How can we get rid of this delusion? Consider the following verses from the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS):
- ਬਿਨੁ ਸਬਦੈ ਜਗੁ ਦੁਖੀਆ ਫਿਰੈ ਮਨਮੁਖਾ ਨੋ ਗਈ ਖਾਇ ॥ ਸਬਦੇ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਈਐ ਸਬਦੇ ਸਚਿ ਸਮਾਇ ॥੪॥ ਮਾਇਆ ਭੂਲੇ ਸਿਧ ਫਿਰਹਿ ਸਮਾਧਿ ਨ ਲਗੈ ਸੁਭਾਇ ॥ ਤੀਨੇ ਲੋਅ ਵਿਆਪਤ ਹੈ ਅਧਿਕ ਰਹੀ ਲਪਟਾਇ ॥ ਬਿਨੁ ਗੁਰ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਨ ਪਾਈਐ ਨਾ ਦੁਬਿਧਾ ਮਾਇਆ ਜਾਇ ॥੫॥ ਮਾਇਆ ਕਿਸ ਨੋ ਆਖੀਐ ਕਿਆ ਮਾਇਆ ਕਰਮ ਕਮਾਇ ॥ ਦੁਖਿ ਸੁਖਿ ਏਹੁ ਜੀਉ ਬਧੁ ਹੈ ਹਉਮੈ ਕਰਮ ਕਮਾਇ ॥ ਬਿਨੁ ਸਬਦੈ ਭਰਮੁ ਨ ਚੂਕਈ ਨਾ ਵਿਚਹੁ ਹਉਮੈ ਜਾਇ ॥੬॥: Without the Shabad, the world wanders lost in pain (due to the love of Maya). Manmukhs are consumed (by craving for Maya). Only through the Guru‘s Shabad can the Naam (Giaan or Wisdom) be remembered, only through the Guru’s Shabad can one be absorbed in Truth. ||4|| (Let alone ordinary people, even those so called Yogi) wander astray (ਕੁਰਾਹੇ ਪਏ) under the influence of Maya, their (mind) is not absorbed in the divine love. The three worlds are permeated by Maya; it greatly clings to all beings. Without the Guru (Giaan or Wisdom), liberation (from Maya) is not attained, and the double-mindedness (duality) caused by the influence of Maya does not go away ||5|| What is called Maya? What does Maya do (through beings under its spell)? (The answer is that, under its spell) these beings are bound by pleasure and pain (i.e., the dualistic principle of Sukh and Dukh, etc); and they do their deeds in ‘Haumai’ (false ego-sense). Without the (Realization of the) Shabad, neither the doubt is dispelled nor Haumai is eliminated from within. ||6|| (sggs 67).
- 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).
As the SGGS asserts, the bottom line (ਮੁੱਕਦੀ ਗੱਲ) is that without internalizing the Enlightening Message of the Shabad, the negative impact of egotism and Maya cannot be eliminated. Without BECOMING the Guurbani, any other devices, contrivances, or clever tricks of our instinctive or conditioned mind will not work.
- ਕਾਹੂ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਕਿਤੈ ਨ ਪਾਈਐ ਧਰਮਿ ॥: (Naam) cannot be obtained by any devices (cleverness, contrivance, ਹੋਰ ਕਿਸੇ ਢੰਗ ਨਾਲ, etc.), and any religious rituals (ਧਾਰਮਿਕ ਰਸਮ ਰਿਵਾਜ, etc.) (sggs 274).
- ਅਕਲ ਕਲਾ ਨਹ ਪਾਈਐ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਅਲਖ ਅਲੇਖੰ ॥: (God) is not found by intellectual or clever devices; He is Un-seable and Incalculable (sggs 1098).