In the kingdom of the human body, five rebellious generals have conspired. Lust, Anger, Desire, Attachment, and Self — want to take over the pure and sacred state of human consciousness. They are not to be taken lightly, for strong they are: Even brave and mighty men cannot withstand,/the overwhelming army which the five passions have gathered.
Our sense organs should work for our benefit, but they have defected, and become recruiters for the rebellion. Hands, feet, eyes, and ears continuously perform deeds that add to the Generals’ army:
The ten organs of sensation, they attach even detached renunciates to sensory pleasures!/They conquer and overpower them, and increase their following.
Using our own agencies against us, the Five Generals draw us into Maya, the virtual reality. They are developing an insidious movement, which will ultimately take over both conscious and sub-conscious realities. They have built a strong cantonment:
The world (of the three dispositions) is under their influence; no one can stand against them./A strong fort of Deception, protected by the deep moat of Maya!
An array of five clever generals, who have compromised the senses, sitting in a strong fort of deception, secured with the deep moat of Maya. The battlefield of the mind appears daunting, but the way forward is simple for the devotee:
Following my Teacher, this awesome force is subdued.
I am in His presence, doing His bidding.
It may seem that for winning this formidable battle, one needs to depart to the jungles for hard penance. However, Guru Granth Sahib reassures that we only need to follow our Teacher, and the inner victory shall be ours, even while living a normal life:
O Nanak, meeting the Teacher, one learns the perfect method./Live normally — Laugh, play, dress and eat. Follow the way, and liberation shall be yours.