Gurbani Awareness Series-6
Sikh Missionary College
THE FIVE THIEVES
Guru Nanak Sahib jee warns us of Five Thieves living in our  Mind.  They are active all the times to steal because of their nature.  Often we try to check them but still they keep on stealing. In Gujri Raag, Guru Jee tell us:
ਏਕ ਨਗਰੀ ਪੰਚ ਚੋਰ ਬਸੀਅਲੇ ਬਰਜਤ ਚੋਰੀ ਧਾਵੈ ॥
(In the one village of the body, live the five thieves; they have been warned, but they still go out stealing.)
These thieves have full control over our ten passions and through three modes of Maya (Raj Gun, Tav Gun, Sat Gun) they rule over our minds.
The five thieves are Lust, Anger, Greed, Emotional Attachment and Ego or Pride.
It is very easy to guess the power of these five Thieves. Each one of us know the after-effects of greed and anger.  Whenever we commit some mistake we repent upon it and decide not to do again but after some time we are caught in the same or similar dilemma.  It is not only once, we find such situations time and again in our life. The result is that these five thieves Lust, Anger, Greed, Emotional attachment and Pride  take full control over our body and toe us in the way  they wish. Now they are not scared and plunder over our health and wealth. Gurbani explains this situation in the following Lines:

ਦਿਹੁ ਦੀਵੀ ਅੰਧ ਘੋਰੁ ਘਬੁ ਮੁਹਾਈਐ ॥
In the pitch darkness of broad daylight, their wealth is being plundered.
ਗਰਬਿ ਮੁਸੈ ਘਰੁ ਚੋਰੁ ਕਿਸੁ ਰੂਆਈਐ ॥੫॥
Pride is looting their homes like a thief; where can they file their complaint?
What is Pride?  It is conceit or inordinate self esteem. It makes us feel too full of ourselves and think more highly than others. Pride also makes us suffer in silence. When  badly in need of help,  we don’t ask because you are full of yourself. So you have got to swallow your pride. A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as  looking down, you can’t see something that’s above you.(This paragraph taken with thanks from  Blog –The Model Life)
  At this point one becomes  helpless or we may say complete surrender before these Five Thieves. Gurbani explains this well in the following Shabad:
ਇਸੁ ਦੇਹੀ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਪੰਚ ਚੋਰ ਵਸਹਿ ਕਾਮੁ ਕ੍ਰੋਧੁ ਲੋਭੁ ਮੋਹੁ ਅਹੰਕਾਰਾ ॥
Within this body dwell the five thieves: sexual desire, anger, greed, emotional attachment and egotism.
ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਲੂਟਹਿ ਮਨਮੁਖ ਨਹੀ ਬੂਝਹਿ ਕੋਇ ਨ ਸੁਣੈ ਪੂਕਾਰਾ ॥
They plunder the Nectar, but the self-willed manmukh does not realize it; no one hears his complaint.
ਅੰਧਾ ਜਗਤੁ ਅੰਧੁ ਵਰਤਾਰਾ ਬਾਝੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਗੁਬਾਰਾ ॥੨॥
The world is blind, and its dealings are blind as well; without the Guru, there is only pitch darkness. ||2|
These thieves break our relations with Guru (The God’s light within us) and makes us blank from spiritual wisdom:
ਇਸੁ ਤਨ ਮਨ ਮਧੇ ਮਦਨ ਚੋਰ ॥
Within the body and mind are thieves like sexual desire,
ਜਿਨਿ ਗਿਆਨ ਰਤਨੁ ਹਿਰਿ ਲੀਨ ਮੋਰ ॥
which has stolen my jewel of spiritual wisdom.
 At this stage one becomes totally ignorant and our mind is friendly with these thieves. Lust,anger, greed etc. become a habit. Let’s understand this state of mind by reading the following Shabad:
ਪੰਨਾ 261, ਸਤਰ 5
ਲੰਪਟ ਚੋਰ ਨਿੰਦਕ ਮਹਾ ਤਿਨਹੂ ਸੰਗਿ ਬਿਹਾਇ ॥
The worst perverts, thieves and slanderers - he passes his time with them.
ਕਲਿਜੁਗ ਮਹਿ ਧੜੇ ਪੰਚ ਚੋਰ ਝਗੜਾਏ ॥
In this Dark Age (state of mind) the five thieves instigate alliances and conflicts.
ਕਾਮੁ ਕ੍ਰੋਧੁ ਲੋਭੁ ਮੋਹੁ ਅਭਿਮਾਨੁ ਵਧਾਏ ॥
Sexual desire, anger, greed, emotional attachment and self-conceit have increased.
How to get rid of these thieves, Guru-Shabad directs us:
ਜਿਸ ਨੋ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਕਰੇ ਤਿਸੁ ਸਤਸੰਗਿ ਮਿਲਾਏ ॥
One who is blessed by the Lord's Grace, joins the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation.
The teachings of Gurbani in Sat Sangat makes us feel about these misdeeds:
ਪੰਚ ਚੋਰ ਕੀ ਜਾਣੈ ਰੀਤਿ ॥
Knows the way the five thieves work
Now one feels how the three modes of Maya ruin this precious human life and think to regain our lost Treasure.
ਤ੍ਰਿਹਦਸ ਮਾਲ ਰਖੈ ਜੋ ਨਾਨਕ ਮੋਖ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਸੋ ਪਾਵੈ ॥੧॥
One who keeps his assets safe from the three modes (of Maya) and the ten passions,  O Nanak, attains liberation and emancipation. ||1||
This feeling changes our way of life. Gurbani teaches what to do and what not to do.  The people who live understanding and then practicing Gurbani become spiritually high and stronger  to face these five thieves.  Of course, these thieves still remain present BUT don’t dare to influence our mind:
ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਚੋਰੁ ਨ ਲਾਗਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮਿ ਜਗਾਈਐ ॥
The thief does not break into the home of the Gurmukh; he is awake in the Name of the Lord.
ਸਬਦਿ ਨਿਵਾਰੀ ਆਗਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਦੀਪਾਈਐ ॥੬॥
The Word of the Shabad puts out the fire of desire; God's Light illuminates and enlightens. ||6||