संत (sant)
noun/adjective
संत (sant) refers to a saint or holy person -- someone revered for spiritual wisdom and moral purity, often used for the great Bhakti-era poet-saints of North India.
Sense
1
:
saint, holy/pious person
noun, masculine
Synonyms: साधु (saadhu), महात्मा (mahaatmaa), साध्वी (saadhvii, for a female ascetic)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: In North Indian culture, संत (sant) is closely tied to the Bhakti tradition -- names like कबीर (kabiir) and तुलसीदास (tulsiidaas) are called संत (sant) rather than just poets, because their verses are treated as spiritual teaching, not mere literature. You'll often hear the phrase संत-महात्मा (sant-mahaatmaa, 'saints and holy men') used together as a set pair when talking about revered spiritual figures.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use संत (sant) loosely for any religious figure; it specifically implies recognized spiritual attainment or moral greatness, not just someone who is religious or performs rituals. 2) Don't confuse with पंडित (pandit, priest/scholar) or पुजारी (pujaarii, temple priest) -- those describe a role or occupation, while संत (sant) describes a person's spiritual/moral stature.
Sample Sentences:
कबीर को भारत के सबसे बड़े संतों में गिना जाता है।
Kabir is counted among the greatest saints of India.
(kabiir ko bhaarat ke sabse bade santon men ginaa jaataa hai।)
गाँव में हर साल संत-महात्माओं का सत्संग होता है।
Every year there is a gathering of saints and holy men in the village.
(gaanv men har saal sant-mahaatmaaon kaa satsang hotaa hai।)
तुलसीदास एक संत थे जिन्होंने रामचरितमानस लिखा।
Tulsidas was a saint who wrote the Ramcharitmanas.
(tulsiidaas ek sant the jinhonne raamachritmaanas likhaa।)
अगर वह संत होता, तो इतना क्रोध नहीं करता।
If he were a saint, he wouldn't get so angry.
(agar vah sant hotaa, to itnaa krodh nahiin kartaa।)
उस पहाड़ी पर एक संत बरसों से तपस्या कर रहे हैं।
A saint has been doing penance on that hill for years.
(us pahaadii par ek sant barson se tapasyaa kar rahe hain।)
देश-विदेश से भक्त उस संत के दर्शन के लिए आते हैं।
Devotees come from home and abroad for a glimpse of that saint.
(desh-videsh se bhakt us sant ke darshan ke lie aate hain।)
काश मुझे भी किसी सच्चे संत का आशीर्वाद मिल जाए।
I wish I too could receive the blessing of some true saint.
(kaash mujhe bhii kisii sachche sant kaa aashiirvaad mil jaae।)
उस संत का नाम पूरे इलाके में श्रद्धा से लिया जाता है।
That saint's name is spoken with reverence throughout the region.
(us sant kaa naam poore ilaake men shraddhaa se liyaa jaataa hai।)
संत की वाणी सुनकर सबकी आँखों में आँसू आ गए।
Hearing the saint's words, tears came to everyone's eyes.
(sant kii vaanii sunkar sabkii aankhon men aansoo aa gae।)
मंदिर के बरामदे में एक बूढ़ा संत बैठा है।
An old saint is sitting in the temple's veranda.
(mandir ke baraamde men ek boodhaa sant baithaa hai।)
Sense
2
:
saintly, virtuous, gentle-natured
adjective Used attributively before a noun, e.g. संत स्वभाव (sant svabhaav, 'saintly nature'), describing a person's temperament rather than formally calling them a saint.
Synonyms: सज्जन (sajjan), पवित्र (pavitr, more about purity than character)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: This adjectival use is less common in casual speech than the noun sense; you're more likely to hear it in descriptions of someone's calm, forgiving temperament, as in बड़े संत स्वभाव के हैं (bade sant svabhaav ke hain, 'he's a very saintly/gentle sort of person').
Sample Sentences:
वे बड़े संत स्वभाव के हैं, कभी किसी पर गुस्सा नहीं करते।
He's a very saintly, gentle sort of person -- he never gets angry at anyone.
(ve bade sant svabhaav ke hain, kabhii kisii par gussaa nahiin karte।)
मेरी दादी का स्वभाव इतना संत है कि सब उन्हें प्यार करते हैं।
My grandmother's nature is so saintly that everyone loves her.
(merii daadii kaa svabhaav itnaa sant hai ki sab unhen pyaar karte hain।)
अगर वह इतना संत स्वभाव न होता तो शायद अब तक बदला ले चुका होता।
If he weren't so saintly in nature, he might have taken revenge by now.
(agar vah itnaa sant svabhaav n hotaa to shaayad ab tak badlaa le chukaa hotaa।)
उसने माफ करने वाला संत भाव अपनाया और सबको आश्चर्य में डाल दिया।
He adopted such a saintly, forgiving attitude that he surprised everyone.
(usne maaph karne vaalaa sant bhaav apnaayaa aur sabko aashchary men daal diyaa।)
काश मैं भी उतना संत स्वभाव होता, तो छोटी-छोटी बातों पर परेशान न होता।
I wish I were as saintly and even-tempered too, then small things wouldn't bother me.
(kaash main bhii utnaa sant svabhaav hotaa, to chhotii-chhotii baaton par pareshaan n hotaa।)
गुरुजी का संत हृदय हर किसी की पीड़ा को समझ लेता है।
The teacher's saintly heart understands everyone's pain.
(gurujii kaa sant hriday har kisii kii piidaa ko samajh letaa hai।)
तुझे भी थोड़ा संत स्वभाव अपनाना चाहिए, यार, इतनी बात पर मत भड़का कर।
You should adopt a bit of a saintly nature too, man, don't flare up over such a small thing.
(tujhe bhii thodaa sant svabhaav apnaanaa chaahie, yaar, itnii baat par mat bhadkaa kar।)
उस संत स्वभाव की स्त्री ने हर अपमान को शांति से सहन किया।
That saintly-natured woman bore every insult with calm patience.
(us sant svabhaav kii strii ne har apmaan ko shaanti se sahan kiyaa।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct):
संत
(sant)
(sg.m.oblique):
संत
(sant)
(pl.m.direct):
संत
(sant)
(pl.m.oblique):
संतों
(santon)
Adjective (invariant)
invariant:
संत
(sant)