According to Mahan Kosh (P. 243) the term ‘Sant’**  is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Saant’ or ‘Shaant’, which means (spiritually) poised, or someone who is emancipated from ‘self’. This in turn means that he has kept all mental as well as physical feelings under control.

From the time of Aryans there had been a tendency among people to seek the truth about existence which, it was believed, could be achieved by extreme asceticism – by fasting and tormenting oneself. Some such people who took to asceticism and succeeded in attaining a state of equipoise were known as "Sants". As the time went by, this term started being used more loosely and gradually came down to a point when anyone who took to ascetic life and wore a certain color and style of garb was called a "Sant" irrespective of his spiritual level. Even before and during the Guru period there seems to have been no dearth of such so called "Sants". The mention of such ‘Sants’ also comes in Guru Granth Sahib. For example Kabirji says:

"Those who wear ‘dhotis’ of three and a half yards and three-ply sacred threads – they display rosaries around their necks and have polished jugs in their hands, they are cheats of Banaras, not the ‘Sants’ of God. I do not like such (so called) Sants who devour the trees along with their stems".

In Sawaiyyas of the Bhatts, bard Bhikha also writes about such imposter Sants:

"I have searched throughout and seen ‘Sants’, of many kinds, the recluses, the men of austerities and sweet-talking Pundits. I wandered for a full year but no one gave clue (to the true way). Even though they were eloquent in speech, none appealed to me".

But there still must be some genuine ‘Sants’ because in Guru Granth Sahib there appear a large number of ‘Shabads’ in praise of a ‘Sant’. Fifth Master, Guru Arjun Dev has devoted two full "Ashtpadis" about ‘Sant’ in "Sukhmani Sahib". SGGS, P 262-296.

Today it seems that the imposter ‘Sants’ have proliferated. By putting on a particular type of dress they announce, through a few of their hired agents, that they have reached the exalted state of poise - are capable of showing miracles. They call themselves ‘Sants’. However, in reality they are out to extract money from innocent and gullible people. Several cases of fraud perpetrated by such so-called ‘Sants’ on innocent believers have recently come to light. This has resulted in a total loss of credibility of almost every person who calls himself a ‘Sant’ or who is called a ‘Sant’ by his followers.

There is no question that Guru Granth Sahib is the supermost ‘Sant’ (if there are any categories of Sants). Also anyone who calls himself a ‘Sant’ is probably not a ‘Sant’ in reality, because a true ‘Sant’ (according to the definition given in Guru Granth Sahib) will be humble and never claim to be a ‘Sant’. However, to say that the "only" Sant is Guru Granth Sahib may be a bit too hasty a statement given without finding out what Guru Granth Sahib has to say on this subject.

The term ‘Sant’ has been used in several different contexts in Guru Granth Sahib where it comes for over one thousand times. A large majority of Shabads (hymns), wherein this term comes, are in praise of piety and high spiritual state of a ‘Sant’:

Or about the capability of a ‘Sant’ to transform a sinner into a true devotee of God:

In many ‘Shabads’ this term is used to address a gathering in a general sense meaning good or holy people or Devotees:

SGGS, P. 333.

"Kabirji says, hear you holy people such is the state of affairs now"

Or

There are also some ‘Shabads’ that profess synonymy of God, Guru and Sant:

"Between God and ‘Sant’ there is no difference – such (devotee) is one in millions".

"My spouse (the Lord) is the great discerner, He alone is called ‘Sant’".

Also

"The true Guru is the Lord’s Sant, a true being, who utters Divine Words".

The fifth Master, Guru Arjun Dev has devoted two full "Ashtpadis" in Sukhmani Sahib on the subject of "Sant". The purpose of Guru Arjun Dev was definitely not self-aggrandizement but to emphasize the importance of persons he calls ‘Sants’. However, in these ‘Ashtpadis" he has not given the attributes of a ‘ Sant’ by means of which one could be recognized. One has therefore to search further to find if a ‘Sant’ has been defined in Guru Granth Sahib.

Fortunately, there are a few ‘Shabads’, which clearly and unambiguously indicate who is a ‘Sant’ and what his attributes are:

SGGS, P. 319

"Those who with every breath and morsel do not forget God’s Name and keep this Word in their minds, they alone are blessed and are perfect ‘Sants’, says Nanak".

The fifth Master, Guru Arjun Dev has also given an elaborate definition of a Sant:

"Day and night a ‘Sant’ realizes the Lord close (to him). He accepts God’s Will as sweet. Only Name of the Lord is the support of the ‘Sants’. They consider themselves as the dust of the feet of all. Brother! Listen to this way of the ‘Sants’. To describe their greatness is beyond my power. Name (of the Lord) alone is their way of life. God’s praise, the embodiment of bliss, is their rest. To them friends and foes are alike. Other than God they acknowledge no one else. They erase millions of sins, dispel anguish and bestow Divine life. They are heroes – true to their word. Poor ‘Maya’ is deluded by them."

Thus according to the teachings of Guru Granth Sahib anyone who possesses these attributes is a ‘Sant’. The Gurus, no doubt, did possess all these attributes and therefore can be categorized as Sants. But then Gurbani also says:

"If the perfect Guru, whose word is eternally true, casts his ambrosial sight on someone, he (that person) becomes a ‘Sant’".

For example, when Guru Nanak, the perfect Guru, cast his ambrosial sight on Bhai Lehna, he became Guru Angad, the Sant. During their lives the ten Gurus must have cast such ambrosial sight on many deserving Sikhs who became Sants. They may not be known as Sants in the Sikh history but the truth of Gurbani cannot be denied. Also as mentioned above one of the important attributes of a Sant is humility. Therefore one who is in reality a genuine Sant will not claim to be one. It is only the imposters who have an urge of self-aggrandizement, will want to have this title attached to their names and publicized.

When one searches Gurbani to see if the term ‘Sant’ has been used for any particular person one finds that it has actually been used with at least two names. Kabirji has used the term ‘Sant’ for himself in one of his hymns that has been accepted by Guru Arjun Dev and included in Guru Granth Sahib:

SGGS, P. 871.

In another hymn of Kabirji (also included in Guru Granth Sahib) the term ‘Sant’ has been used for Prehlad:

SGGS, P. 856.

Thus, according to the teaching of Gurbani, it is quite possible to have Sants other than the Gurus. It is difficult to say if any such Sants do exist today, but to say that no such persons, other that the Gurus, have existed in the past nor they exist today, is a rather hasty statement that does not pass the test by the touchstone of Guru Granth Sahib.

The litmus test of a Sant is that he would not want this title to be attached with his name and his only teaching would be to consider Guru Granth Sahib as the only Sant and Guru today.