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SriRangaSri List Archive: Message 00061 Dec 2003

 
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Dear friends,

The statement that 'satsangh' enables and nourishes
Bhakti (and that there truly is "salvation in
numbers") is not mere theological speculation. It has
been clearly and amply vouched for in the philosophy
of Vedanta. 

Authoritative confirmation of the efficacy of
'satsangh' is available in no less a scriptural source
as that fountainhead of all Vedantic truth -- the
'Srimadh Bhagavath-Gita'. In two splendid verses the
Almighty, Lord Krishna himself underscored the
pre-eminence of 'satsangh' as a form of worship:

      "macchitthA matgatha-prANA 
        bOdha-yanta: parasparam     I
      kathayantascha mAm nityam 
        tUshyanti cha ramanti cha"  II
                                 
      "tEshAm satata yUktAnAm
         bhajatAm preeti-pUrvakam    I
       dadAmi buddhi-yOgam tam 
        yEna mAmupayAnti tE          II
                             
                             (B.Gita: X.9 & 10)

"They (i.e. the members of the 'satsangh')", said
Krishna, "they inspire one another ("bOdha-yanta:
parasparam") by constantly exchanging and sharing with
each other their thoughts and feelings ("macchitthA
matgatha-prANA") about Me and My attributes which they
themselves are ever experiencing. By narrating to each
other about my divine deeds born of my adorable nature
("kathayantascha mAm nityam"), they live in
contentment at all times. The speakers are delighted
by their own speech, because it is so spontaneous! And
the listeners too feel their speech to be of
unsurpassed beauty! They live thus in bliss!
("tUshyanti cha ramanti cha")"

"To such an assembly of my beloved devotees, I
lovingly grant ("preeti-pUrvakam") that rare but
supreme mental disposition ("buddhi-yOgam") by which
they come to Me" ("dadAmi buddhi-yOgam tam yEna
mAmupayAnti tE").

The essence of 'satsangh', as the Gita reveals to us,
is "bOdha-yanta: parasparam" --- the unique spirit of
collaboration that rules amongst 'bhaktA-s'.  

             ***********
 
The word "parasparam" may be variously translated as
"mutuality", "inter-dependence", "symbiosis" etc.
Quite simply, it means sharing things with one another
in a spirit of empathy? with an all-abiding attitude
in daily life of "all-for-each, each-for-all".
"Parasparam" is really power of spiritual synergy at
work. 

The other word "bOdha-yantah" is ordinarily translated
as "enlightenment", "spiritual illumination" or
"awakening consciousness".

Thus, in the best possible translation into Sanskrit,
the term "bOdha-yanta: parasparam" would roughly mean
"collective enlightenment through mutual
collaboration".

Worship of God through means other than 'satsangh' is
often a severely solitary experience. The seeker of
God engaged in purely meditative exercises of Bhakti
(such as "dhyAna", "manana" or "japa") is absolutely
alone in his state of immersion. None else can
recognize, let alone partake of his inner ecstasy or
illumination; nor is the person really keen to share
such experience with anyone else. 

Worship through 'satsangh', in stark contrast, spreads
the benevolence of Bhakti with the force of a
contagion. The enlightenment it bestows on devotees is
infectious and transparent. Even they who lack
meditative capacity nevertheless get to experience God
through sheer collaborative inspiration. The reason
why Bhakti through 'satsangh' is naturally filled with
so much wholesome contentment ("tUshyanti cha ramanti
cha") is precisely because of this all-important
element of 'collectivity'. And the Gita calls it:
"bOdhayanta: parasparam". 

                 **********
              (to be continued)

Regards,

dAsan,
Sudarshan






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