Manmukh Sikhs

10. Having extramarital sexual relations.

Manmukh Sikhs do not normally wear Dastar's (Turbans) and have a shaven appearance. Manmukhs can often be seen at Sikh wedding parties drinking alcohol, eating meat and partying, they often prefer to criticise others rather than consider their own behaviour and life.

Manmukh literally means To follow ones mind or desires without regards for anyone else. A person who is self-centred is called a Manmukh. The opposite of Manmukh is Gurmukh, which means a person who follows the teaching and life-code as narrated by the Guru. Hence, a manmukh is a material being (egoistic or attached to worldly things) as opposed to a Spiritual Being.

People with materialistic attachment believe that everlasting happiness is attainable in acquisitions (ie. possessions) and the use of these material objects. People with such materialistic outlook — referred to as Manmukhs in the Gurbani — assert that everlasting happiness is attainable only in acquisition of sense-objects, persuing passions, etc. In other words, a manmukh is ruled by the conditioned pleasure of his five senses and his mind. Simply stated, a Manmukh is an ego-centric person whose actions are controlled by following urges and desires: lust, anger, greed, material attachment, self-conceit, envy and stubborn mindedness, and numerous variations.

As a result, manmukh sikhs have no belief or understanding of the Naam (God's Existence), Shabad (Word of the Guru), Hukam (Will of the Almighty), Atma (Soul), or God (Spirit or Sat Guru). Consequently, they have no understanding of the ultimate purpose of life, their relationship with God, and the Way of God (Gurmat).

In this madness and illusion and "I-am-ness", manmukh's cultivate the life of a faithless cynic called "Saakat" — an unwise and an untrue being. Thus, according to the Gurbani, anyone who has not realized the Self within (God, Truth, Shabad or Naam, etc.) alone is a Manmukh.

A Manmukh is a denier of the Truth (ਸਚ); he is disconnected from his Mool (Source, Origin Truth...); his mind escapes through senses and run after sense-objects or whose Akakal follows his mind's dictates; he is ever uncontented, ਮਾਇਆ ਨਾਲ ਜੁੜਿਆ ਹੋਇਆ...), he has no understanding of the Gur-Shabad (Aatm-Giaan, Divine Knowledge of the Gurbani); he is full of the "filth" (of evil passions, Maya, etc.)...

ਸੇ ਮਨਮੁਖ ਜੋ ਸਬਦ ਨ ਪਛਾਨਹਿ ॥
Se manmukh jo Sabad na pachhaanahi
They alone are Manmukhs who do not realize the Shabad

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 1054

ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਮੈਲਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਨ ਪਛਾਣੈ ॥
Manmukh mailaa sabad n pashhaanai
The filthy (with evil passions...) Manmukh does not understand the Shabad.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 415

ਮਨਮੁਖੀ ਦੁਹਾਗਣਿ ਨਾਹਿ ਭੇਉ ॥
Manmukhee duhaagan naahi bhaeo
The Manmukh, suffering in separation (from God), do not understand (God's) mystery.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 1170

ਮਨਮੁਖੁ ਰੋਗੀ ਹੈ ਸੰਸਾਰਾ ॥
Manmukh rogee hai sansaaraa
The Manmukh is sick and diseased (with evil passions...) in the world.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 118

Anyone who has not realized the Mool within (Joti-Svaroopa, Source, Origin...) alone is a Manmukh. Here Gurbani provides us with a very clear definition as to what constitutes a Manmukh and a Gurmukh. Those in the Shabad, Naam or God Consciousness are true Gurmukh, whilst the rest of us are just hypocrite, Saakat or Manmukhs engrossed in unenlightened existence of (Maya) - worldly attachments, evil passions, hatred, selfishness, falsehood, meaningless rituals, corruption, frauds, deception, greed, lip worship and varieties of other superficial religious or reactionary spirituality...

ਨਾਮੁ ਨ ਚੇਤਹਿ ਸਬਦੁ ਨ ਵੀਚਾਰਹਿ ਇਹੁ ਮਨਮੁਖ ਕਾ ਆਚਾਰੁ ॥
Naam n cheetahi sabadu n vichaarahi ihu manmukh kaa aachaaru
The conduct of the Manmukh (self-willed...) is that (he) does not think of the Divine Naam (Hukam, Gur-Giaan...), and does not ponder on the Shabad (Gur-Shabad Vichaar..).

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 508

ਮਨ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਹਉਮੈ ਰੋਗੁ ਹੈ ਭ੍ਰਮਿ ਭੂਲੇ ਮਨਮੁਖ ਦੁਰਜਨਾ ॥
Man antar haumai rog hai bharam bhoole manmukh durjanaa
Those within whose mind is the disease of ego (Haumai - ਹਉਮੈ), those self-willed (Manmukhs), the evil beings (ਬਿਕਾਰੀ ਬੰਦੇ - corrupt people), are deluded by doubt.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 301

ਮਨਮੁਖੁ ਅੰਧਾ ਦੂਜੈ ਭਾਇ ਲਾਗੈ ॥
Manmukh andhaa doojai bhaae laagai
The blind Manmukh are attached to the love of duality.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 113

ਮਨਮੁਖ ਅੰਧੇ ਫਿਰਹਿ ਬੇਤਾਲੇ ॥
Manmukh andhe firahi betaale
The blind Manmukh wander around like demons.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 117

ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਅੰਧੇ ਸੁਧਿ ਨ ਕਾਈ ॥
Manmukh andhe sudh na kaaee
The blind Manmukh have no understanding at all.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 118

In this world, everyone is either a servant of Maya (illusion, delusion, etc.) or a servant of the Truth. Those who serve Maya are called Manmukhs or demons (Truth deniers, etc.), and those who serve the Truth (ਸਚ) within are called Gurmukhs or Divine. Thus, a Manmukh regardless of how advanced he may be in material qualifications by education and culture, lacks in Divine qualities; consequently, does not know the essence of the Reality that is contained within himself. Such individuals fail to attain Spiritual Perfection or Intuitive Understanding of the Gur-Shabad (Naam-Giaan..); for their intellect is dimmed by material contamination (Maya). as indicated in the SGGS, instead of seeking holiness, they chase after Maya and, as a result, wander in this dense forest of material existence like a beast in human garb.

ਮਨਮੁਖ ਤਤੁ ਨ ਜਾਣਨੀ ਪਸੂ ਮਾਹਿ ਸਮਾਨਾ ॥੩॥
Manmukh tatt na jaananee pasoo maahi samaanaa ||3||
The Manmukh (self-willed...) does not understand the Essence (of Reality); for he remains in animal-consciousness ||3||.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 1009

ਭਗਤੀ ਸਾਰ ਨ ਜਾਣਨ੍ਹ੍ਹੀ ਮਨਮੁਖ ਅਹੰਕਾਰੀ ॥
Bhagtee saar na jaananee Manmukh ahankaaree
The egotistical Manmukhs do not appreciate the value of Bhagti.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 429

ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਝੂਠੋ ਝੂਠੁ ਕਮਾਵੈ ॥
Manmukh jhootho jhooth kamaavai
The Manmukh practices falsehood, only falsehood.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 363

ਮਨਮੁਖੁ ਅਗਿਆਨੀ ਅੰਧੁ ਅੰਧਾਰਾ ॥
Manmukh agiaanee andh andhaaraa
The Manmukhs (because of emotional attachment: Moh) remain immersed in utter darkness of ignorance (of their spiritual life: ਆਤਮਕ ਜੀਵਨ).

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 1067

As the Manmukh or demons take shelter in material corruption, they are called the lowest of mankind despite their advancement in material education, science and politics. Association with such material beings is called Kusang (false or bad association). By its very nature, such association separates an individual from the Truth, and makes him forgetful of his True Nature, which is Pure Consciousness (or "Joti-svaroopa").

ਮਨਮੁਖ ਸੇਵਾ ਜੋ ਕਰੇ ਦੂਜੈ ਭਾਇ ਚਿਤੁ ਲਾਇ ॥ ਪੁਤੁ ਕਲਤੁ ਕੁਟੰਬੁ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ਮੋਹੁ ਵਧਾਇ ॥
Manmukh sevaa jo karae doojai bhaai chit laai. Putt kalat kattamb hai Maya mohu vadhaai
The Manmukh may perform service (ਸੇਵਾ), (but while doing so, he) keeps his consciousness attached to the love of duality (not One God). Through Maya, his attachment to children, spouse and relatives increases.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 1422

A Manmukh lifestyle is void of humility, true contentment, compassion, and spiritual wisdom. Such lifestyle exhibits nothing but undesirable qualities in a person. To make us aware of Manmukhs and their conduct, the Gurbani has provided us with numerous symptoms of such material beings caught in the vertex of unenlightened existence. Some of these symptoms include: egoism, ignorance, selfishness, duality, bondage, evil-mindedness, falsehood, violence, untruthfulness, doubts, superstitions, uncontrolled senses, identification with the feeling of "I, me, mine, your", lust, anger, greed, attachment, self pride, self-conceit; jealousy and enviousness, stubborn mindedness, hatred, fanaticism, conflicts, lack of contentment, material hankering and lamentation, lack of mental control and inner peace, self-centered, full of quarrel and contentions, lack of faith, extroverted ness, ritualistic, unhappy, always interested in taking instead of giving, affinity for bad association, lack of self-discipline, mental agitation, unceasing wandering (rat-race), begging material things from God, complaining, finding faults in others, unable to bear pains and sorrows of life, love for material world instead of the Mool within, corruption, fraud, larceny and swindling, bribery, cheating, lying, plundering, stealing, fond of mental speculations and material logic, attachment to material world, deceitful nature, fearful, unceasing desire for sense objects, cynicism, hypocrisy, always wanting to control the world, always wanting to be appreciated, unceasing hunger for name and fame, love for titles and honor, divisiveness, prejudices, cruelty, bigotry, indulgence in worldly pleasures, illusion, delusion, wrong identity, stupor, obstinate error, love of Maya or worldliness, crookedness, animosity, and so on.

Hence, according to the Gurbani, a Manmukh is not a question of heredity, family of birth, ancestry, race, region, social status, caste, creed, education, titles, religion or any peculiar external appearance of a person; it is a question of unenlightened existence, cynicism, egoism, ignorance, hypocrisy, bondage, mental delusion, body-consciousness, mistaken identity, and so on!

A Manmukh is totally oblivious of his Mool within (Source, Origin, Jot, Reality...).

ਮਨਮੁਖ ਮੂਲਹੁ ਭੁਲਿਆ ਵਿਚਿ ਲਬੁ ਲੋਭੁ ਅਹੰਕਾਰੁ ॥
Manmukh moolahu bhuliaa vichi labu lobhu ahankaar.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 316

The Gurbani Further sums up the Manmukh and the Gurmukh as follows;

ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਬਖਸਿ ਜਮਾਈਅਨੁ ਮਨਮੁਖੀ ਮੂਲੁ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
Gurmukhi bakhasi jamaaeeanu manmukhee moolu gavaaiaa.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 304

ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਚਾਨਣੁ ਜਾਣੀਐ ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਮੁਗਧੁ ਗੁਬਾਰੁ ॥
Gurmukh chaanan jaaneeai Manmukh mughad gubaar
The Gurmukh knows the Divine Light, while the foolish Manmukh gropes around in the darkness of ignorance.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 20

ਨਾਨਕ ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਬੰਧੁ ਹੈ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਕਰਾਏ ॥੪॥੩॥
Nanak manmukh bandh hai gurmukh mukati karaae ||4||3||
O Nanak, the Manmukhs remain in bondage (with hopes, desires, etc. They become hurdles on his Way); the Gurmukhs are liberated (From these) ||4||3||

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 559

ਮਨਮੁਖ ਸਉ ਕਰਿ ਦੋਸਤੀ ਸੁਖ ਕਿ ਪੁਛਹਿ ਮਿਤ ॥ ਗੁਰਮੁਖ ਸਉ ਕਰਿ ਦੋਸਤੀ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਸਉ ਲਾਇ ਚਿਤੁ ॥ ਜੰਮਣ ਮਰਣ ਕਾ ਮੂਲੁ ਕਟੀਐ ਤਾਂ ਸੁਖੁ ਹੋਵੀ ਮਿਤ ॥੬੬॥
Manmukh saou kar dosatee sukh ki pushahi mit. Gurmukh saou kar dosatee Satgur saou laai chit. Jamman maran kaa mool katteeai taan sukh hovee mit ||66||
O friend, If you make friends with the Manmukhs, how can you ask for Peace ( ਆਤਮਕ ਆਨੰਦ)? Make friends with the Gurmukhs, and focus your consciousness on the Satgur. (This Way when) the root of birth and death is cut away, then, you will find Peace ( ਆਤਮਕ ਆਨੰਦ) ||66||

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 1421

ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਲਾਧਾ ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
The Gurmukhs obtain it, and the self-willed manmukhs lose it.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 11

ਅੰਧੁਲੈ ਨਾਮੁ ਵਿਸਾਰਿਆ ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਅੰਧ ਗੁਬਾਰੁ ॥
The blind have forgotten the Naam, the Name of the Lord. The self-willed manmukhs are in utter darkness.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 19

ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਚਾਨਣੁ ਜਾਣੀਐ ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਮੁਗਧੁ ਗੁਬਾਰੁ ॥
The Gurmukh knows the Divine Light, while the foolish self-willed manmukh gropes around in the darkness.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 20

ਵਿਜੋਗੀ ਦੁਖਿ ਵਿਛੁੜੇ ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਲਹਹਿ ਨ ਮੇਲੁ ॥੪॥
Those who separate themselves from the Lord wander lost in misery. The self-willed manmukhs do not attain union with God.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 21

ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਸੁਖੁ ਨ ਪਾਈਐ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਸੁਖੁ ਸੁਭਾਨੁ ॥੩॥
The self-willed manmukhs find no peace, while the Gurmukhs are wondrously joyful.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 21

ਮਨਮੁਖ ਗੁਣ ਤੈ ਬਾਹਰੇ ਬਿਨੁ ਨਾਵੈ ਮਰਦੇ ਝੂਰਿ ॥੨॥
The self-willed manmukhs are totally without virtue. Without the Name, they die in frustration.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 27

ਦੇਖਾ ਦੇਖੀ ਸਭ ਕਰੇ ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਬੂਝ ਨ ਪਾਇ ॥
They all show off and pretend, but the self-willed manmukhs do not understand.

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Ang 28

ONE UNIVERSAL CREATOR GOD. BY THE GRACE OF THE TRUE GURU

I obtained this precious human life as a reward for my past actions, but without discriminating wisdom, it is wasted in vain. Tell me, without devotional worship of the Lord, of what use are mansions and thrones like those of King Indra? || 1 || You have not considered the sublime essence of the Name of the Lord, our King; this sublime essence shall cause you to forget all other essences. || 1 || Pause || We do not know what we need to know, and we have become insane. We do not consider what we should consider; our days are passing away. Our passions are strong, and our discriminating intellect is weak; we have no access to the supreme objective. || 2 || We say one thing, and do something else; entangled in endless Maya, we do not understand anything. Says Ravi Daas, Your slave, O Lord, I am disillusioned and detached; please, spare me Your anger, and have mercy on my soul. || 3 || 3 ||

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Bhagat Ravi Das Ji, Raag Sorath

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