In these chapter summaries of Bhai Sewa Singh Ji Tarmala’s book, Pantha Prem Na Janaiye, we will explore further in depth about how our thoughts are recorded.
Firstly, Bhai Sahib reminds us that the Gurmantar is the tool that we use in order to cross the bhavsagar. It guides us to enter Sunn. Once we have entered Sunn, the Gurmantar leaves, because at that point we cannot use physical language anymore. We listen to Naam (also known as shabad, Anhad Bani, God’s voice) to guide us to using the Jot/vision of our own mind and advancing (just arriving to Sunn is not enough). In the body there is the temple of God (parlok) and temple of kaal (lok) which are both governed by God. When we use the Gurmantar, we must be careful to start off by closing the eyes. This is why you see people with their eyes closed while doing simran, because when you look around you are going to create more thoughts and be distracted. Even when we close our eyes, inside the mind will play tricks to create thoughts. Bhai Sahib tells us the mind might create images, or lights, called Gandharb Nagar/Mirag Trishna, or create dreams. The mind will do anything to prevent itself from going home to Sunn. We must be careful of these distraction techniques and pay attention.
The Chitrgupt are essentially "moviemakers" that record where our attention (dhyan) is. For example, we can think of the sakhi where Guru Nanak Dev Ji points out that the Quazi himself was not paying attention during the Namaz and was thinking about his horses. The place where our attention sits matters, because it is where our account is taken. Each breath has to be accounted for, and this account is called the Lekha. This Lekha is taken to Dharam Rai, which is a judge, and the Yum (Jums, jumdhoot) are responsible for arresting the mind when the breaths end (we die). If our mind is thinking about tamoguni thoughts, they are recorded as such. Whatever we do is watched over and recorded. We are responsible for accounting for our thoughts.
When we go to Sunn, the Chitrgupt and Yum cannot go there. We can similarly get a circle of protection even as we work and are doing activities in the world, where the chitrgupt and Jum cannot bother us, by the Gurmantar. If the mind is in jap all the time, this circle of protection will keep them at bay. We are within the Divine command of God, but if we get distracted by maya and step outside of the Gurmantar and stop japping, then the chitrgupt and Jum can get to us. It isn’t like we can’t talk or take thoughts, or work in the world once we walk this path. This life is for enjoying all of God’s creation! There is a reason why we are living our lives as householders. We can fully engage in the world, but there is a method of doing this. We can take rajo, tamo and satoguni thoughts, while within the Divine law. Bhai Sahib reminds us while the mind was the inventor of cell phones and videos so we can connect worldwide, the mind has always had a system of connection that was far more elaborate than this. This method of communicating to other Gurmukhs in Sunn has existed this entire time, and is the method by which Baba Deep Singh and Bhai Mani Singh got the words of the previous Guru Sahibs and Bhagats in order to (re)write the Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
Bhai Sahib reminds us that Gurbani tells us that as people move away from faith, our wisdom has been cut down to just recognizing our family members, and as we move even further, the thoughts increase and increase to the point we cannot sleep, and our mental health declines; we find ourselves upset, angry, stressed, overwhelmed, and irritable all the time, and can even no longer recognize our family or loved ones as One. Having faith in our Guru and doing the practical aspect of our spiritual practice is actually really important.
Reflections: These chapters really reminded me of the power of the mind, but also the power of maya, and the fact that God has also put that part of the game into place for us that we will be distracted. I am thinking back to even old posts, and before I knew anything about this game. I definitely did not believe that it was possible to stop thoughts, and I didn’t really understand anything about why we are here. It is so fruitful to expand and learn more, to meet sangat and learn from Gurbani. In fact, the more I’m learning the more I’m learning to let go of my judgement, I am learning to just realize that people are the way they are and doing what they know how to do, they are living life to the extent and knowledge given to them.
Thus far I think I have just established that I don’t want to be that bandhar (monkey) anymore, the one that has its hand stuck inside the trap and is screaming because it won’t let go. In one of the parts of the book, Bhai Sahib writes “When we waste our breath, the mind is devastated…The mind has the knowledge and Jot but uses it in the wrong way. The mind cries, shouts and begs for salvation, but still it will not leave the five subordinates of Kaal. The mind believes them to be friends and is hopelessly attached to them…. The mind can attain freedom if it opts to do meditation. However, given the choice the mind clings to the five subordinates and continues to cry in pain.” It is clear that we have to find our way out of maya to change our trajectory of reincarnations, and to achieve the purpose we came here for. At some point our suffering in this world becomes so much that we realize there isn’t another path for us, no other direction gives us satisfaction. You realize enough about the world that you cannot undo that knowledge and be merrily immersed in maya, and you haven’t yet stepped forth enough to gain the joy of bliss. When I think back to the pure strength and resilient qualities of the shaheeds in our past, of the Singhs and Singhniya who did amazing things for the panth, their freedom to live by Truth and their strength has come from living in Sunn. It need not be a radical change, or a physical change. The mental change of choosing to walk a different path and spend a few moments even doing the practical aspect of japna, is extremely valuable. As Guru Ji reminds us, it never goes to waste. This too is written into our lekha.
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