The Greatness of Satsang
The joy and comforts of heaven and paradise… If you measure them, if you keep all the pleasures and comforts of heaven on one side of the weighing scale and on the other side you put the happiness and bliss you attain from spiritual discourse (Satsang), then the side which holds the pleasures of heaven and paradise will turn out to be lighter and the happiness that we achieve from listening to spiritual discourses (Satsang), contentment we get from Sant Darshan ( beholding a holy seeker) and the satisfaction we experience from their blessings is going to be heavier. This is the greatness and significance of Satsang as per the holy seekers and saints. Many saints have spoken about the significance of Satsang that there is no bigger gain in our lives than Satsang and nothing gives us more happiness than this. It gives us joy that is difficult to obtain and rare and is only attainable with the blessings from God. The luck starts favoring the people who listen to Satsang and they start overcoming the obstacles in life.
This has been expressed in many compositions and spiritual discourses by saints over time.
“Satsangatih Mudah Mangala Mullah” means that the Satsang is the root cause of all happiness, bliss, welfare luck, and fortune.
“Bhakti Svatantra sakal gunakhani, binu satsang nah pavahi prani”. This is a shloka from Ramcharit manas
“Satsangat madh mangala mullah, soi falah siddhi sab sadhana fullah”
See! In a tree, one part is the root and its end product is the fruits. The tree has roots that hold it steady and the end product, the concluding product is fruits. The roots are underneath the ground and the flowers and fruits are above the ground hanging on the stem and branches. But the Satsang is the root as well as the fruit of our being.
All the other parts of the tree, be it the leaves or the flowers… all these other parts of the tree namely leave, flowers, stems, and branches work as a medium to form the final product, the fruit. The essence/abstract of the tree is the fruit. But Satsang is the root as well as the fruit. This analogy means that those beings who have attained the Satsang’s fruit have also achieved its roots and everything that is in between.
Satsang is the ultimate cure for worldly pains and anguish. As I said in the morning today, Satsang is like a moving Prayagraj (Holy pilgrimage). The one in Allahabad happens once in twelve years, but Satsang is all-pervading. Today is the Mauni Amavasya, and on this auspicious day, to get an opportunity to listen to such a Satsang can result in achieving a virtuous and righteous life with the blessings of God.