Useless Talk

The Gurmat Wisdom of Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) says only those become acceptable (ਕਬੂਲ, Gurmukhs, etc.) whose mind becomes One with their Mool (ਮੂਲ, Source, Jot Saroop…), within.

However, Gurbani in the SGGS reminds us that all other shallow talks devoid of Abidance in divine Virtues and Hukam are useless and of no avail (empty of the divine Wisdom or Aatm-Giyan of the Guru Shabad, ਨਿਰੀਆਂ ਜਾਂ ਫੋਕੀਆਂ ਗੱਲਾਂ – ‘ਅਲ ਪਲਾਲੀਆ‘).

• ਨਾਨਕ ਆਏ ਸੇ ਪਰਵਾਣੁ ਹੈ ਜਿਨ ਹਰਿ ਵੁਠਾ ਚਿਤਿ ॥ ਗਾਲ੍ਹ੍ਹੀ ਅਲ ਪਲਾਲੀਆ ਕੰਮਿ ਨ ਆਵਹਿ ਮਿਤ ॥੧॥: Nanak, approved is the coming (into this world) of those beings within whose conscience God abides. O my friend, all other useless talks and babbling serve no purpose. ||1|| (sggs 320).

Accordingly, the Gurbani urges us to learn the Upadesh (Instructions, Giaan, Wisdom, Advice, Counsel, etc.) of the Gur-Shabad with single-minded focus and utmost Love.

• ਸਿਖਹੁ ਸਬਦੁ ਪਿਆਰਿਹੋ ਜਨਮ ਮਰਨ ਕੀ ਟੇਕ ॥ ਮੁਖ ਊਜਲ ਸਦਾ ਸੁਖੀ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਿਮਰਤ ਏਕ ॥੨॥: O dear ones, learn the Guru Shabad, it is the support of the entire life. Nanak, by remembering the ONE Creator, be always Enlightened and Happy. ||2|| (sggs 320).

Gurbani asserts that mere talks or chatter about divine Giyan-Wisdom or Virtues; mere reading of Gurbani; mere seeing the SGGS, mere bowing to the SGGS, any other Pakhand (hypocrisy) or Karamkaand (rituals) or religious paraphernalia, religious robes etc., will not do the trick.

Gurbani in the SGGS has used the word Yog (or Yoga), which comes from the Sanskrit root ‘Yuj’, meaning ‘Join’. It simply means the joining of the ego-self (Haumai or the sense of ‘I, me, mine, you’, etc.) to the Higher Self within (i.e., Joining with one’s Mool or Jot Saroop). In other words, it means uniting of the time-bound consciousness with the Timeless Consciousness within.

Obviously, its the skill in thoughts, words and action that leads to the state of such Perfection (Poorantaa).

The Gurbani cautions us that this Union or Oneness with one’s Mool Within does not come about by mere talking.

Although most of us would like to believe in this wishful thinking, but Gurbani in the SGGS tells us otherwise. Also, as repeatedly made clear in the Gurbani, this Divine Union does not come about by wearing some peculiar garbs (Bhekh) or symbols, or by visiting so called locations of pilgrimage, or by wandering around the world.

• ਮਤੁ ਜਾਣ ਸਹਿ ਗਲੀ ਪਾਇਆ ॥: Don’t you ever think that you can realize God by your mere talking. (sggs 24).
• ਬਾਤ ਚੀਤ ਸਭ ਰਹੀ ਸਿਆਨਪ ॥ ਜਿਸਹਿ ਜਨਾਵਹੁ ਸੋ ਜਾਨੈ ਨਾਨਕ ॥੩੯॥: Words (debates, mere talk etc.) and clever tricks are of no use at all. O Nanak! Only that person understands who causes himself to know this. (sggs 258).
• ਗਲੀ ਜੋਗੁ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥: Union (with divine Presence Within) is not realized by mere talking. (sggs 730).
• ਇਕਿ ਫਿਰਹਿ ਘਨੇਰੇ ਕਰਹਿ ਗਲਾ ਗਲੀ ਕਿਨੈ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ॥ Plenty of people wander around talking and babbling on and on (but ignore practicing Virtues and Hukam). Nobody has ever realized God by mere talking. (sggs 919).
• ਙੰਙਾ ਙਿਆਨੁ ਨਹੀ ਮੁਖ ਬਾਤਉ ॥ ਅਨਿਕ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਸਾਸਤ੍ਰ ਕਰਿ ਭਾਤਉ ॥ ਙਿਆਨੀ ਸੋਇ ਜਾ ਕੈ ਦ੍ਰਿੜ ਸੋਊ ॥ ਕਹਤ ਸੁਨਤ ਕਛੁ ਜੋਗੁ ਨ ਹੋਊ ॥: Wisdom is not obtained by mere words of mouth. It is not obtained through the various debates of the Shaastras or scriptures. They alone are spiritually wise, whose minds are firmly fixed on the Essence of Reality (i.e., Mool, Jot Saroop etc.). By just hearing and telling stories (ਗੱਪ ਸਾਖੀਆਂ), no one attains Yoga. (sggs 251).
• ਪੂਛਤ ਪਥਕਿ ਤਿਹ ਮਾਰਗ ਨ ਧਾਰੈ ਪਗਿ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਮ ਕੈ ਦੇਸ ਕੈਸੇ ਬਾਤਨੁ ਕੇ ਜਾਈਐ । ਪੂਛਤ ਹੈ ਬੈਦ ਖਾਤ ਅਉਖਦ ਨ ਸੰਜਮ ਸੈ ਕੈਸੇ ਮਿਟੈ ਰੋਗ ਸੁਖ ਸਹਜ ਸਮਾਈਐ । ਪੂਛਤ ਸੁਹਾਗਨ ਕਰਮ ਹੈ ਦੁਹਾਗਨਿ ਕੈ ਰਿਦੈ ਬਿਬਿਚਾਰ ਕਤ ਸਿਹਜਾ ਬੁਲਾਈਐ । ਗਾਏ ਸੁਨੇ ਆਂਖੇ ਮੀਚੈ ਪਾਈਐ ਨ ਪਰਮਪਦੁ ਗੁਰ ਉਪਦੇਸੁ ਗਹਿ ਜਉ ਲਉ ਨ ਕਮਾਈਐ ॥੪੩੯॥ : One asks the Way to Realize the Creator but does not tread even a step on it. Without launching oneself on that Way, how can one Realize the Creator by mere prattles? One asks the physician (the Guru), the medicine of curing the malady of false ego-sense (Haumai), but does not consume the medicine (Guru’s Giyan-Wisdom) with dedicated discipline and precautions. Then how can the ailment of egotism be cured and spiritual peace acquired? One asks from the dear and beloveds of the Lord husband the Way of Uniting Him, but all her actions and deeds are like of wretched and discarded women. Then how can such a seeker wife with deceitful heart ever be called to the nuptial bed of the husband Lord for Union? As long as one does not follow (live, practice – ਅਮਲ) the teachings of the Guru, it is not possible to Realize the Creator Within even if one goes through rituals of eye-closing and doing chanting/Kirtan. ॥439॥ (Bhai Gurdas, Kabit Savaiye).

Gurbani calls them Manmukhs-Saakat-Mayadhaaree who merely or uselessly talk about Mool-Abidance but, in reality, do not practice divine Virtues or live in harmony with Hukam.

• ਅਧ ਵਿਚਿ ਫਿਰੈ ਮਨਮੁਖੁ ਵੇਚਾਰਾ ਗਲੀ ਕਿਉ ਸੁਖੁ ਪਾਵੈ ॥: The wretched Manmukh wanders around stuck half-way (in duality, doubt…); how can (he) obtain peace by mere words? (sggs 305).

Next, the Gurbani answers the question why it is not possible to experience Mool-Abidance through mere useless talk.

• ਗਲੀਂ ਜੇ ਸਹੁ ਪਾਈਐ ਤੋਤਾ ਕਿਉ ਫਾਸੈ ॥: If mere talking could help realize God, then why should a parrot remain encaged? (Vaar Bhai Gurdaas Ji).
• ਗਲੀ ਤ੍ਰਿਪਤਿ ਨ ਹੋਵਈ ਖੰਡੁ ਖੰਡੁ ਕਰਿ ਸਾਉ ਨ ਭੋਵੈ । ਮਖਨੁ ਖਾਇ ਨ ਨੀਰੁ ਵਿਲੋਵੈ ॥੧੭॥: By mere talking, none gets satisfied, as by mere uttering word sugar one cannot have his mouth sweet. If one is to eat butter, one should not go churning water, i.e. mere talks cannot produce the right results. (Bhai Gurdaas, Vaar 17, Paurhee 17).

According to Baabaa Nanak, it’s so because through useless talk, all we can obtain is falsehood (‘ਕੂੜੋ’) not Spiritual Wisdom (‘ਗਿਆਨੁ’). Also, through useless talk, our hunger for Maya (‘ਭੁਖ’) will not diminish. To the contrary, it will increase!

• ਨਾਨਕ ਗਲੀ ਕੂੜੀਈ ਕੂੜੋ ਪਲੈ ਪਾਇ ॥: Nanak, false talking begets only falsehood. ||2|| (sggs 141).
• ਗਿਆਨੁ ਨ ਗਲੀਈ ਢੂਢੀਐ ਕਥਨਾ ਕਰੜਾ ਸਾਰੁ ॥ ਕਰਮਿ ਮਿਲੈ ਤਾ ਪਾਈਐ ਹੋਰ ਹਿਕਮਤਿ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਖੁਆਰੁ ॥੨॥: Divine Giyan-Wisdom cannot be obtained through mere talking, to explain how to obtain it is extremely difficult like chewing iron. Other tricks and dictates (of the mind) are useless. ||2|| (sggs 465).

Put plainly, Gurbani counsels us that to realize Mool through mere talking is like lifting up the mountain with mere words, or like bringing down the sky with talk!

• ਗਲੀ ਸੈਲ ਉਠਾਵਤ ਚਾਹੈ ਓਇ ਊਹਾ ਹੀ ਹੈ ਧਰੇ ॥ (People) want to lift up the mountains with mere words, but (with mere words, those mountains) just remain there (i.e., cannot be lifted). (sggs 714).
• ਹਰਿ ਜਸੁ ਸੁਨਹਿ ਨ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਨ ਗਾਵਹਿ ॥ ਬਾਤਨ ਹੀ ਅਸਮਾਨੁ ਗਿਰਾਵਹਿ ॥੧॥ : (Many) do not listen to the ‘Hari Jasu’ (Shabad-Vichaar…), and they do not live daily life by the Divine Wisdom or Virtues. But knock down the sky with their (nonsense, idle) talks. (sggs 332).
• ਜੋ ਜਨ ਪਰਮਿਤਿ ਪਰਮਨੁ ਜਾਨਾ ॥ ਬਾਤਨ ਹੀ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਸਮਾਨਾ ॥੧॥: There are people who say they have realized the Infinite and incomprehensible God; they think as if they can reach heaven by mere talking alone. (sggs 325).

What’s Gurbani’s advice?

Gurbani’s advice is as follows. Without the Naam (Shabad, Hukam, Wisdom…), everything else is false and worthless. Because, any intellect (i.e., Mati-ਮਤਿ) devoid of the Naam is prone to deception and fraud (ਛਲ-ਕਪਟ). Therefore, such intellect is defective, thus worthless (‘ਸਭਿ ਕੂੜੁ ਗਾਲ੍ਹ੍ਹੀ ਹੋਛੀਆ’). In a nutshell, only Truth (God realization) can set us free (‘ਛੁਟੈ ਸਚੁ ਕਮਾਇ’).

• ਨਾਮ ਬਿਨਾ ਸਭਿ ਕੂੜੁ ਗਾਲ੍ਹ੍ਹੀ ਹੋਛੀਆ ॥੧॥: Without the Naam, everything is false and worthless. ||1|| (sggs 761).
• ਗਲੀ ਭਿਸਤਿ ਨ ਜਾਈਐ ਛੁਟੈ ਸਚੁ ਕਮਾਇ ॥: Mere talk does not lead to heaven; liberation (from vices/Bikaar) lies in God realization. (sggs 141).
• ਗਾਲ੍ਹ੍ਹੀ ਬਿਆ ਵਿਕਾਰ ਨਾਨਕ ਧਣੀ ਵਿਹੂਣੀਆ ॥੧॥: Nanak, every other talk outside of God Realization is useless. ||1|| (sggs 321).
• ਗਗੈ ਗੋਬਿਦੁ ਚਿਤਿ ਕਰਿ ਮੂੜੇ ਗਲੀ ਕਿਨੈ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ॥ O fool, enshrine Gobind in your mind, by mere talks, no one has ever realized Gobind (i.e. God). (sggs 435).