The Radhasoami's, states Mark Juergensmeyer, shows that RS is not an offshoot of Sikhism--despite the common misconception--since it is not directly related; the two traditions, however, share some common roots and can also be considered a part of Hinduism because they share their cultural outlook, some practices and theological concepts such as karma, yoga (shabd) and guru. However, they are also different from Hindus and Sikhs because they reject the concept of a sacred scripture, rituals such as Karah Parshad and pilgrimage gatherings and ceremonies. The Radhasoamis are a religious fellowship that accepts saints and living gurus from anywhere.^[4]

The movement started in Agra, its contemporaneous headquarters are in Beas, with parallel branches found in India and outside India.^[1][4][5] There are over 30 different Radhasoami groups in the world.^[5] Competing Radhasoami groups have headquarters elsewhere such as in Dayalbagh, Agra.

According to Pierluigi Zoccatelli, there were an estimated 3 million Radhasoami followers worldwide in 2004, with many subsects based on the Guru. Of these, the Radha Soami Satsang Beas is the largest^[5] and it had 2 million followers.^[6] Other subsects and movements influenced by Radhasoami include Divine Light Mission, Eckankar, Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness, Science of Spirituality and others.^[6] Some of these groups have tried to distance themselves from the other.^[5] Succession upon the death of previous guru has been a source of controversies and schism in the Radhasoami movement since the beginning.^[5]

Nomenclature[edit]

According to Mark Juergensmeyer, the term 'Radha Soami' is a vaishnava phrase for God (lit. 'the lord [Swami or Soami] of Radha, the concert of Krishna') despite the movement does not believe in an anthropomorphic God; however, so the term 'Radhasoami' mean the master of spiritual energy.^[7] Whereas the Agra branches viz. Dayalbagh, Soamibagh believe that Radhasoami is neither a phrase nor a derivative, but the supreme being itself in the form of sound (Dhwanyatmak) and light(Chaitanyam).

The writings of Swami Dayal use the term Sat Nam, rather than Radhasoami. The gurus and the tradition that followed him used the term Radhasoami during the initiation rites, meditation practices and as mutual greeting. This has led to the fellowship being commonly called Radha Soami.^[8] In some subtraditions of Radhasoami, states Lucy DuPertuis, the guru's charisma is considered as the 'formless absolute', being in his presence is equivalent to experiencing the incarnation of the Satguru, the guru is identified as the Radhasoami.^[9]

Beliefs and practices[edit]

To the Radhsoamis, six elements form the framework of their faith:^[10]

• a living guru (someone as locus of trust and truth),
• bhajan (remembering Sat Nam, other practices believed to be transformative),
• satsang (fellowship, community),
• seva (serve others without expecting anything in return),
• dera (community organization, shrine), and
• bhandara (large community gathering).

The Radha Soami Satsang believes that living gurus are necessary for a guided spiritual life.^[1] They do not install the Guru Granth Sahib or any other scriptures in their sanctum, as they consider it ritualistic. Instead, the guru sits in the sanctum with the satsang (group of Sikh faithfuls) and they listen to preachings from the Adi Granth and sing hymns together.^[1] They believe in social equality, forbid caste distinctions and have attracted Dalits to their tradition. They are active outside India, and attracted converts to their movement.^[1]

The Radhasoami are strict vegetarians. They are active in charitable work such as providing free medical services and help to the needy. They do believe in some orthodox Sikh ritual practices such as covering one's head inside the temple or removing shoes, and they serve karah prasad (offering) at the end of prayers.^[1] Their basic practices include Surat Shabd Yoga (sound assisted meditation), initiation of disciple into the path by a living guru, obedience to the guru, a moral life that is defined by abstinence from meat, drugs, alcohol and sex outside marriage. They also believe that jivanmukti or inner liberation is possible during one's lifetime with guidance of the living guru.^[5]

See also[edit]

• Radha Soami Satsang Sabha, Dayalbagh

Gurus

References[edit]

1. ^ ^abcdefgKristen Haar; Sewa Singh Kalsi (2009). Sikhism. Infobase Publishing. pp. 12–13. ISBN978-1-4381-0647-2.
2. ^Mark Juergensmeyer (1995). Radhasoami Reality: The Logic of a Modern Faith. Princeton University Press. p. 90 note 5. ISBN0-691-01092-7., Quote: 'The date of Swami Shiv Dayal Ji's first public discourse is Basant Panchami Day, February 15 1861'
3. ^ ^abJuergensmeyer, Mark (1995-12-31). Radhasoami Reality: The Logic of a Modern Faith. Princeton University Press. ISBN0691010927.
4. ^ ^abMark Juergensmeyer (1995). Radhasoami Reality: The Logic of a Modern Faith. Princeton University Press. pp. 7–8, 14–18, 23, 55–57. ISBN0-691-01092-7.
5. ^ ^abcdefJames R. Lewis (2002). The Encyclopedia of Cults, Sects, and New Religions. Prometheus. pp. 590–592. ISBN978-1-61592-738-8.
6. ^ ^abPierluigi Zoccatelli (2004). Peter Clarke (ed.). Encyclopedia of New Religious Movements. Routledge. pp. 508–509. ISBN978-1-134-49970-0.
7. ^Juergensmeyer, Mark; Roof, Wade Clark (2012). Encyclopedia of Global Religion. SAGE. ISBN9780761927297.
8. ^Mark Juergensmeyer (1995). Radhasoami Reality: The Logic of a Modern Faith. Princeton University Press. pp. 41–42 with footnotes. ISBN0-691-01092-7., Quote: 'The word Radhasoami literally refers to Krishna as lord (swami) of his consort, Radha' (p. 41); 'The Beas group translates Radhasoami as 'lord of the soul' (p. 42).
9. ^DuPertuis, Lucy (1986). 'How People Recognize Charisma: The Case of Darshan in Radhasoami and Divine Light Mission'. Sociological Analysis. Oxford University Press. 47 (2): 111–124. doi:10.2307/3711456., Quote: 'Various branches of Radhasoami have argued about the incarnationalism of Satguru (Lane, 1981). Guru Maharaj Ji has accepted it and identifies with Krishna and other incarnations of Vishnu.'
10. ^Mark Juergensmeyer (1995). Radhasoami Reality: The Logic of a Modern Faith. Princeton University Press. pp. 11–12, 40–42. ISBN0-691-01092-7.

Satsang Beas

• ^ Larson, Gerald J. India's Agony Over Religion (1995). p. 136. SUNY Press (State University of New York) ISBN0-7914-2411-1

Further reading[edit]

Radha So Am I Satsang Soul

• Juergensmeyer, Mark (1991). Radhasoami Reality: The Logic of a Modern Faith, Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. ISBN0-691-07378-3
• Lane, David C (1992). The Radhasoami Tradition, New York. Garland Publishing. ISBN978-0-8240-5247-8
• Schomer, Karine & William Hewat McLeod, eds (1987).The Sants: Studies in a Devotional Tradition of India, Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1987. Academic papers from a 1978 Berkeley conference on the Sants organised by the Graduate Theological Union and the University of California Center for South Asia Studies. ISBN81-208-0277-2

External links[edit]