Why Do We Really Suffer? ਅਸੀਂ ਅਸਲ ਵਿੱਚ ਕਿਉਂ ਦੁੱਖੀ ਹੁੰਦੇ ਹਾਂ

In this profound explanation, Baba Daljit Singh Ji interprets “death” primarily as the death of worldly desires, which serves as the foundational root for the death of the ego.

While common interpretations focus on physical passing, this specific discourse elevates the concept to a psychological and spiritual level. Here is how that comparison breaks down:

Death as a State of Desirelessness

Baba Ji explains that as long as a person is “alive” to the world (constantly chasing wants, cravings, and emotional attachments), they remain in a state of suffering. When Gurbani asks why we mourn “others” who have died, the deep meaning suggests that we are mourning the loss of things/people we desired to keep forever.

• The Comparison: Physical death is final, but the “death of desire” is a conscious choice that leads to liberation while still living (Jivan Mukti).

The Mirror of Attachment

The explanation highlights that we don’t actually mourn the person or the object; we mourn the unfulfilled desire we had attached to them.

• By comparing death to the fading of desires, Baba Ji shifts the focus from the “outward loss” to the “inward lack.”
• When a desire “dies,” the ego loses its fuel. Without a desire to possess, the ego has nothing to stand on.

Transience vs. Permanence

The “common man” lives in a world of shifting shadows. Baba Ji emphasizes that:

• Worldly Life = A constant cycle of birth and death of thoughts/wishes.
• Spiritual Life = The “death” of these cycles so that only the Eternal (Sat) remains.

“When the desire for the temporary dies, the connection to the Eternal is born.”

By focusing on the death of desires, the explanation provides a practical tool for the common man to handle stress, anxiety, and grief, transforming a verse about mourning into a manual for emotional freedom.