (‘ਗਾਰੁੜੀ’) is the one who removes the venomous effect by the incantation, a snake-charmer.
The Gurbani stresses the Gaarurr Mantar (ਗਾਰੁੜ ਮੰਤ੍ਰ ) that removes the effects of the venom of Maya-serpent is the Guru’s Shabad.
- ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦੀ ਬਿਖੁ ਤਿਆਸ ਨਿਵਾਰਿ ॥੭॥ : Through the Guru’s Shabad, abandon the desire for materialism which is the poison for spiritual life. ||7||(sggs 1187).
- ਕਾਢਿ ਖੜਗੁ ਗੁਰ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਕਰਾਰਾ ਬਿਖੁ ਛੇਦਿ ਛੇਦਿ ਰਸੁ ਪੀਜੈ ॥੩॥: Drawing out the Mighty Sword of the (ਗੁਰ ਗਿਆਨ) Gur’s Spiritual Wisdom, cut (ਵੱਢ ਵੱਢ ਕੇ) the poisonous (snake of Maya); and (thus one can) drink in the (Spiritual) Essence (ਆਤਮ ਰਸ, ਨਾਮ ਰਸ, ਗਿਆਨ ਰਸ …). ||3|| (sggs 1324).
- ਹਉਮੈ ਮਾਇਆ ਬਿਖੁ ਹੈ ਮੇਰੀ ਜਿੰਦੁੜੀਏ ਹਰਿ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਿ ਬਿਖੁ ਲਹਿ ਜਾਏ ਰਾਮ ॥ : O my mind, the false ego-sense (Haumai) of Maya is a poison which can only be neutralized with the Amrit of Divie Naam (Wisdom / Virtues). (sggs 538).
- ਗੁਰਿ ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਦ੍ਰਿੜਾਇਆ ਮੇਰੀ ਜਿੰਦੁੜੀਏ ਬਿਖੁ ਭਉਜਲੁ ਤਾਰਣਹਾਰੋ ਰਾਮ ॥ : (Those who have made the Divine Naam the support of their life) The Guru, the Satguru has implanted the Naam within them; O my mind, the Divine Naam has the ability to carry them across the terrifying and poisonous world-ocean of Maya. (sggs 539).
Maya, the Cosmic Charmer, is likened to a serpent clinging to this world. Attached to this cosmic illusion, we fall into the deep sleep of unenlightened existence (Manmukh-Saakat-Mayadhaaree Mindset). Unable to apprehend the Truth, we remain deluded.
- ਮਾਇਆ ਹੋਈ ਨਾਗਨੀ ਜਗਤਿ ਰਹੀ ਲਪਟਾਇ ॥ ਇਸ ਕੀ ਸੇਵਾ ਜੋ ਕਰੇ ਤਿਸ ਹੀ ਕਉ ਫਿਰਿ ਖਾਇ ॥: Maya is a serpent, clinging to the world. Whoever serves her, she ultimately devours (that person). (sggs 510).
- ਬਿਨੁ ਗੁਰ ਬਿਸੀਅਰੁ ਡਸੈ ਮਰਿ ਵਾਟ ॥: Without the Guru (Giaan or Wisdom), one is stung by the poisonous snake (of Maya: worldly attachment, temptations etc.), and dies (of spiritual death – ਆਤਮਕ ਮੌਤੇ) in the middle of (the journey of life). (sggs 942).
Bhai Gurdas describes condition of a person in love with Maya:
- ਜੈਸੇ ਮਧੁ ਮਾਖੀ ਸੀਚਿ ਸੀਚਿ ਕੈ ਇਕਤ੍ਰ ਕਰੈ ਹਰੈ ਮਧੂ ਆਇਤਾ ਕੇ ਮੁਖਿ ਛਾਰੁ ਡਾਰਿ ਕੈ । ਜੈਸੇ ਬਛ ਹੇਤ ਗਊ ਸੰਚਤ ਹੈ ਖੀਰ ਤਾਹਿ ਲੇਤ ਹੈ ਅਹੀਰੁ ਦੁਹਿ ਬਛਰੇ ਬਿਡਾਰਿ ਕੈ । ਜੈਸੇ ਧਰ ਖੋਦਿ ਖੋਦਿ ਕਰਿ ਬਿਲ ਸਾਜੈ ਮੂਸਾ ਪੈਸਤ ਸਰਪੁ ਧਾਇ ਖਾਇ ਤਾਹਿ ਮਾਰਿ ਕੈ । ਤੈਸੇ ਕੋਟਿ ਪਾਪ ਕਰਿ ਮਾਇਆ ਜੋਰਿ ਜੋਰਿ ਮੂੜ ਅੰਤਿ ਕਾਲਿ ਛਾਡਿ ਚਲੈ ਦੋਨੋ ਕਰ ਝਾਰਿ ਕੈ ॥੫੫੫॥ : Just as honey bee hops from flower to flower and collects honey, but a honey collector smokes the bees away, and takes the honey. Just as a cow collects milk in her teats for the calf, but a milkman uses the calf to bring down her milk. He ties the calf away, milks the cow and takes it away. Just as a rodent digs up earth to make a burrow but a snake enters the burrow and eats away the rodent. Similarly an ignorant and foolish person indulges in vices, collects wealth and leaves this world empty-handed (all his earnings and material goods prove worthless in the end, and ultimately others take all away). (Bhai Gurdas, Kabit 555).
Senses are akin to the venomous serpents. Like snakes, the senses do not like to be restricted. Rather, they like to act not only loosely but also without any control. As time and again indicated in the Gurbani, an Enlightened being (Gurmukh Mindset knows very well how to control these serpents.
The Gurmukh senses are directed by his dictation or plan. In other words, first, his mind is not vexed in passions. Second, he does not let his senses act independently. Like a snake charmer, the Gurmukh never allows snakes of his senses to act on their own, for he leaves them ‘without fangs’.
- ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਕੋਈ ਗਾਰੜੂ ਤਿਨਿ ਮਲਿ ਦਲਿ ਲਾਈ ਪਾਇ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਸੇਈ ਉਬਰੇ ਜਿ ਸਚਿ ਰਹੇ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਇ ॥੨॥: Some ‘rare’ who has become the Gurmukh knows the ‘Gaarurr’ Mantar(that neutralizes the poison of Maya-snake); he has trampled her (Maya) and destroy its influence or affect. Only those who remain absorbed in Truth are saved. ||2|| (sggs 510).
- ਦਸਨ ਬਿਹੂਨ ਭੁਯੰਗੰ ਮੰਤ੍ਰੰ ਗਾਰੁੜੀ ਨਿਵਾਰੰ ॥ ਬ੍ਯ੍ਯਾਧਿ ਉਪਾੜਣ ਸੰਤੰ ॥: It is believed that the ‘Gaarurr’ Mantar removes poison of the snake and its fangs become bereft of poison. Likewise the Guru (Giaan or Wisdom) ends one’s (mental ailments. (sggs 1361).