Priceless Jewels

ਕੋਟਿਤੀਰਥਮਜਨਇਸਨਾਨਾਇਸੁਕਲਿਮਹਿਮੈਲੁਭਰੀਜੈ॥
kott theerathh majan eisanaanaa eis kal mehi mail bhareejai
Millions of cleansing baths at sacred shrines of pilgrimage only fill the mortal with filth in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga.

ਸਾਧਸੰਗਿਜੋਹਰਿਗੁਣਗਾਵੈਸੋਨਿਰਮਲੁਕਰਿਲੀਜੈ॥੨॥
saadhhasa(n)g jo har gun gaavai so niramal kar leejai 2
One who sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, becomes spotlessly pure. 2

Ang/Limb 747 (full shabad)


Reading today's Hukamnama (The Satguroo's Daily Command), the above Dupanktee (couplet) stood-out. Most of the time, for most of us, religion and spirituality take the form of an intellectual voyage. Knowledge leads to the idea, the intimation, that our final destination is a state of mind produced by our mind...the idea that our mind is the physician that will cure it's own disease.

We're locked into this idea that spirituality is a balance-sheet where we are rewarded for every 'religious action'. Our Chaturaee (cleverness) only drags us deeper into the pit of slef-centeredness.

Here's a simple test: Ask yourself - are you truly altruistic? If a person swears at you after you show them an act of kindness, and it makes you feel as though you shouldn't have done them a good turn, is this truly altruism?

Worse-still many so-called religious people use their 'God-given knowledge' to brutalise others. To tell them how they are non-believers, infidels, sinners and devils. They think they are now 'God's-chosen' and blessed with divine knowledge. In fact they have become the opposite. Haumai (Ego), the great subduer, fuels their thoughts, words and actions. Their beliefs have become weapons which they use to inflict pain upon others.

ਇਕੁਫਿਕਾਨਗਾਲਾਇਸਭਨਾਮੈਸਚਾਧਣੀ ॥
eik fikaa n gaalaae sabhanaa mai sachaa dhhanee
Do not utter even a single harsh word; your True Lord and Master abides in all.

ਹਿਆਉਨਕੈਹੀਠਾਹਿਮਾਣਕਸਭਅਮੋਲਵੇ ॥129॥
hiaao n kaihee t(h)aahi maanak sabh amolavae 129
Do not break anyone's heart; these are all priceless jewels. 129

Ang/Limb 1384 (full shabad)


So when you next meet a 'spiritual person', apply the above test. Are their words fashioned to hurt the hearts of others or are their words soothing; the words of someone for whom warming others' souls is an act of worship. Meeting and spending time with such people, we slowly become like them. These Gurmukhs (Satguroo-centred spiritualists) are the only hope for us in such a world, where to become religious is merely an act of distinguishing oneself from others...when really, we should be trying to become the dust off the feet of all.