Bhagat is a term used in the Indian subcontinent to describe religious figures who have obtained high acclaim in their communities for their acts and devotion. It is also a term ascribed to one of theclans in theMahar caste, with their clan totem being aKing Cobra.[1] Furthermore, Bhagat is additionally a surname found amongMarathas,Bania communities andPunjabi Brahmins.
Bhagat is a Hindi andPunjabi word derived from theSanskrit wordBhagavat, भगवत्, which means saint or devotee.[2] It is known to be used as an epithet for Vishnu or Krishna.Bhagat is also aHindu,Buddhist, andJain surname, found in various communities throughout India. Though, it is most prevalent in the northernstates of India.
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Sikhism's central scripturalbook,Guru Granth Sahib, has teachings of 15Bhagats, along withbani ofSikh Gurus,Bhats andGursikhs. Because Sikhism believes in one human creed (no one belongs to a higher or a lower social status or caste) and that accounts to addingBani of various authors, a total of 36, inGuru Granth Sahib irrespective of many belonging to religions other than Sikhism. Religious writings of thoseBhagats were collected byGuru Arjan. Some of them lived beforeGuru Nanak, but came to have amonotheistic as opposed to apolytheistic doctrine.
Broadly speaking, therefore, aBhagat is a holy person or a member of a community whose objectives involve leading humanity towardsGod and highlighting injustices in the world.
Below is a list of theBhagats who contributed towardsSri Guru Granth Sahib:[3]
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