Welcome to F.I.E.L.D.- the First Ismaili Electronic Library and Database.

G. Daastaan Manakee - The Mind (lower self)

aap manakaa kahyaa na karee-e, to bohot raahataj hove;
aesaa kaam jo koee kare, so apanee balaa khove;
ke man to laddaaee ne sakhatee chaave, jo na kare to sukhasu(n) sove;
baddaa nafaa to e huaa, or khudaa us upar mohove.................50

You will find much peace if you heed not to the instincts of your lower self. If you do this, you will avoid adversity. A person's lower self is inclined to fighting and to oppression, if it did not, one would sleep soundly. That would benefit a person, and, what is more, God's blessings would be upon him.

tuj man hae abheemaan ghannaa, man teraa us peechhe jaay;
abheemaan shaetaan doe dureejan, tere manaku(n) bohot doddaae;
jo apannee bhalaaee chaaho, to man abheemaan chhoddee baettho;
rabase ddaro buraa kaam na karo, to jan-nat meene sahee paettho..51

Your mind has a great deal of pride, and your mind goes after it. Pride and the devil are both evil, they tend to control your mind a great deal. If you wish goodness for yourself, then abandon pride in your mind. Fear the Lord and do not perform vices, then you will achieve paradise.

jab man teraa teree gardan chadde, or jeeyu(n) chaahe teeyu(n) doddaa-e;
jab tuj upar une jor kee-aa, tab tu(n) usaku(n) hakase(n)thee ddaraae;
kaho e man meraa e raajabee teraa, jab tak ees dunee-aa vaaso;
kal mar joesee maar khaaesee, behestthee jaaesee neeraashaa......52

When your lower self has had a grip over your neck, and drives you to do what it pleases, and has overpowered you, then threaten it with the fear of Truth. Tell it that no doubt it is your kingdom as long as this material world remains. Tomorrow you will experience death and you will be punished. You will be deprived of paradise.

dushmanke jo taabe hove, aakharat sahee hove halaak;
ees manakaa kahyaa jo tu(n) maane, to tuje halaak kare e naapaak;
e man dushman hae ees mat naa chaalo, chalo jeeyu(n) hae hukam rab;
to dunee-aa deen sab bhalee ho-e, tumase bhaage buree balaa sab..53

When one surrenders to this enemy, his/her hereafter becomes ruined. If you follow such a lower self, then such an impure one will ruin you. This lower self is your enemy. Do not follow it. Follow what is commanded by the Lord, then your material and spiritual lives will all be prosperous and all the impurities and misfortunes will run away from you.

akalma(n)d dushman bee bhalaa usathee, jo dost hove annsamaj;
ke annsamaj dost-thee, bohot aazhaar paho(n)che tuj;
manvaa teraa tu(n) dost jaanne, pann e hae annsamaj nahee eese budh;
vae kaam karasee tu(n) pastaa-esee, chet sa(m)bhaall tu(n) apanee shudh.................54

An intelligent enemy is better than the a foolish friend. For the foolish friend brings a great deal of unhappiness in your life. You suppose that your lower self is your friend, but it is unintelligent and does not possess real intelligence(aqal) and wisdom. If it performs it's work on you, you will regret it. Therefore take heed and be in tune with real intelligence.

dushmanku(n) badalaa dete ddheel kare hae, to tu(n) fateh apanee hae gumaave;
dushaman kare so tu(n) saheve badalaa na deve, to dushman tuj upar fateh paave;
ye man teraa dushman hae, tuje jeeyu(n) chahaataa teeyu(n) hae doddaataa;
tu(n) badalaa dene karataa hae ddheel, vae dam dam adakee fateh paataa......................55

If you delay in avenging the enemy, then you will lose whatever success you will have had. If you tolerate your enemy, then the enemy will have defeated you. Such a lower self is your enemy, for it drives you to do whatever it fancies. You continue to delay avenging it and it gains victory over you upon every breath.

aap nafasthee jo koee bhaage, lobh laalach usathee jaae;
ke vae to sove aaraamse, or vae kabee dukh na paae;
chhoddo bhaaee lobh laalach, or chhoddo sab manakaa chaavaa,
to rab farmaave ke us ba(n)deku(n), mae du(n)gaa jan-natul mevaa.56

Whoever runs away from his lower self, greed and temptation leave this person. He then sleeps peacefully and never experiences unhappiness. Brothers give up greed and temptation and give up all your mind's desires. Then the Lord says that for such a slave He will grant the fruits of paradise.

bhaagnnaa teraa tuj nafsase, so nafaa tuj bakshe adakaa;
usathee tu(n) aap bachaakar bhaage, to tuje na laage jakham usakaa;
vaaghase bhaagaa ne tan bachaayaa, to duneeyaame(n) doe deen karasee karaar;
teeyu(n) aap nafsathee jo koee bhaagaa, une apanee beddee utaaree paar............57

Run away from your lower self, then the Lord will shower many benefits to you. If you run away from it for the sake of saving yourself, then you will not be hurt by it. If you come across a tiger, you run away and save your material body. Then you will continue with your business affairs. Similarly, anyone who keeps away from his lower self, will have his ship reach safely across from all the troubled waters.

elam upar jeene amal keeyaa, vae paayaa anat bhalaaee;
kesee bhalaaeeku(n) vae naahee poho(n)chaa, jeene aap man amal chalaaee;
jo elemase(n)thee a(n)dhaa huaa, or aap man keeyaa aguaa;
ke jeeyu(n) man chalaave teeyu(n) chaale, man le vaa(n)haa ddaale jahaa(n) hove kuaa.................58

The ones who have acted in accordance with knowledge, have attained untold benefits. But no benefits will reach the ones who continue to follow their minds(lower selves). If one is blind to ILM and has made his mind(lower self) to be the Guide and is driven by it's desires, has indeed been plunged into a filthy ditch.
to naseehat dushmankee mat suno, bhaago usathee neet dur;
dushman jo kuchh naseehat kare, so samajo ke hae makar bharpur;
to ees manakaa kahyaa na karo, e hae tumaaraa dushman;
ees dushmanku(n) aap vash raakho, to aaraam paao aakharat deen...59

Do not listen to your enemy, and always run away from it. If the enemy makes any suggestions, then know that the deceiver is all over. Then do not follow the prompting of such a mind(lower self) for it is your enemy. Keep this enemy under your control, then you will achieve peace in the hereafter.

jehaad karanaa kaafarse(n)thee, e kalaam-me(n) hukam hae rabakaa;
to baddaa kaafar hae nafas amaaraa, sahee bujo ba(n)de sabakaa;
to jees ba(n)dene nafasku(n) maaraa, une fateh paaee donu(n) jahaan;
jo koee taabe manke rahyaa, to donu(n) jahaanme(n) huaa pashemaan..60

To wage Holy War against an infidel is the command of the Lord. But a greater infidel is your lower self(nafse amaaraa). Know this as true for all. The one who has defeated the lower self, has indeed achieved success in both worlds. The one who surrenders to the mind(lower self), is miserable in both worlds.


Back to top