ਜਉ ਤਉ ਪ੍ਰੇਮ ਖੇਲਣ ਕਾ ਚਾਉ ॥ ਸਿਰੁ ਧਰਿ ਤਲੀ ਗਲੀ ਮੇਰੀ ਆਉ ॥

ਇਤੁ ਮਾਰਗਿ ਪੈਰੁ ਧਰੀਜੈ ॥ ਸਿਰੁ ਦੀਜੈ ਕਾਣਿ ਨ ਕੀਜੈ ॥੨੦॥੧੧੪੧੨

 

 

If you like to play the game of love,

Be prepared to sacrifice your self;

Those who step on this path do not hesitate to give their life (M: 1, p 1412).

 

 

This verse of Guru Nanak depicts the pursuits of those for whom achievement of the objective is important even at the cost of their lives. Such people live but ever ready to die. They are the living- dead called Marjeevray in Gurbani, the guru’s word.

 

 

There are two types of living-dead persons, the spiritual and the daredevils. The latter category is exemplified by the army, navy and air force personnel, fire fighters and those who like adventure. They choose to confront the challenges.

 

 

But there is another challenge in which forgetting God and death. Mostlywe act in ego even though it is against proper conduct. Those who kill their ego are the other type of living- dead, the spiritual type. They recognize the message from God:

 

 

ਪਹਿਲਾ ਮਰਣੁ ਕਬੂਲਿ ਜੀਵਣ ਕੀ ਛਡਿ ਆਸ ॥

ਹੋਹੁ ਸਭਨਾ ਕੀ ਰੇਣੁਕਾ ਤਉ ਆਉ ਹਮਾਰੈ ਪਾਸਿ ॥੧॥੫੧੧੦੨

 

 

Learn first to make your ego die and think of living in ego no more;

Be humble in dealing with all;

Only then come to me (M: 5, p 1102).

 

 

There are two fundamental truths – God and death. God is the Universal Truth because It is both timeless and deathless. Death on the other hand is not a state but an event being the inevitable culmination of life. It is an event which will occur at some point of time, but man (or woman) has no inkling of ‘when’. He should therefore always be prepared for it and live in that consciousness. That means we mortals should ever acknowledge the presence of God and the imminence of death. However there are many impediments to this in the form of temptations and resultant distractions from paying attention to both these. A person conscious of this says:

 

 

ਜਿਸ ਕੇ ਸਿਰ ਊਪਰਿ ਤੂੰ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਸੋ ਦੁਖੁ ਕੈਸਾ ਪਾਵੈ ॥

ਬੋਲਿ ਨ ਜਾਣੈ ਮਾਇਆ ਮਦਿ ਮਾਤਾ ਮਰਣਾ ਚੀਤਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ॥੧॥

ਮੇਰੇ ਰਾਮ ਰਾਇ ਤੂੰ ਸੰਤਾ ਕਾ ਸੰਤ ਤੇਰੇ ॥

ਤੇਰੇ ਸੇਵਕ ਕਉ ਭਉ ਕਿਛੁ ਨਾਹੀ ਜਮੁ ਨਹੀ ਆਵੈ ਨੇਰੇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥੫੭੪੯

 

 

One who accept You as the protector suffers not O Lord; but

Involved with things transitory man forgets God as well as death;

O my Master you belong to the devotees and them to You;

Your devotee has no fear; the messenger of death does not come near him. Pause (M: 5, p 749).

 

 

We read in Suhkmani Sahib:

 

 

ਸੰਗਿ ਸਹਾਈ ਸੁ ਆਵੈ ਨ ਚੀਤਿ ॥ ਜੋ ਬੈਰਾਈ ਤਾ ਸਿਉ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ॥

ਬਲੂਆ ਕੇ ਗ੍ਰਿਹ ਭੀਤਰਿ ਬਸੈ ॥ ਅਨਦ ਕੇਲ ਮਾਇਆ ਰੰਗਿ ਰਸੈ ॥

ਦ੍ਰਿੜੁ ਕਰਿ ਮਾਨੈ ਮਨਹਿ ਪ੍ਰਤੀਤਿ ॥ ਕਾਲੁ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਮੂੜੇ ਚੀਤਿ ॥

ਬੈਰ ਬਿਰੋਧ ਕਾਮ ਕ੍ਰੋਧ ਮੋਹ ॥ ਝੂਠ ਬਿਕਾਰ ਮਹਾ ਲੋਭ ਧ੍ਰੋਹ ॥

ਇਆਹੂ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਬਿਹਾਨੇ ਕਈ ਜਨਮ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਰਾਖਿ ਲੇਹੁ ਆਪਨ ਕਰਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੭॥੫੨੬੭-੬੮

 

 

Man exists with the support of God but does not keep that in mind;

One the other hand he likes things that cause harm;

This life is a temporary abode of the soul;

But under temptations he aims at transitory pleasures and remains imbued with them;

He lives in the make-believe that all this is permanent;

The ignorant man forgets the imminence of death;

He indulges in jealousy, conflict, lust, anger and attachment,

Untruths, evil deeds, greed and deceit;

In this many births pass;

O Lord please show your grace and save him.7. (M: 5, p 267-68).

 

 

The evils mentioned above make the soul deviate from the path of fulfilling the purpose of human birth. The soul has therefore to suffer reincarnations. If God is kind the soul awakens to the reality, acts as desired and God accepts it to merge with It. The soul is then saved from further reincarnation. It is recognized that all evil actions are done under the influence of ego which is the root of it all.

 

 

We need to be reminded of the above but the temptations are powerful; to deflect them the guru’s help is needed. Let us pray:

 

 

ਇਹੁ ਸੰਸਾਰੁ ਸਭੁ ਆਵਣ ਜਾਣਾ ਮਨ ਮੂਰਖ ਚੇਤਿ ਅਜਾਣਾ ॥

ਹਰਿ ਜੀਉ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਕਰਹੁ ਗੁਰੁ ਮੇਲਹੁ ਤਾ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮਿ ਸਮਾਣਾ ॥੨॥ Sorath m 5, 607

 

 

Every one who comes to this world has to leave,

but in ignorance the mind remains unaware;

O God please show your mercy and enable me to meet the guru;

so that by his teachings I remain in God-consciousness (M: 4, p 607).

 

 

We are reminded of the transitory nature of life whenever we see death but soon forget due to entanglements of life. People sometimes talk in terms of renouncing the world. But this is not practical because man needs work to provide for the family, career advancement and contribution to the society.A holistic approach to life is therefore required. This approach envisages that one should pay attention to the four preordained aspects of –

• Dharam. Doing one’s duties.
• Arth. Economic wellbeing,
• Kaam. Satisfaction of and aspirations and desires.
• Moksha or Mokh. Being able to successfully utilize the opportunity provided by human birth to merge the soul with God and escape reincarnation.

 

 

ਚਾਰਿ ਪਦਾਰਥ ਲੈ ਜਗਿ ਆਇਆ ॥ ਸਿਵ ਸਕਤੀ ਘਰਿ ਵਾਸਾ ਪਾਇਆ ॥

ਏਕੁ ਵਿਸਾਰੇ ਤਾ ਪਿੜ ਹਾਰੇ ਅੰਧੁਲੈ ਨਾਮੁ ਵਿਸਾਰਾ ਹੇ ॥੬॥੧੧੦੨੭

 

 

Man comes with the four potentials of dutifulness, economic well being, satisfaction of desires and salvation;

But remain involved with the first three of material nature;

If he ignores the fourth one, he ultimately loses the game of life (M: 1, p 1027).

 

 

One can overcome this By following the guru’s teachings:

 

 

ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਵਸਿ ਚਾਰਿ ਪਦਾਰਥ ॥ ਤੀਨਿ ਸਮਾਏ ਏਕ ਕ੍ਰਿਤਾਰਥ ॥੫॥ ੧੧੩੪੫

 

 

The true guru can guide in all the four aspects; through his teachings;

If man performs the first three but without attachment, the fourth can be achieved (M; 1, p 1345).

 

 

It is for this that one has to depend on the guru.

 

 

Doing one’s duties, ensuring economic wellbeing and satisfying desires without being attached to them require killing one’s ego. This is possible by being conscious of both God and death. That makes a living dead person – one who has killed his ego and lives in a state of preparedness for death.

 

 

Guru Nanak explains what dies at death:

 

 

ਮੁਈ ਪਰੀਤਿ ਪਿਆਰੁ ਗਇਆ ਮੁਆ ਵੈਰੁ ਵਿਰੋਧੁ ॥

ਧੰਧਾ ਥਕਾ ਹਉ ਮੁਈ ਮਮਤਾ ਮਾਇਆ ਕ੍ਰੋਧੁ ॥

ਕਰਮਿ ਮਿਲੈ ਸਚੁ ਪਾਈਐ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਸਦਾ ਨਿਰੋਧੁ ॥੩॥੧੧੯

 

 

What die on death are attachment, enmity and jealousy;

Entanglements go, ego dies and so do possessiveness, mammon and anger;

If we can control these through guru’s teachings we can get to the eternal Truth, God (M: 1, p 19).

 

 

A living- dead person does not die physically; he sheds the above negative attributes linked with the perception of the sensory organs. All these result from ego so if ego is given up one acts as a living- dead. This is possible by following the guru:

 

 

ਹਉਮੈ ਮੇਰਾ ਮਰੀ ਮਰੁ ਮਰਿ ਜੰਮੈ ਵਾਰੋ ਵਾਰ ॥

ਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਸਬਦੇ ਜੇ ਮਰੈ ਫਿਰਿ ਮਰੈ ਨ ਦੂਜੀ ਵਾਰ ॥ 11009

 

 

The egoistic and possessive person dies to be born again and again;

If he submits to the guru’s word and kills ego he or she is not (born again) to die (M; 1, p 1009).

 

 

Bhagat Kabir puts it thus:

 

 

ਕਬੀਰ ਮਰਤਾ ਮਰਤਾ ਜਗੁ ਮੂਆ ਮਰਿ ਭੀ ਨ ਜਾਨਿਆ ਕੋਇ ॥

ਐਸੇ ਮਰਨੇ ਜੋ ਮਰੈ ਬਹੁਰਿ ਨ ਮਰਨਾ ਹੋਇ ॥੨੯॥ਕ੧੩੬੫-੬੬

 

 

People keep dying again and again but do not know how to die the real death;

One who dies the real death does not die again (Kabir, p 1365-66).

 

 

We all have to work to fulfill our responsibilities. What is required is that work or other activities including enjoyment should reflect a balanced life. Always remembering God and death and acting in that consciousness facilitates that. Bhagat Kabir records an interesting conversation between two saints – Trilochan and Namdev. The former finding the latter involved in his profession of calico printing says:

 

 

ਨਾਮਾ ਮਾਇਆ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਕਹੈ ਤਿਲੋਚਨੁ ਮੀਤ ॥

ਕਾਹੇ ਛੀਪਹੁ ਛਾਇਲੈ ਰਾਮ ਨ ਲਾਵਹੁ ਚੀਤੁ ॥੨੧੨॥

 

 

Namdev is attached to mammon says his friend Trilochan; and asks him,

“Why do you remain busy printing cloth and do not remember God”. 212.(Kabir, p 1375).

 

 

Bhagat Namdev replies:

 

 

ਨਾਮਾ ਕਹੈਤਿਲੋਚਨਾ ਮੁਖ ਤੇ ਰਾਮੁ ਸੰਮ੍ਹ੍ਹਾਲਿ ॥

ਹਾਥ ਪਾਉ ਕਰਿ ਕਾਮੁ ਸਭੁ ਚੀਤੁ ਨਿਰੰਜਨ ਨਾਲਿ ॥੨੧੩॥; ਕ ੩੭੫-੭੬

 

 

Namdev says “O Trilochan I utter the name of God;

My hands and feet do the work but the mind is with the mammon-free Lord” (Kabir, p 1375-76).

 

 

This is the way of the serious seeker. Otherwise there are plenty of pretenses, in some cases deception, of presenting oneself as a renounced:

 

 

ਭੇਖ ਦਿਖਾਵੈ ਸਚੁ ਨ ਕਮਾਵੈ ॥ ਕਹਤੋ ਮਹਲੀ ਨਿਕਟਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ॥੨॥

ਅਤੀਤੁ ਸਦਾਏ ਮਾਇਆ ਕਾ ਮਾਤਾ ॥ ਮਨਿ ਨਹੀ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਕਹੈ ਮੁਖਿ ਰਾਤਾ ॥੩॥

ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਬਿਨਉ ਸੁਨੀਜੈ ॥ ਕੁਚਲੁ ਕਠੋਰੁ ਕਾਮੀ ਮੁਕਤੁ ਕੀਜੈ ॥੪॥੫੭੩੮

 

 

He says he has renounced but does not live that way;

Announces he has reached the destination (God) but comes no where near.2.

Is entangled in mammon but wants to be seen renounced;

Has no love for God but says he is imbued.3.

I beseech You O Lord; save this filthy, cruel and lustful one.4. (M:5, p 738).

 

 

The guru shows how to be really renounced:

 

 

ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਮਿਲੈ ਸੁ ਮਰਣੁ ਦਿਖਾਏ ॥

ਮਰਣ ਰਹਣ ਰਸੁ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਭਾਏ ॥

ਗਰਬੁ ਨਿਵਾਰਿ ਗਗਨ ਪੁਰੁ ਪਾਏ ॥੧॥੧੧੫੩

 

 

The guru shows what being a living- dead is;

One then enjoys being dead while alive;

Spiritual heights are attained by shedding ego (M: 1, p 153).

Renunciation is possible if one knows what stokes ego. The fifth Guru lists what all needs to be got rid of:

 

 

ਪ੍ਰਥਮੇ ਤਿਆਗੀ ਹਉਮੈ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ॥ ਦੁਤੀਆ ਤਿਆਗੀ ਲੋਗਾ ਰੀਤਿ ॥

ਤ੍ਰੈ ਗੁਣ ਤਿਆਗਿ ਦੁਰਜਨ ਮੀਤ ਸਮਾਨੇ ॥ ਤੁਰੀਆ ਗੁਣੁ ਮਿਲਿ ਸਾਧ ਪਛਾਨੇ ॥੨॥ ੫੩੭੦

 

 

The first thing is shedding the liking for ego;

Next is to stop following the crowd;

Give up the three modes of inertia, egoistic action and rituals;

Treat even the persons, you consider evil, as friends;

Transcending the three modes, achieve equipoise with the guru’s help (M:5, p 370).

 

 

The fourth line above asks man to treat adversaries as friends. This is in keeping with the Gurbani view that all conflicts occur because of evil thoughts in one’s own mind which in turn is a sign of ego. We read in Suhkmani Sahib:

 

 

ਮਨ ਅਪੁਨੇ ਤੇ ਬੁਰਾ ਮਿਟਾਨਾ ॥ ਪੇਖੈ ਸਗਲ ਸ੍ਰਿਸਟਿ ਸਾਜਨਾ ॥੫੨੬੬

 

 

Shed evil from the mind and treat all as friends (M: 5, p 266).

Continuing with how to control ego the Guru says: –

 

 

ਪ੍ਰਥਮੇ ਛੋਡੀ ਪਰਾਈ ਨਿੰਦਾ ॥ ਉਤਰਿ ਗਈ ਸਭ ਮਨ ਕੀ ਚਿੰਦਾ ॥

ਲੋਭੁ ਮੋਹੁ ਸਭੁ ਕੀਨੋ ਦੂਰਿ ॥ ਪਰਮ ਬੈਸਨੋ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਪੇਖਿ ਹਜੂਰਿ ॥੧॥

ਐਸੋ ਤਿਆਗੀ ਵਿਰਲਾ ਕੋਇ ॥ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪੈ ਜਨੁ ਸੋਇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥===੫੧੧੪੭

 

 

First of all do not slander others; your mind will then stay peaceful;

Give up all greed and attachment;

 

perceive God to be omnipresent; this makes a perfect devotee.1.

There are rare such renounced ones;

Such servants of God give up other things and remember the Lord (M: 5. p 1147).

 

 

But all this is not easy. Attempts in this regard will cause mental strife because the mind works under the influence of desires and are advised to be controlled. If one succeeds in overcoming desires peace is achieved:

 

 

ਮਨ ਸਿਉ ਜੂਝਿ ਮਰੈ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਪਾਏ ਮਨਸਾ ਮਨਹਿ ਸਮਾਏ ॥

ਨਾਨਕ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਕਰੇ ਜਗਜੀਵਨੁ ਸਹਜ ਭਾਇ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਏ ॥੪॥੧੩੫੩

 

 

If one battles the mind and kills ego, desires are dissolved in the mind itself;

When God is kind one remains effortlessly and lovingly absorbed in devotion (M: 1,p 353).

One who can thus kill ego knows what being living dead is:

 

 

ਮਨੁ ਮਾਰੇ ਜੀਵਤ ਮਰਿ ਜਾਣੁ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਨਦਰੀ ਨਦਰਿ ਪਛਾਣੁ ॥੮॥੩॥੧੧੩੪੩

 

 

Kill your ego to be a living- dead;

Then with God’s grace you will recognize the gracious Lord (M: 1, p 1343).

One now attains a state in which death is not a worry says:

 

 

ਮਰਣੈ ਕੀ ਚਿੰਤਾ ਨਹੀ ਜੀਵਣ ਕੀ ਨਹੀ ਆਸ ॥

ਤੂ ਸਰਬ ਜੀਆ ਪ੍ਰਤਿਪਾਲਹੀ ਲੇਖੈ ਸਾਸ ਗਿਰਾਸ ॥

ਅੰਤਰਿ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਤੂ ਵਸਹਿ ਜਿਉ ਭਾਵੈ ਤਿਉ ਨਿਰਜਾਸਿ ॥੧॥੧੨੦

 

 

I am not worried about death,

Nor do I wish to live for ever;

O Lord, You look after every one with the allotted breaths and food (M: 1, p 20).

 

 

Such a person prays:

 

 

ਸੁਭ ਚਿੰਤਨ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਰਮਣ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਸਾਧੂ ਸੰਗ ॥

ਨਾਨਕ ਨਾਮੁ ਨ ਵਿਸਰਉ ਇਕ ਘੜੀ ਕਰਿ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਭਗਵੰਤ ॥੨॥ ੫੪੫੯

 

 

O Lord, grant me virtuous thoughts,Your remembrance and holy company;

Pray give me this benediction; that I forget not Your Name even for a moment (M: 5, p 459).