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ਮਾਥੇ ਤਿਲਕੁ ਹਥਿ ਮਾਲਾ ਬਾਨਾਂ  ॥    

माथे तिलकु हथि माला बानां ॥

Māthe ṯilak hath mālā bānāʼn.

Some apply ceremonial marks to their foreheads, hold malas in their hands, and wear religious robes.


 ਲੋਗਨ ਰਾਮੁ ਖਿਲਉਨਾ ਜਾਨਾਂ  ॥੧॥   

लोगन रामु खिलउना जानां ॥१॥

Logan rām kẖil▫a▫unā jānāʼn. ||1||

Some people think that the Lord is a play-thing. ||1|| (Page 1158)


This  material world is the manifestation of God's material energy called Maya.

 Another  name for Maya is illusion or "that which is not". 

It clings to this material world  like a serpent. 

Because of the mind's attachment to this Maya, one becomes extrovert,  selfish,

 greedy, envy, superstitious and doubt-ridden. Consequently, he does not  get 

to Realize his True Nature, which is Pure Consciousness. 

 On account  of such deluded state, man begins to believe that

 he can attain God by merely  going for pilgrimage, parrot-like reciting 

or memorizing of scriptures, keeping  uncut hair, shaving head,

 keeping Jataas or matted hair, wearing a Dhotee  (loincloth) in certain style, 

wearing a special short, hanging a sacred thread  or a sword or a dagger on to the material body, 

drinking a sweetened liquid called  Amrit or Charnaamrit, wearing a rosary around the neck,

 wearing  rings, covering head with piece of a cloth or wearing a headgear, putting a mark  on the forehead 

and other parts of the body, wearing peculiar religious dress,  performing Nitnem or five Namaaj,

attending sermons at organized  religious places, keeping Akhand-Paath of scriptures (uninterrupted reading),

 hiring Raagees or preachers to perform in one's house, sacrificing innocent  animals in the name of religion and God, 

renouncing the world, wandering in jungles  and mountains, living in caves or secluded places, observing fasts, 

abandoning  family-life, keeping mum, performing rituals for material gains, praying for mundane  objects, 

becoming a religious fanatic, serving or following swindlers

 in religious  garbs (Saints, Bhais, Raagees, Baabaas, Gurus, Parchaaraks, Yogis, Swamis,  and so on), 

thinking oneself religiously better than others, keeping and maintaining  the illusion that one can hide 

his sinful actions from God, hating and killing  people in the name of religion and God, applying ashes 

to the body and torturing  it, using religion for gaining name or fame, calling oneself a saint or Bhagwaan

 cheating and stealing on the name of religion, wandering naked, covering mouth  with a piece of a white cloth, 

performing magic like tricks to impress upon unsuspecting  people, performing meditation or 

Jap and Tap like a heron does, bathing in specific ponds or rivers, giving charity or donations, building temples,

taking initiation, baptizing, performing circumcision the list goes on and on. 



ਕਾਹੂ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਕਿਤੈ ਨ ਪਾਈਐ ਧਰਮਿ  ॥     

काहू जुगति कितै न पाईऐ धरमि ॥

Kāhū jugaṯ kiṯai na pā▫ī▫ai ḏẖaram.

It cannot be obtained by any religious rituals. (Page 274)




http://www.gurbani.org/articles/webart15.htm


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