Mind Knowingly Commits Demerits

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The Gurmat Wisdom of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) counsels its Sikhs (lifelong learners) that the Jeev (individual beings) – driven by Maya’s love or hunger – is brimful with demerits (ਅਵਗੁਣ / ਅਉਗਨ = defect, fault, mistakes, blemish, Bikaar, etc.). Bloated with false ego-sense (Haumai), it does not think straight and cannot be trusted.

  • ਮਨ ਖੁਟਹਰ ਤੇਰਾ ਨਹੀ ਬਿਸਾਸੁ ਤੂ ਮਹਾ ਉਦਮਾਦਾ ॥ ਖਰ ਕਾ ਪੈਖਰੁ ਤਉ ਛੁਟੈ ਜਉ ਊਪਰਿ ਲਾਦਾ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥: O defective mind, you can not be trusted because you remain very intoxicated (by Maya). Just as DONKEY‘s leg-chain is removed only after it is loaded (similarly O mind, you should be controlled by loading you with the Wisdom / Virtues, and thus you should not be given a chance to be enticed Maya, vices or Bikaar etc.). ||1||Pause|| (sggs 815).

In the same breadth, the Gurbani teaches us that the the Divine Virtues (ਗੁਣ) also abide within the Jeev (individual being) as well.

  • ਅਵਗੁਣੀ ਭਰਪੂਰ ਹੈ ਗੁਣ ਭੀ ਵਸਹਿ ਨਾਲਿ ॥: (The mortal) is overflowing with demerits, but Virtue dwells within him as well. (sggs 936).

Two things are clear from the above verse: (1) demerits (ਅਵਗੁਣ / ਅਉਗਨ) are foreign, man-made, external, unnatural, un-inherent, etc. (2) On the contrary, the Divine Virtues (ਗੁਣ) are native, inherent, natural, already present within. It is so because the Omnipresent Creator, the Treasure of Virtues, is ever present within all humans (as our very Mool, Source, Jot Saroop etc.).

Then, how does the Jeev (individual beings) end up brimful with demerits (ਅਵਗੁਣ / ਅਉਗਨ)? The Gurbani provides us with an authoritative answer as follows:

  • ਕਬੀਰ ਮਨੁ ਜਾਨੈ ਸਭ ਬਾਤ ਜਾਨਤ ਹੀ ਅਉਗਨੁ ਕਰੈ ॥ ਕਾਹੇ ਕੀ ਕੁਸਲਾਤ ਹਾਥਿ ਦੀਪੁ ਕੂਏ ਪਰੈ ॥੨੧੬॥: Kabeer, the mind knows everything and knowingly it commits demerits. What is the use of that lamp (Giaan-Wisdom) if we fall into the well (of ignorance, Maya, vices or Bikaar) even with that lamp in our hands? (sggs 1376).

In the foregoing verse, the Gurbani teaches that the mind knows everything (right and wrong, Truth and untruth, Real and Unreal, True and false, fleeting and Eternal, merits and demerits etc), but, still, knowingly it commits mistakes (ਅਵਗੁਣ / ਅਉਗਨ = demerits, defect, fault, blemish, Bikaar, etc.).

That said, the Gurbani asks us what’s the use of having a Lamp (of Giaan or Wisdom…) in hand, if the person holding the lamp is still going to fall into a well (the well of ignorance, Maya, vices/Bikaar, ਅਉਗਨ / ਬਿਕਾਰਾਂ ਦੇ ਖੂਹ ਵਿਚ…).

The Guru Shabad is the Lamp (of Giyan-Wisdom…) given to us, that shows us the right Way (Spiritual Path, Maarag) so that we don’t fall into a well of ignorance, Maya, vices/Bikaar…

But our Maya driven mind does not listen to the Inner Voice (ਅੰਤਰ ਆਤਮਾ ਦੀ ਅਵਾਜ) of its Mool (Source…). In other words, the Mayaic mind overrules the Wisdom of its Mool (Source…), and as a result, ends up committing and accumulating demerits within.

  • ਹਮ ਅਵਗੁਣਿ ਭਰੇ ਏਕੁ ਗੁਣੁ ਨਾਹੀ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਛਾਡਿ ਬਿਖੈ ਬਿਖੁ ਖਾਈ ॥: I am overflowing with demerits; I have no virtues at all. I abandoned the Amrit (-Naam: Aatam Giaan, Spiritual Wisdom…), and I drank poison (Maya) instead. (sggs 1406).

The Gurbani teaches us that the majority of us follow this tendency of the Maya-ridden mind (i.e. Maya driven inclinations, nature, habits, quality, temperament etc.).

What’s the remedy according to the Gurbani?

As repeatedly indicated in the Gurbani, the remedy is to remove the ‘filth‘ of the mind through the earnest Shabad-Vichaar, and living the Gurmat-based daily life.

  • ਕੂਟਨੁ ਸੋਇ ਜੁ ਮਨ ਕਉ ਕੂਟੈ ॥: That  alone is ‘Kootan‘ (ਕੁੱਟਣ, striking, thrashing, beating, etc.), who pounds down his mind (i.e., assesses, appraises, introspects, surveys, searches, tests, measures, etc., his mind to mend it or annihilate it…). (sggs 872).
  • ਜੋ ਕਿਛੁ ਕੀਆ ਸੋ ਮਨ ਕੀਆ ਮੂੰਡਾ ਮੂੰਡੁ ਅਜਾਂਇ ॥੧੦੧॥: Whatever is done, is done by the mind; it is useless to shave your head (i.e., without removing the mind’s filth, it’s useless to shaving the head to look like a Saadhoo…). ||101|| (sggs 1369).

In a nutshell, according to the Gurbani, all the Divine Virtues (ਗੁਣ) and the Divine Giyan-Wisdom is in accepting the Divine Hukam (the Universal System-Rule-Law of Nature with which the Kudrat functions (ਕੁਦਰਤੀ ਨਿਯਮ). Put simply, it is the Divine Law of consequences – we humans are free to choose, but we are not free from the consequences of our choices.

  • ਮਾਨੈ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਸਭੇ ਗੁਣ ਗਿਆਨ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਦਰਗਹ ਪਾਵੈ ਮਾਨੁ ॥੫੬॥ : (Spiritual success is the) Realization of the Divine Virtues and Internalization of His Hukam. Nanak, the spirituality of the Shabad provides the Honor (of Realization) within my Conscience. ॥56॥ (sggs 944).

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3 comments

  1. Thouroughly enlightening. We purposely resort to the demeritorious path when we are fully equipped with the brightest torch of Gur-Gyaan.

    Keep up the task of exemplary and inspiring education. Regards.

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