'Sat’ means truth and ‘sang’ means association. Satsang is association with truth. It can be association with a Guru or a Monk who is self realized and knows the Supreme Truth. It can also mean association with those who know the truth of life and are on the divine path.
Satsang is a gathering of people who are spiritually inclined and interested in self development and cultivation of love for God. Followers of all religions in the world, congregate to listen to a priest or teacher or a wise elder or guru speaking about God and the Universe. There are many wise people with a predominant satwa quality – or goodness in them and such people ponder on the meaning of life and God and how to attain him. They refer to the experiences of the seekers of past, given in Holy Scriptures and they also go by their personal inner experiences. They speak and guide others in matters regarding the way of life and Godhead. There are spiritual activities like Naama Smaran or chanting the name of God, singing of bhajans or songs of devotion to God, question and answer sessions and meditation.
In a satsang, the thoughts of the people are not impure due to their love for God. When we are in satsang, by association, our thoughts are also purified. By regularly attending satsang, we can uplift ourselves and get inspiration for self transformation and change which are essential in the divine path. When the satsang is conducted properly, it generates powerful thoughts and vibrations which cleanse, purify and uplift us. The place of satsang is also purified and by merely sitting in silence in such a place we get peace of mind.
When we have satsang with the sadhus, saints and gurus, the effects of such satsang are life changing. The powerful radiation of love and compassion which pour out from the eyes of such great ones bring an immediate change in our karma and we are transformed. Regular satsang keeps us steady on the divine path and it protects and nurtures our bhakti till our bhakti is Himalayan and can face any storms or hailstones without any damage.
We all have in us the satwa, the rajas and the tamas – the purity, the activity and inertia in varying proportions. The balance of the three gunas or qualities in us depends on our nature, food, other habits and the company we keep. When there is increase in satwa or purity in us, our love for mankind and God increases and we have good thoughts and perform actions which elevate us and mankind. When the rajas in us increases, we are fully involved in actions of earning money and protecting our property, name and fame. Our ego operates in full force and we do not have much time or concern for others. When tamas increases in us, the qualities of laziness and insensitivity in us increases and we speak and perform actions which degrade us and others around us. Tamas leads to our downfall. Those with predominant rajas or tamas cannot walk the divine path. When we are in regular satsang, the vibrations around us will increase the satwa or purity in us and gradually the satwa will dominate. We will become more reflective and intuitive. Our mind will be at rest and our ego will not dominate us. We will be drawn more and more into love of God. There will be a cleansing of all the negativity within us and purification. Over a period of time we transform into beings with divine centered thinking.
We must have regular satsang. We can do our japa and dhyana with likeminded friend and disciples, several times a month and have discussions of God and Guru. Readings can be done from holy texts and discussed. In today’s hurried world, satsang may not be possible for all on regular basis. We can have satsang by reading about lives of saints, gurus and the holy texts. These will give us inspiration and elevate our thinking and being. We must avoid the company of those who do not have strong bhakti, and whose way of life and thinking are very different from us. Then it is possible to sustain our bhakti and grow in the divine path.
