Monkey Mind 28th Pauri of Japji - 3HO

Monkey Mind – Man Jeetai Jag Jeet
By Dev Suroop Kaur Khalsa
(Originally published in part in Aquarian Times magazine, Summer 2004)
One summer evening, I went to a captivating one-woman show called I
Worry. During the first act of the play, the actress expounded upon the
nagging confusions of our current American moment. In a frenetic and
hilarious style, she highlighted the impact to our mental state of being
constantly bombarded with troubling information and scary facts and
events that we can’t control – anything from the obscure dangers of
trans-fats to whether or not there are WMDs in Iraq. The audience could
certainly identify. While holding up a copy of the New York Times, she
commented that there is more information in one issue than the average
17th Century villager would be exposed to in a full lifetime. No wonder we
worry. Wouldn’t it be a welcome state of mental health to release all that
worry and exist in a calm, content, and contained state? In the closing
moments of the play, she shared her solution – let go of control, relax, be
in the moment. Yet how many times have you tried to do just that? By
mustering up our will power and saying to ourselves “I will not react” or “I
will not think that way,” we usually find that the mind flits right back to the
thoughts we tried to eradicate. Clearly, the application of will power
alone will not still the constant chatter of the mind.
The yogis often refer to the freewheeling, erratic nature of the mind as the
“monkey mind.” A scattered mind creates scattered habits. Commanding
the mind and stilling its chatter is considered a key to yogic discipline and
is a direct source of mental health. Throughout the years, Yogi Bhajan has
repeatedly stressed that it is imperative to have a clear relationship with
the mind. In innumerable lectures, he has referred to a single line in the
28th verse of Japji Sahib – Man jeetai jag jeet. This line translates simply as
“by conquering your mind, you can conquer the world.” The mind is given
to you to serve you, not to control you. This is why his main message has
been to meditate, recite the Shabd Guru, and do sadhana – so we can
conquer the mind. All the academic degrees, material achievements,
and trappings of success will not give you self-command and self-mastery.
Such things only come from mastery of the mind. And mastery of the mind
only comes from a regular spiritual discipline and practice.
28TH PAUREE OF JAPJI SAHIB: MAN JEETAI JAG JEET
The 28th pauree (verse) of Japji Sahib contains the line Man Jeetai Jag
Jeet. This pauree is said to unite you with God. In these lines are contained
the perfect instructions of how to live your life. Read and recite these

words. Realize that if you simply mastered one line of instruction—for
example, being centered in the center of your being—all your problems
and frustrations would fall away.
Mundaa santokh saram pat jholee dhi-aan kee kareh bibhoot
Khinthaa kaal ku-aaree kaa-I-aa jugat dandaa parteet
aa-ee panthee sagal jamaatee man jeetai jag jeet
aadays tisai aadays
aad aneel anaad anaahat jug jug ayko vays
28TH PAUREE OF JAPJI SAHIB: ENGLISH TRANSLATION
May you wear
The earrings
Of deep contentment.
May humility
Be your begging bowl
And the shawl in which
You carry your belongings.
May being centered
In the center of your being
Be the ashes
That cleanse you.
Wear the patched coat
Of Death.
Keep your body pure,
Like a virgin.
And may the staff
That holds you upright
As you walk along your journey
Be the constant remembrance
Of Spirit within you.
Let the highest
And best company
Be the company
Of all people.
Conquer your mind
To conquer the world.

I bow
To the very act
Of bowing to Thee,
Oh Divine One.
Beyond Time.
Beyond Color.
Beyond Sound.
Beyond Form and Containment.
Age after age,
You are the One.
HOW-TOS:
A Shabd should be recited 11 times a day for a minimum of 40 days to
experience its power. Recite in English or in Gurmukhi transliteration, both
are beneficial. However, reciting in Gurmukhi allows you to better access
the power of the mantra, and as the words are recited in proper Naad or
sound current, the tongue hits the meridian points on the upper palate,
effecting a change in consciousness. Work carefully to pronounce the
words properly. A pronunciation guide can be found in The Psyche of the
Soul, available through Ancient Healing Ways.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
An accomplished musician, recording artist, and teacher of Naad Yoga,
Dev Suroop Kaur uses the art of sound to create an experience of deep
transformation and healing.
She leads chanting programs with musical accompaniment, and offers
meditation instruction and teachings about living a spiritual life. Her focus
is teaching courses about loving the experience of your voice, and using
your voice as a meditative tool to transform and uplift. Dev Suroop Kaur
specializes in training teachers of Kundalini Yoga in the science of Naad
Yoga, conscious communication, and how to teach others to access the
beauty and power of their personal voice.
English translation by Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Khalsa. Go to www.alibris.com to
purchase a beautiful and inspiring complete translation of “Japji Sahib –
The Song of the Soul.”