Manmukh

Within Sikhism, Manmukh (Punjabi: ਮਨਮੁਖ (Gurmukhi)) literally means "to follow one's mind or desires". It appears as a noun to describe a self-serving individual who follows their own desires.

Definition
The word Manmukh consists of two parts: Man and Mukh. Man means "one's own mind or one's own desires" and Mukh literally means "face", so the full word conveys the message "One who follows whichever way his or her mind leads or goes"; "one who follows his or her desires"; "one who does as his or her mind dictates". The Manmukh is attached to worldly desires, material wealth, worldly allurements and sensual enjoyments. His desires and his needs are unlimited.

To be a Manmukh is to follow one's own mind or desires without regards for anyone else. A person who is self-centred is called a Manmukh. The opposite of Manmukh is Gurmukh, which means a person who follows the teaching and life-code as narrated by the Guru. A Manmukh is the opposite of a Gurmukh. Hence, a Manmukh is a material being (egoistic or attached to worldly things) as opposed to a spiritual being. The people with materialistic attachment believe that everlasting happiness is attainable only in acquisition (i.e. ownership) and the use of these material objects. In other words, a Manmukh is ruled by and is conditioned by pleasure of his five senses and his mind. Simply stated, a Manmukh is an ego-centric person whose actions are controlled by the following urges and desires: lust, anger, greed, material attachment, self-conceit, envy and stubborn mindedness, with their numerous variations.

As a result, they have no belief no understanding of the Naam (God's existence), Shabad (word of the guru), Hukam (will of the Almighty), Atma (Soul), or God (Spirit or Sat Guru). Consequently, they have no understanding of the ultimate purpose of life, his relationship with God, and the way of God (Gurmat). In this madness and illusion and "I-am-ness", they cultivate the life of a faithless cynic called "Saakat" — an unwise and an untrue being. Thus, according to the Gurbani, anyone who has not realized the Self within (God, Truth, Shabad or Naam, etc.) alone is a Manmukh.

Categorization
According to Sikh belief, everyone in the world can be categorised as either a servant of Maya or a servant of the Akal. Those who serve Maya are called Manmukhs, and those who serve the Truth (God) are called Gurmukhs or Divine. Thus, a Manmukh regardless of how advanced he may be in his or her material qualifications by education or cultural status, lacks in Divine qualities; consequently, is not aware of the Cosmic Reality that is contained within him/her. Such individuals fail to attain Spiritual Perfection or Intuitive Understanding of the "ultimate reality"; for their intellect is dimmed by material contamination. They hate holiness. They chase after Maya, and wander in this dense forest of material existence like a beast in human garb.

Lifestyle
A Manmukh lifestyle is void of humility, contentment, compassion, love and spiritual wisdom. Per Sikhism, such lifestyles exhibit undesirable qualities in a person. Sikhs believe that in order to make us aware of Manmukhs and their conduct, Gurbani has provided them with numerous symptoms of such material beings caught in the vertex of unenlightened existence.

Some of these symptoms include: egoism, ignorance, selfishness, duality, bondage, evil-mindedness, falsehood, violence, untruthfulness, doubts, superstitions, uncontrolled senses, identification with the feeling of "I, me, mine, your", lust, anger, greed, attachment, self pride, self-conceit; superstitious, jealousy and enviousness, stubborn mindedness, hatred, fanaticism, conflicts, lack of contentment, material hankering and lamentation, lack of mental control and inner peace, self-centredness, are full of quarrel and contentions, always interested in taking instead of giving, love for material world instead of the Self within, eating, lying, plundering, and animosity. Opposite to these are the attributes of Gurmukhs (Spiritual Beings)

Cause
According to the Gurbani, a Manmukh is not a question of heredity, family of birth, ancestry, race, region, social status, caste, creed, education, titles, religion or any peculiar external appearance of a person; it is a question of lack of Naam Simran, self-evaluation, unenlightened existence, cynicism, egoism, ignorance, hypocrisy, bondage, mental delusion, body-consciousness, mistaken identity, and so on.

Sikh scriptures on Manmukh
The Sikh scriptures have some very harsh word to say to the Manmukh. Below are several quotations from the Holy Text:
 * See www.srigranth.org for the full text of all these Shabads.

From Sri Guru Granth Sahib: "ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਲਾਧਾ ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥ The Gurmukhs obtain it, and the self-willed manmukhs lose it."

- Page 11 Line 16

"ਅੰਧੁਲੈ ਨਾਮੁ ਵਿਸਾਰਿਆ ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਅੰਧ ਗੁਬਾਰੁ ॥ The blind have forgotten the Naam, the Name of the Lord. The self-willed manmukhs are in utter darkness."

- Page 19, Line 3

"ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਚਾਨਣੁ ਜਾਣੀਐ ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਮੁਗਧੁ ਗੁਬਾਰੁ ॥ The Gurmukh knows the Divine Light, while the foolish self-willed manmukh gropes around in the darkness."

- Page 20, Line 8

"ਵਿਜੋਗੀ ਦੁਖਿ ਵਿਛੁੜੇ ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਲਹਹਿ ਨ ਮੇਲੁ ॥੪॥ Those who separate themselves from the Lord wander lost in misery. The self-willed manmukhs do not attain union with Him."

- ((4)) Page 21, Line 5

"ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਸੁਖੁ ਨ ਪਾਈਐ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਸੁਖੁ ਸੁਭਾਨੁ ॥੩॥ The self-willed manmukhs find no peace, while the Gurmukhs are wondrously joyful."

- Page 21, Line 12 ((3))

"ਮਨਮੁਖ ਗੁਣ ਤੈ ਬਾਹਰੇ ਬਿਨੁ ਨਾਵੈ ਮਰਦੇ ਝੂਰਿ ॥੨॥ The self-willed manmukhs are totally without virtue. Without the Name, they die in frustration."

- Page 27, Line 17 ((2))

"ਦੇਖਾ ਦੇਖੀ ਸਭ ਕਰੇ ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਬੂਝ ਨ ਪਾਇ ॥ They all show off and pretend, but the self-willed manmukhs do not understand."

- Page 28, Line 3

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Page 28, Line 8 ਮਨਮੁਖ ਨਾਮੁ ਨ ਜਾਣਨੀ ਵਿਣੁ ਨਾਵੈ ਪਤਿ ਜਾਇ ॥ The self-willed manmukhs do not know the Naam. Without the Name, they lose their honor.

Page 29, Line 7 ਮਨਮੁਖ ਮੈਲੇ ਮਲੁ ਭਰੇ ਹਉਮੈ ਤ੍ਰਿਸਨਾ ਵਿਕਾਰੁ ॥ The self-willed manmukhs are polluted. They are filled with the pollution of egotism, wickedness and desire.

Page 29, Line 10 ਮਨਮੁਖੁ ਮੋਹਿ ਵਿਆਪਿਆ ਬੈਰਾਗੁ ਉਦਾਸੀ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥ The self-willed manmukhs are engrossed in emotional attachment; they are not balanced or detached.

Page 29, Line 16 ਮਨਮੁਖ ਫਿਰਹਿ ਨ ਜਾਣਹਿ ਸਤਗੁਰੁ ਹਉਮੈ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਲਾਗਿ ॥ The self-willed manmukhs wander around lost, but they do not know the True Guru. They are inwardly attached to egotism.

Page 30, Line 8 ਮਨਮੁਖ ਮਨੁ ਤਨੁ ਅੰਧੁ ਹੈ ਤਿਸ ਨਉ ਠਉਰ ਨ ਠਾਉ ॥ The minds and bodies of the self-willed manmukhs are filled with darkness; they find no shelter, no place of rest.

Page 31, Line 2 ਮਨਮੁਖ ਅੰਧ ਨ ਚੇਤਹੀ ਡੂਬਿ ਮੁਏ ਬਿਨੁ ਪਾਣੀ ॥੧॥ The blind, self-willed manmukhs do not even think of the Lord; they are drowned to death without water. ||1||

Page 31, Line 4 ਆਵਣੁ ਜਾਣਾ ਜੰਮਣੁ ਮਰਣਾ ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਪਤਿ ਗਵਾਈ ॥ Coming and going through birth and death, the self-willed manmukhs lose their honor.

Page 31, Line 9 ਮਨਮੁਖ ਕਰਮ ਕਮਾਵਣੇ ਜਿਉ ਦੋਹਾਗਣਿ ਤਨਿ ਸੀਗਾਰੁ ॥ The self-willed manmukh performs religious rituals, like the unwanted bride decorating her body.

Page 33, Line 16 ਮਨਮੁਖ ਕਰਮ ਕਮਾਵਣੇ ਦਰਗਹ ਮਿਲੈ ਸਜਾਇ ॥੧॥ The self-willed manmukhs create karma, and in the Court of the Lord, they receive their punishment. ||1||

Page 33, Line 19 ਮਨਮੁਖ ਸਬਦੁ ਨ ਜਾਣਨੀ ਜਾਸਨਿ ਪਤਿ ਗਵਾਇ ॥ The self-willed manmukhs do not recognize the Shabad; they forfeit their honor, and depart in disgrace.

Page 34, Line 7 ਮਨਮੁਖ ਮਹਲੁ ਨ ਪਾਇਨੀ ਕੂੜਿ ਮੁਠੇ ਕੂੜਿਆਰ ॥੨॥ The self-willed manmukhs do not obtain the Mansion of the Lord's Presence. The false are plundered by falsehood. ||2||

Page 35, Line 1 ਮਨਮੁਖ ਜਨਮੁ ਬਿਰਥਾ ਗਇਆ ਕਿਆ ਮੁਹੁ ਦੇਸੀ ਜਾਇ ॥੩॥ The life of the self-willed manmukh passes uselessly. What face will he show when he passes beyond? ||3||

Page 36, Line 2 ਸੋ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਨਦਰਿ ਨ ਆਵਈ ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਬੂਝ ਨ ਪਾਇ ॥ God's Glance of Grace does not come to them; those self-willed manmukhs do not obtain understanding.

Page 37, Line 1 ਮਨਮੁਖ ਮੈਲੁ ਨ ਉਤਰੈ ਜਿਚਰੁ ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦਿ ਨ ਕਰੇ ਪਿਆਰੁ ॥੧॥ The filth of the self-willed manmukhs is not washed off; they have no love for the Guru's Shabad. ||1||

Page 37, Line 3 ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਸਬਦੁ ਨ ਜਾਣਈ ਅਵਗਣਿ ਸੋ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਦੂਰਿ ॥ The self-willed manmukhs do not know the Shabad; those without virtue are far removed from God.

Page 37, Line 6 ਚਾਰੇ ਕੁੰਡਾ ਭਵਿ ਥਕੇ ਮਨਮੁਖ ਬੂਝ ਨ ਪਾਇ ॥ The self-willed manmukhs grow weary of wandering around in all four directions, but they do not understand.

Page 38, Line 2 ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਕੰਤੁ ਨ ਪਛਾਣਈ ਤਿਨ ਕਿਉ ਰੈਣਿ ਵਿਹਾਇ ॥ The self-willed manmukhs do not recognize their Husband Lord; how will they spend their life-night?

Page 39, Line 2 ਬਿਨੁ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਨ ਪਾਈਐ ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਫਿਰੈ ਦਿਵਾਨੁ ॥ Without the True Guru, the self-willed manmukhs do not find liberation; they wander around like lunatics.

Page 39, Line 8 ਮਨਮੁਖ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਥਕੇ ਮੈਲੁ ਨ ਸਕੀ ਧੋਇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ The self-willed manmukhs have grown weary of chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, but their filth cannot be removed. ||1||Pause||

Page 39, Line 9 ਮਨਮੁਖ ਮੈਲੇ ਮੈਲੇ ਮੁਏ ਜਾਸਨਿ ਪਤਿ ਗਵਾਇ ॥ The filthy, self-willed manmukhs die in filth, and they depart in disgrace.

Page 40, Line 17 ਬਿਨੁ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਭੇਟੇ ਕੰਚਨੁ ਨਾ ਥੀਐ ਮਨਮੁਖੁ ਲੋਹੁ ਬੂਡਾ ਬੇੜੀ ਪਾਸਿ ॥੩॥ Without meeting with the True Guru, no one is transformed into gold. The self-willed manmukh sinks like iron, while the boat is very close. ||3||

Page 41, Line 14 ਬਿਨੁ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪਲੈ ਨਾ ਪਵੈ ਮਨਮੁਖ ਰਹੇ ਬਿਲਲਾਇ ॥ Without the True Guru, it is not obtained. The self-willed manmukhs continue to cry in misery.

Page 41, Line 18 ਗੁੜੁ ਮਿਠਾ ਮਾਇਆ ਪਸਰਿਆ ਮਨਮੁਖੁ ਲਗਿ ਮਾਖੀ ਪਚੈ ਪਚਾਇ ॥੧॥ Maya spreads out like sweet molasses; the self-willed manmukh is stuck like a fly, rotting away. ||1|| --->