What is “Sangat?”
“Sangat,” or “Sadh Sangat,” is the congregation of the “holy company,” or those who gather with spirituality to praise God and Guru.
Sikhs believe that since the time of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first Sikh Guru, the Sadh Sangat has been vested with a sacred power. It is a synergistic power, and it is the power upon which the Sikh faith is based. It recognizes that the power of the sangat is more than the sum of its parts. Working as a unit, the sangat can organize to provide for itself as a unit. It enables the Sikhs to create institutions such as Guru Ka Langar. Using the organization of sangat to take care of people’s essential needs, the community can further combine their energy for work and praise. In Sangat, or sacred community, a force is born that nourishes itself.
By the grace of Guru Nanak and all of the Sikh Gurus, there is a great and similar spiritual force in the body of the Sadh Sangat. Sitting in the Sangat, Sikhs have an opportunity to observe and become infused with the devotion of others and inspired by the seva of the community.
The Sangat provides an opportunity which is very inspiring and motivating when realized.
In the company of the saints we expand ourselves beyond our individual consciousness, and we merge ourselves through group consciousness with universal consciousness.
In this way Sikhs cleanse the mind, purify the ego, and realize our freedom in a Divine existence on this earth. Beyond the confines of our limited selves, we expand to the Infinity of our spiritual being through the Guru’s Grace.
What is “Pangat?”
“Pangat” refers to everyone sitting side by side on the ground at the same level in ‘langar lines’ and being served equally a meal prepared of pure vegetarian food with love and devotion that is served freely to all, regardless of caste or station.
Guru Amar Das, the third Sikh Guru, said, “Pehla pangat paachhai sangat” which means “First eat together, then meet together.”
Guru Amar Das created the custom of eating meals by sitting equally together in langar lines, before he would grant an audience in the Guru’s court. Even King Akbar was made to sit in the langar lines and eat among all before he was permitted to meet with the Guru.
Guru Amar Das Ji taught his Sikhs that sitting in langar signifies that the truest hunger is that of the spirit to unite with the Divine. This hunger can only be satisfied by the Grace of God. By making his Sikhs sit side by side, the Guru taught that all in God’s creation are equal in the eyes of God and that “If we can’t see God in all, we can’t see God at all.” In langar, all are united before God, and all are equally entitled to God’s gifts.
~Resource: Living Reality (1994) by Bibiji Inderjit Kaur Khalsa.
