4 Qualities of a Sanmukh Sikh

Kalu Khatri with great spiritual aspirations came for Darshan of Siri Guru Nanak Dev jee. He asked Guru Sahib as to who is a Sanmukh Sikh. Siri Guru jee lovingly replied, “Ones who turn their backs towards sins and face towards good deeds (Gurmat) are Sanmukh. A Sanmukh is one who comes to the holy congregation and with full concentration listens to the Gur-Shabda”.

Guru Sahib continued saying that there are four salient characteristics of a Sanmukh. Bhai Kalu Khatri asked Guru Sahib to elaborate. The four salient characteristics of a Sanmukh are Maitree, Karuna, Muddta and Upekhya. Below is the brief description of these four Saakhis or qualities of a Sanmukh Sikh:

Maitree: As the name implies, Maitree means friendship. The creature (jeev) wishes to have all the comforts of the world, but he gets what he has earned according to his Karma. If a Gursikh considers other Gursikhs as his best friends, then he would naturally share his wealth, intelligence and other resources with other Gursikhs. This is the Maitree quality of a Sanmukh Gursikh. He considers all Gursikhs to be his best friends and shares his resources and possessions with them, just as a friend would do.

Karuna: Normally a person treats those inferior in wealth, intelligence or in other ways, with scorn. He looks down on them. He becomes proud of his superiority but the ways of a Sanmukh Sikh are different. Karuna means compassion. A Sanmukh Sikh who has this quality of Karuna, treats those inferior to him in wealth, intelligence or in other ways, as he would treat his own son or nephew. He does not let them feel that he is superior to them or that they lack anything. They feel perfectly comfortable in the company of such Sanmukh Sikh. This is the Karuna quality of a Sanmukh Sikh.

Muddta: Normal beings feel jealous of someone who is more wealthy, or possesses more qualities and intelligence. Jealousy is a disease that prompts one to act in very evil way. One starts slandering and even goes as far as doing physical harm to person one is jealous of but a Sanmukh Sikh who possesses the quality of Muddta (meaning happiness) feels happy when he hears of good qualities of other Sikhs. He feels as good as he would feel after hearing the praise of his father or Guru. A Sikh who possesses the quality of Muddta, feels happy when he sees a Sikh superior to him in qualities and wealth. He praises the good qualities of his fellow Gursikhs and does not feel one iota of jealousy. This is the Muddta quality of a Sanmukh Sikh.

Upekhya: A Sanmukh Sikh who possesses the quality of Upekhya preaches Gurmat to all but if a person is obstinate or stubborn in accepting the Gurmat preaching, he does not insist on continuing. A Sanmukh Sikh realizes that this person does not have Gurmat in his destiny and for this reason, he does not insist on giving him the Gurmat Updesh. Many times we see that if a person refuses to accept our Gurmat Updesh, we get upset but a Sanmukh Sikh stays calm and still loves the person. He does not get upset but stops preaching Gurmat till there is a favourable time. This is the Upekhya quality of a Sanmukh Sikh.

The above is based on Bhai Mani Singh jee’s Bhagatmala.

Stay tuned for 4 qualities of a Manmukh; coming soon.

Daas,
Kulbir Singh

Wow Veer Ji, thanks for providing these great teachings.

The fouth quality Upekhta reminds of the following MahaVak given by GUru Amar Das Ji.

ਜੇ ਕੋਈ ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਲਹੁਂ ਭੁਲਦਾ ਹੋਵੈ ਤਾਂ ਸਮਝਾਵਣਾ, ਆਪਣੀਅਹੁੰ ਧਿਰਹੁੰ ਆਖਣਾ I ਜੇ ਮੰਨੇ ਨਾਹੀ ਤਾਂ ਓਹ ਜਾਣੇ ਏਹੁ ਆਖਣਾ ਗੁਰੂ ਕਾ ਹੈ I .


I have the most difficult time following this teaching. Today I was having a conversation with a realtive who is not Sikh but was acting stubborn and somewhat disrespectful to Gurus teachings, and I had a hard time controlling my anger. He did not say anything disrespectful to Guru Sahib but he was completely discrediting the truth in Gurbani. Hopefully Guru Ji gives me more patience in dealing with stubborn people or teaches me when the right time is to move on.

So, being Sanmukh has a lot to do with how we treat other Gursikhs. Great thoughts!

Sukhdeep Singh jeeo,

Quote

I have the most difficult time following this teaching. Today I was having a conversation with a realtive who is not Sikh but was acting stubborn and somewhat disrespectful to Gurus teachings, and I had a hard time controlling my anger. He did not say anything disrespectful to Guru Sahib but he was completely discrediting the truth in Gurbani. Hopefully Guru Ji gives me more patience in dealing with stubborn people or teaches me when the right time is to move on.

There is a saying in English, taken from Bible:

Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet....

If a person is not a customer, then he will not buy your commodity. By insisting on selling your commodity to such person, you will reduce the value of your commodity. For this reason Gurbani makes it clear that if you sell the Gurmat quality to a non-customer, then you will not get good value but if the same Gurmat quality is given to a worthy candidate, then the value he will be willing to pay for this commodity is many millions:

ਵਿਣੁ ਗਾਹਕ ਗੁਣੁ ਵੇਚੀਐ ਤਉ ਗੁਣੁ ਸਹਘੋ ਜਾਇ ॥
ਗੁਣ ਕਾ ਗਾਹਕੁ ਜੇ ਮਿਲੈ ਤਉ ਗੁਣੁ ਲਾਖ ਵਿਕਾਇ ॥


So there is no point in insisting on partaking Gurmat to people who don't have it in their destiny.

Kulbir Singh

ਵਿਣੁਗਾਹਕਗੁਣੁਵੇਚੀਐਤਉਗੁਣੁਸਹਘੋਜਾਇ ॥
ਗੁਣਕਾਗਾਹਕੁਜੇਮਿਲੈਤਉਗੁਣੁਲਾਖਵਿਕਾਇ ॥

What a great and important pangtee Satguroo Jee Has written

If virtue is sold when there is no buyer, then it is sold very cheap.
But if one meets a buyer of virtue, then virtue sells for hundreds of thousands.

Excellent post

Kulbir Singh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sukhdeep Singh jeeo,
>
>
> I have the most difficult time following this
> teaching. Today I was having a conversation with a
> realtive who is not Sikh but was acting stubborn
> and somewhat disrespectful to Gurus teachings, and
> I had a hard time controlling my anger. He did not
> say anything disrespectful to Guru Sahib but he
> was completely discrediting the truth in Gurbani.
> Hopefully Guru Ji gives me more patience in
> dealing with stubborn people or teaches me when
> the right time is to move on.
>
>
> There is a saying in English, taken from Bible:
>
> Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither
> cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they
> trample them under their feet....
>
> If a person is not a customer, then he will not
> buy your commodity. By insisting on selling your
> commodity to such person, you will reduce the
> value of your commodity. For this reason Gurbani
> makes it clear that if you sell the Gurmat quality
> to a non-customer, then you will not get good
> value but if the same Gurmat quality is given to a
> worthy candidate, then the value he will be
> willing to pay for this commodity is many
> millions:
>
> ਵਿਣੁ ਗਾਹਕ ਗੁਣੁ
> ਵੇਚੀਐ ਤਉ ਗੁਣੁ ਸਹਘੋ
> ਜਾਇ ॥
> ਗੁਣ ਕਾ ਗਾਹਕੁ ਜੇ
> ਮਿਲੈ ਤਉ ਗੁਣੁ ਲਾਖ
> ਵਿਕਾਇ ॥
>
>
> So there is no point in insisting on partaking
> Gurmat to people who don't have it in their
> destiny.
>
> Kulbir Singh


I have not earned enough Naam Kamaee yet I still sell Gurus teachings at a cheap price. I often feel at a loss when I try to do veechar with people who dont seem interested. Likewise I often feel a great gain when discussing with people who want to learn about Sikhi. My problem is I dont like talking about non- religious things, so whenever I hang around with people I only have an urge to talk about religion.

Since Im already spiritually broke perhaps it is more wiser to avoid socialization and discussions with those whom have no interest in spirituality and keep company of those who have an urge to seek God. I guess it comes down to making the right calculations and practicing bibek.