ਕਰਤੂਤਿ ਪਸੂ ਕੀ
ਮਾਨਸ ਜਾਤਿ॥
Animal Behavior of a Human Being!
In bani Sukhmani, Guru Arjun said “kartoot pasoo kee
maanas jaat.” (GGS: 267). Why Guruji has to say this? Perhaps we never
think and continue reading it turn by turn in search of ultimate peace as
our burning desire. According to Gurbani the Inner Growth or progress
depends on an individual's ability to gain control over the mind. In one
way the mind is the root enemy, as all act or kartoot is originates from
the mind. In Sri Guru Granth Sahib, gurbani compares human mind with the
behavior of animals that can be compared with the human mind. The commonly
used analogies of these animals are the camel the frog, the elephant, the
dog, the monkey and the crow.
Having been fortunate to be born as a human being, we
are urged by the Gurbani to use this life for serving the Self while
living amidst the worldly activities. Upon realizing the truth, one will
come to know that the Sevak, Sevaa, and the Akalpurakh are one and the
same! Now let's check how human mind is compared as Kartoot pashoo ki!
Camel-Mind
As indicated in Gurbani, unaware of his true purpose of
life, a Manmukh passes his life gratifying his senses. Consequently, he
ends up doing everything contrary to the Teaching of the Gurmat.
ਮਨ ਕਰਹਲਾ ਮੇਰੇ ਪਿਆਰਿਆ ਵਿਚਿ ਦੇਹੀ ਜੋਤਿ
ਸਮਾਲਿ ॥
Man karhalaa mere piaariyaa vichi dehee joti samaali
O my dear beloved camel-like mind, take care of the Divine Light that
dwells within the body (GGS: 235)
The habit of wandering around is peculiar about the
camel. Similarly, the Manmukh-mind wanders around as well. In lust, anger,
greed, attachment, pride, selfishness, ignorance, etc. (i.e., corruption
of Bikaars, “filth”) the mind also wanders around as the camel. Worldly
attachment is so strong that despite the suffering, we do not want to give
it up.
Dog-Mind
ਸੁਆਨ ਪੂਛ ਜਿਉ ਹੋਇ ਨ ਸੂਧੋ ਕਹਿਓ ਨ ਕਾਨ ਧਰੈ
॥ ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਭਜੁ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਨਿਤ ਜਾ ਤੇ ਕਾਜੁ ਸਰੈ ॥੨॥੧॥
Suaan poosh jiyu hoi na soodho kahio na kaan dharai.
Kahu Nanak bhaj Raam naam nit jaa te kaaj sarai. | (GGS: 536)
Like a dog's tail, this (mind) cannot be straightened;
it will not listen to what (anybody) says (any Advice, Instructions,
Teaching, etc.
The mid that behaves like a dog's tail remains immersed
in Bikaars (Haume or ego's faults: lust anger greed, attachment, and
pride; and their countless variations like slander, enviousness, stubborn
mindedness, etc.), empty rituals, unmeaning rites, slander, outwardly
superficial show of religion and Spirituality, and so on.
Frog-Mind
A frog who has lived all his life in a well knows
nothing about the existence of the land or world outside the well. It
always thinks in terms relative to the well. Because of the limited
faculties, experience, etc., it has no capacity to think otherwise.
Similarly, as indicated in the Gurbani, the man with his
conditioned mind and senses is unable to attain Understanding (ਸੂਝ-ਬੂਝ).
Until we are Awaken to the Divine Knowledge through the Shabad-Vichaar,
and to our Mool within (Source of Origin), we all suffer from the
frog-mind or frog-philosophy.
ਕੂਪੁ ਭਰਿਓ ਜੈਸੇ ਦਾਦਿਰਾ ਕਛੁ ਦੇਸੁ ਬਿਦੇਸੁ
ਨ ਬੂਝ ॥ ਐਸੇ ਮੇਰਾ ਮਨੁ ਬਿਖਿਆ ਬਿਮੋਹਿਆ ਕਛੁ ਆਰਾ ਪਾਰੁ ਨ ਸੂਝ ॥੧॥
Koopu bhario jaise daadiraa kashu desu bidesu na boojh.
Aise meraa manu bikhiaa bimohiaa kashu aaraa paaru na soojh ||1||
As a well is filled with frogs, (but those frogs in the
well) know nothing of its own country or other lands (outside the well);
just so, my mind, infatuated with corruption (trapped in the well of
Maya), understands nothing about this world or the next ||1|| (GGS: 346)
Monkey-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 man bouraa re leenee haathu
pasaari. Shoottan ko sahasaa pariaa man bouraa re naachiou ghar ghar baari
||2|| (GGS: 336)
O crazy mind! The monkey stretches out its hand (into
the narrow-necked pot), and takes a handful of grains; now unable to
escape (since its hand is full of grains, it cannot take its hand out of
the narrow-necked pot and escape. That is, because of the greed, the
monkey will not let go of the grabbed grains, now the monkey is trapped
and made to dance door to door.
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 grabs 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. In greed, thus, the foolish monkey does not open his hand and let
go of the grains so that he can escape. On account of greed the monkey
gets trapped and caught and made to dance door to door. Consequently, the
monkey loses the freedom he had in the forest of abundance of grains and
fresh fruits of his liking.
Human mind is much the same. The mind tied to Maya
suffers from threefold tendency - Taamas, Raajas, and Saatav. “Crazy mind”
can only produce crazy thoughts. On account of this craziness, it is
trapped and caught in the transitory world, like the monkey. Trapped in
bondage (Maya), we do not let go the Haume and its faults (lust, greed,
anger).
Elephant-Mind
Spiritually speaking, when we talk about a wild
elephant, its three main aspects come to light: (1) elephants' lustful
urges, (2) its conduct, which is like a drunkard being (3) its enormously
fat size. The Gurbani compares all these aspects of an elephant with the
human ego-mind (Haumai, Mayaic mind, conditioned mind, the consciousness
of time-space-causation). On account of it cracked or modified state, the
fat ego-mind sees infinite diversity in Unity. Although the ego-sense (Haumai)
seems real to us, but in reality it's a long dream. First creating
delusion and wickedness (corruption or falsehood), which later expand into
sorrow, the ego-mind heads us to calamity.
ਮਨੁ ਮੈਗਲੁ ਸਾਕਤੁ ਦੇਵਾਨਾ ॥
Manu maigalu saakatu devaanaa: The mind of the Saakat is like a
crazy elephant (GGS: 415).
ਮਨੁ ਕੁੰਚਰੁ ਕਾਇਆ ਉਦਿਆਨੈ ॥Manu kuncharu
kaaiaa oudiaanai: The mind is an elephant in the forest of the body (GGS:
221).
The elephant is known for his lustful nature, once lured by lust, the
elephant gets trapped and captured. In this way, attracted by the lure of
lust (Kaam), the elephant loses its world and freedom. Similarly, the
deluded ego-mind is enticed by the enchanting and mirage-like world
appearance and its gross objects (Maya). For the eg-mind, the enchanting
material world is a snare.
Crow-Mind
ਕਊਆ ਕਹਾ ਕਪੂਰ ਚਰਾਏ ॥ ਕਹ ਬਿਸੀਅਰ
ਕਉ ਦੂਧੁ ਪੀਆਏ ॥੨॥
Kaouooaa kahaa kapoor charaae. kah bisiar kaou doodhu piaae ||2||
Offering camphor (ਕਪੂਰ, a fragrant grass) to a crow is of no avail
(because his habit of eating filth will not go away - ਕਾਂ ਦੀ ਗੰਦ/ਵਿਸਟਾ ਖਾਣ
ਦੀ ਆਦਤ ਨਹੀਂ ਜਾ ਸਕਦੀ)? ||2|| (GGS: 481)
Here, crow (ਕਊਆ) is likened to the Manmukh (Saakat,
self-willed, mammon-worshipper, one separated from his Mool, material or
worldly cleverness, ਮਾਇਆਧਾਰੀ…) who's conditioned mind has become black
(filthy) with Bikaars (lust, anger, greed, etc.)
Camphor (ਕਪੂਰ - Kapoor) is likened to the Gurmukh
(person of Aatam Giaan, he understands the Gurbani, one linked to his Mool).
The Gurmukh is totally opposite of the Manmukh.
A crow enjoys filth; therefore, its beak is always in
the ordure! Its unpleasant sound of “kaaon kaaon” resembles the speech of
a wrathful person. The Gurbani indicates that, without the true Shabad-Vichaar,
one is a self-murderer and his life is like that of a crow, a mad dog, a
donkey, etc. (i.e., a Manmukh). Just as a crow's beak always remains
filled with filth. In the company of the bad crow bird (Manmukhs), the (Jeeva)
did not recognize the importance of the Naam, Gur-Shabad, Gurmat, Aatam
Giaan, and Spiritual Wisdom.
Human birth is a divine gift from God that comes with full
package; as the body grows and develops, assembly takes place in its own
course, as God is within; everything that belongs to Him is also within,
including His Grace. Divine grace will start happening from our own center
once the obstacle of haumai is overcome. Thus it is up to inner development,
so gurmat says go in and find it. In Japji, Guru Nanak has stressed upon
sunniye and manniye to unfold the divine grace through inner development.
Let us be human and live like human and follow spiritual wisdom.
Mohan Singh (Homeopath)
Gurmat Learning (North),
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Walia44@hotmail.com
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