09/01/2019 Step Onto My Path With Your Head In Hand | Gurbani Blog | ਗਰਬਾਣੀ ਬਲਗ

ਪਿੜਐ ਨਾਹੀ ਭਦ ਬਿਝਐ ਪਾਵਣਾ : Not by reading (religious books), but through Understanding, is the Mystery Realized. - sggs, 148

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Step Onto My Path With Your Head In Hand

by T Singh

The Gurbani or the Wisdom of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) places emphasis and focus on our minds. For it’s
the mind that needs to become Sikh, hence it’s the mind that needs to bathe in the pool Wisdom of the SGGS.

The lasting Virtuous life, Blissful life, or the Gurmukh Lifestyle cannot be realized without first annihilating doubts or
the doubt-ridden mind, arrogance and false ego-sense (Haumai). Stilling of the false ego-sense is also considered
becoming living dead or living liberated (Jeevan Mukt) — as if one has died to the world while still alive. Such
person becomes unaffected by the likes and dislikes (i.e., duality).

ਜਉ ਤਉ ਮ ਖਲਣ ਕਾ ਚਾਉ ਿਸਰ ਧਿਰ ਤਲੀ ਗਲੀ ਮਰੀ ਆਉ ਇਤ ਮਾਰਿਗ ਪਰ ਧਰੀਜ ਿਸਰ ਦੀਜ ਕਾਿਣ ਨ ਕੀਜ ॥੨੦॥: If you
desire to play this game of Divine Love with Me, then step onto My Way putting your head on palm. When you
place your foot on this Way, give up your head (false ego-sense), do not be afraid or shrink ||20||. (sggs 1412).
ਗਗਨ ਦਮਾਮਾ ਬਾਿਜਓ ਪਿਰਓ ਨੀਸਾਨ ਘਾਉ ਖਤ ਜ ਮ ਿਡਓ ਸਰਮਾ ਅਬ ਜਝਨ ਕ ਦਾਉ ॥੧॥: The battle-drum beats (in the sky
of the mind – i.e., one soars height of Spiritual Consciousness); aim strike the aim (Dasam Duaar – Tenth Gate).
The spiritual warrior enters this field of battle; (he knows that) now is the time to fight (with Bikaar, Haumai…)!
ਦਾਗ ਹਿਹ ਸ ਰਨ ਮਿਹ ਜਝਿਹ ਿਬਨ ਦਾਗ ਭਿਗ ਜਾਈ :  They who are branded (with Bhagti; have burnt Haumai, lust,
anger, greed, etc.) fight bravely in battle  (with Bikaar, Haumai…) and the unbranded ones run away. (sggs 970).

What does it mean “step onto My Way putting your head on palm”? Does it mean that you have to commit suicide?

In reality, the Guru does not want us to literally chop the head off and place it on the palm! In nutshell, in spiritual
parlance, dying or death or “with your head in hand” essentially indicates:

Killing, eradication or death of one’s false ego-sense or Haumai. Killing the ego (Haumai) simply means killing
that consciousness of “I, me, mine” which is the very center of our existence. Ego makes a man selfish, angry,
greedy, overly attached to Maya, arrogant, and so on — the root of all trouble in the world.
Eradication of pride, arrogance,  conceit, or Ahankaar and becoming truly humble (“dust of the feet of all”).
Annihilation  of the mind — complete surrender of one’s head (egotism).
Death of doubts.
Unburdening onself of the old ideas about spirituality propagated by the crafty Pujaaee system — death of
thoughts, beliefs and attitudes that are not congruent with the Wisdom of the SGGS.
Forgetting old ideas and theories about spirituality that are not in harmony with the Gurmat (Wisdom of the
SGGS).
Total submission to the true Wisdom of the SGGS in daily life.
Eradication of one’s self-centeredness while still alive.
Removing fear of death out of the way while still alive: becoming living liberated or living dead — the real death!
Giving up attachment to Maya, body, material possessions, Bikaar (lust, anger, greed,  etc.).
Dying in the Shabad.

If it means killing your own false ego-sense (Haumai), why should you do it? What do you gain by it? And how do
you kill your false ego-sense (Haumai) if that is what it means? The SGGS puts it in very simple terms:

ਜਗ ਿਬਨਸਤ ਹਮ ਦਿਖਆ ਲਭ ਅਹਕਾਰਾ : I have seen the world being destroyed by greed (i.e., Bikaar) and egotism.
(sggs 228).
ਮਾਨ ਮਨੀ ਮਿਨਵਰ ਗਲ  ਮਾਨ ਸਭ ਕਉ ਖਾਇ : Even the Munis (pious persons…) and the best of Munis were
destroyed by pride, the pride eats up all. (sggs 1372).

In fact, the whole purpose of religion is to kill the false ego-sense, the individual self.  We are asked to listen/read,
understand and live in daily life  the Wisdom (Giaan) given by the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) so that we can

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live a purpose-driven life, so that we can live with humility and steer away from worldly temptations and pitfalls.But it
takes courage to do this. It is like chewing steel balls or jumping into a fire without getting burnt! Not impossible, but
difficult indeed!

ਕਚਨ ਿਸਉ ਪਾਈਐ ਨਹੀ ਤਿਲ ਮਨ ਦ ਰਾਮ ਲੀਆ ਹ ਮਿਲ ॥੧॥: (Raam – Mool) cannot be obtained by giving gold equal to
(one’s) weight. (But, say Kabeer, I) have bought (i.e., Realized, Experienced, etc.) Raam by giving my mind
(Haumai, ego, etc.) to Him ||1|| (sggs 327).

Those “rare” spiritual heroes who do it, they reach their Mool or Source, within.

ਨਾਨਕ ਸਵਕ ਸਈ ਆਖੀਐ ਜ ਿਸਰ ਧਰ ਉਤਾਿਰ :  O Nanak! he alone is called a Sevak (Daas, Bhagat, Gurmukh…) who
cuts off his head (i.e., false ego-sense, pride…). (sggs 1247).

So the Gurbani challenges us: “step onto My Way putting your head on palm”!

ਸਿਤਗਰ ਕੀ ਸਵਾ ਗਾਖੜੀ ਿਸਰ ਦੀਜ ਆਪ ਗਵਾਇ : It is very difficult to serve the Satigur (Shabad-Vichaar); (it’s difficult
because to do so one must) surrender head (ego, self-conceit…) – give up ownself or selfhood (ਆਪਾ-ਭਾਵ ਦਰ ਕਰ
ਕ). (sggs 649).
ਪਿਹਲਾ ਮਰਣ ਕਬਿਲ ਜੀਵਣ ਕੀ ਛਿਡ ਆਸ ਹਹ ਸਭਨਾ ਕੀ ਰਣਕਾ ਤਉ ਆਉ ਹਮਾਰ ਪਾਿਸ ॥੧॥: First accept death and give up
the desire for life (i.e., give up attachment to body…). Become the dust of the feet of all (i.e., become truly
humble…), then, come to me. ||1|| (sggs 1102).
ਸਬਿਦ ਮਰਹ ਿਫਿਰ ਜੀਵਹ ਸਦ ਹੀ ਤਾ ਿਫਿਰ ਮਰਣ ਨ ਹਈ :  If you die through the Shabad, then you will live forever, you
will not spiritually die again. (sggs 604).

There are two types of diseases — physical or external diseases (i.e., cancer, etc.), and mental or internal diseases
(i.e., Haumai or false ego sense, etc.).

The medicine (Daaroo) to cure the physical or external diseases is also outside — if the disease is outside, the
medicine to cure it is also outside.

However, the medicine (Daaroo) to cure the internal or mental diseases is within — if the disease is inside, the
medicine to cure it is also inside.

ਐਸਾ ਦਾਰ ਖਾਿਹ ਗਵਾਰ ॥ ਿਜਤ ਖਾਧ ਤਰ ਜਾਿਹ ਿਵਕਾਰ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ : O fool! Take such medicine, by which your Vikaar
(inner diseases) will be cured. ||1||Pause|| (sggs 1257).

That medicine (Daaroo) which cures the inner diseases is the Wisdom of the Gur-Shabad — the true understanding
of the Gur-Shabad through efforts (i.e., Shabad-Vichaar), and then sincere implementation or practice of that
Wisdom of the Gur-Shabad in daily life. The SGGS confirms it as follows:

ਹਉਮ ਦੀਰਘ ਰਗ ਹ ਦਾਰ ਭੀ ਇਸ ਮਾਿਹ ਿਕਰਪਾ ਕਰ ਜ ਆਪਣੀ ਤਾ ਗਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦ ਕਮਾਿਹ : Ego is a chronic disease, but it
contains its own cure as well. (This disease of one’s egotism will get cured within only) if (he) grants own favor,
and then practices (Shabad-Vichaar) or lives according to the Wisdom of the Gur-Shabad. (sggs 466).

Complete surrender destroys ego (Haumai). The ultimate surrender is when the mind stands conquered — lives
daily life in total harmony with the Wisdom of the SGGS.

The Gur-Shabad is like a flowing River. Surrendering or giving head is like jumping into this River of Existence,
which has no ego. Instead, It is a Pure Consciousness that destroys the ego and helps us experience Truth.

We can take plunge now or just wait standing at the shore of This River. It is our choice. The River is always there,
ready and willing to accept us and cleanse us, and take us to the Ocean (of Pure Consciousness). The SGGS
asserts nobody else can do it for us.

Our ego is like a mountain of ice floating in the Ocean. When it melts, it loses its individual identity (ego or Haumai –
separateness, two-ness, division, fragmentation, etc.) and becomes One with the Ocean, the Source.

ਇਹ ਿਸਰ ਦੀਜ ਆਪ ਗਵਾਏ : Offer head (to the Guru) by shedding self-conceit (ਆਪਾ-ਭਾਵ ਦਰ ਕਰ ਕ). (sggs 424).

To put it otherwise, the Gurbani challenges us not to yield to ego (Haumai). Instead, we are urged to yield to the
Wisdom of the SGGS (Gurmukh Lifestyle).

ਤਨ ਮਨ ਗਰ ਪਿਹ ਵਿਚਆ ਮਨ ਦੀਆ ਿਸਰ ਨਾਿਲ ਿ ਭਵਣ ਖਿਜ ਢਢਿਲਆ ਗਰਮਿਖ ਖਿਜ ਿਨਹਾਿਲ : (One who has) sold his
body and mind to the Guru, and (along with his) mind has given his head as well, by becoming the Gurmukh he
has found God (within) to whom he was seeking throughout the three worlds (sggs 20).

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Before milk is poured into a vessel (ਭ ਡਾ-Bhaandaa), we wash it clean and dry it out. After making sure the vessel is
thoroughly clean and dry, then we pour milk in it. Similarly, before we can pour the milk of the Wisdom of the SGGS
(Gur-Giaan) into our mind, it must be thoroughly cleansed of inner garbage — thoughts, beliefs, attitudes, ideas,
negativity, etc., that are not congruent with the Wisdom of the SGGS. The SGGS asserts that nobody else can do it
for anybody else.

ਭ ਡਾ ਧਇ ਬਿਸ ਧਪ ਦਵਹ ਤਉ ਦਧ ਕਉ ਜਾਵਹ   ਦਧ ਕਰਮ ਫਿਨ ਸਰਿਤ ਸਮਾਇਣ ਹਇ ਿਨਰਾਸ ਜਮਾਵਹ ॥੧॥:  (To obtain butter,
first) you wash the vessel, let it sit in the sun (so it can dry out), then you go out and get the milk (in that vessel
and then curdle it). (Similarly, to obtain the butter of Naam or Wisdom, pour) the milk of good Karma (in the
clean vessel of the mind), add the rennet of clear consciousness to the milk of good Karma, and then, free
of desires, let it curdle. ||1|| (sggs 728).

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Filed Under: Gurbani, Haumai, Ego, Mind, Body, Intellect

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7 Comments LEAVE A COMMENT

G prithvi s dhani

Ja-o …..ta-o…….. PARAYAM…… KHAYLAN…… kaa……. chaa-o.

(If you want to play the game of “LOVE” with the Ultimate Creative Energy/God, then you must meet the very first
requirement)
—————————————————————-

Sir …….Dhar……. talee……. galee …..mayree……. aa-o.

(And that first requirement is to present your Ego, mind, head to the LORD by bringing it down and putting it on the
palms of your hand and present it to HIM. Give up your Ego and be ready to follow the path of UNCONDITIONAL
LOVE.When you do that, the LORD will accept you with open arms.)
—————————————————————–

It …..maarag ……pair……. Dhareejai.

(Because when you start this journey of reuniting/merging with the Ultimate Creative Energy……)
————————————————————-

Sir……. deejai …..kaan…… na …….keejai. ||20||

(Then you can not hold even an iota of your Ego to claim as “I”. 100% of it has to be transcended, no exception to
the rule. The drop of water is still the drop of water even if it standing right next to the ocean. It must drop into the
ocean in order to become ocean, and once its in the ocean, it is not a drop anymore, it is now the ocean) ||20||
——————————————————–

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Reply

G T Singh Post author

Thank you Prithvi S Dhani Ji for taking the time to reply.

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Reply

G Roop

Only Love to you beloved T Singh Ji. Only Love! Waheguru

Reply

G T Singh Post author

Thank you Roop Ji for taking the time to reply.

Reply

G J

Nice post T Singh Ji !

Reply

G T Singh Post author

Thank J Ji for taking the time to reply.

Reply

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