'The association with the good leads to non attachment and non attachment leads to the destruction of delusion. When the delusion is gone, mind becomes steady and with a steady mind one can achieve liberation.'
What is sat? Sat means good and sangatvam is association or the company of. Good company makes you good and bad company makes you bad. When the mind is in association with good thoughts all our activities will be good. In good company we have positive thoughts and good out look. Adi Shankara here talks of a few steps for self realization.
The first is satsanga or good company. Where can you go for good company?
One is asked to seek the company of the holy people. The sanctifying influence of holy company cannot be estimated. Where ever there is the presence of a holy person that becomes a place of pilgrimage. Even the sight of a saint is considered auspicious and purifying. There are countless examples in the scriptures of how even the wicked were transformed by the company of saints. Ratnakar a robber and a murderer could be transformed to saint Valmiki by saints.
When unable to get the company of saints' study of scriptures and spiritual books, also serves as good company. That is why spiritual masters advice study of spiritual books for sometime daily. Lahiri Mahasaya encouraged every one to read the Gita and try to spend at least three days in the year in the company of the guru. Once the mind is a little cleaned even looking at a flower will remind you of God's presence. But to get to that stage one needs preparation.
From satsanga comes nissanga. Sanga means also attachment. When we cane to this world no one taught us how to live in a disciplined way. Out of ignorance and wrong attachments we are bound. Attachment brings bondage. How to get detachment? Good company is the means to be detached in daily life. Be compassionately detached. Be in family and in the world and do everything as a service to God. You can be with the same people but not bound any more.
The next step is nirmohatvam - moha means delusion or confusion and through good company one can be free from this delusion. Previously the mind was not steady. But trained through good company the mind became more rational. Through that I became free from delusion. Before, my vision was clouded by delusion. When the mind is free from delusion, now I see things differently. In the Gita towards the end of Krishna’s teaching Arjuna says,
nasto moha - my confusion or delusion is gone.
Previously mind was confused. When delusion is gone one can perceive things in a very clear way.
From good company detachment comes from detachment freedom from delusion comes and through the delusion free state comes the steadiness of mind or oneness in truth and stability in truth. When this happens you will know who you are
In the same verse where he said his delusion is gone Arjuna says,
smritirlabdhva - I have regained my memory. I regained the knowledge of myself
nischala tatva and smritirlabdhva describe the same state.
Tatva means that ness or knowledge.
When one is established in truth what will happen?
Through oneness with truth one will get jivan mukti- mukti is liberation, freedom or emancipation. Human life is like that of an animal bound by chains. We are all tied. Even the monks are tied with their ashrams and the expectation of the disciples.
In a tantrik scripture the eight nooses are described as binding the human being.
The eight bondages are Lajja - shyness, ghrina - hatred, bhaya-fear, krodha - anger, jugupsa - jealousy, Kula - pride of ones caste and ego, shila - character, jati - here means achievement.
What is jivan mukti? Mukti is to be free from bondage and jivan mukti is liberation while living. There are different types of liberation described in the scriptures -krama mukti sadyo mukti, and jivan mukti -krama mukti is gradual liberation through regular practice, sadyo mukti, – is to get realization at the time of death. It does make you free from the cycle of birth and death. Jivan mukti is to be liberated while you are still living. Your vision of the world changes and you enjoy full freedom while being in the world and you can bring joy to others.
So the four steps for liberation given by Shankara in this verse are- Good company- non attachment, freedom from delusion and steadiness or establishment in truth. When you gain these four you are liberated.