53. Uniform Nature of the Teachings of Saints

DISCOURSES ON

RADHASOAMI FAITH

BY

MAHARAJ SAHAB

Pandit Brahm Sankar Misra, M.A.

53. UNIFORM NATURE OF THE TEACHINGS OF SAINTS

            84. The precepts and sayings of all these adepts and Saints are in unison in respect of the methods prescribed for spiritual training, which, briefly speaking, emphasize the importance and need of Satnam, Satguru, and Satsang. Satnam means True Name, and it implies that the true or spiritual name should be heard or articulated within. Satguru means True Guide, i.e. an adept who has access to the true and purely spiritual region and who can lead a disciple to that region. Guru Nanak defines such a true guide in the following couplet :-

?kj esa ?kj fn[kyk; ns lks lrxq# iq#"k lqtkuA

iap 'kCn /kqudkj /kqu rga ckts 'kCn fu'kkuAA

            The English version of this couplet is as under :-

            He who showeth mansions within mansions is the all-knowing true guide. The reverberations of five different sounds are resounding as the distinctive features of their five respective spheres.

            85. Satsang means true company or association. As Satguru is the living manifestation of pure spirituality, which alone is true or real I consequence of its everlasting nature, his personal company is external Satsang. Internal Satsang is the company of the spiritual current within, which consists in listening to spiritual sounds or in articulating internally spiritual names. As a true guide has access to the spiritual planes of his disciples, his manifestation there, either unsolicited, or in consequence of earnest and affectionate contemplation of his form, or remembrance of his gracious acts, is also internal Satsang.