HOW IS THE SATSANGAT TO BE KNOWN?

ਸਤਸੰਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੀ ਜਾਣੀਐ ॥
ਜਿਥੈ ਏਕੋ ਨਾਮੁ ਵਖਾਣੀਐ ॥ ਏਕੋ ਨਾਮੁ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਹੈ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਦੀਆ ਬੁਝਾਇ ਜੀਉ ॥੫॥:
Satsangati kaisee jaaneeai. Jithai eko naamu vakhaaneeai.
Eko naamu hukamu hai Nanak satiguri deeaa bujhaai jeeou ||5|| (sggs 72).
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Satsangat => Union with Truth (ਸਚ - Sach), etc. The Gurbani says that this Truth (ਸਚ - Sach) is the "Khasamu" ("ਖਸਮੁ" - the Divine Husband or Master) of all of us. That is our Mool (Source, Jot, Hari, Raam, Gobind, Allah ...).
  • ਹਰਿ ਸਭਨਾ ਕਾ ਹੈ ਖਸਮੁ ਸੋ ਭਗਤ ਜਨ ਚਿਤਿ ਕਰਿ ॥: "Hari" (Mool) is the Master of all; "Bhagats" (Gurmukhs, Daas, Jan, etc., always) keep Him in their mind (sggs 849).
  • ਇਹੁ ਸਚੁ ਸਭਨਾ ਕਾ ਖਸਮੁ ਹੈ ਜਿਸੁ ਬਖਸੇ ਸੋ ਜਨੁ ਪਾਵਹੇ ॥: This Truth is the Master of all; blessed "Janu" (Gurmukh, Daas, Bhagat ...) obtains it (sggs 922).
Understandably, the Gurbani defines Satsangat as follows :
  • ਸਤਸੰਗਤਿ ਕੈਸੀ ਜਾਣੀਐ ॥ ਜਿਥੈ ਏਕੋ ਨਾਮੁ ਵਖਾਣੀਐ ॥ ਏਕੋ ਨਾਮੁ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਹੈ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਦੀਆ ਬੁਝਾਇ ਜੀਉ ॥੫॥: How is the Satsangat to be known? There, only Naam is expounded. O Nanak! The Satigur has given this understanding that One Naam is the Hukam. ||5|| (sggs 72).
Here we have an irrefutable definition of the Satsangat as provided by Baabaa Nanak. By using the term "Eko Naamu" ("ਏਕੋ ਨਾਮੁ") in the foregoing verse, Baabaa Nanak has eliminated any speculation and doubt. That is, only that Sangat, which meets this criteria of the Gurbani is to be known Satsangat, otherwise, it's not qualified to be known or called Satsangat!!
  • ਏਕੋ ਨਾਮੁ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਹੈ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਦੀਆ ਬੁਝਾਇ ਜੀਉ ॥੫॥: Eko Naamu Hukamu hai... (sggs 72).
  • ਅਵਰੋ ਨ ਜਾਣਹਿ ਸਬਦਿ ਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਏਕੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਵਹੇ ॥: Avaro n jaanahi sabadi gur kai... (sggs 923).
  • ਏਕੋ ਨਾਮੁ ਏਕੁ ਨਾਰਾਇਣੁ ਤ੍ਰਿਭਵਣ ਏਕਾ ਜੋਤੀ ॥੨॥: Eko Naamu eku Naraain... (sggs 992).
Whose mentality meet this criteria of Baabaa Nanak are also called the Gurmukhs (Bhagats, Daas, Jan ...) in the Gurbani.
  • ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਹੋਇ ਸੁ ਰਾਚੈ ਨਾਇ ॥: One who becomes Gurmukh is absorbed in the Name (sggs 1330).
  • ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਲਇਆ ਜੋਤੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਰਲੇ ॥: Gurmukhi Naamu laiaa Jotee Joti rale (sggs 362).
We can label the Gurmukhs whatever we want to (i.e., Saadh, Brahm-Giaanee, Daas, Bhagat, etc.), but the upshot is that a Gurmukh is a fully Truth or Mool-Realized being; thus completely absorbed in the Pure Consciousness of Naam, Shabad, Hukam... Clearly, any Sangat made of the nature of Manmukh, Saakat, or Mayadhaaree, etc., is not a Satsangat, but Kusangat ("ਕੁਸੰਗਤਿ", evil ...). This is the Gurbani's edict!!!!!
  • ਮਨਮੁਖ ਸੇਤੀ ਸੰਗੁ ਕਰੇ ਮੁਹਿ ਕਾਲਖ ਦਾਗੁ ਲਗਾਇ ॥: Whoever associates with Manmukhs (i.e., Kusang), will have his face blackened (stigma, ਬਦਨਾਮੀ, he will lose his Giaan and Bibek-Budhi...). (sggs 1417).
  • ਕਬੀਰ ਸਾਕਤ ਸੰਗੁ ਨ ਕੀਜੀਐ ਦੂਰਹਿ ਜਾਈਐ ਭਾਗਿ ॥: Kabeer saakat sangu na keejeeai... (sggs 1371).
  • ਮਾਇਆਧਾਰੀ ਛਤ੍ਰਪਤਿ ਤਿਨ੍ਹ੍ਹ ਛੋਡਉ ਤਿਆਗਿ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥: Mayadhaaree... (sggs 811).
  • ਕੁਸੰਗਤਿ ਬਹਹਿ ਸਦਾ ਦੁਖੁ ਪਾਵਹਿ ਦੁਖੋ ਦੁਖੁ ਕਮਾਇਆ ॥੧੧॥: Kusangati bahahi sadaa dukh... (sggs 1068).
In every Ardaas in Gurdwaras, we always say: "ਸੇਈ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਮੇਲ, ਜਿਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਮਿਲਿਆਂ ਤੇਰਾ ਨਾਮ ਚਿਤ ਆਵੈ" - Kindly cause to meet only those by meeting whom Your Naam gets inseminated in the mind!

— T. Singh
www.gurbani.org