THE GURBANI SAYS JUDGE YOURSELF, NOT OTHERS

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THE GURBANI SAYS JUDGE YOURSELF, NOT OTHERS


T. Singh

• ਨਾਨਕ ਪਰਖੇ ਆਪ ਕਉ ਤਾ ਪਾਰਖੁ ਜਾਣੁ ॥: Nanak parkhe aap kayu ta paarakh jaan: O Nanak, if someone judges himself, only then is he known as a real judge (sggs 148).
• ਇਸੁ ਮਨ ਕਉ ਕੋਈ ਖੋਜਹੁ ਭਾਈ ॥: Is mann kayu koee khojo bhaaee: Let each person examine his own mind, O brother (sggs 1128).

Here we have it.

Judging others is a madness – pastime of a crazy, worldly person in control of his false ego-sense (Haumai): lust, anger, and so on. Also called Manmukh — materialistic or unenlightened being — the daily life of a such person engrossed in evil ways is full of its natural contentions, contradictions, jealousy, usual competitions, selfishness, corruption, falsehood, baser desires and fears. Consequently, he ends up living a wrong life in all his worldly contacts and experiences; thus wasting useful time and energy by undergoing tensions, strains, and creating chaos and confusion within and without.

• ਮਨਮੁਖ ਬੋਲਿ ਨ ਜਾਣਨ੍ਹ੍ਹੀ ਓਨਾ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਕਾਮੁ ਕ੍ਰੋਧੁ ਅਹੰਕਾਰੁ ॥ ਥਾਉ ਕੁਥਾਉ ਨ ਜਾਣਨੀ ਸਦਾ ਚਿਤਵਹਿ ਬਿਕਾਰ ॥: Manmukh boli na jaananee onaa andari kaam krodh ahankaar ..: The Manmukhs (material beings) do not even know how to speak. They are filled with lust, anger and false pride (i.e. all evil passions, which are the faults of the same false ego-sense or Haume). They do not know the difference between good and bad; they constantly think of corruption (sggs 1248).

Judging (Parkhanaa, Parakh, etc.) oneself means to know “Who Am I?”, and then improve himself through self-purification and self-observation while alive – not after death, but here and now. To know the time as time, to know the space as space, to know the world-appearance as appearance, to know the Source as Source, and to know oneself as the Source (Joti-Svaroopa) is being the “real judge” (Paarkhoo). This only is Self-Realization — to know one’s Essential Nature as Pure Awareness (Joti-Svaroopa).

We are strongly urged by the Gurbani to renounce such “evil ways”. Instead, we are challenged by the Gurbani to look within to examine and judge ourselves – and eradicate our own negativity, Bikaars, faults, shortcomings, etc. If we dare doing what the Gurbani asks us to do here, then and only then one will be known as the “real judge”.

• ਪ੍ਰਣਵਤਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਗਿਆਨੀ ਕੈਸਾ ਹੋਇ ॥ ਆਪੁ ਪਛਾਣੈ ਬੂਝੈ ਸੋਇ ॥: Pranvat Nanak giaanee kaisaa hoi. Aap pashaanai boojhai soi: Prays Nanak, what’s the nature of the Giaanee (the Spiritual Being, the Wise one, etc.)? (He is the trure Giaanee) who recognizes his Real Self (Originality, Essential Nature, etc.), such (the Self-Realized one) understands God (sggs 25).
• ਇਉ ਕਹੈ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਮਨ ਤੂੰ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਰੂਪੁ ਹੈ ਅਪਣਾ ਮੂਲੁ ਪਛਾਣੁ ॥੫॥: Iou kahai Nanak mann toon joti saroop hai apanaa mool pashaan ||5||: Thus says Nanak: O my mind, you are the embodiment or the True Image of the Divine Light (i.e., God) – recognize your Origin ||5|| (sggs 441).