Gurbani Says Judge Yourself Not Others

The Gurbani enshrined within the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) teaches to Know yourself first before you judge others. But often it’s the opposite that happens — we don’t know ourselves but judge other people (Parkhanaa etc.)!

• ਨਾਨਕ ਪਰਖੇ ਆਪ ਕਉ ਤਾ ਪਾਰਖੁ ਜਾਣੁ ॥: O Nanak, if someone judges himself, only then is he known as a real judge (sggs 148).
• ਇਸੁ ਮਨ ਕਉ ਕੋਈ ਖੋਜਹੁ ਭਾਈ ॥: O brother, someone should search own mind (try to explore his/her own mind). (sggs 1128).
• ਅੰਧੇ ਕਾ ਨਾਉ ਪਾਰਖੂ ਏਵੈ ਕਰੇ ਗੁਆਉ ॥: The blind (mentally blind-ignorant) man is known as an appraiser; this is how people talk (contrary, ਉਲਟੀਆਂ ਗੱਲਾਂ). (sggs 1288).

Here we have it — judging others is a madness. It is pastime of a crazy, worldly person in control of his false ego-sense (Haumai) and its faults. Also called Manmukh (Unenlightened state of the mind), the daily life of a such person engrossed in evil ways is full of its natural contentions, contradictions, jealousy, usual competitions, selfishness, corruption, falsehood, baser desires and fears. Consequently, he ends up living a wrong life in all his worldly contacts and experiences; thus wasting useful time and energy by undergoing tensions, strains, and creating chaos and confusion within and without.

• ਮਨਮੁਖ ਬੋਲਿ ਨ ਜਾਣਨ੍ਹ੍ਹੀ ਓਨਾ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਕਾਮੁ ਕ੍ਰੋਧੁ ਅਹੰਕਾਰੁ ॥ ਥਾਉ ਕੁਥਾਉ ਨ ਜਾਣਨੀ ਸਦਾ ਚਿਤਵਹਿ ਬਿਕਾਰ ॥: The Manmukhs (Unenlightened) do not even know how to speak. They are filled with lust, anger and false pride (i.e. all evil passions, which are the faults of the same false ego-sense or Haumai). They do not know the difference between good and bad; they constantly think of corruption (sggs 1248).
• ਖੋਟੇ ਕਉ ਖਰਾ ਕਹੈ ਖਰੇ ਸਾਰ ਨ ਜਾਣੈ ॥ ਅੰਧੇ ਕਾ ਨਾਉ ਪਾਰਖੂ ਕਲੀ ਕਾਲ ਵਿਡਾਣੈ ॥੩॥: Ignorant people consider falsehood to be true; (unfortunately) they are not wise to recognize the true. The blind (mentally blind i.e. ignorant or foolish) man is known as an appraiser (or wise); this is the sign of Kal Yuga (i.e. Kal Yuga = corrupt state of the mind). ||3|| (sggs 229).

Judging oneself means to know ‘Who Am I?’, and then improve himself through self-purification and self-observation while alive – not after death, but here and now. To know the time as time, to know the space as space, to know the world-appearance as appearance, to know the Source as Source, and to know oneself as the Source (Jot Saroop) is being the ‘real judge’ (Paarkhoo). This only is Self-Realization — to know one’s Essential Nature as Pure Awareness (Jot Saroop).

We are strongly urged by the Gurbani to renounce such ‘evil ways’. Instead, we are challenged by the Gurbani to look within to examine and judge ourselves and eradicate our own negativity, vices/Bikaars, faults, shortcomings, and so on. If we dare doing what the Gurbani asks us to do here, then and only then one will be known as the ‘real judge’.

• ਪ੍ਰਣਵਤਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਗਿਆਨੀ ਕੈਸਾ ਹੋਇ ॥ ਆਪੁ ਪਛਾਣੈ ਬੂਝੈ ਸੋਇ ॥ : Nanak beseeches, what kind of person is a Giyani (Wise person)? A true Giyani is he who has Realized ownself (Mool-realized). (sggs 25).

Possibly related posts:

• Beware of Praise!
• Slander vs. Speaking Truth
• Search Ownself – Know Yourself
• Battle of Life is Waged Moment to Moment