Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes ProCon History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture Money Videos
Radha Soami Satsang
Table of Contents
Introduction References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics
Read Next
Ahura Mazda - relief of the Zoroastrian god Ahura Mazda at the ancient ruins of Persepolis in Iran. Also known as Ormazd Zoroastrianism,
Which Religion Is the Oldest?
Indian hijras participate in a religious procession in Gandhinagar, India, some 30 kilometers from Ahmedabad, on March 22, 2017. Hijra is a term used in South Asia which refers to transgender individuals who are born male. (gender identity, gender expression)
6 Cultures That Recognize More than Two Genders
Candles Burning On Table In Church
What Is the Most Widely Practiced Religion in the World?
Hindu Holi Festival celebrations with colored water, powder and colorful flower petals thrown over celebrants at a Hindu temple in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, India on March 24, 2021.
Holi: Festival of Colors
The Chinese philosopher Confucius (Koshi) in conversation with a little boy in front of him. Artist: Yashima Gakutei. 1829
The Axial Age: 5 Fast Facts
Discover
The Cheshire Cat is a fictional cat from Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. (Alice in Wonderland)
11 Banned Books Through Time
Rural Irish landscape, Sligo, Ireland.
Why Is Ireland Two Countries?
Thanksgiving Celebration Traditional Dinner Setting Food Concept
Why Is Thanksgiving in the U.S. Celebrated on a Thursday?
Super Typhoon Noru over the western tropical Pacific Ocean as observed by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA Aqua satellite July 31 2017
What Is the Difference Between a Typhoon and a Super Typhoon?
A Factory Interior, watercolor, pen and gray ink, graphite, and white goache on wove paper by unknown artist, c. 1871-91; in the Yale Center for British Art. Industrial Revolution England
Inventors and Inventions of the Industrial Revolution
Diverse elementary school children wearing school uniforms running outside of school. Boys girls
Pro and Con: School Uniforms
Baseball laying in the grass. Homepage blog 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society, sports and games athletics
10 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time

Radha Soami Satsang

Indian religious group
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Radha-Soami-Satsang
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Also known as: Radhasvami Satsang
Written and fact-checked by
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Article History
Quick Facts
Also called:
Radhasvami Satsang
Date:
1861 - present
Areas Of Involvement:
Hinduism
Sikhism
Related People:
Shiva Dayal Saheb
See all related content

Radha Soami Satsang, esoteric religious sect of India that has followers among both Hindus and Sikhs. The sect was founded in 1861 by Shiva Dayal Saheb (also called Shivdayal), a Hindu banker of Agra, who believed that human beings could perfect their highest capabilities only through repetition of the shabda (“sound”), or nam (“name”), of God. The term radha soami signifies the union of the soul with God, the name of God, and the sound heard internally that emanates from God. Great emphasis is placed on the “congregation of truthful people,” the satsang.

On the death of Shiva Dayal Saheb, the Radha Soami sect split into two factions. The main group remained at Agra. The other branch was started by a Sikh disciple of Shiva Dayal Saheb named Jaimal Singh. Members of this latter group are known as the Radha Soamis of Beas, because they have their headquarters on the bank of the Beas River, near Amritsar.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Matt Stefon.