Mind That Gives up Hunger for Maya Realizes its Mool

The the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) tells us the Original Nature of our mind is ‘Jot Saroop‘.

However, when it comes under the influence of Maya (duality-stricken, Bharam or doubt-ridden etc.) it becomes the seat of Jeeva’s all troubles (Dukha-ਦੁਖ). While connected to Maya, it remains disconnected from its True Nature (Mool, Source, Joti, Brahm…).

• ਇਉ ਕਹੈ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਮਨ ਤੂੰ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਰੂਪੁ ਹੈ ਅਪਣਾ ਮੂਲੁ ਪਛਾਣੁ ॥੫॥ : This is what Nanak says: O my mind, you are ‘Jot Saroop’ — the embodiment of the Divine Light (Creator), recognize your own Mool (ORIGIN). ||5|| (sggs 441).

The Gurbani never gets tired of Instructing this rebel mind to give up its love or hunger for Maya. What is Maya?

According to the SGGS, whatever makes one forget his/her (1) True Nature (Jot Saroop) or Mool (‘Hari Visrai‘), (2) gives rise to emotional attachment (‘Moh Upjai‘), and (3) creates duality (‘Bhaau Doojaa‘, two-ness, double mindedness…) becomes Maya for that person.

In a nutshell, Maya is that which makes a person forget the Creator (Hukam) by creating attachment to the corrupting influences of the worldly temptations.

• ਏਹ ਮਾਇਆ ਜਿਤੁ ਹਰਿ ਵਿਸਰੈ ਮੋਹੁ ਉਪਜੈ ਭਾਉ ਦੂਜਾ ਲਾਇਆ ॥ : This is Maya, by which (1) ‘Hari’ (Mool) is forgotten; (2) (worldly) attachment is born, and (3) the love of duality is set (sggs 921).

So long this mind is attached to Maya, or so long it desires to enjoy Maya (ਮਾਇਆ ਦੀ ਭੁੱਖ), it cannot remember or recognize its Original Nature (Jot Saroop).

• ਮਾਇਆ ਲਾਲਚਿ ਅਟਿਆ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਚਿਤਿ ਨ ਆਵਹਿ ਮੂਲਿ ॥ : O dear (Jeeva)! Contained in or filled with the longing for Maya, (Paarbrahm) does not come into (those Jeeva’s) mind at all. (sggs 641).
• ਚਿਟੇ ਜਿਨ ਕੇ ਕਪੜੇ ਮੈਲੇ ਚਿਤ ਕਠੋਰ ਜੀਉ ॥ ਤਿਨ ਮੁਖਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਨ ਊਪਜੈ ਦੂਜੈ ਵਿਆਪੇ ਚੋਰ ਜੀਉ ॥ ਮੂਲੁ ਨ ਬੂਝਹਿ ਆਪਣਾ ਸੇ ਪਸੂਆ ਸੇ ਢੋਰ ਜੀਉ ॥੩॥ : Their clothes are white (beautiful religious robes) but their conscience is cruel and filthy (full of vices — they look holy or Mahaatamaa on the outside only). Their minds don’t acquire Naam (Giaan-Wisdom, Virtues…); engrossed in duality they cheat people (i.e. their external appearance is only pretense-Pakhand to cheat people). They do not Understand their own Mool (Source, Jot Saroop…); that’s why they are fools with animal intelligence ||3|| (sggs 751).
• ਭੁਖ ਵਿਆਪੈ ਬਹੁ ਬਿਧਿ ਧਾਵੈ ॥ : Afflicted with hunger (for Maya) keeps one wandering to satisfy this hunger. (sggs 98).
• ਮੂਲੁ ਛੋਡਿ ਲਾਗੇ ਦੂਜੈ ਭਾਈ ॥ : Abandoning the Mool, (Mayaic Jeev) become attached to the love of duality. (sggs 232).
• ਮੂਲੁ ਨ ਬੂਝਹਿ ਸਾਚਿ ਨ ਰੀਝਹਿ ਦੂਜੈ ਭਰਮਿ ਭੁਲਾਈ ਹੇ ॥੩॥ : (The false ones) do not understand their Mool, they are not pleased (satisfied or gratified) with the Truth, and so they wander in duality and doubt. ||3|| (sggs 1024).

The mind attached to Maya creates waves (‘ਤਰੰਗਾ-Tarangaa‘): desires, wanderings, disturbance, restlessness, Phurne or thoughts, imaginations, greed, worldly temptations etc.

• ਮਨਹਿ ਬਿਆਪਤ ਅਨਿਕ ਤਰੰਗਾ ॥ : Mind is troubled by so many waves (sggs 759).
• ਮਾਇਆ ਮੋਹੁ ਇਸੁ ਮਨਹਿ ਨਚਾਏ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਕਪਟੁ ਦੁਖੁ ਪਾਵਣਿਆ ॥੪॥ : The love of Maya makes this mind dance, and the deceit within makes people suffer in pain. ||4|| (sggs 122).

In other words, the mind attached to Maya instead of its True Nature (Mool, ‘Jot Saroop’…) wavers or flow like Maya – oscillating, roaming, wandering, unstable, ਹਵਾ ਵਾਂਗ ਘੁੱਮੀ ਜਾਣਾਂ, etc. That is, the waves created by Maya (‘ਤਰੰਗ’, ‘ਲਹਰਿ’… ) give rise to force of Phurne or thoughts in the mind. These Phurne or thoughts continuously rise and flow in the Mayaic mind, making it restless, doubt-ridden…

• ਮਾਇਆ ਡੋਲੈ ਬਹੁ ਬਿਧੀ ਮਨੁ ਲਪਟਿਓ ਤਿਹ ਸੰਗ ॥ : Maya wavers many ways, the mind clings to this (Maya, also wavers many ways). (sggs 258).
• ਹੋਰੁ ਵਣਜੁ ਕਰਹਿ ਵਾਪਾਰੀਏ ਅਨੰਤ ਤਰੰਗੀ ਦੁਖੁ ਮਾਇਆ ॥: Those traders (i.e., Jeev-individuals) who deal with other (dealings – other than Naam…), are caught up in the endless waves of Maya and suffer. (sggs 165).

However, there are no such waves or flow in its Mool, because the Mool remains Pure, Unstained, or Unattached, ‘Nirlepaa‘ (i.e., remains ‘ਨਿਰਲੇਪਾ’, ‘ਨਿਰੰਜਨੁ’ etc.), beyond the corrupting influence of Maya.

• ਮਮਾ ਮੂਲ ਗਹਿਆ ਮਨੁ ਮਾਨੈ ॥ : MAMAA: Clinging to the Mool, the mind is satisfied (ਮੰਨੇ, ਸਮਝੇ, comply…). (sggs 342).
• ਨਾਨਕ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਨਿਰਲੇਪਾ ॥੫੪॥ : Nanak, the Omnipresent God is Unattached. ॥54॥ (sggs 261).
• ਸਭ ਕੈ ਮਧਿ ਅਲਿਪਤੋ ਰਹੈ ॥ : In the midst of all, God remains Unattached. (sggs 294).

How can we mortals, then, end Maya’s waves? According to the Gurbani, we can accomplish it by making the mind trace its steps back to its Unwavering Mool (Jot Saroop), which is free of Maya’s deception (trap, duplicity, enticement, doubts etc. The Gurbani says this is possible through the Shabad-Vichaar. :

• ਅਨਦਿਨੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਦਾਨੁ ਬ੍ਰਤਕਾਰੀ ॥ ਤ੍ਰਿਪਤਿ ਤਰੰਗ ਤਤੁ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥੩॥ : Remembering the Divine Naam (Giyan-Wisdom / Virtues) all the time is my giving in charity and fasting. By Reflecting on the Essence of Reality (Divine Virtues), one become satiated (contented…) from the waves (of Maya — worldly temptations and their corrupting influences). ||3|| (sggs 1331).
• ਜੋਤੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਮਾਣੀ ਭੀਤਰਿ ਤਾ ਛੋਡੇ ਮਾਇਆ ਕੇ ਲਾਹੇ ॥੨॥ : (Those who quaff the Nectar of Naam, their individual) light blends into the Divine Light, then (their) greed or race for Maya ends. ||2|| (sggs 351).
• ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦੀ ਹਰਿ ਮਨਿ ਵਸੈ ਮਾਇਆ ਕੀ ਭੁਖ ਜਾਇ ॥ : The mind realizes its Mool through internalizing the Message of the Guru’s Shabad, and then its hunger for Maya vanishes. (sggs 1413).
• ਹਰਿ ਸੰਗਿ ਰਾਤੇ ਮਾਇਆ ਨਹੀ ਛਲੈ ॥ : Maya cannot deceive or cheat (those) who are attuned to (their) Mool, within. (sggs 201).

In other words, the Gurbani’s Message is directed for the Mayaic or Manmukh Mind to transcend Maya and become the Gurmukh (Enlightened). For the Gur-Shabad is the death knoll for the Maya’s waves — end of Maya’s waves result in the end of mind’s waves.

• ਮਾਇਆ ਲਹਰਿ ਸਬਦਿ ਨਿਵਾਰੀ ॥ : Deter the waves of Maya with Shabad. (sggs 1049).
• ਜਲਤ ਅਨਿਕ ਤਰੰਗ ਮਾਇਆ ਗੁਰ ਗਿਆਨ ਹਰਿ ਰਿਦ ਮੰਤ ॥ : Maya’s (worldliness) Countless waves are burnt away, when the Divine Wisdom is enshrined in the heart, through the ‘Mant’ (the Gurbani’s Upadesh, Wisdom-Giaan). (sggs 508).
• ਨਾਨਕ ਮਾਇਆ ਕਾ ਮਾਰਣੁ ਸਬਦੁ ਹੈ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਪਾਇਆ ਜਾਇ ॥੨॥ : Nanak, the antidote of Maya is the Shabad, which is realized by internalizing its Message – becoming the Gurmukh (Enlightened mind). ||2|| (sggs 853).

‘Jot Saroop’ becomes clear (apparent, revealed, exposed…) to those who become Enlightened (Gurmukhs mindset), whilst Manmukhs (unenlightened mind) keep wandering in doubt.

• ਜਾਤਿ ਮਹਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਮਹਿ ਜਾਤਾ ਅਕਲ ਕਲਾ ਭਰਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਆ ॥ : O Omnipresent Creator, You are present in Your Creation, and the Creation is You, Your powers are beyond comprehension. (sggs 469) .
• ਪ੍ਰਗਟੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਮਹਿ ਜਾਤਾ ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਭਰਮਿ ਭੁਲਾਣੀ ॥ : (Gurmukhs – Enlightened mindsets) realizes the Omnipresent God within, but Manmukhs (unenlightened) remain lost in doubt. (sggs 1111).
• ਮਿਲਿ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਜੋਤੀ ਓਤਿ ਪੋਤੀ ਉਦਕੁ ਉਦਕਿ ਸਮਾਇਆ ॥ : Trough and through, the mind realizes the Creator, like water merges into water. (sggs 545).

Related Posts:

• Mool – ਮੂਲ
• Mool Realization cannot be Made to an Order
• Signs of Mool Realization
• Opening Verse of the SGGS – Concept of God in Sikhi
• Who Am I?
• Jot Saroop – Mind’s Original Nature