u/PrestigiousHope6182

Consider the rabbit and the wolf.

The rabbit runs for his life to escape death, while the wolf chases him for hours through the dense forest. Yet neither creature is running only for himself—both are thinking of the families they left behind.

The rabbit thinks, "What will my family do without me?"
The wolf thinks, "How will my children eat if I fail?"

Both carry the heavy belief that without them, their loved ones cannot survive.
Suddenly, the rabbit trips and falls. The wolf seizes his moment, kills the rabbit, and begins the long trek back home. But as he nears his den, he hears laughter and sees a great feast from a distance. Confused, he asks his family, "How did you find all this food?"

They reply, "While you were gone hunting for hours, we stepped outside and found a giant cow, already killed, just a short distance away."
The wolf stands in silence, holding his tiny rabbit, realizing his family was already fed with a feast far greater than anything he spent hours trying to secure.

This story is merely an example of a truth we so easily forget: we mistakenly believe that without us, our families cannot survive.
We are not the masters; we are merely puppets. The true Provider is Waheguru.

Always hold the faith that Waheguru will provide, for He always does. Yet in our fast-paced, busy lives, we take the controls into our own hands. And whenever we try to drive, we inevitably fall behind.

Whenever that happens, hand the controls back to Waheguru, for He is the ultimate Controller and Provider. Waheguru shall provide—do not worry, and remember Him whenever possible.

Compared to a hundred years ago, life has unfortunately become faster and shorter. In all this rush, many of us—including myself—forget who is truly in control.

Is it us... or is it Him, the Creator?

Realise this: your body is only loved for worldly reasons. Parents love it because they know that in the future, as they grow old, this son or daughter will help them and feed them. In fact, if children do not obey or follow what their parents say, some parents even ask in anger, "Why did you come into this world?"

Now, I am NOT saying to stop loving your parents—NO. Do love them and take care of them, as that is your karam (duty). But realize the truth: live in the ocean, but do not get wet.

The rust inside you that has been there for so long—clean it with the Gur Shabad.

You are reading this, and I have been getting likes that show my posts are being appreciated and enjoyed. But it isn't because of me or my body or my own thoughts; it is because I spoke of the True Guru and the Guru says. If I didn't speak of the Guru, nobody would like or know me.

The Guru is so great that He is the blessed one and the true Doer, yet when it comes to receiving the reward—even though He was behind it all along—He gives it to you. You are the one who receives it, whether that means having people around you respect you. It is because you are wearing this bana, reading Bani, and remembering the Guru that people respect you.

As Bani says:

"Sab Teri Wadiai Koi Nau Na Jane Mera"

“Sab Te Vada Satguru Nanak Koi Nau Na Jane Mera”

The reason for this post is not for me to be praised, but to show that this body is just a temporary machine—one that, even when it is greatly appreciated, loved, cherished, respected, cared for, and looked upon, will eventually be of no use. If it receives praise at all, it is solely because of the Guru.

Death is lurking around the corner, waiting to reveal itself only when it comes to claim you. Yet, those who have passed away—the Shaheeds and Bhagats—are still remembered today. There is 2 paths either Gurmuk or Manmukh one can choose, but if you choose both and try to juggle them you will loose this marathon.

The point of this post is simply to say: clean the rust from your maan, remember death, and do not let praise affect your inner steadiness while on this path.

The body, soul, and maan (mind) are three different things. The body is just the car, which is controlled by the maan itself—the real driver. The soul is that voice you and I hear from the inside when we are about to do something stupid, telling us not to.

This thought came to me about how this maan controls us even though we don't want to do that certain action. Without the Gur Shabad, you cannot control the maan. Without controlling the maan, the body will not follow what you want—what the soul actually wants, which is to do the right thing.

How many of us, including me, know we have to pray, avoid listening to wrong things, take Amrit, and wake up at Amrit Vela? Yet we don't do it, even though we know we should. It's because the maan is in control of this body (the car), instead of us.

I know many of you will think, "But I know this, and I already do certain actions." And you're not wrong. You need to know first that the body is nothing, so don't worry about it—the maan is the doer that you need to control and let the soul take over.

You may think, "I have achieved this and that," and congrats to you, but you need to realize the maan is doing things only for the sukh (comfort/pleasure) of the body, that's it.

It's like when you eat a small candy: after a few seconds, the pleasure of eating the sweet is gone, so you eat another and another to get that pleasure for a few seconds, and it never ends. The maan is like this. But when the soul takes over, you will be in bliss day and night, every second.

You will not worry about the body's sukh or dukh (pain), as it will not impact you at all. Keep an eye on the maan and look at it closer, and you will see it—not with these eyes you are reading this with, but with your inner eyes.

Without Gur Shabad abhyaas (practice), we cannot realize the maan and know that the maan is behind all of it. It's like sitting in a cinema watching a movie, knowing who is good and who is bad. The first step is abhyaas, and after a while, you will see the maan playing out these wrong actions.

When that first step is achieved, the second step is to control the maan. This is the hardest part, but it can be done. You will have to do things even when you don't feel like it. The maan will bring many distractions in front of you—for example, relaxing at home and watching a movie instead of doing abhyaas, which feels easier. But even then, you have to listen to the soul and move past it.

When you do achieve the second step, then this body will truly be in your control and not the maan's. Throughout Gurbani, Guru Sahib tells us countless shabads specifically for this maan—for example, "Maan Tu Jot Saroop Hai Apna Mool Paichan." Guru Sahib is telling the maan to listen and not end up stuck in worldly pleasures.

Once your soul takes over, you will become closer to Waheguru. It will be like being in the deep ocean, yet you will not get wet. The ocean is Kalyug, and what happens when you jump in water? You drown and get wet. But with the soul taking over, you won't drown or even get wet; you will stay in it for however long you remain alive, but you will realize the truth.

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I know it’s easier said than done, but keep at it and one day the bless of guru Shaib will occur.

Again, this is just a thought that came into my mind one day, so I thought, why not share it?

We tend to love the Daat (gift) more than the Daatar (Giver).

Many ask for many things from Waheguru, and it is not wrong—as some might question why I am saying this. It is not wrong to ask, yet many ask without loving the Giver.

Waheguru will still give it to you because Waheguru is ever Dayalu (Merciful), but a Sikh needs to love the Giver far more than the gift.

At Chamkaur Sahib, after Guru Gobind Singh Ji's two Sahibzadas attained shaheedi (martyrdom), instead of crying and becoming angry, Guru Sahib thanked the Giver and said: "These sons were not mine; they were Yours in the beginning, they are Yours now, and they will forever be Yours."

Guru Gobind Singh Ji loved Waheguru far more than the Daat.

Through their actions, they are teaching us that while you may receive many blessings in life, do not be sorrowful when they are no longer with you.

Love the Giver more. Love the Giver, and then you will be truly fulfilled, and your worldly hunger will disappear forever.

Sant Baba Attar Singh Ji used to say one thing: it is not impossible for Guru Sahib to come and reside within your hirda (heart). Think about what we do when we expect guests to arrive—we clean and prepare the house, focusing especially on the area where they will sit.

In the same way, you must cleanse the maan (mind) inside you that has been soiled for many yugs (ages), and prepare the takht (throne) for Guru Sahib to occupy. Once that is accomplished, a person experiences pure bliss day and night.

To receive such a magnificent blessing, one must first become pure, because only then can that vasthu (sacred substance/blessing) enter. There are numerous examples of those who successfully prepared the takht; you can read about their jeevan (life stories) to find inspiration and motivation.

Cleanse your maan not with soap and water, but through naam simran. Treat kirtan as the soap, naam simran as the scrub, and katha as the water. Day by day, as the dirt is washed away from your maan, you will feel lighter and your avastha (spiritual state) will elevate.

However, remember that the absolute key to achieving everything mentioned here is sabr (patience). Without sabr, nothing can be achieved

For a Sikh, doing hard, honest work is essential. However, higher than hard work is the Kirpa (blessings) of Guru Nanak. One might spend years practicing Sikhi to achieve a spiritual state (avastha), while another might be blessed by the Guru and reach that same avastha instantly, in less than a second.

Both paths are accepted and respected, as you never know when the Guru will bestow Kirpa. Therefore, do not stop midway—keep going.

Most of the Gurbani we read is not spoken to our physical body, but to our maan (mind/soul), which is the real master of this body. The body is merely the car and the maan is the driver.

Do not focus on instructing the body, because the body only acts on what the maan commands; instead, tell the maan over and over, "My Guru is great."

When the day comes and Kirpa is bestowed upon you, the resulting bliss cannot be explained, as no words exist to describe it can only be felt. It is like giving sweets to a person who cannot speak and asking them to describe the sweetness; they cannot say a word, but can only experience the joy within. And as Guru Shaib says;

sevak kai bharapoor jug jug vaahaguroo teraa sabh sadhakaa

gur poorai keetee pooree
prabh rav rahiaa bharapooree
khem kusal bhiaa isanaanaa

The human sees the world as real. The human thinks of his loved ones and those close to him, but they only go with him until the body is taken to be cremated. None of them will jump into the fire with you.

Realise this: the body may die, but the Atma does not.

One should practise this understanding. The human has come into this world, and whatever duties he or she has, they should continue to fulfil them. But at the same time, know this world to be the illusion of Maya.

Krishna also told Arjun that you are not the body. Fight while seeing it as your Dharma and duty.

One should carry out worldly affairs as normal, while knowing that they are duties and nothing more. At the same time, one should practise the Guru’s words and understand that neither Dukh nor Sukh can touch the Atma.

The one who remains content with whatever God gives becomes wise and slowly attains Mukti. Guru Angad Dev Ji taught this when the Sikhs Deepa and Narayan Das came before Guru Ji along with a Sikh named Bhoola.

Staying in the water and not getting wet is the way of the Guru Sahib’s Sikhs.

Not Every Guru Can Give Mukti

There is one type of guru who teaches great things, but is not able to cross the great ocean of Kalyug himself.

The second type is such that he can cross the ocean of Kalyug himself, but cannot take others across.

Then comes the third type, who can cross the ocean of Kalyug himself and also take countless others across.

In this world, realise that there will be many like the first guru. One should not become entangled in them, no matter how much they show or speak. The second type of guru is rare, but they still exist in this age. The third Guru, however, is only one — Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Within Him shines the Jot of all Ten Guru Sahibs. One should follow His teachings and fulfil His wishes.

But in this day and age, many follow the first type of guru and thus remain without Mukti. They continue to take birth again and again.

One day Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji was walking with the Sangat. As they travelled, they saw the dead body of a snake lying on the ground. Ants were crawling all over it, eating pieces of its body and carrying them away.

The Sangat folded their hands and asked, “O Great Giver of Mukti, O Master of the Three Worlds, O Bestower of Brahm Gian, please tell us why these ants are doing this to the snake?”

Then the Guru spoke, whose Shabad the Sikh listens to and attains Mukti:

“This snake, in a previous birth, was a guru. He had not attained Waheguru within his own heart, yet he taught others and made them follow him. He himself did not attain Mukti and was reborn as this snake. The ants you see were his followers. By following a false guru, they too did not attain Mukti and were reborn as ants. Now, in this birth, they tear apart the very one who led them astray, for because of him they continue to wander through these births.”

Therefore, one needs a Guru like Guru Nanak, who Himself is already Mukat and gives Mukti to countless others.

He is the snake that kills the mouse, and He is also the mouse trying to run away from the snake. The snake catches the rat, eats it, and sits in joy. Then an eagle appears — Kartar Himself in another form — and picks up the snake and eats it.

Now the eagle is fulfilled and sits content. Hours pass. A strong wind blows. While flying, the eagle is shot by a hunter — and that hunter too is Kartar Himself. The eagle falls to the ground. The man becomes proud of his hunt, but later he also dies.

They all passed away according to Hukam, but realise this: Kartar was present in every one of them.

Such is the Player of this world. Who can truly sing the praises of One so vast? Who can understand such play? The ones empty with knowledge see everything white and black, and do not realise.

Remember the True Waheguru, who protected you even in the fire of the womb. By the Kirpa of the True Guru, one comes to realise this truth.

At the end of the day, no matter how difficult life becomes — whether at work, school, or anywhere else — remember that Kartar’s play is wonderful. What we see today as pain, confusion, gain, loss, victory, or defeat is all happening within His Hukam.

The one who begins to see His hand in everything slowly finds peace, and from that understanding comes true Sukh.

Do not become so entangled in the love of this world that you forget to see Kartar behind everything. One begins saying, “I did this,” “I achieved that,” and “without me this would never have been possible.” But the more “I” and “me” grow, the further one drifts from the truth.

Remove the “I” and remove the “me.” See Kartar as the Doer behind all things. Then watch the Kirpa of Guru Nanak. The Ras begins to flow within, like a river that never stops, flowing day and night. What once felt heavy becomes light, and what once felt distant becomes close. One begins to see the play of Kartar everywhere and finds peace within His Hukam.