SABD GURU ON SAINT/ਸੰਤ

ABSTRACT

Saint is an extremely virtuous and holy person in Sikh thought, he accepts the Will of God quite opposed to western thought that he may show miracles and always goes to heaven after death. While you may not always get what you want, you will always get what you expect! Surprisingly, the power of belief and expectation work just as effectively on your feelings of self-doubt and limitation as they do on your thoughts of success and achievement. Think thoughts of defeat or failure and you are bound to be discouraged.  Gurus Nanak in Raag Gauri ponders;

ਸੰਤ ਹੇਤਿ ਪ੍ਰਭਿ ਤ੍ਰਿਭਵਣ ਧਾਰੇ ॥

ਆਤਮੁ ਚੀਨੈ ਸੁ ਤਤੁ ਬੀਚਾਰੇ ॥੮॥

ਸਾਚੁ ਰਿਦੈ ਸਚੁ ਪ੍ਰੇਮ ਨਿਵਾਸ ॥

ਪ੍ਰਣਵਤਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਹਮ ਤਾ ਕੇ ਦਾਸ ॥

Sanṯ heṯ parabẖ ṯaribẖavaṇ ḏẖāre Āṯam cẖīnai so ṯaṯ bīcẖāre. Sācẖ riḏai sacẖ parem nivās. Paraṇvaṯ Nānak ham ṯā ke ḏās.

For the sake of the Saints, God has established the three worlds. One who understands his own soul contemplates the essence of reality. |One whose heart is filled with Truth and true love - Prays Nanak, I am his servant.-----Guru Nanak, Raag Gauri, AGGS, Page, 224-10

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Here are a few references from AGGS by Gurus, Nanak, Ram Das, and Arjun;

ਅੰਤਰਜਾਮੀ ਪੁਰਖ ਬਿਧਾਤੇ ਸਰਧਾ ਮਨ ਕੀ ਪੂਰੇ ॥

ਨਾਨਕ ਦਾਸੁ ਇਹੈ ਸੁਖੁ ਮਾਗੈ ਮੋ ਕਉ ਕਰਿ ਸੰਤਨ ਕੀ ਧੂਰੇ ॥੪॥੫॥

Anṯarjāmī purakẖ biḏẖāṯe sarḏẖā man kī pūre.Nānak ḏās ihai sukẖ māgai mo ka▫o kar sanṯan kī ḏẖūre.  

O Inner-knower, Searcher of Hearts, Primal Being, and Architect of Destiny: please fulfill this yearning of my mind. Nanak, Your slave, begs for this happiness: let me be the dust of the feet of the Saints. -----Guru Nanak, Raag Dhanasari, AGGS, Page, 13

ਭਾਈ ਰੇ ਸੰਤ ਜਨਾ ਕੀ ਰੇਣੁ ॥

ਸੰਤ ਸਭਾ ਗੁਰੁ ਪਾਈਐ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਪਦਾਰਥੁ ਧੇਣੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

Bẖā▫ī re sanṯ janā kī reṇ.Sanṯ sabẖā gur pā▫ī▫ai mukaṯ paḏārath ḏẖeṇ.

O Siblings of Destiny, become the dust of the feet of the humble Saints. In the Society of the Saints, the Guru is found. He is the Treasure of Liberation, the Source of all good fortune. -----Guru Nanak, Siri Raag, AGGS, Page, 18

Guru Arjan wrote a full Astpadi 7 (paragraph) on Saints in Raag Gauri Sukhmani, AGGS, Page 279, which should be reviewed by all.

ਹਿਰਦੈ ਜਿਨ੍ਹ੍ਹ ਕੈ ਕਪਟੁ ਵਸੈ ਬਾਹਰਹੁ ਸੰਤ ਕਹਾਹਿ ॥

ਤ੍ਰਿਸਨਾ ਮੂਲਿ ਨ ਚੁਕਈ ਅੰਤਿ ਗਏ ਪਛੁਤਾਹਿ ॥

ਅਨੇਕ ਤੀਰਥ ਜੇ ਜਤਨ ਕਰੈ ਤਾ ਅੰਤਰ ਕੀ ਹਉਮੈ ਕਦੇ ਨ ਜਾਇ ॥

ਜਿਸੁ ਨਰ ਕੀ ਦੁਬਿਧਾ ਨ ਜਾਇ ਧਰਮ ਰਾਇ ਤਿਸੁ ਦੇਇ ਸਜਾਇ ॥

ਕਰਮੁ ਹੋਵੈ ਸੋਈ ਜਨੁ ਪਾਏ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਬੂਝੈ ਕੋਈ ॥

ਨਾਨਕ ਵਿਚਹੁ ਹਉਮੈ ਮਾਰੇ ਤਾਂ ਹਰਿ ਭੇਟੈ ਸੋਈ ॥

Hirḏai jinĥ kai kapat vasai bāhrahu sanṯ kahāhi. Ŧarisnā mūl na cẖuk­ī anṯ ga­ė pacẖẖuṯāhi. Anėk ṯirath jė jaṯan karai ṯā anṯar kī ha­umai kaḏė na jā­ė. Jis nar kī ḏubiḏẖā na jā­ė ḏẖaram rā­ė ṯis ḏė­ė sajā­ė. Karam hovai so­ī jan pā­ė gurmukẖ būjẖai ko­ī. Nānak vicẖahu ha­umai mārė ṯāʼn har bẖėtai so­ī.

Those whose hearts are filled with hypocrisy, who are called Saints only for their outward show - their desires are never satisfied, and they depart grieving in the end. Although one may bathe at many places of pilgrimage, still, his ego never departs. That man, whose sense of duality does not depart - the Righteous Judge shall punish him. That humble being, unto whom God showers Its Mercy, obtains It; how few are the Guru oriented who understand God. O Nanak, if one conquers his ego within, then he comes to meet the God.-----Guru Amar Das, Raag Gujri, AGGS, Page, 491

ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਤੁਟੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਮਨ ਭਰਮਾ ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਮੁਕਤੁ ਨ ਕੋਈ ॥

ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਦਇਆਲ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਸੰਤੁ ਭਗਤੁ ਜਨੁ ਸੋਈ ॥

Jab lag ṯutai nāhī man bẖarmā ṯab lag mukaṯ na ko­ī. Kaho Nānak ḏa­i­āl su­āmī sanṯ bẖagaṯ jan so­ī.

As long as the doubts of the mind are not removed, liberation is not found. Says Nanak, he alone is a Saint, a devotee, and a humble servant of the God, to whom the God is merciful.-----Guru Arjun, Raag Dhanasari, AGGS, Page, 680-5

ਆਠ ਪਹਰ ਨਿਕਟਿ ਕਰਿ ਜਾਨੈ ॥

ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕਾ ਕੀਆ ਮੀਠਾ ਮਾਨੈ ॥

ਏਕੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਸੰਤਨ ਆਧਾਰੁ ॥

ਹੋਇ ਰਹੇ ਸਭ ਕੀ ਪਗ ਛਾਰੁ ॥

ਤ ਰਹਤ ਸੁਨਹੁ ਮੇਰੇ ਭਾਈ ॥

ਉਆ ਕੀ ਮਹਿਮਾ ਕਥਨੁ ਨ ਜਾਈ ॥

ਰਤਣਿ ਜਾ ਕੈ ਕੇਵਲ ਨਾਮ ॥

ਅਨਦ ਰੂਪ ਕੀਰਤਨੁ ਬਿਸ੍ਰਾਮ ॥

ਮਿਤ੍ਰ ਸਤ੍ਰੁ ਜਾ ਕੈ ਏਕ ਸਮਾਨੈ ॥

ਪ੍ਰਭ ਅਪੁਨੇ ਬਿਨੁ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਜਾਨੈ ॥

ਕੋਟਿ ਕੋਟਿ ਅਘ ਕਾਟਨਹਾਰਾ ॥

ਦੁਖ ਦੂਰਿ ਕਰਨ ਜੀਅ ਕੇ ਦਾਤਾਰਾ ॥

ਸੂਰਬੀਰ ਬਚਨ ਕੇ ਬਲੀ ॥

ਕਉਲਾ ਬਪੁਰੀ ਸੰਤੀ ਛਲੀ ॥

ਤਾ ਕਾ ਸੰਗੁ ਬਾਛਹਿ ਸੁਰਦੇਵ ॥

ਅਮੋਘ ਦਰਸੁ ਸਫਲ ਜਾ ਕੀ ਸੇਵ ॥

ਕਰ ਜੋੜਿ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਕਰੇ ਅਰਦਾਸਿ ॥

ਮੋਹਿ ਸੰਤਹ ਟਹਲ ਦੀਜੈ ਗੁਣਤਾਸਿ ॥

Āṯẖ pahar nikat kar jānai. Parabẖ kā kī▫ā mīṯẖā mānai. Ėk nām sanṯan āḏẖār. Ho▫e rahe sabẖ kī pag cẖẖār. Sanṯ rahaṯ sunhu mere bẖā▫ī. U▫ā kī mahimā kathan na jā▫ī. varṯaṇ jā kai keval nām. Anaḏ rūp kīrṯan bisrām. Miṯar saṯar jā kai ek samānai Parabẖ apune bin avar na jānai. Kot kot agẖ kataṇhārā. Ḏukẖ ḏūr karan jī▫a ke ḏāṯārā. Sūrbīr bacẖan ke balī. Ka▫ulā bapurī sanṯī cẖẖalī. Ŧā kā sang bācẖẖėh surḏev. Amogẖ ḏaras safal jā kī sev. Kar joṛ Nānak kare arḏās. Mohi sanṯėh tahal ḏījai guṇṯās.

Twenty-four hours a day, Saint knows God to be near at hand; he surrenders to the Sweet Will of God. The One Name is the Support of the Saints; they remain the dust of the feet of all. Listen, to the way of life of the Saints, O my Siblings of Destiny; their praises cannot be described. Their occupation is the Name of God. The Praise of God, the embodiment of bliss, is their rest. Friends and enemies are one and the same to them. They know of no other than God. They erase millions upon millions of sins. They dispel suffering; they are givers of the life of the soul. They are so brave; they are men of their word. The Saints have enticed Maya herself. Their company is cherished even by the gods and the angels. Blessed is their sight, and fruitful is their service. With his palms pressed together, Nanak offers his prayer: O God, Treasure of Excellence, please bless me with the service of the Saints.-----Guru Arjun, Raag Asa, AGGS, Page, 392

Kabir describes in Raag Suhi that there is no difference between God and Saint:

ਸੰਤਾ ਕਉ ਮਤਿ ਕੋਈ ਨਿੰਦਹੁ ਸੰਤ ਰਾਮੁ ਹੈ ਏਕੋੁ ॥ 

ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਮੈ ਸੋ ਗੁਰੁ ਪਾਇਆ ਜਾ ਕਾ ਨਾਉ ਬਿਬੇਕੋੁ ॥੪॥੫॥

Sanṯā ka▫o maṯ ko▫ī ninḏahu sanṯ rām hai eko. Kaho Kabīr mai so gur pā▫i▫ā jā kā nā▫o bibeko. 

Let no one slander the Saints, because the Saints and God are as one. Says Kabir, I have found that Guru, whose Name is Clear Understanding. -----Kabir, Raag Suhi Lalit, AGGS, Page, 793

Conclusion:

A saint/ਸੰਤ is known by his humility, ethics, actions, and qualities not by his religious dress or form. He has subjugated his lower instincts, developed virtues, and remembers God in thought, spirit word and deed. He is unattached and has conquered three qualities of Maya and accepts God’s Will and is above empty rituals. He sees every one equal and sees God in all.

ਕਬੀਰ ਕਾਇਆ ਕਜਲੀ ਬਨੁ ਭਇਆ ਮਨੁ ਕੁੰਚਰੁ ਮਯ ਮੰਤੁ ॥

ਅੰਕਸੁ ਗ੍ਯ੍ਯਾਨੁ ਰਤਨੁ ਹੈ ਖੇਵਟੁ ਬਿਰਲਾ ਸੰਤੁ ॥

Kabīr kā▫i▫ā kajlī ban bẖa▫i▫ā man kuncẖar ma▫y manṯ.Ankas ga▫yān raṯan hai kẖevat birlā sanṯ.

Kabir, the body is a banana forest, and the mind is an intoxicated elephant. The jewel of spiritual wisdom is the prod, and the rare Saint is the rider.  -----Kabir Sloke # 224, AGGS, Page, 1376-13

I will never be a saint but I am making an honest attempt to grow along with spiritual principles as contained in AGGS. I claim spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection though it is not easy to be able to maintain anything like perfect adherence to these principles.