GEMS OF GURBANI

National Character – 23

Awareness of an evil Character – Moh (attachment and delusion)

 Guru Nanak has contemplated on our attachment to worldly love of things that causes delusion in our mind; it creates doubt in our minds of the existence of the Almighty. In that course we start believing in acts that give us potential to increase our attachment to love of worldly things. Guru Nanak says: “Moh kutumb  moh sab kaar II moh tum tajeh sagal vekaar II1II Moh aur bharum tajeh tum bir II saachuh naam hriday rave sarir II Asa Mahala 1 Panchpade GG.Pg 356.  Meaning: abandon love of family, and love of every affair. Rid yourself of moh, for it leads to nothing but sin. ‘O’ brave one, shed your moh and doubt (superstitions). ‘O’ brother replace it to give place for His name in your heart and body. What is this worldly love? It is love of things like family, wealth and standing in the society. For this worldly love and attachment to it man undergoes a psychological change and loses his perspective to see things in right light for its true values. It narrows down his outlook and feeds his prejudices and ego. This delusion is best expressed in social context where we see the division of society in classes and castes. That is why it is termed as an evil propensity. Guru Arjun Devji explains this in the following verse: “O” unconquerable, O powerful hero of the battlefield, that moves down everything before it. It has enticed away the hearts of the Gods and their attendants, heavenly musicians, the men, animal life and birds.” ( He ajit suur sangram ati balna bahu mardneh II……) GG. Pg 1359 Thus we can see that it can destroy not only what comes in its way but also that atmosphere of sodur (being at God’s door) that we feel when we are obtaining the bliss of His Creation. In Sikhism Gurus have given importance to the life of householder and the moh or attachment to worldly things cannot be seen in this perspective that man leaves everything and becomes an ascetic or Jogi to get rid of this propensity. So the right view needs a thorough contemplation whereby we are to recognize that we have to judge the values of life in right perspective and let not our mind be polluted by all the evil propensities that take us away from the Will or Hukam of Almighty. In Sikhism, man is guided towards equality, work, and share. For the practical purpose many tenets have developed to understand the real values of life like sewa to bring out humility in us, recitation on His Name to keep us humble, sat-sangat so that we keep the company  of good souls that stops our mind from wayward ways and many more.