1. Sach Achaar or Truthful Living
– The Ethical Message
of Sri Guru Granth Sahib
Inder M. Singh

2. Primary Goal of Life
BeI prapit manuK w[hurIAa .
This human body has been given to you.
g]ib;w imlN kI ieh t[rI brIAa .
This is your chance to meet the Lord of the
Universe.

3. Truthful Living
Ethical lifestyle is essential for spiritual
achievement
schu Xr{ sBu k] xupir scu Aacaru .5.
Truth is higher than everything; but higher still is
truthful living. || 5 ||

4. Spirituality and Ethical Lifestyle
BrIA{ mit papa k{ s;ig .
But when the intellect is stained and polluted by sin,
Xhu W]p{ nav{ k{ r;ig .
it can only be cleansed by the Love of the Name.
…..
nis v;Vhu iklivKhu krta Gir AaieAa .
Run away, O sins; the Creator has entered my home.
wUth whnu BieAa g]iv;wu pRgoaieAa .
The demons within me have been burnt; the Lord of the
Universe has revealed Himself to me.

5. Gun / Avgun or Virtues and Vices
AvguN C]id guNa kxu Wavhu kir AvguN
pCutahI jIxu .
Renounce evil, and seek virtue; committing
sins, you shall only come to regret and
repent.
Core values and guidelines, not a set of
specific Do’s and Don’ts
Apply ethical principles to guide our
actions in any situation

6. The Five Demons
Haumai gives rise to five demons
Lust (kaam)
Anger (krodh)
Greed (lobh)
Unhealthy attachment (moh)
Pride (ahankaar)
iesu w[hI A;wir p;c c]r vsih kamu kR]Wu l]Bu m]hu Ah;kara .
Within this body dwell the five thieves: sexual desire, anger, greed,
emotional attachment and egotism.
A;imRtu lUoih mnmuK nhI bUJih k]ie n suN{ pUkara .
They plunder the Nectar, but the self-willed manmukh does not realize
it; no one hears his complaint.

7. Sexual Desire (kaam)
Essential for survival human race
Gurbani extols love between husband and wife
Wn ipru e[ih n AaKIAin bhin iekO[ h]ie .
They are not said to be husband and wife, who merely
sit together.
e[k j]it wuie mUrtI Wn ipru khIA{ s]ie .3.
They alone are called husband and wife, who have one
light in two bodies. || 3 ||
Metaphor for love between devotee and God

8. Sexual Desire
Unrestrained, can lead to
Infidelity
Marital and social discord
Sexually transmitted diseases
Sexual exploitation and prostitution
Above all, mental and spiritual anguish
Keeps one separate from God and Divine Self
Sikhi is path of Sehaj – moderation and
balance

9. Anger (krodh)
Hurts oneself more than the person at
whom it is directed.
Bad for one’s health
– Physical
– Mental
– Spiritual

10. Greed (Lobh)
shs Ko[ lK kxu xuiO Wav{ .
Earning a thousand, he runs after a hundred thousand.
itRpit n Aav{ maieAa paC{ pav{ .
Satisfaction is not obtained by chasing after Maya.
Aink B]g ibiKAa k[ kr{ .
He may enjoy all sorts of corrupt pleasures,
nh itRptav{ Kip Kip mr{ .
but he is still not satisfied; he indulges again and again, wearing himself out, until he dies.
ibna s;t]K nhI k]xU raj{ .
Without contentment, no one is satisfied.
supn mn]rT ibRT[ sB kaj{ .
Like the objects in a dream, all his efforts are in vain.
Naam alone satisfies one’s desires and provides real satisfaction
and fulfillment
w[ih namu s;t]KIAa xutr{ mn kI BuK .
Please bless me with Your Name, and make me content; may the hunger of my mind be
satisfied.

11. Emotional Attachment (Moh)
Unselfish love for family and others is a
virtue, but
Excessive attachment to material things
or loved ones can be major obstacle on
spiritual path

12. Ahankaar (Pride)
Direct manifestation of haumai
Major obstacle on spiritual path
hxum{ nav{ nail ivr]Wu h{ wuie n vsih iek Oaie .
Ego is the enemy of Naam; the two can not dwell in the same place.
hir jIxu Ah;karu n BaveI v[w kUik suNavih .
The Dear Lord is not pleased by egotism; the religious scriptures
proclaim this clearly.
Ah;kair mue[ s[ ivgtI ge[ mir jnmih iPir Aavih .9.
Those who are embroiled in egotism, shall not find salvation. They die,
and are reborn in reincarnation. || 9 ||

13. Unethical behaviors
The five demons give rise to many kinds
of unethical behavior
– Hypocrisy
– Slander
– Cruelty / oppression and exploitation of the
weak or poor
– Jealousy
– Indulgence
–…

14. Virtues or Guns
Central to virtuous action is identifying with God and seeing His
Light in all
stu s;t]Ku wieAa Wrmu sIgaru bnavxu .
I am embellished with truth, contentment, compassion and Dharmic faith.
sPl s]hagiN nanka Apun[ pRB Bavxu .4.15.45.
My spiritual marriage is fruitful, O Nanak; I am pleasing to my God. || 4 || 15 ||
45 ||
stu s;t]Ku wieAa Wrmu suic s;tn t[ iehu m;tu leI .
Truth, contentment, compassion, Dharmic faith and purity - I have received
these from the Teachings of the Saints.
khu nank ijin mnhu pCainAa itn kxu sglI s]J peI .2.4.90.
Says Nanak, one who realizes this in his mind, achieves total understanding. ||
2 || 4 || 90 ||

15. Truth or Sach
Truth is identified with God
gur kI pxuzI sac kI saca suKu h]eI .
Truth is the ladder to the Guru; climbing up to the True Lord, peace
is obtained.
A Gurmukh is characterized by honesty and
integrity
scu sBna h]ie warU pap kD{ W]ie .
Truth is the medicine for all; it removes and washes
away our sins.

16. Contentment or Santokh
itRpit n Aav{ maieAa paC{ pav{ .
Satisfaction is not obtained by chasing after Maya.
Aink B]g ibiKAa k[ kr{ .
He may enjoy all sorts of corrupt pleasures,
nh itRptav{ Kip Kip mr{ .
but he is still not satisfied; he indulges again and again,
wearing himself out, until he dies.
ibna s;t]K nhI k]xU raj{ .
Without contentment, no one is satisfied.
supn mn]rT ibRT[ sB kaj{ .
Like the objects in a dream, all his efforts are in vain.
nam r;ig srb suKu h]ie .
Through the love of the Naam, all peace is obtained.
bdBagI iks{ prapit h]ie .
Only a few obtain this, by great good fortune.

17. Compassion or Daya
wieAa jaN{ jIA kI ikCu pu;nu wanu kr[ie .
Showing mercy to other beings, he is
generous and charitable
AOsiO tIrT sgl pu;n jIA wieAa prvanu .
Be kind to all beings-this is more meritorious
than bathing at the sixty-eight sacred
shrines of pilgrimage and the giving of
charity

18. Duty or Dharam
Engaged in real world while walking on
spiritual path
Meeting ones obligations to family and
society
Work hard and earn an honest living

19. Altruism or Parupkaar
bRhm igAanI prxupkar xumaha .
The God-conscious being delights in doing
good to others.
Unselfishness
See Divine Light in all
Serve God by serving others
At heart of ideal of Seva
Sarbat ka bhalaa

20. Forgiveness or Khima
PrIwa bur[ wa Bla kir gusa min n hDaie .
Fareed, answer evil with goodness; do not fill your mind
with anger.
w[hI r]gu n lgeI pl{ sBu ikCu paie .78.
Your body shall not suffer from any disease, and you shall
obtain everything. || 78 ||

21. Humility or Nimrata
Antithesis of hankaar or pride
Approach God with utmost humility to receive His Grace
h]hu sBna kI r[Nuka txu Aaxu hmar{ pais .1.
Become the dust of the feet of all, and then, you may come to me. || 1 ||
Aaps kxu j] jaN{ nIca .
One who sees himself as lowly,
s]xU gnIA{ sB t[ xUca .
shall be accounted as the highest of all.
ja ka mnu h]ie sgl kI rIna .
One whose mind is the dust of all,
hir hir namu itin Gio Gio cIna .
recognizes the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, in each and every heart.

22. Humility or Nimrata
kbIr sB t[ hm bur[ hm tij Bl] sBu k]ie .
Kabeer, I am the worst of all. Everyone else is good.
is;ml ruKu sraiera Ait wIrG Ait mucu .
The simmal tree is straight as an arrow; it is very tall, and very thick.
Xie ij Aavih Aas kir jaih inras[ iktu .
But those birds which visit it hopefully, depart disappointed.
Pl iPk[ Pul bkbk[ k;im n Aavih pt .
Its fruits are tasteless, its flowers are nauseating, and its leaves are
useless.
imOtu nIvI nanka guN c;igAaeIAa ttu .
Sweetness and humility, O Nanak, are the essence of virtue and
goodness.

23. Fearlessness or Nirbhaita
dda dr xupj[ dru jaeI .
DADDA: When the Fear of God wells up, other
fears depart.
ta dr mih dru rihAa smaeI .
Other fears are absorbed into that Fear.
jxu dr dr{ ta iPir dru lag{ .
When one rejects the Fear of God, then other
fears cling to him.
indr hUAa dru xur h]ie Bag{ .19.
But if he becomes fearless, the fears of his heart
run away. || 19 ||

24. Fearlessness or Nirbhaita
namu jpt srb suKu paeIA{ .
Chanting the Naam, all happiness is obtained.
sBu Bxu ibns{ hir hir iWAaeIA{ .
All fears are erased, meditating on the Name of the Lord,
Har, Har.
B{ kahU kxu w[t nih nih B{ mant Aan .
One who does not threaten anyone, and who is not afraid
of anyone else
khu nank suin r[ mna igAanI taih bKain .16.
- says Nanak, listen, mind: call him spiritually wise. || 16 ||

25. Equality
jaNhu j]it n pUChu jatI Aag{ jait n h[ .1. rhaxu .
Recognize the Lord's Light within all, and do not consider social class or status;
there are no classes or castes in the world hereafter. || 1 || Pause ||
Avil Alh nUru xupaieAa kuwrit k[ sB b;w[ .
First, Allah created the Light; then, by His Creative Power, He made all mortal
beings.
e[k nUr t[ sBu jgu xupijAa kxun Bl[ k] m;w[ .1.
From the One Light, the entire universe welled up. So who is good, and who is
bad? || 1 ||
….
maoI e[k An[k Ba:it kir sajI sajnhar{ .
The clay is the same, but the Fashioner has fashioned it in various ways.
na kCu p]c maoI k[ Ba:d[ na kCu p]c ku;Bar{ .2.
There is nothing wrong with the pot of clay - there is nothing wrong with the
Potter. || 2 ||
sB mih sca e[k] s]eI its ka kIAa sBu kCu h]eI .
The One True Lord abides in all; everything is created by Him

26. Detachment
j{s[ jl mih kmlu inralmu murgaeI n{ saN[ .
The lotus flower floats untouched upon the
surface of the water, and the duck swims
through the stream;
surit sbiw Bv sagru trIA{ nank namu vKaN[ .
with one's consciousness focused on the
Word of the Shabad, one crosses over the
terrifying world-ocean. O Nanak, chant the
Naam, the Name of the Lord.

27. srb Wrm mih sR[so Wrmu .
Of all religions, the best religion
hir k] namu jip inrml krmu .
is to chant the Name of the Lord and
maintain pure conduct.