Inner Purity Vs. Outer Purity

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The Bipran way (empty and imaginary customs and ritual etc.), which leads away from the truth, to which Sikhs are attached today, is pure illusion. It was under the plan of total intervention in every aspect of human life that Bipar/Brahman/Pujaaree had made the ritual of external cleanliness a part of religion. The hypocrisy (Pakhand-ਪਖੰਡ) of ritualistic act of external cleanliness is condemned by Gurbani in no uncertain terms.

In nutshell, there is not a single verse in the Bani included in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) in which the Brahmanical purity is praised or approved. Rather, there are countless verses in SGGS in which such Pakhnad of purity, Jooth (food touched by others etc) or Bhitt (touch of untouchable), has been thoroughly refuted.

  • ਭਰਮੁ ਚੁਕਾਇਆ ਸਦਾ ਸੁਖੁ ਪਾਇਆ ॥ : Eternal Sukh (ਸੁਖ-Happiness, Peace, Joy…) is attained when doubts are dispelled. (sggs 114).ਛੂਟੈ ਸੰਸਾ ਮਿਟਿ ਜਾਹਿ ਦੁਖ ॥ : With the eradication of doubts, Dukha (ਦੁਖ-suffering, sorrow…) is eliminated. (sggs 343).
  • ਹਮਰਾ ਭਰਮੁ ਗਇਆ ਭਉ ਭਾਗਾ ॥ ਜਬ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਚਿਤੁ ਲਾਗਾ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ : Now that my consciousness is attached to the Naam (Wisdom, Virtues, Truth…) ||1||Pause||, my mind’s doubt got dispelled and my fear has fled away. (sggs 655).

The Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) asks us not to just look pure on the outside, but also to be pure on the inside.

To be pure both from within and without is not only to know the Truth, but also live It in daily life (Amal-ਅਮਲ).

  • ਬਾਹਰਹੁ ਤ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਜੀਅਹੁ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਤੇ ਕਰਣੀ ਕਮਾਣੀ ॥ : Those who have learned the Way of life from the Satguru (True Wisdom) are pure inside as well as pure outside. (sggs 919).
  • ਪਵਿਤੁ ਹੋਏ ਸੇ ਜਨਾ ਜਿਨੀ ਹਰਿ ਧਿਆਇਆ ॥ ਹਰਿ ਧਿਆਇਆ ਪਵਿਤੁ ਹੋਏ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਜਿਨੀ ਧਿਆਇਆ ॥ : The life of those ‘Jan’ (Gurmukh, Daas, Bhagat…) who contemplate the divine Naam.  Yes, those who contemplated on the divine Naam by becoming the Gurmukh  have become pure. (sggs 919).
  • ਬਿਸਟਾ ਅਸਤ ਰਕਤੁ ਪਰੇਟੇ ਚਾਮ ॥ ਇਸੁ ਊਪਰਿ ਲੇ ਰਾਖਿਓ ਗੁਮਾਨ ॥੩॥ ਏਕ ਵਸਤੁ ਬੂਝਹਿ ਤਾ ਹੋਵਹਿ ਪਾਕ ॥ ਬਿਨੁ ਬੂਝੇ ਤੂੰ ਸਦਾ ਨਾਪਾਕ ॥੪॥ : (O ignorant fool) You are nothing but ordure, bones and blood wrapped in skin. It is upon this filthy bundle you have based your conceit. ||3|| If you could realize God within, then you would become pure. ||4|| (sggs 374).

Those who look pure only on the outside but not inside are compared with a gambler.

  • ਜੀਅਹੁ ਮੈਲੇ ਬਾਹਰਹੁ ਨਿਰਮਲ ॥ ਬਾਹਰਹੁ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਜੀਅਹੁ ਤ ਮੈਲੇ ਤਿਨੀ ਜਨਮੁ ਜੂਐ ਹਾਰਿਆ ॥ : Some people, outwardly appear to be pure but their minds are filthy with vices/Bikaar. Those who are outwardly pure and yet polluted within, lose their lives (just as a gambler loses his money) in the gamble. (sggs 919).

Superficial purity

Clearly, those who practice Jooth (ਜੂਠ), Such (ਸੁੱਚ) etc. (superficial cleanliness or purity) do not either (1) read the SGGS; or (2) they do not understand what they read; or (3) in their Pakhand (hypocrisy) they do not implement (ਅਮਲ) what they have read and understood. Thus, either in their stupidity or hypocrisy, they have taken the external or literal meaning of the terms such as Jooth, Sucha etc.

We should be aware of these anti-Gurmat elements, and not encourage their Un-Gurmat practices. Fearlessly, we should confront them and ask them where it says in the SGGS what they practice and preach. It seems like these religious con-artists take pride in their ignorance: they celebrate their ignorance as a virtue! Apparently, these people are endangering the Sikhi by defiling it. Shattering all this stupidity, Guru Nanak teaches:

  • ਕੇਸਰਿ ਕੁਸਮ ਮਿਰਗਮੈ ਹਰਣਾ ਸਰਬ ਸਰੀਰੀ ਚੜ੍ਹ੍ਹਣਾ ॥ ਚੰਦਨ ਭਗਤਾ ਜੋਤਿ ਇਨੇਹੀ ਸਰਬੇ ਪਰਮਲੁ ਕਰਣਾ ॥੨॥ ਘਿਅ ਪਟ ਭਾਂਡਾ ਕਹੈ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥ ਐਸਾ ਭਗਤੁ ਵਰਨ ਮਹਿ ਹੋਇ ॥ : Saffron flowers, deer’s musk, and gold embellish and please all. Similarly O God, Your Bhagat (Das, Jan, Gurmukh…) spread their fragrance (Wisdom / Virtues) like sandalwood to all. No one ever calls the (expensive or richer items such as) silk and ‘Ghee‘ polluted (or whose hands have touched them). In the same manner, O God, Your Bhagat (Das, Jan, Gurmukh…) is immaculate, does not matter what caste he/she belongs to. (sggs 721).
  • ਜਿਉ ਜੋਰੂ ਸਿਰਨਾਵਣੀ ਆਵੈ ਵਾਰੋ ਵਾਰ ॥ ਜੂਠੇ ਜੂਠਾ ਮੁਖਿ ਵਸੈ ਨਿਤ ਨਿਤ ਹੋਇ ਖੁਆਰੁ ॥ ਸੂਚੇ ਏਹਿ ਨ ਆਖੀਅਹਿ ਬਹਨਿ ਜਿ ਪਿੰਡਾ ਧੋਇ ॥ ਸੂਚੇ ਸੇਈ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਜਿਨ ਮਨਿ ਵਸਿਆ ਸੋਇ ॥ : Those who are false, fraud, crafty, hypocritical and there is always falsehood in their mouth; considered woman impure because she goes through her periods month after month. Such crafty people who (considered a woman impure, but) considered themselves pure by just washing their body from outside, they should not be considered pure (i.e. they should be considered false, fraud and hypocrites). Nanak, only they are truly pure within whose minds God is realized — their mind and conduct become pure and unbiased, and do not discriminate). (sggs 472).

The Gurbani defines itself. A person with the understanding and practice (ਅਮਲ) of Gurmat does not accept the concocted stories or rituals of any Pandit, Mulan, Yogi, self-styled Giyani or any Baabaa as Naam (divine Giyan-Wisdom…). He ventures to read, listen, and internalize the Enlightening spiritual Message contained in the Guru Shabad.

  • ਪੰਡਿਤ ਮੁਲਾਂ ਜੋ ਲਿਖਿ ਦੀਆ ॥ ਛਾਡਿ ਚਲੇ ਹਮ ਕਛੂ ਨ ਲੀਆ ॥੩॥ : ALL that the Pandit and Mullah Clergy have prescribed or presented to us, I have DISCARDED (while walking on the Path of Spirituality). I DISCARD IT ALL and have ACCEPTED NOTHING at all. ||3|| (sggs 1159).

Mental filth

The decree of the Gurbani enshrined within the The Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) regarding the filth that the Guru Sahibs have deemed harmful to humanity is as follows.

  • ਜਗਿ ਹਉਮੈ ਮੈਲੁ ਦੁਖੁ ਪਾਇਆ ਮਲੁ ਲਾਗੀ ਦੂਜੈ ਭਾਇ ॥ ਮਲੁ ਹਉਮੈ ਧੋਤੀ ਕਿਵੈ ਨ ਉਤਰੈ ਜੇ ਸਉ ਤੀਰਥ ਨਾਇ ॥ ਬਹੁ ਬਿਧਿ ਕਰਮ ਕਮਾਵਦੇ ਦੂਣੀ ਮਲੁ ਲਾਗੀ ਆਇ ॥ ਪੜਿਐ ਮੈਲੁ ਨ ਉਤਰੈ ਪੂਛਹੁ ਗਿਆਨੀਆ ਜਾਇ ॥੧॥ ਮਨ ਮੇਰੇ ਗੁਰ ਸਰਣਿ ਆਵੈ ਤਾ ਨਿਰਮਲੁ ਹੋਇ ॥ ਮਨਮੁਖ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਥਕੇ ਮੈਲੁ ਨ ਸਕੀ ਧੋਇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ ਮਨਿ ਮੈਲੈ ਭਗਤਿ ਨ ਹੋਵਈ ਨਾਮੁ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ਜਾਇ ॥ ਮਨਮੁਖ ਮੈਲੇ ਮੈਲੇ ਮੁਏ ਜਾਸਨਿ ਪਤਿ ਗਵਾਇ ॥ ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦੀ ਮਨਿ ਵਸੈ ਮਲੁ ਹਉਮੈ ਜਾਇ ਸਮਾਇ ॥ ਜਿਉ ਅੰਧੇਰੈ ਦੀਪਕੁ ਬਾਲੀਐ ਤਿਉ ਗੁਰ ਗਿਆਨਿ ਅਗਿਆਨੁ ਤਜਾਇ ॥੨॥ : The world people are polluted with the filth of false ego-sense (Haumai) and is suffering because of this. This filth of ego sticks to us because of our love of duality (Maya, worldly attachments…). This filth of egotism cannot be washed away by taking cleansing baths at hundreds of so called Tirath locations. People perform many kinds of rituals to get rid of this filth but instead, end up with twice as much filth. The filth is not removed by reading. Go ahead, and ask the Wise ones ||1||. O my mind, coming to the Sanctuary of the Guru (Shabad Giyan-Wisdom), you will become pure. The Manmukhs (Unenlightened) have grown weary of chanting ‘Har Har’ (or chanting ‘Waheguru Waheguru’ in case of Sikhs), but their filth is not removed ||1||Rahaou||. With a filthy mind (filth of false ego-sense or Haumai…), Bhagti cannot be performed, and the Naam cannot be realized. The Manmukhs filthy die in filth, and spiritually, they depart in disgrace. Through the Grace of the Guru (Giyan-Wisdom), God comes to abide in one’s mind, and the filth of ego is dispelled. Like a lamp lit in the darkness, the spiritual Wisdom of the Guru dispels ignorance. ||2|| (sggs 39).
  • ਕਾਇਆ ਕੁਸੁਧ ਹਉਮੈ ਮਲੁ ਲਾਈ ॥ ਜੇ ਸਉ ਧੋਵਹਿ ਤਾ ਮੈਲੁ ਨ ਜਾਈ ॥ ਸਬਦਿ ਧੋਪੈ ਤਾ ਹਛੀ ਹੋਵੈ ਫਿਰਿ ਮੈਲੀ ਮੂਲਿ ਨ ਹੋਈ ਹੇ ॥੧੦॥ : Impure is that body which is soiled with the filth of false ego-sense (Haumai). Even if this body is washed a hundred of times, still this dirt of false ego-sense does not go away. But if the mind is focused on the Guru Shabad, then the body becomes truly cleansed and is never soiled again with egotism. ||10|| (sggs 1045).
  • ਅਖਰ ਪੜਿ ਪੜਿ ਭੁਲੀਐ ਭੇਖੀ ਬਹੁਤੁ ਅਭਿਮਾਨੁ ॥ ਤੀਰਥ ਨਾਤਾ ਕਿਆ ਕਰੇ ਮਨ ਮਹਿ ਮੈਲੁ ਗੁਮਾਨੁ ॥ ਗੁਰ ਬਿਨੁ ਕਿਨਿ ਸਮਝਾਈਐ ਮਨੁ ਰਾਜਾ ਸੁਲਤਾਨੁ ॥੪॥ : (In spite of) Reading books over and over again, people make mistakes (due the pride of this reading); wearing of religious robes also gives rise to much pride (in the mind). Of what use is bathing at locations of pilgrimage if the mind is filled with the filth of false ego-sense (Haumai). Without the Guru Shabad who can convey the true understanding to the mind, who (in egotism) thinks itself as the king over the body. (sggs 61).
  • ਅੰਤਰਿ ਲੋਭੁ ਮਨਿ ਮੈਲੈ ਮਲੁ ਲਾਏ ॥ ਮੈਲੇ ਕਰਮ ਕਰੇ ਦੁਖੁ ਪਾਏ ॥ : One within whom is greed, his mind is soiled with filth of vices and he spreads this filth around. (Under the influence of greed) that person commits vices and endures more filth in mind. That person always deals in falsehood alone and suffers (spiritually) by telling lies. ||12|| (sggs 1062).
  • ਮਨੁ ਮੈਲਾ ਸਚੁ ਨਿਰਮਲਾ ਕਿਉ ਕਰਿ ਮਿਲਿਆ ਜਾਇ ॥ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਮੇਲੇ ਤਾ ਮਿਲਿ ਰਹੈ ਹਉਮੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਜਲਾਇ ॥੧੨॥ : The Truth is Pure; (so long the man’s) mind is impure (with Haumai, Bikaar, etc.); he cannot realize (the Truth). A person can realize God only if he/she destroys his/her false ego-ense (Haumai)  through the Guru Shabad. ||12|| (sggs 755).

Who is clean or pure?

The meaning of the word ‘Sucham-ਸੁੱਚਮ’ (purity etc.) and ‘Jooth-ਜੂਠ’ accepted by the group of Sikh Pujaaree, Parcharaks, Bhais, Granthis, scholars (ਵਿੱਦਵਾਨ), Jathedars etc, or the kind ‘Sucham-ਸੁੱਚਮ’ and ‘Jooth-ਜੂਠ’ that the Dera-Vaad is preaching, have no place in Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS).

Only the purity of the mind/heart is accepted in the Guru’s house or in the Darbar-ਦਰਬਾਰ of the Creator.

  • ਸਚਾ ਚਉਕਾ ਸੁਰਤਿ ਕੀ ਕਾਰਾ ॥ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਭੋਜਨੁ ਸਚੁ ਆਧਾਰਾ ॥ ਸਦਾ ਤ੍ਰਿਪਤਿ ਪਵਿਤ੍ਰੁ ਹੈ ਪਾਵਨੁ ਜਿਤੁ ਘਟਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਨਿਵਾਸੀ ਹੇ ॥੫॥ : Just as a Brahmin keeps his kitchen pure by drawing lines around it and not letting any low cast person enter in it, similarly the Guru’s follower keeps his mind/conscience pure by not letting evil thoughts in it. God’s Name is his spiritual sustenance and support in life. Forever satisfied and pure is that person, within whose mind is enshrined God’s Naam. ||5|| (sggs 1048).
  • ਤਨੁ ਸੂਚਾ ਸੋ ਆਖੀਐ ਜਿਸੁ ਮਹਿ ਸਾਚਾ ਨਾਉ ॥ ਭੈ ਸਚਿ ਰਾਤੀ ਦੇਹੁਰੀ ਜਿਹਵਾ ਸਚੁ ਸੁਆਉ ॥ ਸਚੀ ਨਦਰਿ ਨਿਹਾਲੀਐ ਬਹੁੜਿ ਨ ਪਾਵੈ ਤਾਉ ॥੨॥ : That body is said to be pure, in which dwells the God’s Naam. One whose body is imbued with loving fear (reverence-ਅਦਬ) of God and whose purpose in life is to live by God’s Naam, is blessed by God’s grace. That person does not have to go through the repeated suffering in life. (sggs 19).
  • ਪਵਿਤੁ ਹੋਏ ਸੇ ਜਨਾ ਜਿਨੀ ਹਰਿ ਧਿਆਇਆ ॥ ਹਰਿ ਧਿਆਇਆ ਪਵਿਤੁ ਹੋਏ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਜਿਨੀ ਧਿਆਇਆ ॥ : The life of those ‘Jan’ (Gurmukh, Daas, Bhagat…) who contemplate the divine Naam.  Yes, those who contemplated on the divine Naam by becoming the Gurmukh  have become pure. ||2||(sggs 919).
  • ਸੋ ਸੂਚਾ ਜਿ ਕਰੋਧੁ ਨਿਵਾਰੇ ॥ ਸਬਦੇ ਬੂਝੈ ਆਪੁ ਸਵਾਰੇ ॥ : One who eradicates his anger is pure. He/she understands the Guru Shabad and embellishes his/her life. (sggs 1059).
  • ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਧਿਆਵਹਿ ਸਿ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਪਾਵਹਿ ਸੇਈ ਸੂਚੇ ਹੋਹੀ ॥ ਅਹਿਨਿਸਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪਹੁ ਰੇ ਪ੍ਰਾਣੀ ਮੈਲੇ ਹਛੇ ਹੋਹੀ ॥੩॥ : By becoming the Gurmukh (enlightened, Guru Shabad-Oriented), those who remember God, receive the Amrit of Naam and become pure. O mortals, always remember God’s Naam with adoration and by doing so, even the sinners become virtuous. ||3|| (sggs 1254).

Simply put: For a Sikh (student, learner or ਸਿਖਿਆਰਥੀ of the SGGS), the Wisdom of the Gurmat is the Way of life.

  • ਅੰਤਰਿ ਜੂਠਾ ਕਿਉ ਸੁਚਿ ਹੋਇ ॥ ਸਬਦੀ ਧੋਵੈ ਵਿਰਲਾ ਕੋਇ ॥ : If (someone) is impure within, (he) cannot become pure (without washing the mind with Shabad). How rare is the person who washes (his mind) with the Shabad (Wisdom, Upadesh, Sikhiaa, Naam…). (sggs 1344).

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