Light and Sound on The Path (Sant Mat): Communion With God, and the Positive Influence of Satsang — Excerpted from a Spiritual Discourse by Baba Somanath, Also Podcast Update
New Sant Mat Satsang Podcasts uploaded to the Podcast World:
* Kabir's Spiritual, Mystical Teachings and the Book of Prayers;
* Inner Sound Meditation Practice - Introduction To Surat Shabd Yoga;
* A Relaxing Oasis of Spiritual Wisdom, A Sanctuary For the Soul We Call 'Satsang';
* The Radhaswami Teachings of Baba Faqir Chand: Spirituality and Meditation;
* Inner Sound Meditation is A Required Course, Not An Elective One, in Sant Mat;
* Only the LIVING PRESENT is Ours - The Teachings of Sant Kirpal Singh;
* A Radhasoami Spiritual Classic by Shiv Brat Lal: Light on Ananda Yoga;
* Santmat Mystic Poetry of Maharshi Mehi Paramhans;
* Astronomy and Spirituality Have Much in Common;
* The Philosophy of Liberation! Spiritual Freedom!
* An Introduction to The Spiritual Path of the Masters;
* Near Death Experiences, Other Dimensions, Other Worlds, Inner Light And Sound Meditation;
* India's Gnostic Gospel: Kabir's Ocean of Love (Anurag Sagar);
* Making the Case For Following A Living Spiritual Teacher;
@ The Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcast Website (with links to Apple, Spotify, Google, Radio Public, Amazon, PodBean, YouTube, etc...):
https://SpiritualAwakeningRadio.libsyn.com/website
@ Google Podcasts:
https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5saWJzeW4uY29tLzIwNzIzNi9yc3M/episode/NjM1YmNlYzMtMTJiZC00MzBjLWI5ODUtZmMyNmI4YWRlNmIy?sa=X&ved=0CBoQz4EHahcKEwjwnaOrhOX5AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAQ
Was very impressed upon finding the teachings of Baba Somanath on a website that appeared a couple years back, giving us access here in the West to the treasure of Baba Somanath material in English for the very first time. He was a great disciple and spiritual successor of Hazur Baba Sawan Singh, put in charge of a ashram center in southern India, and the hymns he composed and sang are out of this world, very moving.
Guru Ramdas: "Wherever you worship the Lord, there He becomes your friend and helper.
By Guru’s Grace, the Lord comes to dwell in your mind; He cannot be obtained in any other way."
Guru Ramdas: "The Lord will be your friend in this world and the next."
Baba Somanath: Collect the wealth of Simran and Naam in your heart; then whether you are walking or moving about, whether you are awake or asleep, the Lord is ever ready to come to your aid. That conscious Power will be your protector. This is the wealth of the Lord. And no matter how much wealth the Lord bestows, it never decreases; it always goes on increasing. The thieves cannot take it away; fire cannot burn it up; water cannot drown it. That wealth is not affected by any of these things. Whoever collects this wealth is the most fortunate being. The Lord showers His grace and unites the devotee’s heart with the Naam.
Guru Ramdas: "In the company of Truth, earn the wealth of the Lord."
Baba Somanath: Therefore, He says, “In order to collect the wealth of the Lord, join the congregation of Satsang.” There is such Power in the company of Truth, that if you spend one moment in the Satsang, if one sentence from the Satsang takes root in your heart, then your wanderings in the cycle of birth and death will come to an end. Guru Ramdas:
सत्संग उत्थे जाणिये, जित्थे एको नाम बखाणिये
"Understand that place as Satsang, where the One Naam is spoken of."
Satsang is the place where the glory of the One Naam is described. The letters akār, “A,” ukār, “U,” and makār, “M,” make up the sacred syllable of “AUM” or Onkar. But the One Naam lies beyond Onkar. Satsang is the place where the praise of that One Naam is sung. In the Satsang, we learn how to discern Truth from untruth in our heart. Until we come into the Satsang, what can we achieve? We will lack the right understanding. Therefore, Tulsi Das Ji tells us:
सत्संग समन तीरथ नहीं कोई । राम कृपा बिनु सुलभ न सोई ।।
"There is no place of pilgrimage equal to the Satsang,
But understanding comes only through the Lord’s grace."
Baba Somanath: No place of pilgrimage is equal to the Satsang. Only the Satsang can remove the dirt of the mind. When the mind is cleansed of all impurities, it ceases to wander. And when the mind becomes motionless, then that inner Power pulls it upward automatically. Therefore, He tells us that it is difficult to understand the Satsang without the Guru’s grace. The Guru gives the discourse for a couple of hours, and you come and listen. But what do you gain from the Satsang? After the Satsang, you get up and brush away the words of the Satsang when you dust off your clothes. You don’t take anything with you when you leave, and you return home empty-handed.
You should think this over carefully. When you attend the Satsang, you should leave the thoughts of your home behind. You should lose all awareness of your body and mind; they should become quiet and still. But now when you are listening to the Satsang, your mind is already waiting at the bus stand. You remember your home and think, “I need to reach home quickly. The time is up. Satsang should be over by now.” In this way, you remain unchanged; you return home the same as when you left.
Only a few rare ones keep the words of the Satsang in their hearts. Even when they catch the bus for home, their minds do not take on the world’s color. Only a few rare ones remain engaged in the Simran of Naam and go on singing the Lord’s praise. Everyone else attends Satsang with their minds full of the worldly things, and when Satsang is over, they have nothing to show for the time they spent there.
