ਗੁਰਬਾਣੀ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ ਸੰਤ ਕੌਣ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ, ਅਤੇ ਸੁਖਮਨੀ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਵਿੱਚ ਕਿਹੜੇ ਸੰਤ ਦੀ ਗੱਲ ਕੀਤੀ ਗਈ ਹੈ?

Ajuni ji, please read the following illustrative essay explaining the world sant:

What does the word ਸੰਤ Sant mean in Gurbani?

Dr Karminder Singh

UNDERSTANDING THE WORD ਸੰਤ SANT

The word ਸੰਤ sant needs to be understood within the context of Gurbani and Gurmat.

Outside the confines of Gurbani it is used to address a certain group or class of people. The claim is that ਸੰਤ sant is a title for spiritually elevated human beings.

Such a definition and application has no place in Gurmat and is not supported by Gurbani on the following two grounds.

First, no Sikh was ever referred to or addressed as “sant” during the entire Guru period of 1469 till 1708. Even the most prominent of Sikhs such as Mardana ji who accompanied Guru Nanak Sahib throughout his life; Gurdas ji, in whose hand the Pothi Sahib was first transcribed; Dyala ji, Sati Das ji and Mati Das ji who were martyred together with ninth Guru Teg Bahadur ji; and all Panj Pyare who took and administered the Khande Di Pahul from and to Guru Gobind Singh ji – carried the title of Bhai.

Based on this point alone, the word ਸੰਤ sant could not have been used by the Guru Sahiban for a class or group of human beings that were not in existence within Gurmat and not recognised by the Gurus.

Second, the use of the word ਸੰਤ sant for a collective group or class of persons is critiqued in Gurbani. Bhagat Kabir says on Page 476 of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib:

. ਆਸਾ ॥ ਗਜ ਸਾਢੇ ਤੈ ਤੈ ਧੋਤੀਆ ਤਿਹਰੇ ਪਾਇਨਿ ਤਗ ॥ ਗਲੀ ਜਿਨਾ ਜਪਮਾਲੀਆ ਲੋਟੇ ਹਥਿ ਨਿਬਗ ॥ ਓਇ ਹਰਿ ਕੇ ਸੰਤ ਨ ਆਖੀਅਹਿ ਬਾਨਾਰਸਿ ਕੇ ਠਗ ॥ ੧ ॥ ਐਸੇ ਸੰਤ ਨ ਮੋ ਕਉ ਭਾਵਹਿ ॥ ਡਾਲਾ ਸਿਉ ਪੇਡਾ ਗਟਕਾਵਹਿ ॥ ੧ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

Bhagat ji is describing a group / class of people who have labelled themselves as “sants.” These self-proclaimed “sants” classify themselves by a certain identity of dress (dhotia) and symbols (tug) as well as religious paraphernalia (Jup Malla – rosary- and Nibug Lotey – shining begging bowls).

Readers will note that the object of critique is not the symbols or identity per se, since these symbols and identity may vary as they indeed have amongst the different groups of “sants.” The critique is over the claim that this group of people are of an elevated status purely on the basis of the self-proclaimed title of “sant.”

Kabir critiques them as deceitful people with a self-ordained religiosity (Benares Kay Thugg). He further declares that he does not accept this group. He reasons that they are corrupted self-proclaimed cheats who are so tainted with greed as to “consume not just the fruit, but the seed, branches and the entire tree even.”

Based on this second point too, the word ਸੰਤ sant could NOT have been used by the Guru for a class or group of human beings that were critiqued in Gurbani.

It is worth noting that in line with the above two principles, there is no record of any one Sikh bearing the title ਸੰਤ sant from after the Guru period from 1708 till the early twentieth century. Sikhs who laid down their lives in this post-Guru period – Mani Singh ji, Taru Singh Ji, Shabeg Singh ji, Lachman Singh Ji and countless others were all given the title of Bhai.

The first Sikh to adorn the title of “sant” was one Attar Singh who was a soldier in the British Army in Punjab. He was given the title by the British in 1905 – together with four others. They were sent to various parts of Punjab (Attar Singh went to his village Mastuana) to do their bidding -which was to weaken Sikhs by wilting their faith in the Sri Gutu Granth Sahib. This was achieved by the British ordained “sants” by entangling Sikhs in discarded rituals such as endless mantra recitations. He goal was to make Sikhs beholden to these human “sants.” The British bestowed “sant-hood” was propagated through fake accounts of the “abilities” of these “sants’ – accounts that were often verified by their British handlers. One such account relating to Attar Singh of Mastuana was his ability to be on duty, at the barracks, at the same time as he was “preaching Sikhi” in his village.

In the 100 years since Attar Singh, some 20,000 dera outfits exist in the villages of Punjab and each is owned and run by a self-proclaimed “sant”.

The Gurbani verse of Guru Amardas Sahib on page 491 of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib:

ਹਿਰਦੈ ਜਿਨੑ ਕੈ ਕਪਟੁ ਵਸੈ ਬਾਹਰਹੁ ਸੰਤ ਕਹਾਹਿ ॥ meaning The desire to be labelled as “sant” based on an external identity signifies a spiritually corrupt mind, is a clear injunction of prohibition of the practise of self-proclamation (Sant Khavey).

As if 20,000 self-proclaimed ‘sants’ are not enough, there is currently a pressure group sort of organization that calls itself Sant Samaj (An Organization/ Community of “sants”). The notion of being spiritually elevated is so rare that the claim of a “community” of such persons is a clear contradiction of terms.

The Gurbani verse ਓਇ ਹਰਿ ਕੇ ਸੰਤ ਨ ਆਖੀਅਹਿ ਬਾਨਾਰਸਿ ਕੇ ਠਗ ॥ (They call themselves “sant” as their self-proclaimed title, but they are crooks within the community of the spiritual) is also clear injunction of prohibition of such behaviour.

WHAT DOES THE WORD ਸੰਤ SANT MEAN IN GURBANI?

The word Sant appears in the following Four contexts in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib.

1) For THE CREATOR. When used such, it always appears as singular. It is used, for instance, in the verse of Guru Arjun Sahib on page 97 of the SGGS: ਭਾਗੁ ਹੋਆ ਗੁਰਿ ਸੰਤੁ ਮਿਲਾਇਆ ॥ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਅਬਿਨਾਸੀ ਘਰ ਮਹਿ ਪਾਇਆ ॥ Meaning I am blessed that my Guru has united me with Akalpurakh (Sant).

2) For THE GURU. When used such, it also appears as singular. It is used, for instance, in the Verse of Guru Ramdas Sahib, on page 667 of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib:

ਹਰਿ ਕਾ ਸੰਤੁ ਸਤਗੁਰੁ ਸਤ ਪੁਰਖਾ ਜੋ ਬੋਲੈ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਬਾਨੀ ॥

Meaning: The Divine Guru (Har Ka Sant) is Creator Connected (Sat Purkha) and Creator Connecting (Sat Gur) and Discourses Omnipresent Creator Related Bani (Boley Har Har Bani).

Guru Arjun Sahib on page 622 of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib has this verse:

ਸੰਤ ਕਾ ਮਾਰਗੁ ਧਰਮ ਕੀ ਪਉੜੀ ਕੋ ਵਡਭਾਗੀ ਪਾਏ।।

Meaning the Path (Marag) of Spirituality (Dharam) is established step by step (Pauree) by the Guru and realized (Paye) through the blessings of the Guru.

In another verse on page 867 of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Arjun Sahib uses the word SANT in singular as follows:

ਸੋਈ ਸੰਤੁ ਜਿ ਭਾਵੈ ਰਾਮ ॥ ਸੰਤ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਕੈ ਏਕੈ ਕਾਮ ॥ 1 ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥.

Meaning: So SANT in the verse refers to Guru. My Guru (Soi Sant) is blessed (Bhavey) by the Creator (Raam).

In no circumstances can the above verses refer to any human entity other than the CREATOR or the Guru himself. The claim that the word SANT is used in Gurbani for the class/group of people who have proclaimed themselves as such thus falls flat.

On page 280 of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Arjun Sahib provides what can be described as the most comprehensive explanation of the word SANT in Sukhmani Sahib. Some 60 verses are composed one after another – all containing the word SANT. Immediately after completing these verses, Guru Arjun Sahib states in the clearest of terms:

ਮਾਨੁਖ ਕੀ ਟੇਕ ਬ੍ਰਿਥੀ ਸਭ ਜਾਨੁ ॥ ਦੇਵਨ ਕਉ ਏਕੈ ਭਗਵਾਨੁ ॥

Guru ji is saying that the giver is the One Creator (Sant) and that reliance of such giving from a human (Manukh) is completely in vain (Birthee Sab Jaan). This verse and its placement at the close of a long discourse on the concept of SANT makes it clear that Guru Arjun Sahib is using the word SANT for the Creator and things relating to the Creator such as His Command. He makes clear that he is NOT using it for a class or group of the human beings.

3) For GENUINE seekers of the Creator. In this case, the usage is in the plural or as second person. The root of the word SANT is SAT (meaning the Creator who is in existence). So the meaning of Sant is “one seeking to connect with SAT”. In reality therefore SANT in this third context or its equivalent – SANTHO, SANTUN, etc. is in the plural form and refers to us Sikhs. SANT is what our Gurus want us to be – seekers of SAT (the Creator Within).

The following verse of Guru Arjun Sahib on page 621 of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib is illustrative:

ਸੰਤਹੁ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮਿ ਨਿਸਤਰੀਐ ॥

Meaning: (O Seekers of the Creator (Sikhs), the Way to Successful Spirituality Is to Acquire Godly (Raam) Virtues (Naam).

4) For a CRITIQUED class/group of people who either proclaim themselves “sant”, add it to their names, use it as a title, or desire to be called such by others. Gurbani critiques this group of people on the following grounds:

A. It is discriminatory because this class is saying they are higher than the lay people. On the other hand, the accepted honorific of BHAI in Gurmat denotes equality and brotherhood of mankind.

B. It is anti-thesis to control of ego. Calling one’s self higher than others is not spirituality sanctioned.

C. Our Gurus did not support the use of “spiritual” titles that were in vogue then – Sri 108, Chatur Vedi, Duvedi, Trivedi, Sri 111 etc. These titles were meant to denote how many religious books one had read of the 108 Upnishdas, 18 Puranas and 4 Vedas. The mere reading of any kind of spiritual texts (including the Sri Guru Granth Sahib) is of little value in Sikhi as it does no more than feeds one’s ego. The ego relies on the basis that “I have read x number of texts y number of times.” The Gurbani injunction is to understand, accept, believe, inculcate, internalize and become the messages. (ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਣੀ ਸਤਿ ਸਰੂਪੁ ਹੈ ਗੁਰਬਾਣੀ ਬਣੀਐ ॥)