How can we truly succeed in the world? Do the answers lie within our own minds? Guru Nanak says ‘Conquer the mind to conquer the world’ (Man Jeetai Jag Jeet).
“ਮਨਿ ਜੀਤੈ ਜਗੁ ਜੀਤੁ” (Mani jeetai jagu jeetu, sggs 6) are very popular and often quoted words from the Gurbani, which essentially indicates that if you conquer the mind, you conquer the material world.
Conquering the mind simply means eradicating Haumai (false ego-sense), doubt (Bharam), Maya’s hunger (ਮਾਇਆ ਦੀ ਭੂੱਖ), duality (Doojaa-Bhaav), Bikaar (lust, anger, greed, etc.), ignorance, conditioning or material contamination, wanderings (for Maya-“ਧਾਤੁਰ ਬਾਜੀ”), realization of “Hari” (“ਹਰਿ ਮਿਲੈ”), and so on.
Conquering the “material world” (Jagat or Sansaar) simply means to go beyond one’s own worldly consciousness or material nature (i.e., Manmukh-nature, Saakat-nature, Mayadhaaree-nature…). In other words, when the mind sees itself as “Joti-Svaroopa“, the material world (Maya) is said to have been conquered! This victory brings Eternal Bliss (Aanand), Peace, Happiness, release from Sansaar…
Why is it necessary to conquer the instinctive mind and realize Mool?
The worldly (Mayaic, conditioned…) mind is clever at counting, but worse at paying attention to what really counts!! The Gurbani tells us:
- ਮੂਲਹੁ ਭੁਲਾ ਜਨਮੁ ਗਵਾਏ ॥੨॥: (One who) has forgotten (his) Mool (Source, Jot…), (he) wastes away his life. ||2|| (sggs 664).
The mind is fickle, sometimes it likes something, sometimes it dislikes something. The first thing that we cannot trust in the world is our own mind. Everyone and everything else comes second. It is our own mind that deludes us in the first place. Our mind is deceptive. This is why we must again and again strive to silence the mind, and be established in the Self.
Latch yourself firmly onto that (Self) which is eternal, unchanging, and unshakeable, that which neither expands nor contracts. That is what you are, that is what I am, and that is what God is.
However, the Gurbani declares that a very “rare” one (the Gurmukh, Bhagat, Daas, Jan…) knows how to conquer or annihilate the deluded mind:
- ਇਹੁ ਮਨੁ ਮਰੈ ਦਾਰੂ ਜਾਣੈ ਕੋਇ ॥: Rare is the one who knows the medicine to conquer the mind (sggs 665).
According to the Gurbani, then what is the spirituous “medicine” to conquer the mind? The Gurbani declares that the mind can be conquered or annihilated through the Gur-Shabad (Shabad-Vichaar, Shabad-Giaan, Wisdom of the Gur-Shabad…):
- ਮਨੁ ਸਬਦਿ ਮਰੈ ਬੂਝੈ ਜਨੁ ਸੋਇ ॥: The mind is conquered through the shabad; this is known to “Janu” (Daas, Gurmukh, Bhagat…). (sggs 665).
Thus, with the sincere and earnest Shabad-Vichaar arises the Divine Knowledge within (Aatam-Giaan, Wisdom, Guroo’s Bibek Budh...).
- ਤੀਰਥੁ ਸਬਦ ਬੀਚਾਰੁ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਹੈ ॥: To Reflect on the Shabad (Shabad-Vichaar…) is the Teerath (because of this) Spiritual Wisdom arises within (sggs 687).
With the Grace of the Gur-Giaan or Wisdom of the Gur-Shabad, the mind and the world stand conquered. And, consequently, the eternal Happiness or well beingness (“ਕੁਸਲੁ”) is experienced!!
- ਜਿਨ ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦੀ ਮਨੁ ਜੀਤਿਆ ਜਗੁ ਤਿਨਹਿ ਜਿਤਾਨਾ ॥੮॥: By the Gur-Grace (Grace of the Gur-Giaan…), who conquers the mind, he conquers the world. ||8|| (sggs 1089).
Accoding to the Gurbani, such person who has conquered his mind’s duality or doubt is the real SOORAA (hero, warrior, brave, ਸੂਰਮਾ, ਬਹਾਦਰ, ਬਲੀ, ਯੋਧਾ…):
- ਜੋ ਇਸੁ ਮਾਰੇ ਸੋਈ ਸੂਰਾ ॥: One who kills this (i.e., duality) is a Sooraa — Spiritual Hero (sggs 238).