ਬੈਰਾਗੁ vs depression

an old friend expressed concern over my mental state after reading my last few posts.  while i appreciate her concern, it made me think, maybe i better clear up any confusion on the difference between ਬੈਰਾਗੁ (bairag) and depression. 

ਬੈਰਾਗੁ is a condition of the soul, while depression is a condition of the mind.  depression is a feeling of hopelessness, while ਬੈਰਾਗੁ is all about hope, hope that you’ll be reunited with the beloved (waheguru).  ਬੈਰਾਗੁ is a blissful longing,  separation from guru sahib, and the desperate need to be reunited with him.  begging waheguru for his blessing while knowing that he loves to please his slaves.  it is ecstasy, a state of overwhelming emotion.  impossible to describe accurately.

depression is impossible if you remember waheguru.

ਭੈਰਉ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:

ਤਉ ਕੜੀਐ ਜੇ ਹੋਵੈ ਬਾਹਰਿ ॥
We should feel sad, if God were beyond us.

ਤਉ ਕੜੀਐ ਜੇ ਵਿਸਰੈ ਨਰਹਰਿ ॥
We should feel sad, if we forget the Lord.

ਤਉ ਕੜੀਐ ਜੇ ਦੂਜਾ ਭਾਏ ॥
We should feel sad, if we are in love with duality.

ਕਿਆ ਕੜੀਐ ਜਾਂ ਰਹਿਆ ਸਮਾਏ ॥੧॥
But why should we feel sad? The Lord is pervading everywhere. ||1||

ਮਾਇਆ ਮੋਹਿ ਕੜੇ ਕੜਿ ਪਚਿਆ ॥
In love and attachment to Maya, the mortals are sad, and are consumed by sadness.

ਬਿਨੁ ਨਾਵੈ ਭ੍ਰਮਿ ਭ੍ਰਮਿ ਭ੍ਰਮਿ ਖਪਿਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Without the Name, they wander and wander and wander, and waste away. ||1||Pause||

ਤਉ ਕੜੀਐ ਜੇ ਦੂਜਾ ਕਰਤਾ ॥
We should feel sad, if there were another Creator Lord.

ਤਉ ਕੜੀਐ ਜੇ ਅਨਿਆਇ ਕੋ ਮਰਤਾ ॥
We should feel sad, if someone dies by injustice.

ਤਉ ਕੜੀਐ ਜੇ ਕਿਛੁ ਜਾਣੈ ਨਾਹੀ ॥
We should feel sad, if something were not known to the Lord.

ਕਿਆ ਕੜੀਐ ਜਾਂ ਭਰਪੂਰਿ ਸਮਾਹੀ ॥੨॥
But why should we feel sad? The Lord is totally permeating everywhere. ||2||

ਤਉ ਕੜੀਐ ਜੇ ਕਿਛੁ ਹੋਇ ਧਿਙਾਣੈ ॥
We should feel sad, if God were a tyrant.

ਤਉ ਕੜੀਐ ਜੇ ਭੂਲਿ ਰੰਞਾਣੈ ॥
We should feel sad, if He made us suffer by mistake.

ਗੁਰਿ ਕਹਿਆ ਜੋ ਹੋਇ ਸਭੁ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਤੇ ॥
The Guru says that whatever happens is all by God's Will.

ਤਬ ਕਾੜਾ ਛੋਡਿ ਅਚਿੰਤ ਹਮ ਸੋਤੇ ॥੩॥
So I have abandoned sadness, and I now sleep without anxiety. ||3||

ਪ੍ਰਭ ਤੂਹੈ ਠਾਕੁਰੁ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਤੇਰਾ ॥
O God, You alone are my Lord and Master; all belong to You.

ਜਿਉ ਭਾਵੈ ਤਿਉ ਕਰਹਿ ਨਿਬੇਰਾ ॥
According to Your Will, You pass judgment.

ਦੁਤੀਆ ਨਾਸਤਿ ਇਕੁ ਰਹਿਆ ਸਮਾਇ ॥
There is no other at all; the One Lord is permeating and pervading everywhere.

ਰਾਖਹੁ ਪੈਜ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਰਣਾਇ ॥੪॥੫॥੧੮॥
Please save Nanak's honor; I have come to Your Sanctuary. ||4||5||18||

as you can see, guru sahib uses the word ਕੜੀਐ, here, rather than bairag.  guru sahib says we should not feel sad (ਕੜੀਐ), because waheguru is always with us.  “i sleep without anxiety”.   bairag is knowing, accepting, god’s will as sweet.

ਗੋਂਡ ॥
Gond:

ਆਕਾਸਿ ਗਗਨੁ ਪਾਤਾਲਿ ਗਗਨੁ ਹੈ ਚਹੁ ਦਿਸਿ ਗਗਨੁ ਰਹਾਇਲੇ ॥
The Celestial Lord is in the Akaashic ethers of the skies, the Celestial Lord is in the nether regions of the underworld; in the four directions, the Celestial Lord is pervading.

ਆਨਦ ਮੂਲੁ ਸਦਾ ਪੁਰਖੋਤਮੁ ਘਟੁ ਬਿਨਸੈ ਗਗਨੁ ਨ ਜਾਇਲੇ ॥੧॥
The Supreme Lord God is forever the source of bliss. When the vessel of the body perishes, the Celestial Lord does not perish. ||1||

ਮੋਹਿ ਬੈਰਾਗੁ ਭਇਓ ॥
I have become sad,

ਇਹੁ ਜੀਉ ਆਇ ਕਹਾ ਗਇਓ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
wondering where the soul comes from, and where it goes. ||1||Pause||

ਪੰਚ ਤਤੁ ਮਿਲਿ ਕਾਇਆ ਕੀਨ੍ਹ੍ਹੀ ਤਤੁ ਕਹਾ ਤੇ ਕੀਨੁ ਰੇ ॥
The body is formed from the union of the five tattvas; but where were the five tattvas created?

ਕਰਮ ਬਧ ਤੁਮ ਜੀਉ ਕਹਤ ਹੌ ਕਰਮਹਿ ਕਿਨਿ ਜੀਉ ਦੀਨੁ ਰੇ ॥੨॥
You say that the soul is tied to its karma, but who gave karma to the body? ||2||

ਹਰਿ ਮਹਿ ਤਨੁ ਹੈ ਤਨ ਮਹਿ ਹਰਿ ਹੈ ਸਰਬ ਨਿਰੰਤਰਿ ਸੋਇ ਰੇ ॥
The body is contained in the Lord, and the Lord is contained in the body. He is permeating within all.

ਕਹਿ ਕਬੀਰ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮੁ ਨ ਛੋਡਉ ਸਹਜੇ ਹੋਇ ਸੁ ਹੋਇ ਰੇ ॥੩॥੩॥
Says Kabeer, I shall not renounce the Lord's Name. I shall accept whatever happens. ||3||3||

i hope that clears up any confusion, and i do appreciate the concern, but it’s unwarranted. :)