| Sikh Missionary
Society: Sikhism: Institutions:
Sangat
One of the significant aspect of Sikhism is its group
consciousness and its belief in the presence of the Guru in Sangat. Literally,
Sangat means assembly of people who work or assemble together for social,
moral or spiritual well being of the community. It is a company of like
minded saintly people which purifies and uplifts the devotees.
Bhai Gurdas writes in Var 13-Pauri 19 that where there
is one, he is called Sikh, where there are two, they are called Sadh Sangat
and where there are five, God manifests in them.
ieku is@K duie swD
sMgu pMjIN prmysru |
(vwr 13.19)
“It is a truthful congregation and companionship
where people love God and hold communion with Him.”
imlu swDsMgiq Bju kyvl nwm
|
(12)
Sat Sangat may be defined as an assembly of truthful
living persons where God Himself appears manifest. According to Guru Nanak
Dev Ji,
“The holy congregation is a meeting where nothing
but the Name of One God is uttered.”
sqsMgiq kYsI jwxIAY ]
ijQY eyko nwmu vKwxIAY ]
(72)
It is assembly of holymen in the presence of Sri Guru
Granth Sahib where nothing but the Name of One God alone is recited. It
is an assembly, where there are discourses of truthful people on
the name of God. It is the company of saintly people who have an
ennobling influence on the human mind. Whenever persons of truthful
living assemble, they constitute Sat Sangat. Remembering of Name in the
company of saints is given significant place in Sikhism.
Guru Nanak Dev laid foundation of saintly assemblies when
he visited different places to propagate Sikh philosophy.
Guru Nanak Dev says,
“Even if a man performs lakhs of deeds of wisdom
and lives in loving company of lakhs of people yet without
the company of saints there would be no satiation and without the Name
of God, there would be pain and suffering.”
lK isAwxp jy krI lK isau pRIiq
imlwpu ]
ibnu sMgiq swD n DRwpIAw ibnu
nwvY dUK sMqwpu ]
(20)
Just as the fire destroys the cold, similarly the company
of saints vanishes the sins.
Sat Sangat is considered most important in the
Sikh way of life. It is given special status among the Sikhs. Every Sikh
is expected to attend Sangat in the Gurdwara where all devotees sit together
on the carpeted floor irrespective of their social, political, economical
or religious position. This implies equality. They recite or listen to
the praises of God. They learn from each other and in good company they
shed off their amoral tendencies. It is strongly believed that the Guru
is physically present where there is an assembly of five holy persons.
Guru Ram Das says,
“Joining the society of saints, I inquire about
the track to God. In the saints congregation, the Lord God abides.”
imil sqsMgiq Koju dsweI ivic
sMgiq hir pRBu vsY jIau ]
(94)
The Sangat consists of minimum five Sikhs in whose lives
the Sikh religion is transfigured. It is said that where there is one Sikh,
there is one Sikh. Where there are two Sikhs, there is an assembly of saints.
Where there are five Sikhs, there is God.
Bhai Gurdas writes in Var 13-Pauri 19 that where there
is one, he is called Sikh, where there are two, they are called Sadh
Sangat and where there are five, God manifests in them.
ieku is@K duie swD
sMgu pMjIN prmysru |
(vwr 13.19)
Sangat is the training school where the devotees practice
discipline of the Guru and acquire virtuous qualities. ( Var Kanra M-4,
1316 ) In addition to the ripening of the spiritual thought, Sangat creates
social and organizational awareness also. Sangat helps in harmonizing the
people who live in disunity and have diversity of faith. It serves as a
link between common people and the Guru.
The decision of Sangat is considered to be as the decision
of the Guru. It is worth mentioning here that the assembly of perverse
or evil people is never a Sangat. Assembly of immoral or irreligious people
would lead a person to disaster and sinful life. (See Bhai Gurdas)
“Since I attended the company of saints, all
my illwill for others vanished. No one is my enemy nor any one is
stranger to me. Now every body is my friend.”
ibsir geI sB qwiq prweI ]
jb qy swDsMgiq moih pweI ]
rhwau ]
nw ko bYrI nhI ibgwnw sgl sMig
hm kau bin AweI ]
(1299 )
“O’ my friends, hear the glory of the company
of saints. The dirt is washed away, millions of sins are banished and the
soul becomes pure.”
mihmw swDU sMg kI sunhu myry
mIqw ]
mYlu KoeI koit AG hry inrml
Bey cIqw ] rhwau ]
(809)
Normally the congregation takes place at Gurdwara ( Sikh
Temple ) in the presence of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. The devotees sing hymns
from Guru Granth Sahib, recite Name of God and pray for universal
peace and prosperity. The singing of Gurbani is called Kirtan. By listening
and devotedly reciting the holy hymns one is inspired to put the precious
teachings of Bani into actual practice in life. In the company of
such saints, one realizes Truth. His sins are washed away and he wins the
grace of God ( 809 ).
Guru Nanak Dev started the concept of Sangat in Sikhism.
Wherever he went during his travels, he asked the people to establish Dharmsala
or a place of Sikh worship. He nominated devout Sikhs as Sangatias who
used to officiate in the Sangat in place of the Guru. This system was followed
by Manjis and Masands. The succeeding Gurus followed suit. Hari Ram Gupta
writes at page 424 of History of the Sikhs, “Guru Hargobind introduced
congregational prayers.” Mohsin Fani writes in his memoirs that when a
Sikh desired for something, he would request the Sangat to pray for him.
(Dabistan, Persian-239)
How
one can get company of Sangat ?
Guru Ram Das says,
“Without good fortune the guild of the righteous
is not found. Without such an association, one is soiled with the filth
of sins.”
ibnu Bwgw sqsMgu n lBY ibnu
sMgiq mYlu BrIjY jIau ]
(95)
Merits of good company
Man is known by the company he keeps. Man is the result
of environment. Company is a great force and it plays a big role in shaping
a person. Those who live in the company of thieves, robbers and evil
persons, acquire evil ways of life. Those who keep the company of saintly
persons are shaped in the saintly mold.
Guru Arjan Dev says,
“Very fortunate are they who get the society
of saints.”
swDsMgu ijn pwieAw syeI vfBwgy
]
(322)
Bhagat Kabir says,
“By the company one keeps, one gets due reward.”
jo jYsI sMgiq imlY so qYso
Plu Kwie ]
(1369)
There may be people who live near good and saintly persons
but they are so much over involved in their ego that they do not think
of becoming good people.
Bhagat Kabir says,
“Do not follow the example of Bamboo which is
drowned in its ego. Bamboo dwells near the Sandal tree but it does not
become fragrant like the Sandal.”
kbIr bWsu bfweI bUifAw ieau
mq fUbhu koie ]
cMdn kY inkty bsY bWsu sugMDu
n hoie ]
(1365)
Bhagat Kabir says,
“The Sandal tree is virtuous. It is surrounded
by Dhak and Plas trees. Those which dwell near the Sandal tree become themselves
Chandan (Sandal ) and they spread fragrance.”
kbIr cMdn kw ibrvw Blw byiV@E
Fwk plws ]
Eie BI cMdnu hoie rhy bsy ju
cMdn pwis ]
(1365)( Shalok Kabir )
Guru Arjan Dev says,
“O’ my revered Lord of mammon ! he who participates
in Sangat (Holy society) is saved.”
myry mwDau jI sqsMgiq imly
su qirAw ]
(10)
“The filth of ego of many births sticks to me
and it is by meeting with the saints society that this filth can be washed
off.”
jnm jnm kI haumY mlu lwgI imil
sMgiq mlu lih jwvYgo ]
(1309)
Guru Arjan Dev says,
“By meeting saints society, acute wisdom is attained.”
swDsMgiq imil buiD ibbyk ]
(377)
Effects of Bad Company
Guru Nanak Dev says,
“Thieves, adulterers, prostitutes and pimps keep
company together, just like the irreligious who eat and drink out of the
same bowl. They do not know the worth of God’s praises and Satan ever abides
in them.”
corw jwrw rMfIAw kutxIAw dIbwxu
] vydInw kI dosqI vydInw kw Kwxu ]
isPqI swr n jwxnI sdw vsY sYqwnu
]
(790)
“He who associates himself with the evil-doers,
is ruined. Being fed on poison, his life goes to waste.”
dustI sBw ivgucIAY ibKu vwqI
jIvx bwid ]
(1343)
“Bad company effects just as a thorny Ber-tree
near a banana tree. The one dangles about and the other is torn. Do not
live in the company of bad persons.”
kbIr mwrI mrau kusMg kI kyly
inkit ju byir ]
auh JUlY auh cIrIAY swkq sMgu
n hyir ]
(1369) ( Salok Kabir )
According to Bible,
“Quit mixing in company with anyone called a
brother that is a fornicator or a greedy person or an idolater or a reviler
or a drunkard or an extortioner, not even eating with such a man.......
‘Remove the wicked man from among yourselves’.”
(Cor:11-13;)
Sikhism lays emphasis on leaving the bad company, as it
ruins the mortal.
“In the company of saintly people, mind becomes
pure.”
Cwif mn hir ibmuKn ko sMgu
]
(1253)
Guru Arjan Dev says,
“All jealousies have vanished in the company
of the saints. All are my friends now, there being no enemy or stranger.”
Sagal Purkh mein Purkh Pardhan, Sadh sang jaka mitte
Abhiman.
Effects of Good
company
Bhagat Kabir says,
“Kabir, the divine discourse with the saints,
even for a Ghari, half a Ghari, or half of that even; whatever is done,
that is the net gain.”
kbIr eyk GVI AwDI GrI AwDI
hUM qy AwD ]
Bgqn syqI gosty jo kIny so
lwB ]
(1377)
According to Kabir,
“When the mind becomes pure like the water of
Ganges river, the Lord is attracted towards it and follow it.”
kbIr mnu inrmlu BieAw jYsw
gMgw nIru ]
pwCY lwgo hir iPrY khq kbIr
kbIr ]
(1367 )
In all the Gurdwaras, there is almost daily assembly where
people gather, meditate and sing hymns in praise of God. Their sins are
washed and they follow the path of truth.
Guru Arjan says,
“By continuing in the Society of saints, the
filth of mind is removed.”
mn kI ktIAY mYlu swDsMig vuiTAw
]
(520)
The Sikhs present a good example of selfless service and
sacrifice in all the Sikh Gurdwaras. They volunteer their time in
Community kitchen. They acquire humility, contentment, detachment from
the worldly illusions, temperance and true faith in God.
The Sikh Gurus laid great emphasis on attending the holy
assembly. The congregation influences the personality and character of
the devotees. Sat Sangat produces visual Divine harmony and internal bliss.
It helps in the attainment of Truth but it becomes available with the blessing
of God. The society of the truthful is not available without good fortune
and His Grace.
“Without the society of the saintly persons,
man lives in dirt.”
(Guru Ram Das- Majh )
Sandal tree has fragrance. It distributes its fragrance to
those who are near it, irrespective of their growth..The Simal tree becomes
fragrant in the neighborhood of the Sandal tree. A devotee who remains
in the company of holy persons and attends Sangat, relishes the fragrance
of Gurbani and Kirtan without knowing the change. Guru is present in the
company of the holy persons.
Guru is ever present in the holy congregations in
Gurdwaras and other private and public assemblies where Guru Granth Sahib
is present. Attending the Sadh Sangat is regarded as coming in to the presence
of the Guru. According to Bhai Gurdas, a Sikh who remains in the association
of the Guru is blessed and benefited.
“Awar kaaj tere kite nah kaam, mil sadh sang
bhaj kewal naam.”
Avir kwj qyrY ikqY n kwm ]
imlu swDsMgiq Bju kyvl nwm
]
(378)
Light which manifested in the ten Gurus continues to manifest
in the Sangat and the Khalsa.
The Society of the good or Sadh Sangat gives birth to
modesty, patience, tolerance, service, righteousness, simplicity, conscienceness,
truth, love, justice, friendliness, mercy and contentment. Bhai Gurdas
declared that the spiritual goal could be achieved through Sangat and Nam
simran.
For more reading,
-
Sri Guru Granth Sahib pages 271-72.
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