Why do liars and cheats seem to win in life?

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“Greed and sin are the king and prime minister; falsehood is the treasurer.” (Guru Nanak, Ang 468) “Countless liars, wandering lost in their lies.” (Guru Nanak, Ang 4) “But even as they look on, Maya cheats them, and they come to regret and repent.” (Guru Nanak, Ang 1245) “Falsehood will come to an end, O Nanak, and Truth will prevail in the end. ||2||” (Guru Nanak, Ang 953) “You have beaten off and destroyed the cheats that cheat the world.” (Guru Arjan, Ang 1097) These lines distinguish apparent worldly success from lasting victory. Guru Nanak in Raag Aasaa on Ang 468 depicts a social order in which greed, sin, and falsehood hold positions of power, directly acknowledging why dishonesty can seem to prosper. In Jap on Ang 4, however, liars are described as wandering lost within their own lies: outward gain does not mean inward freedom or direction. Guru Nanak in Raag Saarang on Ang 1245 adds that Maya eventually cheats those who seem successful, leaving regret, while in Raag Raamkalee on Ang 953 he states that falsehood is finite and Truth endures. Guru Arjan in Raag Maaroo on Ang 1097 presents a further angle: those who cheat the world are ultimately overcome. None of these selected lines is marked Rahao. Together, they do not deny that cheats may temporarily acquire power or advantage; they reframe 'winning' by its spiritual and lasting outcome rather than by immediate appearances.

Why do liars and cheats seem to win in life?

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