Company we keep

What influence does the company that we keep have on us? According to the Guru Granth Sahib, the company that we keep has a marked influence on us resulting in disastrous consequences if we are not careful. . Bhagat Kabir tells us frankly how his life was destroyed due to the companionship of bad sangat. 
Gurbani warns us that through our relationship with others around us we ourselves change. We all know the saying "A person is the product of his or her environment." The Sri Guru Granth Sahib reveals to us that our friendships and the sangat (company) that we keep has a profound influence on our outlook, the way we act, the way we behave and our future development. 
The Guru says: . The message again is clear; friendship with a fool, an untruthful person, a corrupt being, a Manmukh (self-centred, self-willed, a person in worldly consciousness, etc.), person who is wicked, pompous (proud or arrogant), unrighteous, greedy, unfaithful and so on — is founded on false foundation, therefore, will lasts "for only a few short days" and will "never works out right". This sort of friendship will lead to ruins a person who wishes to embrace the path of righteousness (Dharam).
The implication is that if we associate and have friends with good qualities or virtues, our nature will change accordingly. However, on the other hand, if we make friends with someone who has bad qualities, he (or she) will be a bad influence on us for such "friendship leads to corruption". The more deeper the friendship the more wide spread the negative or positive influence.
Accordingly, the Great Souls tell us that one can tell - "who you are by the company you keep!" - Thus goes the proverbial expression "you are the company you keep". 
The following lines or tuks from the Guru Granth Sahib explain the dangers of associating with the "wrong" type of company and how the company that we keep influences us:
==Ruined by bad company==
 
==Run away from company of evil people ==
==If you don't keep good company==
==Company of the good and wise==
Always seek and keep the company of the good, wise and holy people:
==Other related tuks==
* O Lord, let me not be in the company of the faithless cynic, who is cursed by the Creator Lord. 
* Without the Sangat, the Company of the Holy, all remain like beasts and animals.
* Intoxicated by attachment, in the company of sinners, the mortal has forgotten such a Lord from his mind. ||1||Pause|| 
* When one sits in the company of evil people, then he will be called to account by the Righteous Judge of Dharma. ||2|| 
Category:Guru Granth Sahib on