Satlok / Sachkhand

Satlok (सतलोक) / Satyalok (सत्यलोक) / Sachkhand (सचखण्ड) Punjabi ਸਚ੍ਖੰਡ / Eternal Place (शासवत स्थान) Rit Dhaam (रितधाम)

Characteristics of Satlok

• Eternal / Everlasting Place
• Supreme Bliss / Happiness
• No old age
• No death
• No dearth of any kind of resources
• No misery
• No avarice, no jealousy, no frustration, no hatred

What is Satlok or Sachkhand

Satlok is an eternal place which never gets destroyed. Satlok is different to heaven. The biggest difference between Heaven and Satlok is that heaven is perishable. Similarly Vishnu lok (Baikunth lok), Shiv lok, Brahma lok, Durga lok and Brahm lok, all are destructible. Only on the achievement of Satlok, one is said to have achieved moksha (salvation). Achievement of any other lok is worthy of incomplete salvation as birth and death does not end. 

God Kabir has given numerous hints about Satlok in his bani. Likewise Guru Nanak Dev Ji has talked about Satlok (Sachkhand) after God Kabir took Guru Nanak Dev Ji to Sachkhand. On returning from Sachkhand, Guru Nanak Dev Ji sang the glory of God Kabir and Sachkhand. Satlok is also mentioned in the Vedas and Bhagavad Gita.

We are currently residing on earth which is under the dominion of Kaal (Brahm). Kaal is none other than Satan.

There is not even a trace of peace and comfort in this Kaal Brahm’s lok. The vices of lust, anger, greed, affection, arrogance, love-hatred, joy-sorrow, profit-loss, pride-honour, born from Trigunmayi Maya, are troubling every living being. Here one living being kills and eats another living being, exploits, deprives one of honour, robs wealth and snatches away peace. Here there is fire blazing everywhere. Even if you want to live in peace, others will not let you live. Even when you do not want, a thief commits a theft, a robber commits robbery, an accident takes place, the crop of a farmer gets destroyed, the business of a business man collapses, the kingdom of a king is taken away, a healthy body gets affected by a disease; in other words, there is nothing safe here. The kingdoms of the kings, the honour of the respected, the wealth of the wealthy, the strength of the powerful, and even our bodies are suddenly snatched away. Young sons and daughters die in front of the parents, parents die leaving their breast-feeding children crying and sobbing, young sisters become widows and we are compelled to bear the mountains of sorrows. Just think that is this place worthy of living in? But we are helplessly living here because we do not see any way to get out of this cage of Kaal, and we have become used to causing grief to others and of suffering grief. Because we have forgotten our real home. That supreme peace and happiness, instead of being here, is present in our real home Satlok, where there is no birth, no death, no old age, no sorrows, no unrest, no disease, no give and take of money, do not have to pay any electricity bill, nor have to buy any means of entertainment. There everything is provided free of- cost by God and is indestructible. There is evidence in the speech of Bandichhor Garibdas Ji Maharaj that —

Description of Satlok in Bani of Garibdas Ji Maharaj

बिन ही मुख सारंग राग सुन, बिन ही तंती तार। बिना सुर अलगोजे बजैं, नगर नांच घुमार।।
घण्टा बाजै ताल नग, मंजीरे डफ झांझ। मूरली मधूर सुहावनी, निसबासर और सांझ।।
बीन बिहंगम बाजहिं, तरक तम्बूरे तीर। राग खण्ड नहीं होत है, बंध्या रहत समीर।।
तरक नहीं तोरा नहीं, नांही कशीस कबाब। अमृत प्याले मध पीवैं, ज्यों भाटी चवैं शराब।।
मतवाले मस्तानपुर, गली-2 गुलजार। संख शराबी फिरत हैं, चलो तास बजार।।
संख-संख पत्नी नाचैं, गावैं शब्द सुभान। चंद्र बदन सूरजमुखी, नांही मान गुमान।।
संख हिंडोले नूर नग, झूलैं संत हजूर। तख्त धनी के पास कर, ऐसा मुलक जहूर।।
नदी नाव नाले बगैं, छूटैं फुहारे सुन्न। भरे होद सरवर सदा, नहीं पाप नहीं पुण्य।।
ना कोई भिक्षुक दान दे, ना कोई हार व्यवहार। ना कोई जन्मे मरे, ऐसा देश हमार।।
जहां संखों लहर मेहर की उपजैं, कहर जहां नहीं कोई। दासगरीब अचल अविनाशी, सुख का सागर सोई।।

How can one achieve Satlok

In Satlok, there is constant supreme peace and happiness. Until we go to Satlok, we cannot attain supreme peace, happiness and immortality. It is only possible to go to Satlok if we take updesh (initiation/spiritual instruction) from a Complete Saint and keep doing bhakti of Supreme God throughout our life.

The only means by which one can go to Satlok or Sachkhand is via a True Guru, or a complete saint or "Satguru" who then gives one the 'shabad' or 'naam' or 'satnaam'. This is what Guru Nanak Dev Ji is referring to in His Bani in Guru Granth Sahib. Without a True Guru one continues to wander in the labyrinth of 84 lakh life forms.

Bani from Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

ਬਿਨੁ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਨਾਉ ਨ ਪਾਈਐ ਬਿਨੁ ਨਾਵੈ ਕਿਆ ਸੁਆਉ ॥ (Page 58, Line 3)
Without the True Guru, the Name is not obtained. Without the Name, what is the use of it all?

ਨਦਰਿ ਕਰਹਿ ਜੇ ਆਪਣੀ ਤਾ ਨਦਰੀ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਪਾਇਆ ॥ ਏਹੁ ਜੀਉ ਬਹੁਤੇ ਜਨਮ ਭਰੰਮਿਆ ਤਾ ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਸਬਦੁ ਸੁਣਾਇਆ ॥
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਜੇਵਡੁ ਦਾਤਾ ਕੋ ਨਹੀ ਸਭਿ ਸੁਣਿਅਹੁ ਲੋਕ ਸਬਾਇਆ ॥
ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਮਿਲਿਐ ਸਚੁ ਪਾਇਆ ਜਿਨ੍ਹ੍ਹੀ ਵਿਚਹੁ ਆਪੁ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥ ਜਿਨਿ ਸਚੋ ਸਚੁ ਬੁਝਾਇਆ ॥੪॥ (Page 465, Line 2-4)
If the Merciful Lord shows His Mercy, then the True Guru is found. This soul wandered through countless incarnations, until the True Guru instructed it in the Word of the Shabad. There is no giver as great as the True Guru; hear this, all you people. Meeting the True Guru, the True Lord is found; He removes self-conceit from within, and instructs us in the Truth of Truths. ||4||

ਬਿਨੁ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਭੇਟੇ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਨ ਕੋਈ ॥ ਬਿਨੁ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਭੇਟੇ ਨਾਮੁ ਪਾਇਆ ਨ ਜਾਇ ॥(Page 946, Line 8)
without meeting the True Guru, no one is liberated. Without meeting the True Guru, the Naam cannot be found.

ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਤੇ ਭਉ ਊਪਜੈ ਪਾਈਐ ਮੋਖ ਦੁਆਰ ॥(Page 1288, Line 9)
Through the True Guru, the Fear of God wells up, and the Door of Salvation is found.

Mention of Satlok in Bhagavad Gita

In Shrimad Bhagavad Gita, Adhyay (Chapter) 18, Shlok (verse) 62 Satlok has been addressed as "Shasvat Sthaan (शासवत स्थान)" or "Snatan Param Dhaam (सनातन परम धाम)". On reaching there a human being never comes back in to the cycle of birth and death.

Bhagavad Gita Adhyay 18 Shlok 62

Tam, ev, sharnm, gachchh, sarvbhaaven, bharat,
Tatprsaadaat, paraam, shaantim, sthaanm, praapsyasi, shaashvatam ||62||

O Bharat! You, in every respect, go in the refuge of only that Supreme God. By the grace of that Supreme God only, you will attain the supreme peace and the everlasting place (abode / lok) i.e. Satlok.

Mention of Satlok in Vedas

In the vedas there is a mention of "Trteeyam′ dhaam" which is a reference to Satlok.

Rigved Mandal 9 Sukt 96 Mantra 18

Rishimna ya rishikrit′ swarshaH sahastraneethH padviH kavinam′  Trteeyam′ dhaam mahishH sisha sant′ somH viraajmanu rajti stup′ ||18||

The narrator of Veda, Brahm, is saying that the Supreme God, who coming in the form of an extraordinary child, attains the title of famous poets i.e. plays the role of a saint or a Rishi (sage), the thousands of speeches composed by that God who has appeared as a saint, are provider of happiness equal to that of heaven to the individuals of saintly nature i.e. to devotees. He, who has appeared in form of a Rishi / Saint is Eternal God i.e. SatPurush only; that Complete God, after establishing the very firm Earth of the third lok of salvation i.e. Satyalok, is seated in a saint form in a dome on a high hillock-like throne in bright material body i.e. in a human-like effulgent body.

Mention of Satlok in Sri Guru Granth Sahib

Guru Nanak Dev Ji has mentioned about Satlok in his bani in Guru Granth Sahib on page 8

ਸਚ ਖੰਡਿ ਵਸੈ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰੁ ॥
सच खंडि वसै निरंकारु ॥

Guru Nanak Dev ji says that God resides in Sachkhand (Satlok).

Readers may please read Path to Sachkhand / Satlok to gain knowledge about the way to Satlok and learn about the Body Chakras / Lotuses

References

• Path to Sachkhand / Satlok

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