[salok] Bhagat Kabeer Jeo Kae

[lowest of the low singhni]

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

ਕਬੀਰ ਬੈਦੁ ਮੂਆ ਰੋਗੀ ਮੂਆ ਮੂਆ ਸਭੁ ਸੰਸਾਰੁ ॥

Kabīr baidh mū­ā rogī mū­ā mū­ā sabh sansār.

Kabeer, the physician is dead, and the patient is dead; the whole world is dead.

ਏਕੁ ਕਬੀਰਾ ਨਾ ਮੂਆ ਜਿਹ ਨਾਹੀ ਰੋਵਨਹਾਰੁ ॥੬੯॥

Ėk kabīrā nā mū­ā jih nāhī rovanhār.

Only Kabeer is not dead; there is no one to mourn for him.

ਬੈਦੁ = doctor; ਮੂਆ = dead; ਰੋਗੀ = ill patient; ਸਭੁ = all: ਸੰਸਾਰੁ = world; ਰੋਵਨਹਾਰੁ = mourn, cry.

I should warn whomever is reading this that Bhagat Kabeer Ji or actually just Gurbani in general talks of many different types of deaths, and sometimes I get confused between them. Therefore everything below may not be correct or make sense. (Which is perhaps nothing new.)

In this Salok Bhagat Ji is using the metaphor of the doctor and patient to help us understand the state of the world in Kaljug. The death Bhagat Ji is talking about is a spiritual death - no motivation towards Akaal Purakh, no love, no thirst for Bhagti. Instead there is disillusionment, depression and darkness all brought on by our attachments and obsession with various forms of Maya.

So when we feel all these things (the three d's above) we look for ways to make ourselves feel better, but more often than not we look for the easiest way possible that will give us any temporary pleasure as quick as possible. Some go to the opposite sex for comfort, some place their faith in family or other people around them. We keep our minds occupied with books, TV, movies - anything which will take our mind off the worries quickly.

Basically we're turning to Maya for temporary help to a long-term problem. A doctor who is suffering from the same as-yet-incurable illness as the patient (e.g. cancer)cannot properly do their job. What's more, spiritual disease can often be contagious. It's so much easier to drag others down with you than it is to be an inspiration to those who are already suffering spiritually. Bhagat Kabeer Ji tells us that the whole world seems to have gone astray in the doubt of God - this we can see everyday, when people of God are mocked to the max just for having faith in something which usually can't be seen to the naked eye.

So how to avoid this kind of death? Guru Saheb answers our question at the beginning of Jap Ji Saheb (hukam rajaee chalna nanak likheya naal) and throughout Baani in hundreds of other places. Gurbani is there to help us answer this question and lead better lives. We just need to believe in this with firm faith and put in some effort as well. Yes it seems impossible to be able to remember Guru Saheb throughout the day in different ways, but how can anything be impossible if we have the blessings of Maharaj? Bhagat Kabeer Ji writes that he has been saved from this death, and that there is nobody to grieve over any death of his.

This Salok reminded me of something I had read a while back, about spiritual disease.

A Singh was speaking to me and said that he was quite ill. He said that he offered to sleep separately from the rest of his family and tried his best not to make anyone else sick, but sure enough the rest of his family including his two young daughters also caught his flu.

He said that this made him think about manmukhs and the disease of manmat. Manmat is a disease. It twists and warps healthy minds. A manmukh is ill with kaam, krodh, lobh, moh and ahankaar. But someone who spends time with such a person also starts to show the same symptoms. If someone stays in the company of manmukhs, even if they have gurmukh qualities, they will start to make small compromises.

I have seen it many times before. A good Gursikh will sometimes lose sangat. At first they will feel uncomfortable in the company of manmukhs. Then they will begin to feel at ease. They will even make friendships. All this time the Gurmukhs watching them will see their Gurmat qualities begin to evapourate. Gursikhs can often see someone and tell if they are in chardi kala by the glow on their face. The glow begins to fade and their face begins to look scary. It is certain that a Gursikh's face glows alive and is beautiful but a manmukh's face does not have that glow. Unfortunately, the Gursikh becoming sick with Manmat sometimes only realises it when it's too late. They have no more amrit vela, no more desire to read bani, and eventually they make some mistake.

At home, someone who has spent all their time with manmukhs will notice that their mind will not focus or go towards naam or bani.

The only solution is to stay in the company of healthy people: Gurmukhs. If you stay with healthy people, their qualities will wear off on you. They will tell you if they see any sign of ill health in you.

A Gurmukh can work like a doctor and try to help a manmukh of course with the medicine of bani. But I think that if someone just wants to do sangat without the aim of helping a manmukh, it's an invitation to becoming sick ones self.

And also this, to do some self diagnosis if the Manmat bug has bitten us:

Symptoms of Spiritual Sickness...

Here are some symptoms that your spiritual Jeevan is in trouble:

1. Slipping amrit vela and even attempts to wake up are not successful. Waking up consistently after amrit vela is the eventual conclusion of this trend.

2. Increased time on internet and in front of TV

3. Less paath and missing banis; no desire to do paath

4. Dropping "small" rehits like doing keshi ishnan, doing kangha twice a day, etc.

5. Less concentration and ability to do paath and simran

6. Less desire to go to gurdwara and stay in sangat

7. Increased vikaar especially anger and kaam

8. Rationalizing faults and mistakes in rehit as "acceptable" and "understandable" or "I'll fix it later..."

*Root Causes:*

1. Serious mistake in personal rehit

2. Ego and pride

3. Looking down and belittling other Gursikhs

*Cure:*

1. Ardaas to Guru Sahib for forgiveness

2. Speaking to other Gursikhs about problems

3. Peshi before punj pyarai for serious mistakes in rehit

4. Going to sangat even if there is no desire. Forcing yourself to go no matter what.

*Note* : It's best to recognize the sickness early and combat it. Otherwise, things keep getting worse till you're in real trouble and recovery is a big uphill battle.

~l~

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

[Akaali]

Vaheguruuu

What the Bhai Saaheb said about sangat is soo true, it depends on who you do your sangat with, do you do sangat with gursikhs who've been there even long before you were born, and in the feet of gurujee, keeping rehat, know their bani off heart, who inspire you to keep rehat yourself, OR of those that don't.

SaadhSangat, SatSangat, Sangat is a topic that requires vichaar, it can have a different meaning for me but a different meaning for someone else.

I found that analogy about catching a cold and relating it to vikaars VERY interesting. Thanks!

[guru'sfateh]

Vaheguru ji ka khalsaVaheguru ji ki fateh,

So SO glad that you posted this, its a huge refreshing change from the normal/same old posts that people continuely post on this forum. Thanks I enjoyed reading it.

[malkeet]

thanks for this seva, i love reading all these threads by you they teach me a lot :wub: :wub: