Pt. Dr. Umesh Persad, Spiritual Leader, Gyaan Deepak Kirtan Mandali
Adi Shankara, 6th century philosopher and exponent of Advaita Vedanta, taught: “From satsang, the association of good people, comes non-attachment; from non-attachment comes freedom from delusion; freedom from delusion leads to self-settledness; from self-settledness comes jeevan mukti, liberation.”
In another verse, he asks, “O madmen, why are you so engrossed in thoughts of wealth and relationships? Is there no one to guide you? There is only one thing in the three worlds that can save you from this ocean of samsaara (the world). Get into the boat of satsang, the association of good people. There is no time to waste.”
This advice is the starting point to liberation. ‘Sat’ means ‘true’ and ‘sanga’ is ‘an association’ or ‘group of people’. ‘Satsang’ means getting together with people that know the truth, where the truth of reality is discussed and where one can be lifted up to experience that truth.
The Ramaayan states that one of the first steps in devotion and spirituality is satsang. The second is a fondness for listening to scriptures and the third is selfless service to the feet of the true Guru. It is important to have a close association with the holy ones as this is necessary for developing vivek: discernment and good judgment. It is a right vision and a deep understanding of what the world is about, and most importantly, what am I about? Satsang is the starting point for discovering these answers. True association begins with the mind. What the mind is exposed to, it will latch on and replay in the mind until that is what we become. Good association leads one to understand the truth. If one cannot attend satsang, then reading scriptures can also be a guide, a guru.
Satsang leads to non-attachment, which is very difficult to achieve. Non-attachment means that mentally we are not stuck to anything in this world because we understand it at a deep level. We are not the doer and the world is beyond our control. At this point we are able to enjoy the world yet understand that everything in the physical realm is limited and temporary. It cannot bring permanent peace and happiness.
When we are attached to the things of the world, our desires also increase. Then, there can be only two results: our wishes are fulfilled or not. When we get what we want, it might build up our ego or make us proud; and when we do not get what we want we might be angry or depressed. There is nothing else that happens to us in life other than getting our desires fulfilled or not. Adi Shankara says this deep sense of non-attachment comes from satsang and it leads to self-settledness. Once we go deep inside and are settled in the Self, it leads to liberation from the world of pain and suffering.
There are three basics that we all need to move forward spiritually. The first, satsang, or good and holy association is external to ourselves. The second is reading the scriptures and the third is the mind, intellect, which is the inner guru. Even if our intellects are not very enlightened and we may not have the right vision, by performing satsang through association with the guru and the scriptures, the internal guru begins to develop.
The guru is the awakener. He removes the darkness that covers the intellect. In simple terms, the guru is the one who has the experience and the knowledge. Scriptures document the experiences of other people. It is only when we begin to have our own spiritual experiences that can we truly identify with the scriptures. The scriptures help us to understand our own experiences. We must read our scriptures daily to maintain the right vision. We need to purify the mind by bringing the intellect under control. Then, we can rely more on our inner guru. When the intellect is developed, then we begin to understand what the sages and scriptures have said.
As an analogy, there is a mantra that the Shaivites recite before meals. Brahmarpanam, Brahm havir, Brahmagnau, Brahmanaa hutam; Brahmaiva tena gantavyam, Brahma karma samaadhina. When we perform havan, there is the devotee, the ghee offering in the spoon, and the fire. Brahm is that act of offering; Brahm is the offering itself; Brahm is the person who offers; the fire itself is Brahm. That person alone attains Brahm who in all of his actions is fully absorbed in Brahm.
Until we have the right vision and constant awareness of something bigger than ourselves, the Witness of everything, the Supreme Self, Consciousness or God, then we are operating in a very limited way. Whether we follow the paths of bhakti (devotion) or gyaan (wisdom), the end result is the same. This is the ideal for which we strive. At a lower level, we think that we are making an offering to God. At the highest level, it is all One, when we realise the unity of everything.
We pray to Ganesh, the Lord of all categories; the basis of all things is Brahm. Durga means ‘unattainable’; Brahm is the Supreme Self. Shiva is pure and auspicious. ‘Shi’ means ‘stillness’ and ‘va’ means ‘motion’: There are two sides to the Supreme, the basis of everything that always exists and the world in action. Vishnu is He who is everywhere; Rama is that which shines within us; Hanuman is He who is beyond thought; Krishna means ‘dark’, that which cannot be seen; all Brahm. At the highest level, there is no difference between any of these forms and names.
To conclude, the true Guru is the one who can guide us on the spiritual path so that we can have the spiritual experience of the unity of everything. That is the state of jeevan mukti. The guru gives us a taste of the spiritual experience and motivates us to work towards gaining the experience of Brahm.
Excerpt from a Sunday morning service at Gyaan Deepak Kirtan Mandali
Vishal Maharaj
Beautiful