Sant Mat

This article is about the medieval Sant Mat origins in the 13th century. For comparatively recent Sant Mat movements, see Contemporary Sant Mat movements.

Sant Mat was a spiritual movement on the Indian subcontinent during the 13th–17th centuries CE. The name literally means "teachings of sants", i.e. mystic Hindu saints. Through association and seeking truth by following sants and their teachings, a movement was formed. Theologically, the teachings are distinguished by inward, loving devotion by the individual soul (atma) to the Divine Principal God (Parmatma). Socially, they are mostly ascetics except few householders.[1][2] Sant Mat is not to be confused with the 19th-century Radha Soami, also known as contemporary "Sant Mat movement".[3]

The lineage of sants can be divided into two main groups: a northern group from the provinces of Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, who expressed themselves mainly in vernacular Hindi; and a southern group, whose language is Marathi, represented by Namdev and other sants of Maharashtra.[1]

  1. ^ a b Linda Woodhead; et al., eds. (2001). Religions in the modern world: traditions and transformations (Reprint. ed.). London: Routledge. pp. 71–2. ISBN 0-415-21784-9.
  2. ^ Jones, Constance A.; Ryan, James D. (2007). "Sant Mat". Encyclopedia of Hinduism. Encyclopedia of World Religions. J. Gordon Melton, Series Editor. New York: Facts On File. p. 383. ISBN 978-0-8160-5458-9. Archived from the original on 2016-12-20.
  3. ^ Jones, Constance A.; Ryan, James D. (2007). "Sant Mat movement". Encyclopedia of Hinduism. Encyclopedia of World Religions. J. Gordon Melton, Series Editor. New York: Facts On File. pp. 383–384. ISBN 978-0-8160-5458-9. Archived from the original on 2016-12-20.