Satsang is a common household name and is generally attributed to that regular meeting of a group of elderly or women with a common intention of attaining inner happiness or peace through Bhajans or devotional songs. In Satsang, people realize that it is the Self, communing with Self.

The Sanskrit word ‘Satsang’ literally means gathering together for guidance, mutual support or in search of truth. It may involve talking together, eating together, working together, listening together or praying together.

Most scriptures describe Sat and asat. They discriminate that this world is Maya (asat) and consciousness is Divine. Furthermore, they state that maya is not yours; Divine is yours.

“Sang” means to join. Not just coming close, but to join. And how do you join? Only with love, which acts as a glue. So Satsang is “Sat” i.e. “divine”; “sang” i.e. loving association.

In Satsang, people talk freely without judgment of others, and self. In this way, each person is able to see many viewpoints, which may serve to diminish the rigidity of their own. The Universal Reality is the same, but different people can call it by different names (ekam sat viprah bahuda vadanti).

Satsang is one way of acquiring spiritual well-being. Many scientific studies have shown that when meditation or chanting is done in groups it has more benefits than when done individually. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi once said that if 1% of the population meditates or chants together, it will have a positive influence on the entire society.

Satsang also helps in creating a network of people with different unique talents. Satsangi groups are often considered in a very deep-rooted friendship.

Adi Shankaracharya in his book Bhaja Govindam also talks about Satsang in combination with Sewa and Simran and says that together the three can make one acquire spiritual well-being.

सत्सङ्गत्वे निस्सङ्गत्वं निस्सङ्गत्वे निर्मोहत्वम् ।निर्मोहत्वम् निर्मोहत्वे निश्चलतत्त्वं निश्चलतत्त्वे जीवन्मुक्तिः ॥ ९ (Bhaja Govindam)

sat- sangatve nis- sangatvam; nis- sangatve nirmohatvam

nirmohatve nischala tattwam; nischala tattve jeevanmuktih ॥

Meaning: From Satsang, company of good people, comes non-attachment, from non-attachment comes freedom from delusion, which leads to self-settledness and from self-settledness comes inner happiness.

Bhagavad Gita 15.5 also says “nirmana-moha jita-sanga-dosa (nir—without; mana—mind, mohah—attachment, jita—having conquered; sanga—association; dosah—faulty or bad company). It says that one should avoid bad company, which takes you away from the truth.

Group chanting shifts consciousness from sympathetic to the parasympathetic mode.

The medical educational programs of doctors of today can be called medical Satsangs as whatever is discussed is for the welfare of the society. However, terrorism meetings held to discuss implanting a blast cannot be called a Satsang.

Satsang also inculcates in us, one of the laws of Ganesha, the law of big ears, which teaches everyone to listen patiently to others.

In Satsang, nobody is small or big, everybody has a right to discuss or give his or her views. Over a period of time, most people who regularly attend Satsang, start working from the level of their spirit and not the ego.

Bhaga Govindam Verse 13 again emphasizes on the importance of company of good people.

का ते कान्ता धनगतचिन्ता वातुल किं तव नास्ति नियन्ता । त्रिजगति सज्जनसङ्गतिरेका भवति भवार्णवतरणे नौका ॥ 

kaa te kaantaa dhanagata chintaa; vaatula kim tava naasti niyantaa; trijagati sajjana sangatir- ekaa; bhavati bhava-arnava tarane naukaa ॥

Why worry about thoughts of wealth? Is there no one to guide you? There is only one thing in three worlds that can save you from the ocean of samsara, get into the boat of Satsanga, company of good people, surrendering our worries.

Dr KK Aggarwal

Padma Shri Awardee

President Elect Confederation of Medical Associations in Asia and Oceania (CMAAO)

Group Editor-in-Chief IJCP Publications

President Heart Care Foundation of India

Past National President IMA