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dhillon
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ELEPHANT-MIND
The mind is an elephant in the forest of the body (sggs 221).
The mind is intoxicated, like the elephant with wine (sggs665).
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Spiritually speaking, when we talk about wild elephants, their three main aspects come to light: (1) elephants' lustful urges, (2) its conduct, which is like a drunkard being, and (3) its enormously fat size. The Gurbani (Sri Guru Granth Sahib, SGGS) compares all these aspects of an elephant with the human ego-mind (the consciousness of time-space-causation). The ego-mind sees infinite diversity in Unity. Although the ego-sense (Haume) seems real to us, but in reality it's a long dream. The ego-mind heads us to calamity, first creating delusion and wickedness (corruption or falsehood), and these later expand into sorrow.
The mind is an elephant in the forest of the body (sggs 221).
The mind is intoxicated, like the elephant with wine (sggs665).
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Spiritually speaking, when we talk about wild elephants, their three main aspects come to light: (1) elephants' lustful urges, (2) its conduct, which is like a drunkard being, and (3) its enormously fat size. The Gurbani (Sri Guru Granth Sahib, SGGS) compares all these aspects of an elephant with the human ego-mind (the consciousness of time-space-causation). The ego-mind sees infinite diversity in Unity. Although the ego-sense (Haume) seems real to us, but in reality it's a long dream. The ego-mind heads us to calamity, first creating delusion and wickedness (corruption or falsehood), and these later expand into sorrow.
- ਮਨੁ ਮੈਗਲੁ ਸਾਕਤੁ ਦੇਵਾਨਾ ॥: Manu maigal saakat devaanaa: The mind of the faithless cynic is like a crazy elephant (sggs 415).
- ਮਨੁ ਕੁੰਚਰੁ ਕਾਇਆ ਉਦਿਆਨੈ ॥: Mann kunchar kaaiaa oudiaanai: The mind is an elephant in the forest of the body (sggs 221).
- ਕਾਲਬੂਤ ਕੀ ਹਸਤਨੀ ਮਨ ਬਉਰਾ ਰੇ ਚਲਤੁ ਰਚਿਓ ਜਗਦੀਸ ॥ਕਾਮ ਸੁਆਇ ਗਜ ਬਸਿ ਪਰੇ ਮਨ ਬਉਰਾ ਰੇ ਅੰਕਸੁ ਸਹਿਓ ਸੀਸ ॥੧॥ ਬਿਖੈ ਬਾਚੁ ਹਰਿ ਰਾਚੁ ਸਮਝੁ ਮਨ ਬਉਰਾ ਰੇ ॥: Kaalaboot kee hasatanee mann bouraa re chalat rachio jagadees. Kaam suaai gaj bas pare mann bouraa re ankas sahiou sees. Bikhai baach har raach samajh mann bouraa re. bikhai baach har raach samajh man bouraa re: Like the straw figure of a female elephant, fashioned to trap the bull elephant, O crazy mind, the Lord of the Universe has staged the drama of this world. Attracted by the lure of sexual desire, the elephant is captured, O crazy mind, and now the halter is placed around its neck. || 1|| So escape from corruption and immerse yourself in the Lord; take this advice, O crazy mind (sggs 335-336).
- ਕਾਮ ਹੇਤਿ ਕੁੰਚਰੁ ਲੈ ਫਾਂਕਿਓ ਓਹੁ ਪਰ ਵਸਿ ਭਇਓ ਬਿਚਾਰਾ ॥ ਨਾਦ ਹੇਤਿ ਸਿਰੁ ਡਾਰਿਓ ਕੁਰੰਕਾ ਉਸ ਹੀ ਹੇਤ ਬਿਦਾਰਾ ॥੨॥ ਦੇਖਿ ਕੁਟੰਬੁ ਲੋਭਿ ਮੋਹਿਓ ਪ੍ਰਾਨੀ ਮਾਇਆ ਕਉ ਲਪਟਾਨਾ ॥ ਅਤਿ ਰਚਿਓ ਕਰਿ ਲੀਨੋ ਅਪੁਨਾ ਉਨਿ ਛੋਡਿ ਸਰਾਪਰ ਜਾਨਾ ॥੩॥ : Kaam het kunchar lai faankiou ouhu par vas bhaio bichaaraa...: Lured by sexual desire, the elephant is trapped; the poor beast falls into the power of another. Lured by the sound of the hunter's bell, the deer offers its head; because of this enticement, it is killed. ||2|| Gazing upon his family, the mortal is enticed by greed; he clings in attachment to Maya. Totally engrossed in worldly things, he considers them to be his own; but in the end, he will surely have to leave them behind ||3|| (sggs 671).
- ਜਿਉ ਮੈਗਲੁ ਇੰਦ੍ਰੀ ਰਸਿ ਪ੍ਰੇਰਿਓ ਤੂ ਲਾਗਿ ਪਰਿਓ ਕੁਟੰਬਾਇਲੇ ॥: Jiou maigal indree rasi prerio too laagi kutubaaile: Like the elephant, driven by Kaam (lust, ਕਾਮ-ਵਾਸਨਾ ... becomes captive, similarly) you have become attached (entangled, captive...) to your family (sggs 862).
- ਮੈਗਲਹਿ ਕਾਮੈ ਬੰਧੁ ॥ ਜਿਉ ਗ੍ਰਸਤ ਬਿਖਈ ਧੰਧੁ ॥: Maigalshi kaamai bandh. Jio grasat bikhayee dhandh: The elephant is trapped by its sexual urges. As the sinner (Bikaaree Jeev) is caught in his sins (ਵਿਸ਼ਿਆਂ ਦਾ ਧੰਧਾ, evil passions...) (sggs 838).
- ਹਉਮੈ ਰੋਗੁ ਮਾਨੁਖ ਕਉ ਦੀਨਾ ॥ ਕਾਮ ਰੋਗਿ ਮੈਗਲੁ ਬਸਿ ਲੀਨਾ ॥: Hayumai rog maanukh kayu deenaa. Kaam rog maigal bas leenaa: Mankind is afflicted with the disease of egoism. The disease of sexual desire overwhelms the elephant (sggs 1140).
- ਕਾਮ ਮਾਇਆ ਕੁੰਚਰ ਕਉ ਬਿਆਪੈ ॥ ਭੁਇਅੰਗਮ ਭ੍ਰਿੰਗ ਮਾਇਆ ਮਹਿ ਖਾਪੇ ॥੧॥ ਮਾਇਆ ਐਸੀ ਮੋਹਨੀ ਭਾਈ ॥ ਜੇਤੇ ਜੀਅ ਤੇਤੇ ਡਹਕਾਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥: Kaam Maya kunchar kou biaapai.....: Lust-Maya afflicts the elephant. The snakes and bumble bees are destroyed through Maya. ||1||Such are the enticements of Maya, O Siblings of Destiny. As many living beings are there, they have been deceived ||1||Pause|| (sggs 1160).
- ਮੈਗਲ ਜਿਉ ਫਾਸਸਿ ਕਾਮਹਾਰ ॥ ਕੜਿ ਬੰਧਨਿ ਬਾਧਿਓ ਸੀਸ ਮਾਰ ॥੨॥ ਮਨੁ ਮੁਗਧੌ ਦਾਦਰੁ ਭਗਤਿਹੀਨੁ ॥: Maigal jiou faasas kaamahaar ...: It is like the elephant, trapped by its own sexual desire. It is then caught and held tight by the chains, and beaten on its head. ||2|| The mind is like a foolish frog, without devotional worship (sggs 1188).
- ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਗੁਪਤ ਹੋਇ ਰਹਿਓ ਨਿਆਰੋ ਮਾਤੰਗ ਮਤਿ ਅਹੰਕਾਰ ॥: Gobind gupath hoe rehiou niaaro maathang math ahankaar: The Lord of the Universe is hidden and unattached. The mortal is like a wild elephant, intoxicated with the wine of egoism (sggs1229).
- ਕਬੀਰ ਕਾਇਆ ਕਜਲੀ ਬਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਨੁ ਕੁੰਚਰੁ ਮਯ ਮੰਤੁ ॥: Kabeer kaaiaa kajalee ban bhaiaa manu kunchar may mant: Kabeer, the body is a banana forest, and the mind is an intoxicated elephant (sggs 1376).
- ਮਨੁ ਮੈ ਮਤੁ ਮੈਗਲ ਮਿਕਦਾਰਾ ॥: Manu mai matu maigal mikadaaraa: The mind is like an elephant, drunk with the wine (of false ego-sense - ਹਉਮੈ) (sggs 159).
- ਮਨ ਕੀ ਮਤਿ ਮਤਾਗਲੁ ਮਤਾ ॥: mann kee matu mataagal mataa: The intellect of the mind is like a drunken elephant (sggs 351).
- ਮਨੁ ਘਨੈ ਭ੍ਰਮੈ ਬਨੈ ॥: Man ghanai bhramai banai: The mind wanders through the dense forest (of the material world) (sggs 1272).
- ਕਬੀਰ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਦੁਆਰਾ ਸੰਕੁੜਾ ਰਾਈ ਦਸਵੈ ਭਾਇ ॥ ਮਨੁ ਤਉ ਮੈਗਲੁ ਹੋਇ ਰਹਾ ਨਿਕਸਿਆ ਕਿਉ ਕਰਿ ਜਾਇ ॥: Kabeer mukati duaaraa sankurraa raaee dasavai bhaai. Manu taou maigal hoi rahaa nikasiaa kiou kar jaai: O Kabeer, the gate of liberation is narrow, less than one-tenth of a mustard seed. The mind has become as big as an elephant; how can it pass through this gate? (sggs 509).
- ਮਨੁ ਮੈਗਲੁ ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦਿ ਵਸਿ ਆਇਆ ਰਾਮ ॥: Man maigal gur sabad vasi aaiaa raam: The mind-elephant is overpowered by the Gur-Shabad (sggs 576).
- ਜਿਉ ਮੈਗਲੁ ਮਸਤੁ ਦੀਜੈ ਤਲਿ ਕੁੰਡੇ ਗੁਰ ਅੰਕਸੁ ਸਬਦੁ ਦ੍ਰਿੜਾਵੈਗੋ ॥: Jiou maigal masat deejai tali kunde gur ankas sabad drirraavaigo: Just as the wild elephant is subdued by the prod, the mind is disciplined by the Gur-Shabad (sggs 1310).
- ਮੇਰੇ ਮਨ ਗੁਰ ਮੁਖਿ ਧਿਆਇ ਹਰਿ ਸੋਇ ॥ ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਮਨਿ ਵਸੈ ਮਨੁ ਤਨੁ ਨਿਰਮਲੁ ਹੋਇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥: Mere mann gurmukhi dhiaai hari soi. Gur kaa shabad manni vasai taa mann tann nirmal hoi ||1||Rahaaou||: O my mind, become Gurmukh, and meditate on God. When the Gur-Shabad abides Within the mind, the body and mind become pure (i.e., the senses withdraw from sensuousness, etc.) ||1||Pause|| (sggs 32).
- ਮਨੁ ਕੁੰਚਰੁ ਪੀਲਕੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਕੁੰਡਾ ਜਹ ਖਿੰਚੇ ਤਹ ਜਾਇ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਹਸਤੀ ਕੁੰਡੇ ਬਾਹਰਾ ਫਿਰਿ ਫਿਰਿ ਉਝੜਿ ਪਾਇ ॥੨॥: Man kunchar peelak guroo giaan kunddaa jeh khinchae theh jaai. Nanak hasatee kunde baahraa phir phir ujharr paai ||2||: The mind is the elephant, the Guroo is the elephant-driver, and Knowledge is the whip. Wherever the Guru drives the mind, it goes. O Nanak, without the whip, the elephant wanders into the wilderness, again and again ||2|| (sggs 516).
- ਆਸਾ ॥ ਗਗਨ ਨਗਰਿ ਇਕ ਬੂੰਦ ਨ ਬਰਖੈ ਨਾਦੁ ਕਹਾ ਜੁ ਸਮਾਨਾ ॥ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਪਰਮੇਸੁਰ ਮਾਧੋ ਪਰਮ ਹੰਸੁ ਲੇ ਸਿਧਾਨਾ ॥੧॥ ਬਾਬਾ ਬੋਲਤੇ ਤੇ ਕਹਾ ਗਏ ਦੇਹੀ ਕੇ ਸੰਗਿ ਰਹਤੇ ॥ ਸੁਰਤਿ ਮਾਹਿ ਜੋ ਨਿਰਤੇ ਕਰਤੇ ਕਥਾ ਬਾਰਤਾ ਕਹਤੇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ ਬਜਾਵਨਹਾਰੋ ਕਹਾ ਗਇਓ ਜਿਨਿ ਇਹੁ ਮੰਦਰੁ ਕੀਨ੍ਹ੍ਹਾ ॥ ਸਾਖੀ ਸਬਦੁ ਸੁਰਤਿ ਨਹੀ ਉਪਜੈ ਖਿੰਚਿ ਤੇਜੁ ਸਭੁ ਲੀਨ੍ਹ੍ਹਾ ॥੨॥ ਸ੍ਰਵਨਨ ਬਿਕਲ ਭਏ ਸੰਗਿ ਤੇਰੇ ਇੰਦ੍ਰੀ ਕਾ ਬਲੁ ਥਾਕਾ ॥ ਚਰਨ ਰਹੇ ਕਰ ਢਰਕਿ ਪਰੇ ਹੈ ਮੁਖਹੁ ਨ ਨਿਕਸੈ ਬਾਤਾ ॥੩॥ ਥਾਕੇ ਪੰਚ ਦੂਤ ਸਭ ਤਸਕਰ ਆਪ ਆਪਣੈ ਭ੍ਰਮਤੇ ॥ ਥਾਕਾ ਮਨੁ ਕੁੰਚਰ ਉਰੁ ਥਾਕਾ ਤੇਜੁ ਸੂਤੁ ਧਰਿ ਰਮਤੇ ॥੪॥ ਮਿਰਤਕ ਭਏ ਦਸੈ ਬੰਦ ਛੂਟੇ ਮਿਤ੍ਰ ਭਾਈ ਸਭ ਛੋਰੇ ॥ ਕਹਤ ਕਬੀਰਾ ਜੋ ਹਰਿ ਧਿਆਵੈ ਜੀਵਤ ਬੰਧਨ ਤੋਰੇ ॥੫॥੫॥੧੮॥: Aasaa || Gagan nagar ik boond na barakhai naad kahaa ju samaanaa ...: Aasaa. From the city of the Tenth Gate, the sky of the mind, not even a drop rains down. Where is the music of the sound current of the Naad, which was contained in it? The Supreme Transcendent Lord has taken away the Supreme Soul. ||1|| O Father, tell me: where has it gone? It used to dwell within the body, and dance in the mind, teaching and speaking. ||1||Pause|| Where has the player gone - he who made this body-temple his own? No story, word or understanding is produced; the Lord has drained off all the power. ||2|| The ears, your companions, have gone deaf, and the power of your organs is exhausted. Your feet have failed, your hands have gone limp, and no words issue forth from your mouth. ||3|| The elephant of the mind has grown weary, and the heart has grown weary as well; through its power, it used to pull the strings ||5||5||18|| (sggs 480).
- ਬੋਇਓ ਬੀਜੁ ਅਹੰ ਮਮ ਅੰਕੁਰੁ ਬੀਤਤ ਅਉਧ ਕਰਤ ਅਘਨਾਂ ॥: Boeio beej aham mam ankur beetat aoudh karat aghanaan: O man, you have planted the seeds of egoism, and the sprout of possessiveness has come up. You pass your life making sinful mistakes (sggs1387).
- ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਸਹਜੈ ਦਾ ਖੇਤੁ ਹੈ ਜਿਸ ਨੋ ਲਾਏ ਭਾਉ ॥ ਨਾਉ ਬੀਜੇ ਨਾਉ ਉਗਵੈ ਨਾਮੇ ਰਹੈ ਸਮਾਇ ॥ ਹਉਮੈ ਏਹੋ ਬੀਜੁ ਹੈ ਸਹਸਾ ਗਇਆ ਵਿਲਾਇ ॥: Satgur sahajai daa khet hai jis no laae bhaaou. Naaou beeje naaou ougavai naame rahai samaai. Houmai eho beej hai sahasaa gaiaa vilaai: The Satguru is the field of intuitive wisdom. Plant the seed of the Divine Name there. One who is inspired to love Him, the Divine Name sprouts up within him, and he becomes absorbed in the Name. Then his egoism, which is the seed of skepticism, perishes (sggs 947).