Kanjoos Makhi-Choos Gurmukhs

Kanjoos Gurmukhs

Kanjoos are those people who love to collect wealth but hate to spend it. In English they are called misers or penny-pinchers or simply cheap people. In Gurbani they have been called Kirpn and Shoom.

A Kanjoos person is probably such person who in previous lives was a very poor person or one who starved to death in a famine. This life he holds his wealth very dearly because subconsciously he may be insecure about losing it.

A Gurmukh is not supposed to be Kanjoos because to be Kanjoos one has to love Maya and a Gurmukh does not love Maya. While a Gurmukh does not do Fazool-Kharchi (spending for no reason) and is reasonably prudent but he is not a Kanjoos either. If need be, a Gursikh can sacrifice all his possessions for Panth and for benefit of others.


Kanjoos in Folk Tales

A Kanjoos person hates to spend even a penny. He does not give money to charity, even in his dreams. There are many tales of Kanjoos in Punjabi literature. Presented here is one of them. Once there were 3 Kanjoos friends in a village. They were bragging about their Kanjoosi.

The first one said,"I bought 100ml of gheo and it took me 6 months to use up all of it. I used to put just a drop of it in my daal/sabzee. I get satisfied with just a drop of gheo."

The second Kanjoos was disappointed and said, "this is a disgrace my friend. How could you part from precious gheo and consume full drop every time you ate? I bought one bottle of 100ml about 5 years ago, and it is still pretty much full. Every time, I sit down to eat, I just open the bottle and take smell of it. Just the smell alone satisfies me and I don't consume even a drop of it."

The first Kanjoos was a bit embarrassed and promised to follow his friend's advice in the future. At this the third Kanjoos spoke out, "You both have failed the test of Kanjoosi. My father gave me a bottle of 100mls of gheo and even after 30 years, it is intact. I don't even open the bottle to take smell because every time you open it, some of the gheo must be evaporating. I just let my Roti touch the bottle of gheo and I get satisfied. I feel the taste of chopri roti."

The other two Kanjoos friends lowered their heads in embarrassment and both promised to follow their superior friend in the path of Kanjoosi.


What is a Makhi-choos Kanjoos

There is a Kanjoos and then there is a Makhi-choos Kanjoos. Kanjoos is your ordinary miser but Makhi-choos is a step above that. Once a housefly fell in the glasses of hot milk that two Kanjoos were going to drink (at someone's house of course). A normal person would refuse to drink such milk but the Kanjoos person could not bear the sight of wasting milk. He took out the dead fly and drank rest of the milk. But when the Makhi-choos Kanjoos was faced with this dilemma, he not only took out the fly but sucked it to ensure that the milk sticking on the housefly's body is not wasted. He sucked the fly and then threw it away and of course drank the whole milk in the glass as well.

These are not just tales but there are actually persons out there who are Kanjoos at this ridiculous level. They have all the wealth but their wealth is of no use to them because they don't spend it. Gurbani too declares that the Daam (money) of a Kirpn (kanjoos) are Niraarath (waste). Why, because what good is the wealth, if it is not to be used?


How a Gurmukh should be a Kanjoos or even a Makhi-choos Kanjoos

When it comes to worldy wealth, Gurmukhs are not Kanjoos at all and if some person is a Kanjoos then we can safely assume that he is not a Chardi Kala Gurmukh but when it comes to the spiritual wealth or Naam-Laaha or Naam-Dhan, Gurmukhs are surely Kanjoos. They not only love to earn and collect Naam Dhan but they also love to not spend it and take all of it along with them to Dargah of Guru Sahib.


How to collect Naam Dhan:

1. Seek refuge of Siri Guru Nanak Dev jee Maharaj and obtain Naam from Guru Sahib (by Amrit Chhak).

2. Keep Rehit of Siri Dasmesh jee.

3. Chant the True Naam Gurmantr obtained at the time of Amrit Sinchaar, at Amritvela and all times.

4. Do Paath of Gurbani; tonnes and tonnes of it, not just 7 Nitnemi Baanis.

5. Do Kirtan of Gurbani at home and attend Kirtan Samagams. Do Satsangat everyday.

6. Write Gurbani and Naam. This method is rarely employed but is a very efficient way of earning Naam Dhan.

7. Do Seva of Gursikhs and Panth. Great way to get Khushi of Guru Sahib.

8. Strive to obey all Hukams enshrined in Gurbani and Gurmat literature.


How to not waste Naam Dhan

1. By being weak in Rehit a lot of Kamaaee (earning) of Naam Dhan is lost.

2. By doing Bajjar Kurehits (4 of them) a great deal of Kamaaee is lost.

3. By sinning or doing Paap (anti-Gurmat Karma) Kamaaee is lost.

4. By being a giver (daata) Kamaaee is lost. A Gursikh gives in the name of Guru Sahib. When he gives in his name or when he feels he has given someone something as opposed to Vaheguru, then he loses Kamaaee.

5. When doing Ardaas for someone in distress, always first do some Gurbani Paath or Naam Abhyaas. Then designate this Paath and Simran for the Gursikh and beg Guru Sahib for Kirpa. If the Ardaas is fulfilled, the Gursikh should consider it Kirpa of Guru Sahib not his own Shakti. If he thinks it was his doing, then he loses Kamaaee.

6. Do not fight with other Gursikhs. When we fight or have conflict with other Gursikhs, then it's like iron hitting iron and there is damage on both sides. Avoid conflict with Gursikhs like plague. If there is high chance of getting into conflict with certain Gursikhs, stay away from that venue. It's not worth fighting Gursikhs.

7. In youth time, there is potential of earning massive Laaha but there is also potential of losing Kamaaee of many last lives because most Kamaaee is lost when the Jeev is under the influence of Kaam and Krodh. Just by looking at a woman in lustful manner causes great deal of Kamaaee to get lost, what to talk about indulging in Kaamic activities. Even Kaamic thoughts cause Kamaaee to be lost. Acting under Krodh in a violent manner also causes massive Kamaaee to be lost. In Krodh we hurt other people and this causes Kamaaee to be lost.

8. Hankaar causes a lot of Kamaaee to be lost. In Hankaar, a person thinks himself to be superior to others and this causes him to be disrespectful to other Gursikhs, resulting in losing Kamaaee.

9. In Lobh and Moh, one does many Paaps causing Kamaaee to be lost.


Conclusion

Yes, a Gursikh is not only a Kanjoos but a Makhi-choos Kanjoos (extreme Kanjoos) when it comes to not spending Naam Kamaaee. Being such Makhi-choos Kanjoos is totally in accordance to Gurmat.

May Guru Sahib enable us to not only earn Naam Kamaaee but also preserve it. Far too many Gursikhs earn decent Naam Laaha but they lose it in a much bigger way.

In case of a worldly corporation, what's the point in having a revenue of $20 billions if the expenditure is going to be $25 billion? It's probably better to have a revenue of $1 million and save half a million. The main thing is not the revenue but the profit or the net-earnings.

Many Gursikhs do realize that they need to increase their Revenue of Paath, Simran and Rehit but they don't realize that the spiritual expenses of Kurehits, Paaps, weakness in Rehit and Vikaars also need to be controlled and eventually eliminated.

A Gursikh should have zero tolerance for the spiritual expenses and should strive to increase the Revenue of Naam, Gurbani, Rehit and Seva.

Guru Sahib Kirpa Karan.

Kulbir Singh

Good write up with humour

An elder Singh once told me that by giving Naam Hug you loose an amount of Kamai. That Singh never gives Naam Hugs to anyone.. How true is that?

Bhai Sahib tusi haasay makhaul ch vi puththay hath diyaan chapayDaan laa shadd'de ho
Chalo khair, please continue, mere jeheya nu baahli loR vi aa

Kulbir Singh Ji,

Brilliant write up. I find that many amir lok are the most Kanjoos, and Piyaree Gareeb janta are much more open to sharing what little they have and with happy shining faces.

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5. When doing Ardaas for someone in distress, always first do some Gurbani Paath or Naam Abhyaas. Then designate this Paath and Simran for the Gursikh and beg Guru Sahib for Kirpa. If the Ardaas is fulfilled, the Gursikh should consider it Kirpa of Guru Sahib not his own Shakti. If he thinks it was his doing, then he loses Kamaaee.

I've heard we lose kamayee if we do Ardas for others, as we are trying to overturn someones Karma. How do we know if the amount of Paath we have performed is enough or it eats into other bhagti performed previously? What are your thoughts?

Vaaheguru!!

Beautiful write up, at first I was wondering where it was going, nice way of using such a concept to show the way we should all behave.

Bhai damandeep Singh jee - have also heard the same about the complete refusal to do naam japhee by some due to them thinking they will lose kamayee.... How true is that? How can one not do a naam japhee when so many Gursikhs are present?

Or do they say they choose who they wish to do naam japhee with, ie someone who intentionally does paap which is clear violation of rehit, such as not wake up at Amrit vela, which personally don't see anything with doing, but then is that not part of haunkar? Does it become an all or nothing principle.....?

Slightly confuzzled on this one.......

Wahegurrooo

let me just clarify the sentence below (It would be nice if you could edit your original post... hint hint ADMIN )

Or do they say they choose who they wish to do naam japhee with, ie not with someone who intentionally does paap which is a clear violation of rehit, such as not waking up at Amrit vela, which personally don't see anything wrong in choosing not to do naam japhee with them, but then is that not part of haunkar? Does it become an all or nothing principle.....?

Veer Kulbir Singh Ji, that is interesting write up. Gursikhs are supposed to earn and preserve NAAM DHAN. Preserving is as important as earning, always. I can fully understand your idea about not wasting the NAAM DHAN KAMAI.

But, by the way, do we also find KANJOOS type of adjective in GURBANI, for the Gursikhs in the pretext you have used it. Any Gurbani Pankiti, which states this type of behavior of Gursikhs for NAAM DHAN.

KHAAVEN KHARCHHEN RALL MIL BHAI
TOT NAA AVAI VADHDO JAI

This Gurbani above, says, as we spend, it expands. It means, more we use it, more it expands. This does not apply to worldly money. So very apparently, "This Spending" (as given in Gurbani above) is different from "the Spending" you are talking about. Kindly do make a point to distinguish between "spending" and "losing" or "wasteful use".

And if a person is very much cautious about not wasting his NAAM DHAN COLLECTION, it will not be categorized as KANJOOSI, because the major character of a miser is that he does not spend his money on useful purposes.

Secondly, would you also kindly elaborate that is it possible for a person to know that how much NAAM DHAN he/she has collected so far? Any measure of that for his/her personal use? or it will be a surprise result, which will be declared after our death only?

Anyway, the ideas you have shared are so important. Thank you Ji.

In giving a naam japhee, we ourselves are japping naam - therefore I don't think we are losing kamaeyee, simply sharing it. Sikhi is dhan!

HAHA what a great write up. We should all try our best to become makhi choos naam abhiyasis

ਭਾਈ ਕੁਲਬੀਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਜੀ ਵਲੋਂ ਪੇਸ਼ ਕੀਤਾ ਦ੍ਰਿਸ਼ਟਾਂਤ ਕਾਬਲੇ ਤਾਰੀਫ ਹੈ। ਦਾਸ ਸਮਝਦਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਕੰਜੂਸ-ਮੱਖੀ ਚੂਸ ਕਾਮ, ਕ੍ਰੋਧ, ਲੋਭ, ਮੋਹ ਅਤੇ ਅਹੰਕਾਰ ਵਾਲਿਉ ਪਾਸੇ ਹੀ ਬਣਨਾ ਪੈਣਾ ਤਾਂ ਹੀ ਕੁੱਝ ਸੰਵਰ ਸਕੇਗਾ:

ਨਹ ਬਿਲੰਬ ਧਰਮੰ ਬਿਲੰਬ ਪਾਪੰ ॥
ਦ੍ਰਿੜੰਤ ਨਾਮੰ ਤਜੰਤ ਲੋਭੰ ॥

ਅਤੇ ਜਿਵੇਂ ਗੁਰੂ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਫੁਰਮਾਉਂਦੇ ਹਨ ਕਿ:

ਪੀਊ ਦਾਦੇ ਕਾ ਖੋਲਿ ਡਿਠਾ ਖਜਾਨਾ ॥
ਤਾ ਮੇਰੈ ਮਨਿ ਭਇਆ ਨਿਧਾਨਾ ॥1॥
ਰਤਨ ਲਾਲ ਜਾ ਕਾ ਕਛੂ ਨ ਮੋਲੁ ॥
ਭਰੇ ਭੰਡਾਰ ਅਖੂਟ ਅਤੋਲ ॥2॥
ਖਾਵਹਿ ਖਰਚਹਿ ਰਲਿ ਮਿਲਿ ਭਾਈ ॥
ਤੋਟਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਵਧਦੋ ਜਾਈ ॥3॥

ਸੋ ਡਟ ਕੇ ਨਾਮ ਜਪਣ ਵਿਚ ਤਤਪਰ ਰਹਿਣਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਗੁਰਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਵਿਚ ਏਸ ਖਜ਼ਾਨੇ ਨੂੰ ਵੰਡ ਕੇ ਹੀ ਛਕਣਾ ਚਾਹੀਦਾ ਹੈ ਕਦੇ ਤੋਟ ਨਹੀਂ ਆਉਂਦੀ ਸਗੋਂ ਵਾਧਾ ਹੀ ਵਾਧਾ ਹੈ।

ਖਾਤ ਖਰਚਤ ਕਿਛੁ ਨਿਖੁਟਤ ਨਾਹੀ ਰਾਮ ਰਤਨੁ ਧਨੁ ਖਾਟਿਓ ॥1॥

ਗੁਰੂ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਨਦਰੋਂ ਕਰਮ ਕਰਨ ਇਸ ਦਾਸਰੇ ਨੂੰ ਵੀ ਪੀਊ ਦਾਦੇ ਦਾ ਖਜ਼ਾਨਾ ਸੰਭਾਲਣ ਦੀ ਜਾਚ ਆ ਜਾਵੇ।

ਦਾਸ,

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An elder Singh once told me that by giving Naam Hug you loose an amount of Kamai. That Singh never gives Naam Hugs to anyone.. How true is that?

Damandeep Singh jeeo, how can Naam Abhyaas or Naam Abhyaas while hugging a Gursikh, reduce our Kamaaee? If anything, the Kamaaee should increase and not decrease. There is only one way our Kamaaee can get reduced during Naam hug and that is if we think that we are giving Anand or increasing Kamaaee of the other Gursikh through Naam hug.

Kulbir Singh

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KHAAVEN KHARCHHEN RALL MIL BHAI
TOT NAA AVAI VADHDO JAI

This Gurbani above, says, as we spend, it expands. It means, more we use it, more it expands. This does not apply to worldly money. So very apparently, "This Spending" (as given in Gurbani above) is different from "the Spending" you are talking about. Kindly do make a point to distinguish between "spending" and "losing" or "wasteful use".

Interesting observation Bhai MB Singh jeeo. The Khazaana or treasure of Naam only increases as we share it with others. This treasure does not decrease if we do Kirtan or Paath or Naam Abhyaas with other Gursikhs. This Pankiti does not apply to the sins and other anti-Gurmat Karams that surely do reduce our Naam Kamaaee. A Gursikh is supposed to be a Kanjoos in not wasting Kamaaee in this manner and a Gursikh is not supposed to be a Kanjoos in sharing a Gurmat Gunn e.g. Naam, Kirtan, Gurbani Paath, Gurbani Paath bodh, Rehit etc.

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Secondly, would you also kindly elaborate that is it possible for a person to know that how much NAAM DHAN he/she has collected so far? Any measure of that for his/her personal use? or it will be a surprise result, which will be declared after our death only?

As our Avastha rises and if it pleases Guru Sahib, we may find out how much Kamaaee we have. It's all up to Guru Sahib. For Gurmukhs like Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh jee who had Dib (Divya) Drishtee, surely it was possible for him to know how much Kamaaee he had and as well as others.

Kulbir Singh

I had a point in which Bhai Rama Singh says in his Autobiography

1. If one tells someone how much Abhyass they do then. Then it will take double the amount of time to reach that state of Avastha/Rang again

One should be careful whilst doing Bhagati not to tell others what you do as it a sign of Haumai.


Giani Jee & Chup Da Daan

Giani Amolak Singh jee once narrated a incident in his life which will surely make us Maha Kanjoosi.

Giani Jee says while he was living in the UK he use to work in a Biscuit Factory during his Night Shifts he would complete 6-7 Sukhmani Sahib paaths along with Nitnem and Naam Abhyass.

He once revealed to someone he did 6 Sukhmani Sahibs a day. From that day onwards he said with tears in his eyes " I never achieved that kind of Bliss again until many years later. What was the need for me to say I did this amount of Abhyass?, It was all out of my unseen Haumai".

One should never tell anyone what they do.

ਹੋਨਿ ਨਜੀਕਿ ਖੁਦਾਇ ਦੈ ਭੇਤੁ ਨ ਕਿਸੈ ਦੇਨਿ ॥
They are close to the Vahegurooo, but they do not reveal their secret to anyone

Very well said & needed post that was Bhai/Bhen Vista jee...

Chota veer

Kanjoos Makhi-Choos Gurmukhs not matter what they are what's the issue with loving all ?? "hum nehe chungee buraa nehaee koye

as for bhagtee no one needs to worry whether we loose laha as it's available all the time to be gotten isn't it??

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as for bhagtee no one needs to worry whether we loose laha as it's available all the time to be gotten isn't it??

NS44 jeeo, is Laaha also available if we sin and do anti-Gurmat activities? Doesn't Kamaaee get lost this way? This is what this article is about. We lose Kamaaee when we sin or do other anti-Gurmat Karma.

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Kanjoos Makhi-Choos Gurmukhs not matter what they are what's the issue with loving all ?? "hum nehe chungee buraa nehaee koye

Did Daas or anyone under this thread suggested not loving everyone?

Kulbir Singh

Kulbir singh jeeo laha cannot ever get lost -- it's always available period.-- whether we think it's lost for some reasons as mentioned above - so what;s the point in worrying about laha if it;s always avaialable.?

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Kulbir singh jeeo laha cannot ever get lost -- it's always available period.-- whether we think it's lost for some reasons as mentioned above - so what;s the point in worrying about laha if it;s always avaialable.?

NS44 jeeo, this philosophy that you don't lose your Laaha or Kamaaee no matter what, is very similar to the philosophy of ancient sect Vaam-Maargis or recently Naqli-Nirankaris who propogate that no matter what you do with your body, you don't get sin and lose your Kamaaee.

According to Gurmat, you do lose your Ghaal-Kamaaee if you sin. By quoting an example of a Tappa, Guru Sahib has written that this Tappa lost all his Kamaaee since he did Ninda of Mahapurakh Satguru jee:

ਮਹਾ ਪੁਰਖਾਂ ਕੀ ਨਿੰਦਾ ਕਾ ਵੇਖੁ ਜਿ ਤਪੇ ਨੋ ਫਲੁ ਲਗਾ ਸਭੁ ਗਇਆ ਤਪੇ ਕਾ ਘਾਲਿਆ ॥
This prove that Kamaaee does get lost due to sins like Ninda of Mahapurakhs.

Kulbir Singh

Great Write up Veerji !!

For sure Gurmukh has to be very careful of saving the KAMAII as all our sins does eat it.

Vaheguru jee ka Khalsa Vaheguru jee kee fateh!

Thanks for the education Kulbir Singh Jeeo and clearing up the kamai issue with Gurbani parnaam just what i needed.

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Giani Jee & Chup Da Daan

Giani Amolak Singh jee once narrated a incident in his life which will surely make us Maha Kanjoosi.

Giani Jee says while he was living in the UK he use to work in a Biscuit Factory during his Night Shifts he would complete 6-7 Sukhmani Sahib paaths along with Nitnem and Naam Abhyass.

He once revealed to someone he did 6 Sukhmani Sahibs a day. From that day onwards he said with tears in his eyes " I never achieved that kind of Bliss again until many years later. What was the need for me to say I did this amount of Abhyass?, It was all out of my unseen Haumai".

thanks for the story, Vista jeeo

This pangtee is related here Gursikh Pyaraa jeeos- please shed some light is it related to lahaa and kamai or not?

"khavoo kharchoo ral mil bhayeee tauth nah avayeee wadhadoo jayeee "

could it be that our own mind thinks we' ve lost laha when telling others about kamaeee - -the Gursikhs we speak about in this thread also have
written and talked about their kameee as well - so I am clearly confused as usual - do we ever loose it -- from the almighty's case it's always avaiable -- if we tell other Gurmukhs or not how can it be lost!! ??

ns44 if jot vigaasi gursikhs have said it's taken them the double amount of time to get back to that bliss because of telling of kautaks and there abhyass routine. The we just going to have to accept that.

I have wondered about this pankti as well. It would be nice if someone could do a small veechaar on the shabad as a whole.




peeoo dhaadhae kaa khol ddit(h)aa khajaanaa ||
When I opened it up and gazed upon the treasures of my father and grandfather,

thaa maerai man bhaeiaa nidhhaanaa ||1||
then my mind became very happy. ||1||

rathan laal jaa kaa kashhoo n mol || bharae bha(n)ddaar akhoott athol ||2||
The storehouse is inexhaustible and immeasurable, overflowing with priceless jewels and rubies. ||2||



From my humble understanding, this khazana of treasures that the shabad is referring to is not the kamaee we must build when our avastha is still at the starting stages before attaining jot vigaas and beyond. It is what we are blessed with after we have worked to build up enough kamaee to attain Guru Sahib's ultimate khushiyaan.