Sant In Sikhism

[K. SINGH DEEP]

Every day we read adds/hear announcements that so & so SANT/108 BRAHAM GYANI BABA JI will attend DIWAN and will tell Gursangat about Sikhism/Sikh life /Gurbani. But do we know as to who is SANT/ BRAHAM GYANI in Sikhism. For this we have to take guidance from pious GURBANI because whatever Gurbani tells us ,the same has to be obeyed by a SIKH (but a number of so called Sikhs have been doing misinterpretation of the quotes from GURBANI so as to suit their status & satisfy their false ego)

GURBANI in Sri Guru Granth Sahib tells us :- - "HAMRO BHARTA BADO BIBEKI , AAPE SANT KAHAVE."( Asa BHAGAT KABIR JI Ang no.476 )and it means that the

almighty WAHEGURU or AKALPURAKH himself is the "SANT"

- "SUN SANTNA KI REET,.....MITRA SATRU NA KACHHU JANE SARAB JEEA SAMAn.....SEET MAND SUGANDH CHALYO

SARAB THHAN SAMAAN....SUBHAAYE ABHAYE JU NIKAT AAVE SEET TA Ka JAAYE, AAP PAR KA KACHHU NA JANE

SADA SEHAJ SUBHAYE...." ( Maroo Ashtpadi Mehla 5 Ang 1018)and all this is self explanatory.

Is their any so called SANT at present who gives same treatment to enemies and foes, goes every

where with the same enthusiasm whether the place is cool or hot or a place with foul smell

(poorshouses)or scented place,...anybody whosoever comes whose near and losts his all sorrows,..

and he ,who does not overcomes( by talking about himself only ) others and lives always simply and

under devine style ( sehaj subhaye)

At least I could not find any person in present era who bears all the above qualities.

Now a days the so called SANTS keep dozens of body guards with them.( bcoz. the are afraid of

enemies). No body is tyagi of MAYA but having heavy n huge bank balances increasing day bu day.

If we go through our HISTORY, no body has been called/addressed/designated as SANT

during the life time of OUR GURU SAHIBAN. Even the most great SIKHS like Baba Buddha ji,Bhai Lehna

ji(who later on became GURU ANGAD JI)Bhai Gurdas Ji,Bhai Manjh Ji,Bhai Salo JI,Bhai Bidhi Chand Ji

Bhai Daya Singh Ji and four other PYARE,Bhai Mati Das ji,Bhai Sati Das ji,Bhai Dayala ji,Bhai JIWAN

SINGH JI(Ranghreta guru ka beta),Bhai SANGAT SINGH JI ( who sacrificed himself at Chamkaur Sahib

in place of GURU GOBIND SINGH JI as his face body structure and height was resemling with GURU JI),

Baba GURBAKHASH SINGH JI ( the real name of BABA BAND BAHADUR JI ) etc. were known AND CALLED as

BHAI OR BABA during lifetime of our GURUS.Are we more intelligent than our GURUS,and have started

nominating/adressing the persons as SANTS? I think definitely no. Than why it is so?

So please and please avoid to use the world SANT for any person. We should rather call

him BHAI SAHIB or BABA JI ( if he is aged ).I beg pardon from evwery body whose sentiments may have

been hearted by this article but it was my primary duty to share the thoughts which I have concived

whilst reciting SEHAJ PATHS.

Gurudar/ Gurughar da kookar

K Singh Deep Phagwara

[AmarjitKaur]

Veerji, I agree whole heartedely. I was just saying the samething to some body just last week through e-mails. If guru nanank dev jee can call himself dasaan da das, charanan dee dhool, gareeb, moorakh, tere dar da kookar, then why todays kalyugi jeev jump to call a little philospher or bhagat a Sant. I think the word SANT has lost its meaning by being used for average people who may have gained some knowledge with some bhagti and being with more devotees of SGGSji sahib. I agree with you that people should not label them more than bhai, baba, bhagat or devotee. I guess people like us feel so much down these days that we start calling people with some knowledge like SANTs and brahmgiyanis. The babas, should deny these labels themselves, even if people label them as SANT. The advertisers should not use SANT Brahmgiyani labels for these kind of Babas. I Have respect for these people if they really have some knowledge. I would like to give my time to listen to what they have to say. But if they cann't set role model for me to be gareebRa, or Nimana or charan dee dhool then I may not learn anything from them either. As I think thats the first virtue every gursikh should have. KILL the EGO, which will get killed only if you are ready to be moorakh, charan dee dhool, dasan da daas, gareebRa, nimaNa (not just saying it, but feel that way too). Afterall, nobody is as knowledgeable as Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee. He is the Biggest SANT ever. So why do we start calling people, SANT. As far as I know, it may be feeding their EGO. If they need bodyguards, that shows me that they don't really believe in SGGSji. As singh soormiyan nu maut ton dar nahi hunda. Maut taan ik nishchat time te hoNi hai, body guard rakh ke prove kiyon karde ne ke uoh actually roj roj maut ton darde ne (it rhymes, now feel like writing a poem on that, I know countless has been written already on this topic :-)))

I dont' remember exactly but there is some story about someone asking the sikhs that why are you not afraid of being killed when you go jump to do anything. The sikhs answered that death only comes once and it will come no matter what on that predecided day, so why be afraid all the time. Nobody will be able to stop it on that day anyways.

I am ready to listen to kathakars, keerteniya who show humbleness. But the sants who have bodyguards like brahmins had Janeoo in Guru nanak Devji's time, and He denied it and said if Janeoo cann't save itself, how can it protect me. I have same answer for these so-called sants. If they cann't be protecting themselves from the fear of death, how could they make me rise to that level and If they cann't kill their ego, how can they help me to kill it. So at the end of the day, I will come back empty handed even if I sit in their diwans or listen to their kathas.

Anyways, just sharing my views about it.

[K. SINGH DEEP]

Veerji, I agree whole heartedely. I was just saying the samething to some body just last week through e-mails. If guru nanank dev jee can call himself dasaan da das, charanan dee dhool, gareeb, moorakh, tere dar da kookar, then why todays kalyugi jeev jump to call a little philospher or bhagat a Sant. I think the word SANT has lost its meaning by being used for average people who may have gained some knowledge with some bhagti and being with more devotees of SGGSji sahib. I agree with you that people should not label them more than bhai, baba, bhagat or devotee. I guess people like us feel so much down these days that we start calling people with some knowledge like SANTs and brahmgiyanis. The babas, should deny these labels themselves, even if people label them as SANT. The advertisers should not use SANT Brahmgiyani labels for these kind of Babas. I Have respect for these people if they really have some knowledge. I would like to give my time to listen to what they have to say. But if they cann't set role model for me to be gareebRa, or Nimana or charan dee dhool then I may not learn anything from them either. As I think thats the first virtue every gursikh should have. KILL the EGO, which will get killed only if you are ready to be moorakh, charan dee dhool, dasan da daas, gareebRa, nimaNa (not just saying it, but feel that way too). Afterall, nobody is as knowledgeable as Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee. He is the Biggest SANT ever. So why do we start calling people, SANT. As far as I know, it may be feeding their EGO. If they need bodyguards, that shows me that they don't really believe in SGGSji. As singh soormiyan nu maut ton dar nahi hunda. Maut taan ik nishchat time te hoNi hai, body guard rakh ke prove kiyon karde ne ke uoh actually roj roj maut ton darde ne (it rhymes, now feel like writing a poem on that, I know countless has been written already on this topic :-)))

I dont' remember exactly but there is some story about someone asking the sikhs that why are you not afraid of being killed when you go jump to do anything. The sikhs answered that death only comes once and it will come no matter what on that predecided day, so why be afraid all the time. Nobody will be able to stop it on that day anyways.

I am ready to listen to kathakars, keerteniya who show humbleness. But the sants who have bodyguards like brahmins had Janeoo in Guru nanak Devji's time, and He denied it and said if Janeoo cann't save itself, how can it protect me. I have same answer for these so-called sants. If they cann't be protecting themselves from the fear of death, how could they make me rise to that level and If they cann't kill their ego, how can they help me to kill it. So at the end of the day, I will come back empty handed even if I sit in their diwans or listen to their kathas.

Anyways, just sharing my views about it.

[.- Prabhjot Singh -.]

so much love, it moves me to tears *Sigh* :-(

[K. SINGH DEEP]

ਕਬੀਰ ਸੇਵਾ ਕਉ ਦੁਇ ਭਲੇ ਏਕੁ ਸੰਤੁ ਇਕੁ ਰਾਮੁ ॥

kabeer saeva ko dhue bhalae eaek santh eik ram ||

Kabeer, it is good to perform selfless service for two - the Saint and the Lord.

ਰਾਮੁ ਜੁ ਦਾਤਾ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਕੋ ਸੰਤੁ ਜਪਾਵੈ ਨਾਮੁ ॥੧੬੪॥

ram j dhatha mukath ko santh japavai nam ||164||

The Lord is the Giver of liberation, and the Saint inspires us to chant the Naam. ||164||

Here sANT means GURU .For further clarification please read the foot note on page 302

of AMRIT KIRTAN POTHI as under:-

"Gurbani vich ek vachan(singular form) roop vich SANT pad (word)keval GURU laee aya he, atte

jithhe kithhe bahu vachan (plural form ) vich SANT word di warton kiti gayee he, othhe Guru ke

sanmukhiNaam Rang Ras Ratte Gursikhan de samooh (group)di taraf ishara he, par kaee thaaeen

bahu vachan satikaar vajon Satguru laee hi hai."

Here is another Shabad about SANT

ਕਾਨੜਾ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥

kanarra mehala 5 (Ang 1299 Sri guru Granth Saheb ji )

ਸੰਤਨ ਪਹਿ ਆਪਿ ਉਧਾਰਨ ਆਇਓ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

Santhan pehe aap oudhharan aeiou ||1|| rehao ||

I have come to the Saints to save myself. ||1||Pause||

ਦਰਸਨ ਭੇਟਤ ਹੋਤ ਪੁਨੀਤਾ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਮੰਤ੍ਰੁ ਦ੍ਰਿੜਾਇਓ ॥੧॥

Darasan baettath hott puneeta har har manthra dhrirraeiou ||1||

Gazing upon the Blessed Vision of their Darshan, I am sanctified; they have implanted the Mantra of the Lord, Har, Har, within me. ||1||

ਕਾਟੇ ਰੋਗ ਭਏ ਮਨ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਅਉਖਧੁ ਖਾਇਓ ॥੨॥

Kattae rog bheae man niramal har har aoukhadhh khaeiou ||2||

The disease has been eradicated, and my mind has become immaculate. I have taken the healing medicine of the Lord, Har, Har. ||2||

ਅਸਥਿਤ ਭਏ ਬਸੇ ਸੁਖ ਥਾਨਾ ਬਹੁਰਿ ਨ ਕਤਹੂ ਧਾਇਓ ॥੩॥

Asathhith bheae basae sukh thhana bahur n kathehoo dhhaeiou ||3||

I have become steady and stable, and I dwell in the home of peace. I shall never again wander anywhere. ||3||

ਸੰਤ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ਤਰੇ ਕੁਲ ਲੋਗਾ ਨਾਨਕ ਲਿਪਤ ਨ ਮਾਇਓ ॥੪॥੭॥

Santh prasadh tarae kul loga naanak lipat na maeiou ||4||7||

By the Grace of the Saints, the people and all their generations are saved; O Nanak, they are not engrossed in Maya. ||4||7||

Here the qualities mentioned ,can not be found in a huma n being but in Satguru only.

Bhul chuk khima Waheguru ji ka Khalsa Wahegru ji ki Fteh.

[guruvah]

love this thread! :D

[Jai Tegang!]

With passage of time and abuse by fakes, very honourable words "lose" thier meaning to the general public. Masand, Mahant, Bhai , Gyani, Sant, Mahant, Baba, Jathedaar, Gurmukh, Gursikh...all these words have been or are being abused by fakes.

This doesn't mean there is no such thing as a Sant, or Gyani or Gurmukh. The negativity around such words is due to the fakes.

For example, in india "police" brings to mind corruption, obesity, lack or morals, laziness, bribery...etc. Not the same image here in the west (not to the same degree atleast).

Btw, in Gurbani Sant is used for both Satguru Ji and Gurmukhs. You have to understand the context.

[Matheen]

A few of the Sants in Sikhi:

[guruvah]

Btw, in Gurbani Sant is used for both Satguru Ji and Gurmukhs. You have to understand the context.

agreed!

Majority when it comes to the SANT word just visualize 'saintly' individuals....

but SANT is an Avastha...NOT a title.......

this title only came to the panth 100 years ago....panth should discard this practice of throwing SANT title on humans(regardless of who they are)...

ironically :rolleyes: Sant Sampardha believers can never give the explanation why no Singhni in the panth has been given the "Sant" title....

while Gurbani says anyone can achieve Param Pad...

[Matheen]

this title only came to the panth 100 years ago...

Not true, it has been used for 2 individuals in Gurbani, so the term was in use then as well. There have been female Sants too.

It's a non-issue.