MIRI & PIRI

ABSTRACT

Miri is defined by Mahan Kosh as chieftainship, headship, political affairs or power- ਅਮੀਰੀ. ਸਰਦਾਰੀ। (2) ਬਾਦਸ਼ਾਹਤ. Miri and Piri contradict IMHO even though it was carried out by and after 6^th Guru except for ninth Guru. The moment spirit touches materialism (Matter) it lowers the spirit to carnal as it creates arrogance and superiority, which spoils the foundation of spirituality (humility). Guru Nanak in Sidh Gost, when asked to bring water from the stream filled with wealth by Siddhas, came empty handed saying there is no water there. Guru Nanak in Raag Ramkali comment on it;

ਮਾਇਆ ਮੋਹੁ ਬਿਵਰਜਿ ਸਮਾਏ ॥

ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਭੇਟੈ ਮੇਲਿ ਮਿਲਾਏ ॥

ਨਾਮੁ ਰਤਨੁ ਨਿਰਮੋਲਕੁ ਹੀਰਾ ॥

ਤਿਤੁ ਰਾਤਾ ਮੇਰਾ ਮਨੁ ਧੀਰਾ ॥੨॥
Mā▫i▫ā moh bivaraj samā▫eSaṯgur bẖetai mel milā▫e. Nām raṯan nirmolak hīrā.Ŧiṯ rāṯā merā man ḏẖīrā.  

Eradicating attachment to Maya, one merges into God. Meeting with the True Guru, we unite in Its Union. The Naam, the Name of the God, is a priceless jewel, a diamond. Attuned to it, the mind is comforted and encouraged. -----Guru Nanak, Raag Ramkali, AGGS, Page, 904-1

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Materialism is wealth-seeking and a materialistic (ਸਾਕਤ ) prefers extravagance, is superficial, believes the bigger the paycheck the more important the person, competitive, selfish, preoccupied with money, believes they deserve to have whatever they want (sense of entitlement), seeks status and power relative to peers, believes there is nothing wrong with marrying partly for money, disdains financial insecurity, avoids losing status and control, looking good is more important than comfort, believes in success through appearances, second place is not good enough, manipulative, has a need for applause, not generous, loves to win awards, do things primarily for own benefit, gets angry when they don't get when they want, used to getting their way, prefers instant gratification.

ਦੁਖੁ ਦਾਰੂ ਸੁਖੁ ਰੋਗੁ ਭਇਆ ਜਾ ਸੁਖੁ ਤਾਮਿ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥

ਤੂੰ ਕਰਤਾ ਕਰਣਾ ਮੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਜਾ ਹਉ ਕਰੀ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥੧॥

ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਕੁਦਰਤਿ ਵਸਿਆ ॥

ਤੇਰਾ ਅੰਤ ਨ ਜਾਈ ਲਖਿਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

Ḏukẖ ḏārū sukẖ rog bẖa­i­ā jā sukẖ ṯām na ho­ī. Ŧūʼn karṯā karṇā mai nāhī jā ha▫o karī na ho▫ī. Balihārī kuḏraṯ vasi▫ā.Ŧerā anṯ na jā▫ī lakẖi▫ā. rahā▫o.

Suffering is the medicine and pleasure the disease because where there is a pleasure, there is no desire for God. You are the Creator & Master; I can do nothing. Even if I try, nothing happens.  I am a sacrifice to Your almighty creative power which is pervading everywhere. Your limits cannot be known. -----Guru Nanak, Raag Asa, AGGS, Page, 469-9

ਇਸੁ ਜਰ ਕਾਰਣਿ ਘਣੀ ਵਿਗੁਤੀ ਇਨਿ ਜਰ ਘਣੀ ਖੁਆਈ ॥

ਪਾਪਾ ਬਾਝਹੁ ਹੋਵੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਮੁਇਆ ਸਾਥਿ ਨ ਜਾਈ ॥

ਜਿਸ ਨੋ ਆਪਿ ਖੁਆਏ ਕਰਤਾ ਖੁਸਿ ਲਏ ਚੰਗਿਆਈ ॥

Is jar kāraṇ gẖaṇī viguṯī in jar gẖaṇī kẖu­ā­ī. Pāpā bājẖahu hovai nāhī mu¬i¬ā sāth na jā¬ī. Jis no āp kẖu¬ā¬ė karṯā kẖus la¬ė cẖangi¬ā¬ī.

For the sake of this wealth, so many were ruined; because of this wealth, so many have been disgraced. Wealth without evil-doing it comes not and in death, it accompanies not. Those, whom the Creator God Itself cast off - first It strips them of their goodness.-----Guru Nanak, Raag Asa, AGGS, Page, 417-17,18

ਬ੍ਰਹਮਾ ਬਿਸਨੁ ਮਹੇਸੁ ਵੀਚਾਰੀ ॥

ਤ੍ਰੈ ਗੁਣ ਬਧਕ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਨਿਰਾਰੀ ॥

Barahmaa Bisan Mahays Veechaaree, Tarai Gun BaDhak Mukat Niraaree.

Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, engaged in contemplation are bound by the three qualities of Maya and far away from liberation.-----Guru Amar Das, Raag Maru, AGGS, Page, 1049-19

ਤ੍ਰੈ ਗੁਣ ਮਾਇਆ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਕੀ ਕੀਨ੍ਹ੍ਹੀ ਕਹਹੁ ਕਵਨ ਬਿਧਿ ਤਰੀਐ ਰੇ॥
ਘੂਮਨ ਘੇਰ ਅਗਾਹ ਗਾਖਰੀ ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦੀ ਪਾਰਿ ਉਤਰੀਐ ਰੇ ॥
Thrai Gun Maya Braham Kee Keenee Khohu Kavan Bidh Tareeai Ray, Ghooman Ghayr Agaah Gaakhree Gur Sabdee Paar Utree-ai Ray.

                                                                                                                                                              God has created Maya of three qualities; tell me how it can be crossed over? The whirlpool is awesome and unfathomable; only through the Word of the Guru's Sabd is one carried across.-----Guru Arjun, Raag Asa, AGGS, Page, 404-3

ਏਕ ਅਨੇਕ ਬਿਆਪਕ ਪੂਰਕ ਜਤ ਦੇਖਉ ਤਤ ਸੋਈ ॥

ਮਾਇਆ ਚਿਤ੍ਰ ਬਚਿਤ੍ਰ ਬਿਮੋਹਿਤ ਬਿਰਲਾ ਬੂਝੈ ਕੋਈ ॥

ਸਭੁ ਗੋਬਿੰਦੁ ਹੈ ਸਭੁ ਗੋਬਿੰਦੁ ਹੈ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਬਿਨੁ ਨਹੀ ਕੋਈ ॥

ਸੂਤੁ ਏਕੁ ਮਣਿ ਸਤ ਸਹੰਸ ਜੈਸੇ ਓਤਿ ਪੋਤਿ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਸੋਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

Ėk anek bi▫āpak pūrak jaṯ ḏekẖ▫a▫u ṯaṯ so▫ī. Mā¬i¬ā cẖiṯar bacẖiṯar bimohiṯ birlā būjẖai ko¬ī. Sabẖ gobinḏ hai sabẖ gobinḏ hai gobinḏ bin nahī ko▫ī.Sūṯ ek maṇ saṯ sahaʼns jaise oṯ poṯ parabẖ so▫ī. 

In the one and in the many, God is pervading and permeating; wherever I look, there God is. The marvelous image of Maya is so fascinating; how few understand this? God is everything, God is everything. Without God, there is nothing at all. As one thread holds hundreds and thousands of beads, God is woven into Its creation. -----Namdev, Raag Asa, AGGS, Page, 485-2

There are three qualities of Maya that are interconnected, interrelated and interdependent with the three vital forces of the body. These are sattva, rajas, and tamas. Sativa includes equilibrium, goodness, truth, compassion, stillness, and peace, Rajas includes thinking, planning and making decisions. Tamas includes greed, anger, jealousy, and laziness.

Materialism is the general theory that the ultimate constituents of reality are material or physical bodies, elements or processes. It is a form of monism in that it holds that everything in existence is reducible to what is material or physical in nature. It is opposed to dualistic theories which claim that body and mind are distinct and directly antithetical to a philosophical idealism that denies the existence of matter. It is hostile to abstract objects if these are viewed as more than just a manner of speaking. An implication of materialism is that the diverse qualitative experiences we have are ultimately reducible to quantitative changes in objects or in our physiological functioning. All the properties of things, including persons, are reducible to properties of matter. The stones/matter is not inert and is alive by human definition. These contain a lyrical sound singing praises of Eternal God with embodied energy and lifting the veil between this world and the Divine world on the other side. 

Conclusion:

Guru Nanak summarizes observations on Maya in Raag Maru and Sakat in Siri Raag as follows:

ਖੁਸੀ ਖੁਆਰ ਭਏ ਰਸ ਭੋਗਣ ਫੋਕਟ ਕਰਮ ਵਿਕਾਰ ਕਰੇ ॥

ਨਾਮੁ ਬਿਸਾਰਿ ਲੋਭਿ ਮੂਲੁ ਖੋਇਓ ਸਿਰਿ ਧਰਮ ਰਾਇ ਕਾ ਡੰਡੁ ਪਰੇ ॥

Kẖusī kẖu▫ār bẖa▫e ras bẖogaṇ fokat karam vikār kare. Naam Bisaar Lobh Mool Khoeiou Sir Dharam Rai Ka Dand Paray.

The pleasures enjoyed in happiness bring to ruin; acting in corruption is a useless indulgence. A human being would have to suffer, face degradation and disgrace in the end because he wasted his life in the worldly pleasures.  His actions performed while engrossed in vicious and sinful ways would be useless. His life was full of greed and worldly attachments.  He abandoned the support of True Name and lost even his capital investment.  Now, as a result of his own actions, he has to face punishment at the hands of Yama, who would strike his head with an iron rod, due to his own actions.-----Guru Nanak, Raag Maru, AGGS, Page, 1014 

ਚਿਤੁ ਚਲੈ ਵਿਤੁ ਜਾਵਣੋ ਸਾਕਤ ਡੋਲਿ ਡੋਲਾਇ ॥

ਬਾਹਰਿ ਢੂੰਢਿ ਵਿਗੁਚੀਐ ਘਰ ਮਹਿ ਵਸਤੁ ਸੁਥਾਇ ॥

ਸਾਕਤ ਨਿਰਗੁਣਿਆਰਿਆ ਆਪਣਾ ਮੂਲੁ ਪਛਾਣੁ ॥
Chit Chalai Vit Jaavno Saakat Dol Dolaa-ay, Baahar Dhoondh Viguchee-ai Ghar Meh Vasat Suthaa-ay,Saakat Nirguni-aari-aa Aapnaa Mool Pachhaan.

The consciousness of the wicked, reprobate, unstable and distracted wanders around in search of transitory wealth, Searching outside of themselves, they are ruined; the object of their search is in that sacred place within the home of his heart. “You worthless, reprobate-recognize your own origin!”-----Guru Nanak, Siri Raag, AGGS, Page, 63