Labourer or King?

1. If a labourer sleeps for 12 hours a day and everyday has the same dream in which he dreams of being a king.

2. And if there is a king, who too sleeps for 12 hours a day and dreams of being a labourer, everyday.

If all other conditions are held constant, would the labourer and king be happy or sad in the same proportion?

Please respond after deep thinking.

Kulbir Singh

waheguru jee ka khalsa waheguru jee kee fateh,,

bhai saab jee,,,from my shallow mind the king would be more happier as he would be less affected by maya as his wants and cravings would be less because he thinks to be a labourer and then haume,, while the labourer would always dream of money and would go deep into doing bad things to earn more money day in and day out..

rest as per all ur gurmat posts both will be sad....

bhul chuk maaf karnee te sahi soji te javab dena..

waheguru jee ka khalsa waheguru jee kee fateh,,

Not everyone is a sadhu by nature....so,Talking as a mayadhari....
Too much money can make one forget Nirankaar(worldly sukh is such,). Too little money makes a man immersed in chinta(worries) all the time.

I know a couple who have loads of money to have a very comfortable life and are able to buy tickets to smagams anywhere in the world, but they can't buy an abhiyasi jivan,keerpa, amritwela, humility and gurmat virtues into their life.

I also know abhiyasi gursikhs who dont earn much in their life to occasionally travel to smagams, India and get a chance to do sangat of Gurmukhs elsewhere ...and feel they live a very unfortunate life without such advantages in their jivan....that can uplift them spiritually.

Chota veer

Dass believes that you only appreciate something more if understand its value so I think the king will benifit from appreciating what he has in worldly posessions and wealth, where as the labourer becoming a king wouldn't value key things like contentment, kirat kamai (working honestly),in his life.

I believe: Sad in the same proportion, as one cannot have santokh without the vision of their beloved... The night passes without Him and happiness is not found
It must be a trick question though

Neither one would ever be happy unless they accepted their
condition with a content mind. Worldly desires are the root
of depression/sadness.
Guru Sahib says he is a true laborer
and a true King who ever remembers Gods name at all times. Gurmukhs live in a state
of "sehaj" and are content with whatever they have even if is a handful
of peanuts.

ਰੁਖੀ ਸੁਖੀ ਖਾਇ ਕੈ ਠੰਢਾ ਪਾਣੀ ਪੀਉ ॥
ਫਰੀਦਾ ਦੇਖਿ ਪਰਾਈ ਚੋਪੜੀ ਨਾ ਤਰਸਾਏ ਜੀਉ ॥੨੯॥

They will both be sad equally, no one can be happy without meeting vaheguro. Santokh can only be given by Guru Sahib, and it doesn't matter if your rich or poor.
Jo ji har teh viichhereh, se sukh na vasan bhen!

The answer definitely in the writeups by SK ji and Gurman Singh but POOR King would be more sad for One thing for sure in propotion is "LOSS OF WEALTH/KINGSHIP/POWER/RAAJBHAG".For sure noone wants to loose in this world even in dreams.

Bhul Chuk Maaf !!

Both will be sad as they are dreaming for a form of maya and not of attaining union with Vaheguru Ji, which they surely cannot achieve sleeping 12 hours a day.

Sorry for not being clear in the original post. Let me rephrase the questions again.

Is the King who sleeps for 12 hours a day and dreams of being a labourer, a king or a labourer? He is a king in so called awakened state and a labourer in a so called dream state. So what is he, a king or a labourer?

Same question for a labourer who is a king in his dream state and a labourer in his awakened state. So what is he, a king or a labourer?

Is the king who in his dream state (half his life) becomes a labourer equal to the labourer who in his dream state becomes a king?

Kulbir Singh

Kulbir Singh Ji after deeeeep thinking as requested by you I come to conclusion that Shabad by Bhagat Ravidas Ji "Narpat ek sighasan soya......" tells us that king will be very unhappy and sad viewing himself as labourer or beggar so it is same with us we are kings but are sleeping in day time for 12hrs in company of maya hence we are all sad (I am not talking about gurmukhjans that are immersed in naam). During daytime if we are immersed in naam then it is like labourer dreaming kings life and I think laboourer will be very happy becos this is the true purpose but once the naam goes away it will sad state for labourer .
We are kings but due to intoxication of maya we have become labourer's (of maya). Hopefully it makes sense, it is hard to explain but I tried my best.

Both are at a loss if they do not engage themselves in Naam-Abhyiaas. According to Baani, those receive True Satisfaction who have the thirst for Vaheguroo ji's Darshan:
ਸਭੁ ਜਨਮੁ ਤਿਨਾ ਕਾ ਸਫਲੁ ਹੈ ਜਿਨ ਹਰਿ ਕੇ ਨਾਮ ਕੀ ਮਨਿ ਲਾਗੀ ਭੁਖਾ ॥

Furthermore, Siri Guru Amardaas Sahib jee says all pains are sorrows are gone for Har Jan of Vaheguroo:
ਜਿਨੀ ਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਬਚਨਿ ਆਰਾਧਿਆ ਤਿਨ ਵਿਸਰਿ ਗਏ ਸਭਿ ਦੁਖਾ ॥

So in the end, looking from a worldly perspective, nor the king or laborer is happy or satisfied, even if each one of them have their demands of becoming a laborer and a king. If the king becomes a laborer, he still would not find satisfied in terms of, having to do hard labor, not having enough money, trying every bit possible to receive the heavenly life he so wishes for. On the other hand, the king, who once was a laborer, would also be on the same boat. His hunger for worldly status and worldly wealth will increase day-by-day. Both the laborer and king would be engaged/busy in Maya-roopi thoughts and actions. Both will not remember Vaheguroo. Therefore, both are dissatisfied, and both would have to face:

ਪਰਮੇਸਰ ਤੇ ਭੁਲਿਆਂ ਵਿਆਪਨਿ ਸਭੇ ਰੋਗ ॥

Siri Guru Nanak Dev ji answers your query, in Gaurree Raag, on Ang 222:
ਗਉੜੀ ਗੁਆਰੇਰੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥
ਹਉਮੈ ਕਰਤਿਆ ਨਹ ਸੁਖੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਮਨਮਤਿ ਝੂਠੀ ਸਚਾ ਸੋਇ ॥
ਸਗਲ ਬਿਗੂਤੇ ਭਾਵੈ ਦੋਇ ॥
ਸੋ ਕਮਾਵੈ ਧੁਰਿ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਹੋਇ ॥੧॥
ਐਸਾ ਜਗੁ ਦੇਖਿਆ ਜੂਆਰੀ ॥
ਸਭਿ ਸੁਖ ਮਾਗੈ ਨਾਮੁ ਬਿਸਾਰੀ ॥੧॥
ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਅਦਿਸਟੁ ਦਿਸੈ ਤਾ ਕਹਿਆ ਜਾਇ ॥
ਬਿਨੁ ਦੇਖੇ ਕਹਣਾ ਬਿਰਥਾ ਜਾਇ ॥
ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਦੀਸੈ ਸਹਜਿ ਸੁਭਾਇ ॥
ਸੇਵਾ ਸੁਰਤਿ ਏਕ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਇ ॥੨॥
ਸੁਖੁ ਮਾਂਗਤ ਦੁਖੁ ਆਗਲ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਸਗਲ ਵਿਕਾਰੀ ਹਾਰੁ ਪਰੋਇ ॥
ਏਕ ਬਿਨਾ ਝੂਠੇ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਕਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਕਰਤਾ ਦੇਖੈ ਸੋਇ ॥੩॥
ਤ੍ਰਿਸਨਾ ਅਗਨਿ ਸਬਦਿ ਬੁਝਾਏ ॥
ਦੂਜਾ ਭਰਮੁ ਸਹਜਿ ਸੁਭਾਏ ॥
ਗੁਰਮਤੀ ਨਾਮੁ ਰਿਦੈ ਵਸਾਏ ॥
ਸਾਚੀ ਬਾਣੀ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਏ ॥੪॥
ਤਨ ਮਹਿ ਸਾਚੋ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਭਾਉ ॥
ਨਾਮ ਬਿਨਾ ਨਾਹੀ ਨਿਜ ਠਾਉ ॥
ਪ੍ਰੇਮ ਪਰਾਇਣ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਮ ਰਾਉ ॥
ਨਦਰਿ ਕਰੇ ਤਾ ਬੂਝੈ ਨਾਉ ॥੫॥
ਮਾਇਆ ਮੋਹੁ ਸਰਬ ਜੰਜਾਲਾ ॥

In the end, I would say they should have the Trishnaa or Bhukh to meet Vaaheguroo and become His Meek Sevak, ie His Sikhs.
VaaheGuroo jee is the King of Kings, He abides in all beings, He is responsible in laborers, servants, beggars into kings, and do the opposite in split He wants/chooses to:
ਤੁਮ ਹੋ ਸਭ ਰਾਜਨ ਕੇ ਰਾਜਾ ॥
ਆਪੇ ਆਪ ਗਰੀਬ ਨਿਵਾਜਾ ॥

Siri Guru Gobind Singh jee Sahib is being very clear in the above Panktis that only He(VaaheGuroo jee) is capable of providind comfort/status/worldly fame to us.

ਇਹੁ ਮਨੁ ਆਰਸੀ ਕੋਈ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਵੇਖੈ ॥

Dreams are usually desires of the subconscious mind ( sookham budh) the 6th element . We are not the 5 elements we are what the mind is. If a King is dreaming of being a laborer in his sleep its most likely he also dreams of being a laborer while in the "awake state". The same would hold true for the Laborer who wishes to be a King in his sleep.

Both King and Laborer would not be happy in the true sense because throughout their life they will be merely following the dreams/desires of maya based mind instead of trying to realize the origins of their mind. Naam and Maya are exact opposites. Without Naam the mind can never understand its origins and the mind which is full of maya-based desires is very far from Naam. Meaning the mind without Naam is always sleeping and sad while the Mind that merges into Naam is always awake and happy.

There is a very interesting tale from Raja Janak’s life. Once he had a dream in which he loses his kingdom and becomes a pauper. He becomes so poor that he has to compete with a dog for food. He is terrified in the dream and endures great sorrow. Right then he wakes up and realizes that it was only a dream. Then he gets the thought that what if his current state in which he is a king, too is a dream. He asks the questions – ih sach ke uh sach i.e. is this truth or that truth. He was asking if this awakened state is the truth or his dream state. He asks his ministers and priests but no one understands the question and thus all fail to answer it.

Many sages and wise men from different parts of the country try to answer the question but all fail. Ones who fail are imprisoned by the king till they find answer to his question. There in those days was a child of 12 years of age, by the name of Ashtavakara. His father had been imprisoned by the king. He was an Aatam-darshi (not a Brahm-Darshi that only Gurmukhs are). He had a very ugly body with 8 bends in it and he could hardly walk. When he reached the Sabha (court) of the king to answer the question, the onlookers and great scholars and sages who were sitting there and who had failed to answer the king’s question, started laughing at him. They were laughing at his body and his disability to walk.

Ashtavakara addressed the king and said that no wonder none of his courtiers and scholars could answer his simple question. He said that his Sabha was full of Chamaars and not Rishis and Vidvaans. When the scholars and sages heard that they had been called Chamaars, they all got very upset and the king too objected to it. Ashtavakara said that ones who judge a person from his looks are surely Chamaars i.e. they look at the skin (cham) and not the inside of a person.

In any case, Ashtavakara who was an Atamdarshee was able to see through the king and realize what he was talking about. He responded by saying that ‘na ih sach na uh sach’ (nor this is truth, nor that is truth).

The so called awakened state too is a dream and Gurbani clearly says so.

ਨਰਪਤਿ ਏਕੁ ਸਿੰਘਾਸਨਿ ਸੋਇਆ ਸੁਪਨੇ ਭਇਆ ਭਿਖਾਰੀ ॥ ਅਛਤ ਰਾਜ ਬਿਛੁਰਤ ਦੁਖੁ ਪਾਇਆ ਸੋ ਗਤਿ ਭਈ ਹਮਾਰੀ ॥੨॥
(Just as a king sleeps on his throne and dreams of being a beggar. The king suffers sorrow even though he is a king, in ignorance. Same is our state.)

According to Gurbani the real life is that life which one lives in the state of Gyaan i.e. in awakened state. The Awakened state in reality is such state where one realizes one’s own self and also Vaheguru. Then there is no material creation and the Jeev enjoys union with Vaheguru.

The dream state is not much different from the so called awakened state. When in dream, the jeev considers that state to be totally true. The jeev experiences pain and pleasure same way as in so called awakened state. In both states, its the mind that experiences pain and pleasure.

Based on the understanding that Daas has had from Gurbani, the king who dreams of being a labourer for half his life is equal to a labourer who dreams of a king, in most respects. Both states are false and temporary. The real awakened state is that state that is above the Trai-gunn of Maya.

May Guru Sahib bless us with that state.

Kulbir Singh

Kulbir Singh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> Is the King who sleeps for 12 hours a day and
> dreams of being a labourer, a king or a labourer?
> He is a king in so called awakened state and a
> labourer in a so called dream state. So what is
> he, a king or a labourer?
>
> Same question for a labourer who is a king in his
> dream state and a labourer in his awakened state.
> So what is he, a king or a labourer?
>
> Is the king who in his dream state (half his life)
> becomes a labourer equal to the labourer who in
> his dream state becomes a king?
>
> Kulbir Singh

This is a nice question.


Certainly there is a deeper, more profound answer to this, but from my limited understanding, I think they are neither the king nor the labourer. This seems to be a prime example of duality/dubidha .... where neither one can commit fully to one personality, instead they spend equal time in both, resulting in even the person being confused as to who they are.

Definitely applicable to my Jeevan. It shows how devoting equal time to maya and spirituality just wont do the trick. Spirituality must always have the upper hand if one wants to escape dubidha and have bibek budhi.

Well said Akirtghan jee.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa,
Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.

Veer Kulbir Singh Jio,
As long as this mind(mann) is in the hajoori of Waheguru ji it is a real king but, but when it comes in tre gun maya under the influence of 5 thieves, even though it is a king but works like a Labourer . But the question is how will this king know that he is not a actually a labourer. Answer is in Bhagat kabeer jis shabad
"Kiu leejaye garh banka bhai" .
When he will get giyan from guru sahib, this whole bharam garh , that has made this poor king a labourer will get blown away and he will be a king again.

Dass

Kawaljit Singh

Just engage in bhagti and follow in the footsteps of the bhagats, and do what Guru Sahib says. It's a matter of perspective.

God lives in every being. Everything belongs to Waheguru. Leave mine and yours, it has been leant to us by God for a certain period of time and when that time is up, it's somebody else's turn.