TO JUDGE/ਪਰਖਣਾ

ABSTRACT

Judging others is to form an opinion or estimation after careful consideration. Spiritualistic ally no one has any right to judge any one except one’s own self; the supreme judge being The Immortal God. Should you judge others, then you will be judged with the same measure you use? One should be concerned about his/her humility to progress spiritually and be at peace by judging self and considering him/her self lowest of all rather than pointing the finger at others. It is the individual ego (ਹਉਮੈ), which is at work. It is the individual’s own insecurity in his/her faith which secures him/her self by such actions. One should be humble enough to secure mental tranquility as Guru Arjun ponders on it in Raag Devgandhari. 

ਸਾਧੂ ਧੂਰਿ ਲਾਈ ਮੁਖਿ ਮਸਤਕਿ ਕਾਮ ਕ੍ਰੋਧ ਬਿਖੁ ਜਾਰਉ ॥

ਸਭ ਤੇ ਨੀਚੁ ਆਤਮ ਕਰਿ ਮਾਨਉ ਮਨ ਮਹਿ ਇਹੁ ਸੁਖੁ ਧਾਰਉ ॥

Sāḏẖū ḏẖūr lā▫ī mukẖ masṯak kām kroḏẖ bikẖ jāra▫o. Sabẖ ṯė nīcẖ āṯam kar mān¬o man meh ih sukẖ ḏẖāra¬o.

Applying the dust of the feet of the Holy to my face and forehead, I burn away the poison of sexual desire and anger. I judge myself to be the lowest of all; in this way, I instill peace within my mind.-----Guru Arjun Dev, Raag Devgandhari, AGGS, Page, 532-2

                                          ------------------------------------------------------------

Are We Judgmental?

Of course, instead of judging our own self-we judge others against the teachings contained in Sabd Guru. The wise individual is the one, who is concerned about him/her self and makes an effort to become a better human. Guru Angad in Majh Ki Vaar points to it;

ਨਾਨਕ ਪਰਖੇ ਆਪ ਕਉ ਤਾ ਪਾਰਖੁ ਜਾਣੁ ॥

ਰੋਗੁ ਦਾਰੂ ਦੋਵੈ ਬੁਝੈ ਤਾ ਵੈਦੁ ਸੁਜਾਣੁ ॥

Nānak parkẖė āp ka¬o ṯā pārakẖ jāṇ. Rog ḏārū ḏovai bujẖai ṯā vaiḏ sujāṇ.

O Nanak, if someone judges himself, only then is he known as a real judge. If someone understands both the disease and the medicine, only then is he a wise physician.-----Guru Angad Dev, Raag Majh, AGGS, Page, 148-8

What is interesting in the charges of arrogance and judgmentalism, is that besides failing to define what is meant by “judgmentalism,” the accusers often act just as “arrogantly” and “judgmentally” as the “judgmental” ones.  If any one is denounced for judgmentalism, he can respond that his accuser is judging him for being judgmental!                                   

To be consistent, judgmentalism cannot mean being in disagreement with someone or considering someone to be wrong. It is undeniable that the relativist disagrees with the absolutist, which makes the relativist just as judgmental as the absolutist.  If judgmentalism is to be understood correctly it should be defined as an inappropriate sense of moral superiority over another because of that person’s moral failures. When a person judges, he also forms an opinion. But an opinion is not necessarily the same as a judgment. Opinions are often framed by our fears, pride, or ignorance. If all we had were human opinions, we might agree with those who say we should never judge. Most worldly religions teach about being non judgmental and final judge being the Immortal God. If we start judging others, then we cannot love them, whom we can see, then how can we love the unseen (ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ) God.

Are We Intolerant?

Yes but intolerance has been commonly associated with religion, and closely tied to the notion of “judgment” is “tolerance.”  Although many accuse absolutists of intolerance, these accusers most likely have an unclear and distorted notion of what tolerance really is.  They often are unaware that the concept of tolerance implies a close relationship to truth.

ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਪੂਰਾ ਆਪੇ ਹੋਵੈ ਘਟਿ ਨ ਕੋਈ ਆਖੈ ॥

ਪਤਿ ਪਰਵਾਣਾ ਪਿਛੈ ਪਾਈਐ ਤਾ ਨਾਨਕ ਤੋਲਿਆ ਜਾਪੈ ॥

Sabh Ko Poora Aapay Hovai Ghat Na Ko-ee Aakhai, pat parvaanaa pichhai paa-ee-ai taa naanak toli-aa jaapai.

                                   

Every one deems himself perfect, and none calls himself imperfect. If the weight of honor is placed on the scale, then, O Nanak, one sees his true weight.-----Guru Nanak, Raag Asa, AGGS, Page, 469-4

Guru Nanak in Raag Ramkali expresses that every one is responsible for their actions and the final judge is God:

ਨਾਨਕੁ ਆਖੈ ਰੇ ਮਨਾ ਸੁਣੀਐ ਸਿਖ ਸਹੀ ॥

ਲੇਖਾ ਰਬੁ ਮੰਗੇਸੀਆ ਬੈਠਾ ਕਢਿ ਵਹੀ ॥

ਤਲਬਾ ਪਉਸਨਿ ਆਕੀਆ ਬਾਕੀ ਜਿਨਾ ਰਹੀ ॥

ਅਜਰਾਈਲੁ ਫਰੇਸਤਾ ਹੋਸੀ ਆਇ ਤਈ ॥

ਆਵਣੁ ਜਾਣੁ ਨ ਸੁਝਈ ਭੀੜੀ ਗਲੀ ਫਹੀ ॥

ਕੂੜ ਨਿਖੁਟੇ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਓੜਕਿ ਸਚਿ ਰਹੀ ॥

Nānak ākẖai rė manā suṇī¬ai sikẖ sahī, Lėkẖā rab mangėsī¬ā baiṯẖā kadẖ vahī. Ŧalbā pa¬usan ākī¬ā bākī jinā rahī, Ajrā¬īl farėsṯā hosī ā¬ė ṯa¬ī, Āvaṇ jāṇ na sujẖ¬ī bẖīṛī galī fahī, Kūṛ nikẖutė nānkā oṛak sacẖ rahī.

Says Nanak, listen, O mind, to the True Teachings; Opening Its ledger, God will call you to account. Other rebels will be sent subpoenas for their involvement in all this. Those rebels who have similar unpaid accounts shall be called out. Azrael, the Angel of Death, shall be appointed to punish them. They will find no way to escape; they are trapped in the narrow path. Falsehood will come to an end, O Nanak, and Truth will prevail in the end.-----Guru Nanak, Raag Ramkali, AGGS, Page, 953

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged,” because judging assumes a divine prerogative; final judgment belongs to God alone, and those who seek to judge others now will answer then for usurping God's position.-----Matthew 7:1

God is the best Judge.-----Quran, 10:109

Cultivating a nonjudgmental way of looking at things is the key to opening our hearts to real compassion. But how does one go about this? What should I do when I see that something is wrong? How should I approach it? What exactly is the compassionate mind rather than the hard judgmental mind? The judgmental mind comes from a fear of whom we seem to be and fear of what this suffering world seems to be. The mind of meditation is the mind that is open and nonjudgmental.-----Buddha

Faith is personal and private and an individual is free to worship the Higher Power according to his own understanding.  An individual is the some total of his actions and responsible for its consequences under the cause and effect rule and will be judged accordingly by the supreme judge as Guru Nanak concludes in Japji & Raag Basant:

ਕਰਮੀ ਕਰਮੀ ਹੋਇ ਵੀਚਾਰੁ ॥

ਸਚਾ ਆਪਿ ਸਚਾ ਦਰਬਾਰੁ ॥

Karmī karmī ho¬ė vīcẖār. Sacẖā āp sacẖā ḏarbār.

By their deeds and their actions, they shall be judged. God It self is True, and True is Its Court.-----Guru Nanak, Japji, AGGS, Page, 7-13

ਜੇਤੇ ਜੀਅ ਲਿਖੀ ਸਿਰਿ ਕਾਰ ॥

ਕਰਣੀ ਉਪਰਿ ਹੋਵਗਿ ਸਾਰ ॥

ਹੁਕਮੁ ਕਰਹਿ ਮੂਰਖ ਗਾਵਾਰ ॥

ਨਾਨਕ ਸਾਚੇ ਕੇ ਸਿਫਤਿ ਭੰਡਾਰ ॥

Jeṯe jī▫a likẖī sir kār.Karṇī upar hovag sār. Hukam karahi mūrakẖ gāvār. Nānak sācẖe ke sifaṯ bẖandār.

Over the heads of all creatures is inscribed the Divine decree; by their deeds shall the judgement be; They are stupid fools who presume that they can command any.  O Nanak, Such alone are holy, who possess the treasure of praise for the Holy Eternal.-----Guru Nanak, Raag Basant, AGGS, Page, 1169-4

Finally it is the Eternal God, who removes doubt, duality as Guru Nanak points in Raag Maru;

ਆਪੇ ਸਿਧ ਸਾਧਿਕੁ ਵੀਚਾਰੀ ॥

ਆਪੇ ਰਾਜਨੁ ਪੰਚਾ ਕਾਰੀ ॥

ਤਖਤਿ ਬਹੈ ਅਦਲੀ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਆਪੇ ਭਰਮੁ ਭੇਦੁ ਭਉ ਜਾਈ ਹੇ ॥

Āpe siḏẖ sāḏẖik vīcẖārī. Āpe rājan pancẖā kārī.Ŧakẖaṯ bahai aḏlī parabẖ āpė bẖaram bẖėḏ bẖa¬o jā¬ī hė.

God is the seer, the seeker, in meditative contemplation, and is the King and the Council. God is the wise Judge, sits on the throne and takes away doubt, duality and fear.-----Guru Nanak, Raag Maru, AGGS, Page, 1022-3                                                             

Guru Arjun says in Raag Sorath that the All-knowing God knows about every ones’ inside, while no one else can know about it in this world. God is the only One who has the authority to judge individuals and not the mortals.

ਅੰਤਰ ਕੀ ਗਤਿ ਤੁਮ ਹੀ ਜਾਨੀ ਤੁਝ ਹੀ ਪਾਹਿ ਨਿਬੇਰੋ ॥

ਬਖਸਿ ਲੈਹੁ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਅਪਨੇ ਲਾਖ ਖਤੇ ਕਰਿ ਫੇਰੋ ॥

Anṯar kī gaṯ ṯum hī jānī ṯujẖ hī pāhi nibėro. Bakẖas laihu sāhib parabẖ apne lākẖ kẖaṯe kar fero.

Only You know the state of my innermost self; You alone can judge me. Please forgive me, O, God and Master; I have committed thousands of sins and mistakes.-----Guru Arjun Dev, Raag Sorath, AGGS, Page, 618-5

Conclusion:

There simply is no automatic contradiction between holding firmly to one’s convictions and treating with dignity and respect those who disagree.  Living harmoniously with people who hold radically different views is a hallmark of maturity. Live and let live should be the motto. We rationalize away our guilt but not that of others and our double standard itself renders our own behavior inexcusable. We all try and judge others.  I am not sure why we do.  If it makes us feel better when someone is worse than us or if we notice what is wrong with us and try to make it worse in others. To judge others is a wrong thing to do. When we judge others, we don’t have all the facts.  We aren’t sure what is in their hearts.  Only God the All knower can know that. We are all flawed people, and people with flaws have no right to judge other people's flaws. One can change his own self and not others.