Meaning and Value of Satsang

At the Dera in March 1983, Daryai Lal Kapur, asked Maharaj Charan Singh ji to talk about the Meaning and Value of Satsang.

Q. Maharaj ji, my understanding of the term ‘Satsang’ is where there are Two Satsangis or more gathered together at a proper place, reading some text bearing Santmat and trying to understand those texts, even though the Master may not be physically present there. It is assumed that the Master is there, not in person but in Spirit. Is that correct?

A. Yes, As you know, the real meaning of the word ‘Satsang’ is the company of Truth. Sat means everlasting truth, and sang means the company of the truth. So wherever we meet in the name of the Father, wherever the Lord is discussed, wherever we fill each other with his love and devotion, strengthen each others’ faith to worship him, I think that is Satsang, because naturally in our conversation, Our Master is there, the Lord is there. Without that, Satsang means nothing.

We always discuss the teachings, whether he is physically present or not. But naturally when he is being discussed, he is very much present. He is very much alive when we are discussing his teachings and the way he has told us to lead our life. Satsang increases our love and devotion for our Master, for the Father, and we become an example and give strength to each other in Satsang. So as long as the Father is there, the Lord and Master is there, that is Satsang.

Whether you read from the texts or just have conversations about him – that is Satsang. Naturally when there are too many people, you can’t personally discuss anything with anybody – that will just create confusion. So we read from some mystic and try to explain the teachings from that. If there are five, ten people, a few people, a reasonable group, even without any book, they can discuss the teachings, the Master, the Lord. They are creating faith in each other, love and devotion in each other for the father – that is also Satsang. It is not essential that a text be read. But naturally in a multitude, in a crowd, you have no other alternative. Either you can give a lecture on some subject of Santmat, or you can take some text to explain the teachings. It comes to the same thing.

Q. But is it essential that the physical presence of the Master be there?

A. No, it is not essential. As long as the Master is there in our Mind, and we are filled with love and devotion – our conviction is being strengthened – he is very much there. Because he is within every one of us. Christ says, wherever you meet in my name, I’ll be there. That is what he means. Even if the Master is sitting there, and we are not there – being there, we are not there -for us that is not Satsang. And even if the Master is not there physically but is very much there in our mind, he is there – that is Satsang for us. It depends upon us what mood we are in.