Sadhu is one who is on the path of seeking. The desire to move towards the eternal has arisen in the person, and the journey commenced. The road may be long, but the person is on the road. An example of this pursuit in the 19th century was inquisitive Mul for a pushkara period (twelve years) before he became Swami Dayananda Saraswati. A similar quest in the 20th century was by young Mukund before he became Swami (later Paramahansa) Yogananda.
Technically Sadhu is a seeker. Sant is the one who reached the destination. Pursuit completed and “lives the moment”. Sant is the truth and can help others move towards the truth. Here the spiritual path is not a physical journey. No clear distinguishable milestones exist. Physical journeys can only progress. If a journey of hundred miles began and one travelled twenty, then only eighty more exist. Inching forward progress is a recognizable fact. On the contrary one’s spiritual journey may be slippery. The condition of “yoga-bhrashta” is recognized among a few seekers. Here, Sants can effectively guide the process and help the seekers to be on the right path and move forward.
Sangat is the community that draws guidance from the Sant. The way “shared values” navigate the journey of implementation, binding the hard and soft aspects of the organizations, Sant anchors the Sangat. The community has to open-mindedly follow the guidance provided by the Sant, and live the values espoused by the Sant. Sangat looks for the “disha-nirdesha” (direction setting) including mid-way course correction. Sants are insightful persons who deeply appreciate the inner purpose and balance with external reality.
Another differentiating feature may be, while the sadhus accept from the community, sants always give. They give unconditionally. This giving may be in material or even metaphysical terms. The gifts that flow from the sant get manifested in physical form for the need fulfilment and also for urdhwa (upward) journey of the soul that is inside the seeker. Good fragrance, serenity, abundance, and timely monsoon, all announce the presence of Sant in the neighbourhood. The Sangat has to trust, and follow to experience. It is a “trust and leverage” situation. Good times shall then happen.
(Prof S Ainavolu is a teacher of tradition and management. He is with VPSM, Navi Mumbai. Views are personal. You can read more at https://www.ainavolu.in/blog)
(To receive our E-paper on WhatsApp daily, please click here. To receive it on Telegram, please click here. We permit sharing of the paper's PDF on WhatsApp and other social media platforms.)
