Who is Gurmukh?

satnaam satguru satsangat satshabad - dandauth bandhana ji.

 

I was incorrectly taught at Sikh camps that when you became initiated as a Sikh you were now a Gurmukh- meaning that I had my face (mukh) towards the Guru (Gur).   And everyone who was not initiated was still a Manmukh - had their face (mukh) towards their own mind (man).  So then when I read or heard the Gurbani, words of the Guru, and they praised the Gurmukh as the verses below do, I felt very satisfied.  And when the verses criticised Manmukhs, I ignored that because that obviously applied to the rest of the unitiated congregation!

 

Actually, Dassan Das Ji put us straight.  Gurmukh is the state of an enlightened soul.  When there is no difference between what the Guru's Words teach and what you say, think and do.  Gur - Mukh means you are the living , breathing walking talking word (mukh) of the Highest Guru i.e. God (Gur).

 

And to be Gurmukh has nothing to do with the religion you follow or the initiations you have taken.  The verses below show that the saints like the child Prehlad Ji, the King Janak Ji and Vashisht Ji were all Gurmukh. 

 

"As Gurmukh, Prahlaad meditated on the Lord, and was saved."

 

"As Gurmukh, Janak lovingly centered his consciousness on the Lord's Name."

 

"As Gurmukh, Vashisht taught the Teachings of the Lord."

 

(full verses are attached below)

 

Even Bhai Gurdas Ji in his verses writes the founder of Yoga, Patanjali was Gurmukh.  In another verse also writes that Gurmukh Nanak Pargat hoi - meaning that Nanak was also Gurmukh who became manifest in this world.

 

So really Gurmukh is nothing less that being the same as the Guru.  Gurbani describes this as when the Sikh and the Guru become one, like the wave and the ocean, like the ray and the sun are one.

 

Dassan Das Ji explained to us that basically until we become Gurmukh by defeating the 5 thieves, we are Manmukh - we are following the words of our own mind, and are not following the words of our Guru 100%.

 

So when listening to the divine lovable words of Gurbani, remember the verses about Manmukh apply to most of us, and the Guru is telling us to defeat our worldy mind.

 

To read more on this topic of Gurmukh and Manmukh visit the website : http://www.satnaam.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=2&id=3&Itemid=11

 

dust of your feet

 

Harjit