Sant tradition

The Sant tradition is a devotional movement in medieval Indian spirituality emphasizing direct, personal experience of the divine without priestly intermediaries or elaborate ritual.

Sants (from Sanskrit *sat*, truth or being) were poet-saints who composed verses in vernacular languages, teaching that God dwells within and transcends religious boundaries.

Major figures include Kabir, Ravidas, and Guru Nanak, whose teachings influenced both Hindu bhakti movements and Sikhism.

The Sant tradition rejected caste distinctions and outward religiosity in favor of inner devotion.