TRAPPING OF THE MONKEY AND THE HUMAN MIND

  • ਮਰਕਟ ਮੁਸਟੀ ਅਨਾਜ ਕੀ ਮਨ ਬਉਰਾ ਰੇ ਲੀਨੀ ਹਾਥੁ ਪਸਾਰਿ ॥ ਛੂਟਨ ਕੋ ਸਹਸਾ ਪਰਿਆ ਮਨ ਬਉਰਾ ਰੇ ਨਾਚਿਓ ਘਰ ਘਰ ਬਾਰਿ ॥੨॥: Marakat musattee anaaj kee mann bouraa re leenee haath pasaar. Shoottan ko sahasaa pariaa man bouraa re naachiou ghar ghar baar ||2|| (sggs 336).

Monkeys are captured in India as follows (at least this is how they used to be caught in older days, May be it’s done differently these days!). A narrow-necked pot, filled with grains and other eatables that monkeys love, is placed on the ground as a bait to trap them. As a monkey comes to take the grains, he puts his hand into the narrow-necked pot and grab hold of the grains. Now, since his hand is full of grains, he cannot take his hand out of the narrow-necked pot and escape. He can, but, in greed, he does not let grains go and escape (even he knows he is trapped!) Thus, in greed, the foolish monkey does not open his hand and let go of the grains so that he can escape. As he will not let go of the grabbed grains because of greed, he gets trapped and caught. Stupid monkey, by holding on to a few grains, loses his freedom to roam around the forest where he can find abundance of grains and fresh fruits of his liking. In other words, for a few grains he loses his entire world! Now caught and bound, he cannot freely play and enjoy life to his heart’s liking. Instead, he is made to dance door to door by his captive.

Similarly, the Gurbani says that Maya has spread out her net and in it has placed the bait (ਵਿਸ਼ਿਆਂ ਦਾ ਚੋਗਾ ਜਾਲ, sensuousness, sense-gratifications, Bikaars, desires, etc.) to trap the bird of desire (instinctive mind, ਜੀਵ-ਪੰਖੀ, etc.). The Gurbani compares our greed-stricken minds with the Monkey. That is, “all the deeds committed in greed ultimately become a noose around one’s neck”.

  • ਜਿਉ ਕਪਿ ਕੇ ਕਰ ਮੁਸਟਿ ਚਨਨ ਕੀ ਲੁਬਧਿ ਨ ਤਿਆਗੁ ਦਇਓ ॥ ਜੋ ਜੋ ਕਰਮ ਕੀਏ ਲਾਲਚ ਸਿਉ ਤੇ ਫਿਰਿ ਗਰਹਿ ਪਰਿਓ ॥੧॥ ਭਗਤਿ ਬਿਨੁ ਬਿਰਥੇ ਜਨਮੁ ਗਇਓ ॥ ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਭਗਵਾਨ ਭਜਨ ਬਿਨੁ ਕਹੀ ਨ ਸਚੁ ਰਹਿਓ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥: Jiou kap kae kar musati chanan kee lubadhi na tiaag daio: Jo jo karam keeye laalach siou te fir garahi pario ||1||. Bhagati bin birathhe janam gaio. Saadhasangat bhagavaan bhajan bin kahee n sach rahiou ||1|| Rahaaou|| (sggs 336).
  • ਮਾਇਆ ਜਾਲੁ ਪਸਾਰਿਆ ਭੀਤਰਿ ਚੋਗ ਬਣਾਇ ॥ ਤ੍ਰਿਸਨਾ ਪੰਖੀ ਫਾਸਿਆ ਨਿਕਸੁ ਨ ਪਾਏ ਮਾਇ ॥: Maya jaal pasaariaa bheetar chog banaai. Trisnaa pankhee phaasiaa nikis n paae maai (sggs 50).

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