Liberation From Slavery of Outer Domination

Writer Maxim Gorky is attributed with the following statement: ‘Freedom is the first five minutes in which you were born to cry naked, nameless, without a sense of any separative psyche, not knowing what is right, what is wrong and without human grudge. Five minutes after birth society decided your name, nationality, religion and other attributes. Then we grow defending and promoting things we didn’t choose, endlessly for the rest of our life. Thus compassion is gone and illusion is invited’.

Unlike all world religions, the Gurbani (SGGS) liberates us from the slavery of the outer domination — Freedom or Liberation from psychological time…

For example, all religions of the world tell you that God (or whatever name you want to use) is separate from us, sitting on a throne in the sky somewhere ‘up there’ or ‘there yonder’. They want us to be fearful of His wrath and so be blindly under His domination, and so on.

As God is some dictator and we all must be under His dictatorship!!!

In fact, Christian clergy will tell you that the only way to God is through Jesus! If you do not follow him then you go to hell, and you have no hope to get into the Kingdom of God, up there!

The clergy of the Judiasm claims they are the only chosen people of God!

Muslim clergy will label you ‘Kaaffir‘ (infidel) unless you are a Muslim — a ‘Kaaffir‘ does not even deserve to live!

It’s equally embarrassing for the rest of the Pujaaree groups of organized religions.

What a cynical view of Dharma, Spirituality, God or Rabb, and religion!

However, the Gurmat Giaan or Wisdom of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) neither believes in all this nor teaches us to practice it. Instead, the Gurbani teaches us practical spirituality, One All-pervading Universal Energy, compassion and Love, Sameness, Oneness, virtuous living, respect and justice for all etc.

Simply put, the Gurbani asserts that people talk about salvation of others and being saved themselves (i.e., the savior and the saved) ONLY until they have Realized the Truth! In other words, once they Realize the Truth, they transcend all this — their slavery of the outer domination!

• ਤਾਰਨ ਤਰਨੁ ਤਬੈ ਲਗੁ ਕਹੀਐ ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਤਤੁ ਨ ਜਾਨਿਆ ॥ ਅਬ ਤਉ ਬਿਮਲ ਭਏ ਘਟ ਹੀ ਮਹਿ ਕਹਿ ਕਬੀਰ ਮਨੁ ਮਾਨਿਆ ॥੨॥੫॥: (People talk of) salvation and being saved (i.e., the savior and the saved) as long as they do not understand the Essence of Reality. Says Kabeer! (I have) now become Pure within my Heart; my mind has become Happy. ||2||5|| (sggs 1104).

Accordingly, instead of wandering outside or worrying about a dominator or dictator ruling from ‘up there’, the Gurbani asks us to look within:

• ਸਭ ਕਿਛੁ ਘਰ ਮਹਿ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਨਾਹੀ ॥ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਟੋਲੈ ਸੋ ਭਰਮਿ ਭੁਲਾਹੀ ॥: (The Divine Virtues, Wisdom, Spiritual tranquility, Naam, Shabad, Amrit, Prabh, ਆਤਮਕ ਸੁਖ…) all that is within the Heart-Home; not outside. Who searches outside is deluded by doubts (sggs 102).
• ਪੁਹਪ ਮਧਿ ਜਿਉ ਬਾਸੁ ਬਸਤੁ ਹੈ ਮੁਕਰ ਮਾਹਿ ਜੈਸੇ ਛਾਈ ॥ ਤੈਸੇ ਹੀ ਹਰਿ ਬਸੇ ਨਿਰੰਤਰਿ ਘਟ ਹੀ ਖੋਜਹੁ ਭਾਈ ॥੧॥: As the fragrance abides in the flower and the reflection in the mirror, so the Divine dwells uninterrupted (in all. Hence) O Brother! Search for Him within your Heart ||1|| (sggs 684).
• ਕਾਇਆ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਆਪੇ ਵਸੈ ਅਲਖੁ ਨ ਲਖਿਆ ਜਾਈ ॥ ਮਨਮੁਖੁ ਮੁਗਧੁ ਬੂਝੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭਾਲਣਿ ਜਾਈ ॥: (Prabhoo) Himself dwells within the (Inner) body; (but) He is Invisible and cannot be seen. The foolish Manmukh does not understand (this mystery), (consequently) he goes out searching outside (sggs 754).

Clearly, the Gurbani teaches us an Inner Rule or an Inner discipline — a revolution within!

• ਕਾਯਉ ਦੇਵਾ ਕਾਇਅਉ ਦੇਵਲ ਕਾਇਅਉ ਜੰਗਮ ਜਾਤੀ ॥ ਕਾਇਅਉ ਧੂਪ ਦੀਪ ਨਈਬੇਦਾ ਕਾਇਅਉ ਪੂਜਉ ਪਾਤੀ ॥੧॥ ਕਾਇਆ ਬਹੁ ਖੰਡ ਖੋਜਤੇ ਨਵ ਨਿਧਿ ਪਾਈ ॥ ਨਾ ਕਛੁ ਆਇਬੋ ਨਾ ਕਛੁ ਜਾਇਬੋ ਰਾਮ ਕੀ ਦੁਹਾਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ ਜੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੰਡੇ ਸੋਈ ਪਿੰਡੇ ਜੋ ਖੋਜੈ ਸੋ ਪਾਵੈ ॥ ਪੀਪਾ ਪ੍ਰਣਵੈ ਪਰਮ ਤਤੁ ਹੈ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਹੋਇ ਲਖਾਵੈ ॥੨॥੩॥: The body is the temple and God dwells in it; the body is the place of pilgrimage, of which I am a pilgrim (searching for God Within my body). Searching God within the body is like burning incense, lighting of lamps and offering delicious food on leaf plates in Poojaa. ||1|| When I searched my body within, I found the new Treasure (of Naam) which I was searching outside. (Since I have realized within my ownself) the Glory of Raam (now I can say that) nothing comes, and nothing goes (i.e. I don’t go through repeated scuffing in my daily life). ||1||Pause|| That One (God, Universal Energy) which functions and pervades outside in Brahmand also dwells Within the body; whoever seeks, finds (Realizes God Within). Peepaa prays – If Satguru is met (Wisdom of Truth: ਸੱਚਾ ਗਿਆਨ), then the Greatest Reality (Real Source, Creator, ਅਸਲੀਅਤ, ਤੱਤ, ਸੱਚ) is revealed (Within). ||2||3|| (sggs 695).

The Gurbani thus teaches us to get out from any type of outer domination — no outer domination should exist whatsoever. For illusion is outside. But, the Spiritual Factor is inside! The Gurbani says that those who become Gurmukhs (follower of Truth…) understands this, and those who remain Manmukhs (deniers of Truth…) remains in fetters.

• ਨਾਨਕ ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਬੰਧੁ ਹੈ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਕਰਾਏ ॥੪॥੩॥: O Nanak! Manmukhs remain in bondage; (but those who) become Gurmukhs become liberated. ||4||3|| (sggs 559).

Undoubtedly, the Gurbani is truly a revolutionary Siddhaant — the assertion of Truth, authentic Experience or Realization, Vision of Reality, the Timeless and Universal Wisdom (Brahm-Giaan) …! It Liberates the entire humanity from the slavery of any outside agency, outside domination or any rule from the outside.

To the Contrary, the band of clergy or Pujaaree of all religions tell you there is a God ‘up there’ etc. and be scared of His wrath. This is how they are able to enslave the masses in rituals or Karamkaand, dogmas, religious paraphernalia etc.

However, the Gurbani wants to free the entire humanity. So it urges all to step Inward.

To Free us from any domination from the outside, the Gurbani tells not to depend on an outside agency for resolving our life’s affairs. Instead, we can and we must resolve our own affairs, ourselves, here and now:

• ਆਪਣ ਹਥੀ ਆਪਣਾ ਆਪੇ ਹੀ ਕਾਜੁ ਸਵਾਰੀਐ ॥੨੦॥: (So long there is breath — Praan) accomplish the task (of God Realization) yourself ( i.e. with self-efforts: Shabad-Vichaar …). ||20|| (sggs 474).

However, the priest-class or Pujaaree and the custodians of ALL religions want people to be the slave of or dependent on an outside agency that is vengeful, wrathful, jealous, angry, etc. This way it’s much easier for them to exploit and manipulate the masses, propagate duality, hatred, fear, pitting people against one another (i.e., ‘us versus them’) etc.

On the other hand, the Gurbani teaches Oneness, non-duality, Love, fearlessness, etc. It removes our doubts (Bharam-ਭਰਮ), the mind’s ignorance of its own True Blissful Nature…

• ਹਮਰਾ ਭਰਮੁ ਗਇਆ ਭਉ ਭਾਗਾ ॥: With the departure of my doubt, (my) fear has fled away (sggs 655).

The Beauty of the Gurmat Siddhaant is that once you step Inward, you free yourself from the slavery of the outside nonsense  — you act spontaneously, not according to any rule imposed by others or by the conditioned mind of oneself.

Once inside… you keep going… until become established in ‘Sahaj Samaadhi’ (Natural State of Being, Spontaneous State of Being), ‘Sunn Samaadhi’ (stillness, nothingness, spiritual Silence, State Free of Mayaic thoughts, false ego-sense or Haumai etc.), ‘Padu Nirabaanu’ (Nirvaanaa, liberation, eternal happiness etc.) etc.

Here the response Total, is Undivided, Untainted, Unconditioned, non-violent, Total Freedom …

• ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਬਿਗਸੈ ਸਹਜਿ ਸੁਭਾਇ ॥: The Gurmukh (Spiritual Being) blossoms forth through Sahaj (sggs 1173).
• ਸੁੰਨ ਸਮਾਧਿ ਸਹਜਿ ਮਨੁ ਰਾਤਾ ॥: (By becoming the Gurmukh, his) mind remains intuitively absorbed in Sunn Samaadhi (where there are no Mayaic thoughts, noise of the Haumai, etc.). (sggs 904).
• ਨਾਮਿ ਰਤਾ ਸੋਈ ਨਿਰਬਾਣੁ ॥੩॥: Naami rataa soee Nirabaanu (sggs 385).

Here the actor (imposter or distorted mind) completely disappears, the scene and the seer become one — here the mind is completely Free of all conditioning, and it cannot be manipulated by anybody or anything. Reality is only when the mind is not. Death of the mind is death of the negative impact of Maya.

• ਫਾਹੇ ਕਾਟੇ ਮਿਟੇ ਗਵਨ ਫਤਿਹ ਭਈ ਮਨਿ ਜੀਤ ॥: When one conquers his (own) mind, victory (Fatih-‘ਫਤਿਹ’) is obtained; (Maya’s) snares are cut (ਮਾਇਆ ਦੇ ਮੋਹ ਦੇ ਬੰਧਨ ਕੱਟੇ ਜਾਂਦੇ ਹਨ); and one’s (Mayaic-ਮਾਇਆ ਪਿਛੇ ਭਟਕਣਾ) wanderings cease. (sggs 258).

Hence, the Gurbani asserts that no outer domination should exist whatsoever. Thus, the Gurbani’s Dharma is Truth (Sach-ਸਚ), not out of fear but out of Truth!

• ਬੋਲੀਐ ਸਚੁ ਧਰਮੁ ਝੂਠੁ ਨ ਬੋਲੀਐ ॥: Speaking Truth is Dharma; don’t speak falsehood (sggs 488).

What a revolutionary Siddhaant, indeed!

Hence, true or real Mukti (liberation) is to continuously remain in Bliss (Ananad) while alive — freedom from both Dukh and Sukh or duality.

• ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੀ ਆਗਿਆ ਆਤਮ ਹਿਤਾਵੈ ॥ ਜੀਵਨ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਸੋਊ ਕਹਾਵੈ ॥ ਤੈਸਾ ਹਰਖੁ ਤੈਸਾ ਉਸੁ ਸੋਗੁ ॥ ਸਦਾ ਅਨੰਦੁ ਤਹ ਨਹੀ ਬਿਓਗੁ ॥ ਤੈਸਾ ਸੁਵਰਨੁ ਤੈਸੀ ਉਸੁ ਮਾਟੀ ॥ ਤੈਸਾ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਤੈਸੀ ਬਿਖੁ ਖਾਟੀ ॥ ਤੈਸਾ ਮਾਨੁ ਤੈਸਾ ਅਭਿਮਾਨੁ ॥ ਤੈਸਾ ਰੰਕੁ ਤੈਸਾ ਰਾਜਾਨੁ ॥ ਜੋ ਵਰਤਾਏ ਸਾਈ ਜੁਗਤਿ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਓਹੁ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਕਹੀਐ ਜੀਵਨ ਮੁਕਤਿ ॥੭॥: One who, in his soul (mind), loves the Divine Hukam (Law of Nature, Instruction…), is said to be Jeevan Mukta – liberated while yet alive. As is joy, so is sorrow to him. In that state, there is everlasting Bliss and no separation (from Hukam, Wisdom, Virtues…). As is gold, so is dust to him. As is nectar, so is bitter poison to him. As is honor, so is dishonor to him. As is the beggar, so is the king to him. Whatever (Hukam or law of Nature) sets in rotation, that is the proper way (rational, befitting, etc.). O Nanak! That person (who follows this proper way) is known as living  Liberated (Jeevan Mukta, living dead, etc.). ||7|| (sggs 275).