Why are we so obsessed with being a “Jatt” and following the “Gabru” lifestyle? These are all just labels that have been instituted in our society that only exists to divide us and nurture our ego. Ahankaar (ego) & Haumai (the idea of “myself” or “I”) is what stops us from improving our spiritual growth. As we analyze Punjabi Culture, its beauties and its monsters, we should now tackle this important concept in Gurbani - the Caste System. Although the Caste System isn’t necessarily established in the Sikh lifestyle, there are multiple “groupings” such as being rich or poor, Jatt or Gabru, that heighten our ego. As we all know, Gurbani has answers to everything, so this is what Kabir Ji says about the Caste System. Keep in mind, this is not to condemn any Hindu belief but the general belief of castes that create our ego.
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ॥ (Panna 324)
Gauree, Kabeer Jee:
ਗਰਭ (womb) ਵਾਸ (inside) ਮਹਿ ਕੁਲੁ (ancestry/status) ਨਹੀ (not) ਜਾਤੀ (known) ॥
garabh vaas meh kul nahee jaatee ||
In the dwelling of the womb, there is no ancestry or social status.
When we are conceived, there is no way to tell that we were given a “label” of any kind of social status. We were all the product of Waheguru but in that womb we are given the name of Brahmin, Dalit, or Jatt. So why do we have these labels within our society? What defines a true Brahman? Is this title given by birth or by action? Kabir Ji explores this later on.
ਬ੍ਰਹਮ (God) ਬਿੰਦੁ (seed) ਤੇ (from) ਸਭ (all) ਉਤਪਾਤੀ (Came from) ॥੧॥
braham bi(n)dh te sabh utapaatee ||1|
|All have originated from the Seed of God. ||1||
In this case, the Brahma is not related to the actual caste yet. Instead, it is referring to Waheguru. Kabir Ji says that we have all sprouted from one source - that is the One. A fetus has no identity yet, so how can we judge its background before it is born? Why have we been given these labels that one group is better than the other? We are nurturing the ego within us by giving a caste and establishing superiority. Doesn’t matter if you are Jatt, Khatriya, or Bhraman, we are all the same and have all come from the same source.
ਕਹੁ ਰੇ ਪੰਡਿਤ ਬਾਮਨ ਕਬ ਕੇ ਹੋਏ ॥
kahu re pa(n)ddit baaman kab ke hoe ||
Tell me, O Pandit, O religious scholar: since when have you been a Brahmin?
Kabir Ji is actively questioning a Pandit in a conversation he is having with him. NOTE that in the line it says baaman, not brahman. This is the poetic form of Kabir Ji. Baaman means someone who is so full of themselves and self-centered. He uses this word to compare the essence of a Brahmin to what it actually is in his observations. He is speaking out on the fact that this Brahmin thinks he is on the top of the world which so much ego, but he is not actually a Brahmin, but a baaman because of that. So he questions Pandit ji, “when did you become a Brahmin (or a baaman, someone so full of themselves).” As if it is something to be EARNED and not hereditary. Just like being called a “Jatt”, people believe they are on top of the world with so much ego, but that hinders our spiritual growth on so many levels.
ਬਾਮਨ ਕਹਿ ਕਹਿ ਜਨਮੁ ਮਤ ਖੋਏ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
baaman keh keh janam mat khoe ||1|| rahaau |
|Don't waste your life by continually claiming to be a Brahmin. ||1||Pause||
Kabir Ji continues this thought by telling him to stop calling himself a “baaman.” It makes him actually look like a “baaman” and he is just fooling himself into thinking that this is what it means to be a Brahmin.
ਜੌ ਤੂੰ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣੁ ਬ੍ਰਹਮਣੀ ਜਾਇਆ ॥
jau too(n) braahaman brahamanee jaiaa ||
If you are indeed a Brahmin, born of a Brahmin mother,
Kabeer Ji is questioning a stranger who is full of ego. This stranger is caught in the worldy maya of the caste system. He is full of himself and proud to be a Brahmin. Kabir Ji asks them did you come from a Brahmin woman? Is that why you consider yourself Brahmin? Is that why you are so full of yourself? You have lost your mind because of your ego.
ਤਉ ਆਨ ਬਾਟ ਕਾਹੇ ਨਹੀ ਆਇਆ ॥੨॥
tau aan baaT kaahe nahee aaiaa ||2||
then why didn't you come by some other way? ||2||
Kabir Ji again questions this person, do you consider yourself only a Brahmin because of your mother. Did you come from a special womb of some sort that you are so much better than everyone else? He emphasizes before birth you didn’t have a caste so why are you so engrossed and prideful in your caste? In the modern day, we were not born from some sort of special womb that made us better than others - white, black, brown, yellow etc. does not make us any better than any other person. No one came from a “special” womb, we all came from the one source - waheguru.
ਤੁਮ ਕਤ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣ ਹਮ ਕਤ ਸੂਦ ॥
tum kat braahaman ham kat soodh ||
How is it that you are a Brahmin, and I am of a low social status?
The question is not what makes each of these castes different- the question is why are they different? Kabeer Ji is telling us that we all came from one light, Waheguru Himself. We have all originated from that one primal being, making us all the same, no matter what social status, religion, or race. So, how can we be different? How can one be a Brahmin and another be of a low social status? How can one be more highly valued than another? We all came from the same place and will end up in the same place when we leave this world. These so-called “statuses” define one as wealthy and wise, and another as poor and foolish. But, Kabeer Ji reminds us that the idea of status are fake and does not matter in the true game of life. Therefore, there is no difference between you and the person next door, nor is there a difference between any individual on this Earth.
ਹਮ ਕਤ ਲੋਹੂ ਤੁਮ ਕਤ ਦੂਧ ॥੩॥
ham kat lohoo tum kat dhoodh ||3||
How is it that I am formed of blood, and you are made of milk? ||3||
Kabir ji is confused as to why this Brahman thinks his body has blood flowing in him while Kabir Ji has blood flowing in him. How could it be possible? Kabir Ji, here, is expressing that one cannot just assign himself or put himself under the assumption that they are more pure and more wise than just because it may have been assigned at birth. Kabir Ji is also humble in the sense that he puts himself on the lower level and being truthful to the fact that he has blood in his body, just like every other being in this world. Kabir Ji also further draws attention to this notion that one cannot just simply proclaim a “lofty higher status” for having done nothing worthwhile or significant in their journey, a common theme that is shared in multiple aspects of the shabad. His answer is portrayed in the last pauri (couplet) of this shabad.
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬੀਚਾਰੈ ॥
kahu kabeer jo braham beechaarai ||
Says Kabeer, one who contemplates God,
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮਣੁ ਕਹੀਅਤੁ ਹੈ ਹਮਾਰੈ ॥੪॥੭॥
so braahaman kaheeat hai hamaarai ||4||7||
is said to be a Brahmin among us. ||4||7||
Kabir Ji is saying that anyone who reflects on Waheguru or his/her teachings is said to be of high class in that society. Going off the previous lines, the caste system is a false image of what a society should be and only serves to demean others at another’s profit. It is an ideology that allows heritage to be the deciding factor of someone’s worth, instead of their personal merit. Kabir Ji is saying that the only thing that makes someone of higher class or a better person or Sikh is believing and ALWAYS keeping Waheguru in our minds. That is the only thing we can control. Not whether we are born into a certain caste at that time, but instead, the way we think of Waheguru and our Sikhi on a daily basis. Superiority of mind is more important, and should be more highly valued, than superiority based on class. This is the reasoning behind why our tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji gave all girls the last name Kaur and all boys the last name Singh -- in order to level the playing field, so we all start our Sikh journey from the same place.
Taking all of this into account, how can we judge others based on how they are born. First off, is it controlled by them? Not at all. Do we even have the right to judge others consciously? No. Putting yourself above others just takes you farther and farther away from Waheguru and True and pure happiness in life. No matter what caste, religion, sexual orientation or skin color you have, happiness and contentment for oneself can only be obtained if we are willing to give up the biggest price of all - the idea of “myself” or “I” and changing all of that to “You” or Waheguru. Submitting everything all credit to Waheguru. This is the only way to abolish this mindset and obtain true happiness, otherwise, we are stuck in a continuous cycle of death and rebirth. When will you wake up and realize that this is true and pure SUCCESS?
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