PURE SENSES
There was a recent article on the BBC, reporting that a college in Gujarat, India had banned female students from entering the kitchens, touching other students or sitting with them, whilst they were menstruating, as this was seen as a time of the month when they were deemed to be impure.
Some other traditions around the world also hold similar views about this particular situation. As well as this, there are many other days/seasons/events etc that are also deemed as being in some way inauspicious or impure.
Guru Nanak Dev Jee totally rejected this viewpoint and saw this as a perfectly natural event, that did not make the individual in anyway impure.
Instead, Guru jee questioned that if this is the case, then there are many other impurities that we are surrounded by and also constantly introducing into our minds and bodies through the senses, i.e. what we look at, what we listen to and what we think about.
This is presented in the following Salok from Asa Kee Var.
Man Kaa Soothak Lobh Hai Jihavaa Soothak Koorr ||
The impurity of the mind is greed, and the impurity of the tongue is falsehood.
Akhee Soothak Vaekhanaa Par Thria Par Dhhan Roop ||
The impurity of the eyes is to gaze upon the beauty of another man's wife, and his wealth.
Kannee Soothak Kann Pai Laaeithabaaree Khaahi ||
The impurity of the ears is to listen to the slander of others.
Naanak Hansaa Aadhamee Badhhae Jam Pur Jaahi ||2||
O Nanak, the mortal's soul goes, bound and gagged to the city of Death. ||2||
Vaheguroo!
