Ke eh mann chanchal ke eh mann beragee – Raag Malaar – Ang 1261

SGGS Angg 1261.

Raag Malaar M.3

During the Gurgaddi of Guru Amardas Ji, there was a pandit Beni (not to be confused with the great Bhagat Beni Ji whose Bani is in SGGS Ji).
This pandit was a shrewd scholar who had defeated many other scholars in debate. Each time a scholar lost, he had to surrender all his books to the pandit.
Pandit Beni went around the country with two bullock carts laden with books. He was very proud of his learning and most scholars avoided a debate with him.

He came to Goindwal Sahib and rested there. He was told that at Goindwal a Guru used to preach Naam to the sanggat. He decided he would challenge Guru Amardas Ji to a debate, confident of his victory.

He sent word to Guru Amardas Ji requesting a debate. Guru Ji politely declined the request and said He would only discuss anything relating to Naam, that too in open sanggat.

The pandit told some people in Goindwal that the Guru seemed afraid of him. Moreover he said, what could a householder tell him about God? One had to be an udasi – a recluse from maya, before he could give advice to others. He spoke aloud that he noticed there was a total lack of rituals amongst the Sikhs, and openly said the Sikhs were being misled. The pandit said further that only Brahmins and pandits should teach things that were told in the Vedas and Scriptures.

After a few days as many Sikhs complained to the Guru about the irreverence of the pandit, Guru Ji told the Sikhs to bring the pandit to the Darbar at Goindwal Sahib.

Guru Ji posed a question to the pandit. (Since you say one should be an udasi), tell me about the mind. Is the mind a householder or is the mind a detached renunciate?; or is the mind beyond social class, eternal and unchanging?; is the mind fickle by nature or is it detached?; tell me how did the mind get gripped by possessiveness?

“Eh mann girhi ke eh mann udasee; ke eh mann avaran sada avinasee; ke eh mann chanchal ke eh mann beragee; eis mann ko mamta kitho lagee.”

O pandit, reflect upon this in your mind; why read so much and burden yourself with such a heavy load?

“Pandit eis mann ka karho bichaar; avar ke bahuta parhe uthave bhaar.” (rahao).

There was a stunned silence. The pandit had read a lot, but he had never reflected upon the nature of the mind. The questions posed by Guru Ji looked disarmingly simple, but they were profound and beyond the pandit to give any credible reply. After a few minutes, he put his face down as a sign that he did not know what to say. Guru Ji Himself then answered the questions he had posed to the pandit.

It was the Creator Lord Himself who put in maya and possessiveness; this Hukam envelops all creation; you need the Guru’s Grace to grasp this; remain forever in the Sanctuary of the Lord.

“Maya mamta Karte layee; eh Hukam kar srist upayee; Gur Parsadi bujho bhai; sada raho Har ki sarnayee.”

He is a true pandit (scholar), who sheds the load of the three shades (of maya); night and day he recites the Name of the One Lord; he accepts the teachings of the True Guru; and offers his head to the True Guru (in total surrender); he remains forever detached absorbed in the Infinite One; such a pandit is accepted in the Court of the Lord.

“So pandit jo tiha gunna ki pandh utarey; andinn Eko Naam vakhaney; Satgur ki oh dikhiya leh; Satgur aagay sees dharey; sada alagg rahe Nirbaan; so pandit dargeh parvaan.”

He preaches that the One Lord is within all beings; as he sees the One Lord, he knows the One Lord; one who is blessed by the Lord, Unites with Him; such a person finds eternal peace here and hereafter.

“Sabna me Eko Ek vakhaney; ja Eko vekhay ta Eko jaaney; ja ko bakshe melay soye; aithay othay sada sukh hoye.”

Nanak says, what can anyone do?; he alone gets liberated whom the Lord blesses with His Grace; night and day he sings Praises of the Lord; then he no longer bothers with the proclamations of the Shastras or the Vedas.

“Kahat Nanak kavan bidh kare kya koye; soyee mukat ja ko kirpa hoye; andinn Har gunn gaavhe soye; Shastar Bedh ki firr kook na hoye.”

Beni pandit hung his head in shame. He took both cartloads of books and drowned them in the Goindwal river. He bowed at Guru Ji’s Feet and pleaded to be accepted as His Sikh. Guru Ji Amardas Ji blessed him and put pandit Beni to Naam.

Shabad Viakhya by Bhai Manjeet Singh Ji

Shahad Kirtan available on YouTube