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Satnampanth, also called Satnami Samaj, Satnami movement, or Sadhanpanth, is the Satnami sect founded by Ghasidas in 1820. It is one of several Indian sects called ''Satnami'', the earliest being one founded by Bir Bhan of the Narnaul district in 1657. His guru was Udhodas, the pupil of Saint Ravidas. A ''Haryana Review'' periodical issue regarding the Satnamis of the age of Bir Bhan, "''A Satnami had three attributes: he put on the garb of a devotee , earned money through fair means and did not bear any type of injustice or atrocity.''" Jagjivan Das is the second most important Satnami. Due to his spiritual fame, he was met by Emperor Akbar. Swami Dayal lists Jagjivan Sahab as his predecessor and writes: :If in your mind you do not believe what I say, then consult the sayings of
Kabir Kabir ( 15th century) was a well-known Indian devotional mystic poet and sant. His writings influenced Hinduism's Bhakti movement, and his verses are found in Sikhism's scripture Guru Granth Sahib, the Satguru Granth Sahib of Saint Gar ...
and
Guru Nanak Gurū Nānak (15 April 1469 – 22 September 1539; Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ ਨਾਨਕ; pronunciation: , ), also known as ('Father Nanak'), was an Indian spiritual teacher, mystic and poet, who is regarded as the founder of Sikhism and is t ...
. Tulsi's persuasion is just the same, and so is that of Paltu and Jagjivan. These saints I take as my authority, and I witness to what they teach. The sect has an official foundation date, which is April 21, 1657. This sect is named after its Lord, Satnam. Historically, chroniclers have also wrote of them as ''mundiah'' (because followers often shaved their heads) and '' bairagi''.


Satnami Revolt 1672

The Satnami revolt occurred in the reign of the Moghul Emperor
Aurangzeb Alamgir I (Muhi al-Din Muhammad; 3 November 1618 – 3 March 1707), commonly known by the title Aurangzeb, also called Aurangzeb the Conqueror, was the sixth Mughal emperors, Mughal emperor, reigning from 1658 until his death in 1707, becomi ...
. Many Hindus resented Aurangzeb’s strict Islamic policies-which included reviving the hated Islamic
Jizya Jizya (), or jizyah, is a type of taxation levied on non-Muslim subjects of a state governed by Sharia, Islamic law. The Quran and hadiths mention jizya without specifying its rate or amount,Sabet, Amr (2006), ''The American Journal of Islamic Soc ...
tax (poll tax on non-Muslim subjects), banning music and art, and destroying
Hindu temples A Hindu temple, also known as Mandir, Devasthanam, Pura, or Kovil, is a sacred place where Hindus worship and show their devotion to deities through worship, sacrifice, and prayers. It is considered the house of the god to whom it is dedica ...
. The revolt began in 1672 when a Mughal soldier killed a Satnami. Other Satnamis took revenge on the Moghul soldier, and in turn the Moghul soldiers went about repressing the Satnamis. The result was that about 5,000 Satnamis were up in arms. They routed the Moghul troops situated in the town, drove away the Moghul administrators and set up their own administration in its place. The uprising gained the enthusiasm of Hindus in
Agra Agra ( ) is a city on the banks of the Yamuna river in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, about south-east of the national capital Delhi and 330 km west of the state capital Lucknow. With a population of roughly 1.6 million, Agra is the ...
and
Ajmer Ajmer () is a city in the north-western States and union territories of India, Indian state of Rajasthan. It serves as the administrative headquarters of the Ajmer district and Ajmer division. It lies at the centre of Rajasthan, earning it the ...
also. Though totally lacking in weaponry and money, the Satnamis inflicted several defeats on the Moghul forces. The contemporary Moghul chronicler, Saqi Mustaid Khan, expressed amazement as to what came over this “destitute gang of goldsmiths, carpenters, sweepers and tanners and other… artisan castes that their conceited brains became so overclouded? Rebellious pride having found a place in their brains, their heads became too heavy for their shoulders.” This also shows the thinking of Muslim intelligentsia who regard them as untouchables. Amusingly, in contrast, Hindus have greatly respected the Satnamis throughout for their beliefs like prohibition of intoxicants and meat. The resentment of the Satnamis against the Moghul persecution meant that they even enacted revenge by destroying mosques in the area. It was only with great difficulty that any Muslim soldiers could be brought to face the Satnamis, such was the wrath of the Satnamis at the time. It was only when Aurungzeb himself took personal command and sent 10,000 troops with artillery that the Satnamis fell. They put up a brave defense. According to Saqi Mustaid Khan they believed that they were re-enacting scenes from the Mahabharata war. 2,000 Satnamis were slain on the battlefield and many more were slain in pursuit. What followed was an attempt to slay every remaining member of the Satnamis, and destroy all their homes. The remnants of the Satnamis fled in all directions and for a long time were totally disorganized and leaderless.


Revival and Promulgation

The sect was revived decades around 1714, when a community calling itself ''Satnami Sadh'' sprung up in Panchal Nagar (Farrukhabad), U.P. fourth, Guru Arjan">fifth and Guru Tegh Bahadur">ninth In music, a ninth is a compound interval consisting of an octave plus a second. Like the second, the interval of a ninth is classified as a dissonance in common practice tonality. Since a ninth is an octave larger than a second, its ...
Sikh gurus addressed "Saints" of History of Sikhism, Sikh history as ''Sadh.'' For example, in the stanza of the Var of Sorath, the sadh, sant, bhagat, Gurmukh, and Gursikh are mentioned together.] The second revival was again decades later by Jagjivan Das, a Chandel Thakur, whose guru was Maharaja Vishveshwara Puri. His own chief disciples were Dulanadasa, Gosaindasa, Devidasa and Khemadasa. The third revival was by Ghasidas in the 1820s at present-day
Chhattisgarh Chhattisgarh (; ) is a landlocked States and union territories of India, state in Central India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, ninth largest state by area, and with a population of roughly 30 million, the List ...
picked up and founded his own offshoot-Satnami sect. His teachings were saved in the ''Nirvan Gyan'' scripture, which he wrote.


Etymology and Usage

The term ''Satnam,'' was first used by
Vaishnava Vaishnavism () ), also called Vishnuism, is one of the major Hindu traditions, that considers Vishnu as the sole supreme being leading all other Hindu deities, that is, '' Mahavishnu''. It is one of the major Hindu denominations along wit ...
Saint
Ramanuja Ramanuja ('; Middle Tamil: Rāmāṉujam; Classical Sanskrit: Rāmānuja; 1077 – 1157), also known as Ramanujacharya, was an Indian Hindu philosopher, guru and social reformer. He is one of the most important exponents of the Sri Vaishnavi ...
in his ''Satanaama Stotra''. It was later used by Vaishnava Saint Kabir. Kabir said: :Serve the sadhus, repeat Sat Nam and remain in the company of the guru. Another verse of his was: :This is the Satguru's message: Sat Nam is the real essence of His being , it is the bearer of the tidings of your liberation. Satnam is used as a name for males and females, usually Sikhs, though. Satyanam is used as a title, like for companies, such as Satyanam Info Solutio

and Satyanam Satya Guru B.Ed Colleg

''Satnam'' is chanted in yoga.


Worship

In venerating Satnam, Satnamis chant ''Satnam'' three times. Apart from Satnam, worship is also offered to Ramachandra and
Hanuman Hanuman (; , ), also known as Maruti, Bajrangabali, and Anjaneya, is a deity in Hinduism, revered as a divine ''vanara'', and a devoted companion of the deity Rama. Central to the ''Ramayana'', Hanuman is celebrated for his unwavering devotio ...
hom Satnamis refer to as Mahabir.In fact, incense is burnt to Hanuman. Satnamis celebrate Dussehra and many also take a pilgrimage to Bhandar for the festivity.P. 129 ''Organizational and Institutional Aspects of Indian Religious Movements'' By Joseph T. O'Connell


Commandments

The practices of Satnamis differ in terms of observed rules, because some forbearances given by Bir Bhan were followed by Ghasidas and are still followed by Ghasidas' followers, such as wearing or tilaks and rosaries, and practicing meditation. Worshiping gods in addition to Satnam is also practiced by followers of Ghasidas.


From Sant Bir Bhan

Bir Bhan issued edicts in his ''Adi Updesh.'' #There is one Sat Purush - Satnam. #Humility and modesty, elimination of ego and pride. #No backbiting. Use your tongue only to recite His Name. Do not let your eyes fall on improper objects, nor on women, dances, shows and worldly me. #Only hear the praise of God. Listen to no evil discourse, no tales, no gossip, no calumny, not even music, except hymns. #Non-covetousness. Trust in God who is the giver of everything you. #Never mention your caste when asked who you are. Only declare yourself as a Sadh. #Wear white garments, no pigments, nor colyrium, or henna (mehndi), or any tilak, nor chaplets, or rosaries or jewels. #Take no intoxicants and smell no perfumes. Never bow your head to any idol or man. #Complete nonviolence in thought, word, and deed. No damnatory evidence be given. #Marry only one. No man should touch a woman's leavings, but a woman may of a man's. #Live as a householder, not as mendicant. No acceptance of alms or gifts. The company of sadhus is the only pilgrimage. #No superstition as to a day, or lunation or month or the cry of an animal or appearance of a bird or any other sign or mark be observed.


From Sant Ghasidas

#Worship Satnam, as formless without any shrines. #Abstain from meat and alcohol. #Use brass utensils for cooking and eating. #Abstain from smoking/chewing tobacco. #Abstain working from leather and carcasses. #Abstain using cows for plowing. #Wear kanthi (necklace) of beads made from tulasi.


History

Ghasidas, according to M. A. Sherring, may have been influenced by the teachings of Ravidas, a disciple of
Ramananda Jagadguru Swami Ramananda (IAST: Rāmānanda) or Ramanandacharya was an Indian 14th-century Hindu Vaishnava devotional poet Sant (religion), saint, who lived in the Gangetic basin of northern India. The Hindu tradition recognizes him as the f ...
. Others believe he was inspired by
Kabir Kabir ( 15th century) was a well-known Indian devotional mystic poet and sant. His writings influenced Hinduism's Bhakti movement, and his verses are found in Sikhism's scripture Guru Granth Sahib, the Satguru Granth Sahib of Saint Gar ...
, through the Kabirpanthis in Chhattisgarh.


Symbolism

The Satnamis have a sect mark of a straight line down the forehead drawn with ashes from an offering to Hanuman.


References


Notes


Sources

* * * * * {{refend


External links


Satnam Sahitya Sewa SansthanJagatguru Satnam PanthAssam Satnami SamajSat Nam Fest
Articles

By Abhilash Rajendran (Monday, August 9, 2021)
Satnami Rebellion

Satnami sect
at the ''
Encyclopædia Britannica The is a general knowledge, general-knowledge English-language encyclopaedia. It has been published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. since 1768, although the company has changed ownership seven times. The 2010 version of the 15th edition, ...
''
Devotional Practices of the Satnamis
on '' Sahapedia'' Hindu denominations Religion in Chhattisgarh Satnami Dalit communities Bhakti movement Scheduled Castes of Chhattisgarh