List of Hindu gurus and sants

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

This is a list of religious people in Hinduism, including gurus, sants , monks, yogis and spiritual masters.

A guru is defined as a "teacher, spiritual guide, [or] godman," ^[1] by author David Smith. To obtain the title of guru, one must go through a standard initiation process referred to as diksha , in which they receive a mantra, or sacred Sanskrit phrase. ^[2]

The list

A to C

• A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada ^[3] (1 September 1896 –14 November 1977)
• Abhinavagupta (c. 950 –1020)
• Adi Shankara (8th c. CE) ^[4]
• Acharya Prashant (1978  – Present)
• Advaita Acharya (1434–1539)
• Agastyar (3rd millennium BCE) ^[5]
• Akka Mahadevi (c.1130 – 1160), Kannada literature
• Akshobhya Tirtha (c. 1282- c. 1365), disciple of Madhvacharya
• Alvar Saints (700–1000)
• Anandamayi Ma (30 April 1896 – 27 August 1982)
• Anasuya Devī, also known as Jillellamudi Amma(28 March 1923 –12 June 1985)
• Andal (c.767), Tamil literature
• Anukulchandra Chakravarty, also known as Sree Sree Thakur (1888–1969)
• Arunagirinathar (15th century A.D.)
• Avvaiyar (c. 1st and 2nd century AD), Tamil literature
• Ayya Vaikundar (1809–1851)
• Atri (Vedic times) Rig Veda

• Baba Hari Dass (26 March 1923 –25 September 2018)
• Baba Mast Nath (born 1764)
• Bahinabai (1628–1700), Marathi literature
• Bamakhepa, or Bamakhyapa/ Bamdev Bhairav (1837 –1911)
• Basava (1105 CE–1167 CE)
• Bhadase Sagan Maraj (1920–1971), Indo-Trinidadian Hindu leader and politician, founded the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha
• Bhagat Dhanna (born 1415)
• Bhagatji Maharaj (20 March 1829 –7 November 1897)
• Bhagawan Nityananda ^[6] (November or December 1897 –8 August 1961)
• Bhakti Charu Swami (17 September 1945 – 4 July 2020)
• Bhakti Tirtha Swami ^[7] (25 February 1950 –27 June 2005)
• Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati (6 February 1874 – 1 January 1937)
• Bhaktivinoda Thakur (2 September 1838 – 23 June 1914)
• Bharathi Tirtha (born 11 April 1951, 36th Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Sringeri Sharada Peetham)
• Bhaskararaya (c. 1690–1785)
• Bijoy Krishna Goswami (2 August 1841 –1899)
• Brahma Chaitanya, also known as Gondavalekar Maharaj (1845–22 December 1913)
• Brahmanand Swami (1772–1832)
• Brahmananda Saraswati ^[8] (20 December 1868 –20 May 1953)
• Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ^[9] (18 February 1486 –14 June 1534)
• Chandrashekarendra Saraswati (20 May 1894 –8 January 1994)
• Chandrashekhara Bharati III (1892–1954)
• Chattampi Swamikal (c. 1853–1924)
• Chaturbhuj Sahay (3 November 1883 –24 September 1957)
• Chinmayananda Saraswati (8 May 1916 –3 August 1993)
• Chokhamela (14th century)

D to F

• Dada Bhagwan, founder of Akram Vignan (7 Novembery 1908 –2 January 1988) ^[10]
• Damodardev (c. 1488 –c. 1598)
• Dayananda Saraswati (Ärsha Vidya) (15 August 1930 –24 September 2015)
• Dayananda Saraswati, founder of Arya Samaj (12 February 1824 –30 October 1883)
• Dhyanyogi Madhusudandas (1878–1994)
• Dhirendra Krishna Shastri
• Dnyaneshwar ^[11] (1275–1296)
• Drona (Mahabharat era)
• Eknath (1533–1599)
• Eknath Easwaran (1910–1999)

G to I

• Gagangiri Maharaj (1906 –4 February 2008)
• Gajanan Maharaj (c. mid-19th century)
• Ganapati Muni (c. 1878–c.1936)
• Gambhirnath (death 1917)
• Garib Das (1717–1778)
• Gaurakisora Dasa Babaji (1838–1915)
• Gnanananda Giri ^[12] (c. early 19th century)
• Gopala Dasa (1721-1769
• Gopala Bhatta Goswami (1503–1578)
• Gopalanand Swami (1781–1852)
• Gopi Krishna (yogi) (1903–1984)
• Gora Kumbhar (c. 1267–c.1317)
• Gorakhnath (c. 10th or 11th century)
• Gulabrao Maharaj (6 July 1881 – 20 September 1915 )
• Gunatitanand Swami (17 October 1785 –11 October 1867)
• Guru Jambheshwar (1451–1536)
• Gurumayi Chidvilasananda ^[13] (born 24 June 1955)

• Hans Ji Maharaj (8 November 1900 –18 July 1966)
• Haridasa Thakur ^{[14] [15]} (born 1451 or 1450)
• Hariharananda Giri (Paramahamsa Hariharananda) (27 May 1907 –3 December 2002)
• Isaignaniyar (c. 7th century), Tamil literature

J to L

• Jagannatha Dasa (c. 1490-1550] Odia Vaishnav poet and devotee
• Jagannatha Dasa (Kannada poet)
• Jaggi Vasudev (born 3 September 1957)
• Jalaram Bapa (4 November 1799  23 February 1881)
• Janabai (c. 13th century), Marathi literature
• Jayadeva (CE 1170), Indian Sanskrit poet and devotee
• Jayatirtha (1345–1388)
• Jiva Goswami (c. 1513–1598)

• Kabir (c. 15th century), Indian saint and mystic
• Kalki Bhagwan (born 1949) ^{[16] [17]}
• Kamlesh D. Patel, also known as Daaji (born 28 September 1965)
• Kanakadasa (1509–1609)
• Kanhopatra (c. 15th century), Marathi literature
• Kanwar Saheb
• Karaikkal Ammaiyar (c. 6th century), Tamil literature
• Khaptad Baba
• Khatkhate Baba (1859–1930) ^[18]
• Kirpal Singh (c. 1894–1974) (Sawan Kirpal Ruhani Mission)
• Kirupanandha Variyar (25 August 1906 –7 November 1993)
• Kripalu Maharaj (5 October 1922 –15 November 2013)
• Krishna Prem (1898–1965)
• Krishnadasa Kaviraja (born 1496)
• Krishnananda Saraswati (25 April 1922 –23 November 2001)
• Lahiri Mahasaya (Shyamacharan Lahiri) ^[19] (30 September 1828 –26 September 1895)
• Lakshman Joo (9 May 1907 –27 September 1991), modern scholar of Kashmiri Shaivism
• Lakshmanananda Saraswati (1926 –23 August 2008)
• Lalleshwari (c.1320 –1392), Kashmiri literature

M to O

• Madhavdev (c. 1489 –c. 1596)
• Madhvacharya ^[20] (c. 1238 –1317)
• Mahant Swami Maharaj (born 13 September 1933)
• Maharishi Mahesh Yogi ^[21] (12 January 1918 –5 February 2008)
• Mahavatar Babaji ^[22] (mid-19th –mid-20th century)
• Mangayarkkarasiyar (c. 7th century), Tamil literature
• Manik Prabhu
• Master C. V. V. (4 August 1868 – 12 May 1922)
• Mata Amritanandamayi ^[23] (born 27 September 1953)
• Matsyendranath (c. 10th century)
• Meera (c. 1498 –c. 1547), Hindi literature
• Meher Baba (25 February 1894 –31 January 1969)
• Mehi (28 April 1885 –8 June 1986)
• Mirra Alfassa (21 February 1878 –17 November 1973)
• Morari Bapu (born 25 September 1946)
• Mother Meera ^[24] (born 26 December 1960)
• Muktabai (c.1279 –1297), Marathi literature
• Muktanand Swami (1758–1830)
• Muktananda ^[13] (16 May 1908 –2 October 1982)
• Murugan Chillayah (born 22 November 1978)
• Muthuswami Dikshitar (24 March 1776 –21 October 1835)
• Namdev (c. 1270 –c. 1350)
• Narahari Tirtha
• Narasimha Saraswati(1378–1459)
• Narayan Maharaj ^[25] (20 May 1885 –3 September 1945)
• Narayana Guru, writer of Daiva Dasakam ^[26] (c. 1854 –1928)
• Narayanprasaddasji Swami (14 January 1921 –30 January 2018), also known as Tapomurti Shastri Swami (Gujarati: તપોમૂર્તિ શાસ્ત્રી સ્વામી)
• Narottama Dasa (born 1466)
• Narsinh Mehta (1414–1481), also known as Narsi Mehta or Narsi Bhagat
• Nayakanahatti Thipperudra Swamy (c. 15th–c. 16th century), also known as Nayakanahatti Thippeswamy
• Nayanmars Saints (700–1000)
• Neem Karoli Baba ^[27] (c. late 19th or early 20th century – 11 September 1973)
• Nigamananda Paramahansa ^[28] (18 August 1880 – 29 November 1935)
• Nimbarka ^[29] (c. 7th century or earlier)
• Niranjanananda (c. 1862 –9 May 1904)
• Nirmala Srivastava, also known as Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi (21 March 1923 –23 February 2011)
• Nisargadatta Maharaj ^[30] (17 April 1897 –8 September 1981)
• Nishkulanand Swami (1766–1848)
• Nischalananda Saraswati (born  30 June 1943 145th Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Govardhan Math)
• Nityananda Prabhu (born 1474)
• Om Swami (born 1979)

P to R

• Padmanabha Tirtha
• Panth Maharaj (3 September 1855 – 16 October 1905)
• Paramahansa Yogananda ^[31] (5 January 1893 –7 March 1952)
• Parthasarathi Rajagopalachari, also known as chariji (24 July 1927 – 20 December 2014)
• Pattinathar (c. 10th or 14th century AD)
• Pavhari Baba (birth unknown –1898)
• Potuluri Virabrahmendra Swami (c. 17th century)
• Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar, also known as Shrii Shrii Anandamurti (21 May 1921 –21 October 1990)
• Pramukh Swami Maharaj ^{[32] [33]} (born 7 December 1921 – 13 August 2016)
• Pranavananda, also known as Yugacharya Srimat Swami Pranavananda Ji Maharaj (29 January 1896 –8 February 1941)
• Pranavanda Saraswati (28 August 1908 –28 August 1982)
• Prem Rawat, also known as Maharaji, Guru Maharaj Ji, and Balyogeshwar (born 10 December 1957)
• Premanand Ji Maharaj, Radhavallabh Sampradaya, Vrindavan (born 30 March 1969)
• Purandara Dasa (c. 1484 – c. 1565)
• Puran Puri (born 1742)
• Rambhadracharya (born 14 January 1950)
• Ramdas Kathiababa (early 24 July 1800 – 8 February 1909)
• Ramdev Pir (1352–1385 AD)
• Radhanath Swami (born 7 December 1950)
• Raghavendra Swami ^[34] (1595 –1671)
• Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami (1505–1579)
• Rajinder Singh (spiritual master) (20 September 1946) (Sawan Kirpal Ruhani Mission) (Founder of Science of Spirituality)
• Rakeshprasad ^[35] (born 23 July 1966)
• Rakesh Jhaveri (born 26 Sep 1966)
• Raghuttama Tirtha (1537 –1596)
• Ram Chandra (Babuji) (30 April 1899 – 19 April 1983)
• Ram Thakur (2 February 1860 –1 May 1949)
• Rama Tirtha (22 October 1873 –27 October 1906)
• Ramakrishna ^[36] (18 February 1836 –16 August 1886) See Disciples
• Ramalinga Swamigal (5 October 1823, disappeared on 30 January 1874), also known as Vallalar
• Ramana Maharshi ^[37] (30 December 1879 –14 April 1950)
• Ramanuja (c. 1017 –c. 1137)
• Ramprasad Sen (c. 1718 or c. 1723 –c. 1775)
• Ravidas (1398–1540)
• Rupa Goswami (1489–1564)

S to U

• Siyaram Baba(1914 – 11 December 2024)
• Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj (1951–present)
• Sahadeo Tiwari (1892–1972)
• Sai Baba of Shirdi (1838–1918)
• Samarth Ramdas (1608–1681)
• Samyamindra Thirtha
• Sanatana Goswami (1488–1558)
• Sankardev (c. 1449 –c. 1568)
• Sant Charandas (1703–1782)
• Sant Nirmala (c. 14th century), Marathi literature
• Sant Soyarabai (c. 14th century), Marathi literature
• Sarada Devi (22 December 1853 – 20 July 1920)
• Satchidananda Saraswati (22 December 1914 –19 August 2002)
• Sathya Sai Baba (23 November 1926 –24 April 2011)
• Satnarayan Maharaj (born 1931), Indo-Trinidadian Hindu leader and son-in-law of Bhadase Sagan Maraj
• Satsvarupa dasa Goswami ^[38] (born 6 December 1939)
• Satyadhyana Tirtha A great mystic
• Satyasandha Tirtha Dvaita philosopher
• Satyanatha Tirtha
• Satyavrata Tirtha
• Satyapriya Tirtha
• Satyanidhi Tirtha
• Satyasandha Tirtha
• Satyadharma Tirtha
• Satya Narayan Goenka (30 January 1924 –29 September 2013)
• Satyananda Saraswati (25 December 1923 –5 December 2009)
• Satyapramoda Tirtha (1918–1997)
• Satyatma Tirtha (born 1973)
• Shaunaka,
• Seshadri Swamigal (22 January 1870 –4 January 1929)
• Shastriji Maharaj (31 January 1865 –10 May 1951)
• Shivabalayogi (24 January 1935 –28 March 1994)
• Shreedhar Swami (7 December 1908 –19 April 1973)
• Shrimad Rajchandra (11 November 1867 –9 April 1901)
• Shripad Shri Vallabha
• Shrivatsa Goswami (27 October 1950 –present
• Shyama Shastri (26 April 1762 –6 February 1982)
• Sitaramdas Omkarnath (17 February 1892 –6 December 1827)
• Sivananda Saraswati (8 September 1887 –14 July 1963)
• Sivaya Subramuniyaswami ^[39] (5 January 1927 –12 November 2001)
• Soham Swami (birth unknown –1918)
• Sopan (c. 13th century)
• Sri Aurobindo (15 August 1872 –5 December 1950)
• Sripadaraja (c. 1422 – 1480)
• Sri Chinmoy ^[40] (27 August 1931 –11 October 2007)
• Sri Madhukarnath (born 06 November 1948)
• Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (born 1956)
• Sudhanshu Ji Maharaj (born May 1955)
• Surdas (c. late 15th-century)
• Swami Abhedananda (2 October 1866 –8 September 1939)
• Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha (born 13 May 1933)
• Swami Chidbhavananda (11 March 1898 –16 November 1985)
• Swami Janakananda (born 13 June 1939)
• Swami Keshwanand Satyarthi (born 5 September 1943) (Paramhans Satyarthi Mission, Advait Mat )
• Swami Nithyananda (born 1 January 1978 or 13 March 1977)
• Swami Prakashanand Saraswati (born 15 January 1929 – )
• Swami Purnachaitanya (born 1984)
• Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri (1855–1936)
• Swami Rama (1925–1996)
• Swami Ramanand (c. 1738 –c. 1802)
• Swami Ramdas (10 April 1884 –25 July 1963)
• Swami Samarth
• Swami Vivekananda (12 January 1863 –4 July 1902)
• Swaminarayan (3 April 1781 –1 June 1830)
• Swarupanand (1 February 1884 –9 April 1936), part of Advait Mat lineage
• Swarupananda (8 July 1871 –27 June 1906)
• Trailanga (1607 –1887)
• Tukaram (c. 1608 –1649)
• Tulsidas (1532 –1623), also known as Goswami Tulsidas
• Tyagaraja (4 May 1767 –6 January 1847)
• Upasni Maharaj (15 May 1870 –24 December 1941)
• Uppaluri Gopala Krishnamurti (9 July 1918 – 22 March 2007)
• Utpaladeva (ca. 900–950), teacher of Kashmiri Shaivism

V to X

• Vadiraja Tirtha (1480–1600)
• Vallabha ^[41] (1479 –1531)
• Valmiki (Ramayana)
• Vasistha (Rig Veda)
• Vasugupta (~ 800–850 CE), author of the Shiva Sutras in Kashmiri Shaivism
• Vedanta Desika, SriVaishnava Philosopher and Guru (c. 1268 –c. 1369)
• Vethathiri Maharishi (1911 - 2006) Indian yoga guru, philosopher and spiritual leader, Aliyar Tamilnadu State
• Vidyadheesh Teertha Swamiji
• Vidyaranya (c. 1268 –c. 1386)
• Vijayadasaru (1682-1755)
• Vijayindra Tirtha ( The guru of guru of Raghavendra Swami)
• Vishwananda ^[42] (13 June 1980)
• Vishwesha Tirtha (1931 –2019)
• Vyasatirtha (c. 1460 –1539)

Y to Z

• Yogaswami (1872 –March 1964)
• Yogi Ramsuratkumar (1 December 1918 –20 February 2001)
• Yogiji Maharaj (23 May 1892 –23 January 1971)
• Yukteswar Giri (10 May 1855 –9 March 1936)

See also

• Dalit saints of Hinduism
• List of Hindus
• List of founders of religious traditions
• Modern yoga gurus

References

1. Smith, David (2016). Religions in the Modern World: Traditions and Transformations. New York, New York: Routledge. p. 70. ISBN   978-0-415-85881-6.
2. Smith, David (2016). Religions in the Modern World: Traditions and Transformations. New York, New York: Routledge. p. 58. ISBN   978-0-415-85881-6.
3. Dasa Goswami, Satsvarupa (2002). Srila Prabhupada Lilamrta Vol 1–2. Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. vol.1 1133 pages vol.2 1191 pages. ISBN   0-89213-357-0.
4. Namboodiripad, E.M.S. (1989). "Adi Sankara and His Philosophy: A Marxist View". Social Scientist . 17 (1): 3–12. doi:10.2307/3520108. JSTOR   3520108.
5. "Sri Agastiyar: The Ageless Guru of Gurus". murugan.org.
6. White, C.S.J. (1974). "Swami Muktananda and the Enlightenment Through Sakti-pat". History of Religions . 13 (4): 306–322. doi:10.1086/462708. JSTOR   1062089. S2CID   162248231.
7. Sherbow, P.H. (2004). "Ac Bhaktivedanta Swam Is Preaching in the Context of Gaudiya Vaishnavism". The Hare Krishna Movement: The Postcharismatic Fate of a Religious Transplant.
8. "TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM Part One: Is TM a Religion?" . Retrieved 2 July 2008.
9. Rosen, S.J. (2004). "Who Is Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu". The Hare Krishna Movement: The Postcharismatic Fate of a Religious Transplant.
10. "About Gnani Purush (Enlightened Being)". /www.dadabhagwan.org. Archived from the original on 19 May 2016.
11. Abbas, K.A. "Sant Dnyaneshwar—His Miracles and Manushya Dharma". Bombay Chronicle: 33–35.
12. Dr. T.M.P. MahaDevan; M.P. Pandit (1979). Sadguru Gnanananda, His life, Personality and teaching. S.Ramakrishan / Sudarsan Graphics. pp. xxi / 308.
13. "Siddha Yoga" . Retrieved 14 July 2009.
14. Dimock, E.C. Jr (1963). "Doctrine and Practice among the Vaisnavas of Bengal". History of Religions. 3 (1): 106. doi:10.1086/462474. JSTOR   1062079. S2CID   162027021.
15. O'Connell, J.T. (1973). "The Word'Hindu'in Gaudiya Vaisnava Texts". Journal of the American Oriental Society . 93 (3): 340–344. doi:10.2307/599467. JSTOR   599467.
16. Swamy, Rohini (22 October 2019). "Kalki Bhagavan, guru who started as LIC clerk & now has 'undisclosed income' of Rs 500 cr".
17. "Narayanan, "A 'White Paper' on Kalki Bhagavan"". msuweb.montclair.edu.
18. G.K. Gurtu, "Khatkhate Baba – The Savior of Etawah". Ikashmir.net
19. Uban, S.S. (1978). The Gurus of India. Sterling.
20. Sarma, D. (2007). Madhva Vedanta and Krishna. Krishna: A Sourcebook. ISBN   978-0-19-514892-3 . Retrieved 2 July 2008.
21. "Journal of Religious Culture" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 December 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2008.
22. Key, P.S. (2004). The Journey to Radiant Health. Celestial Arts.
23. Warrier, M. (2003). "Processes of Secularization in Contemporary India: Guru Faith in the Mata Amritanandamayi Mission". Modern Asian Studies . 37 (1): 213–253. doi:10.1017/S0026749X03001070. S2CID   145492491.
24. Ross, C. (1997). "Experiencing Mother Meera". Canadian Woman Studies . 17: 78–82. Retrieved 2 July 2008.
25. Bhide, R.G. (1933). "Shri Narayan Maharaj". Marathi, Published by DL Lele, Wai.
26. Thomas, D. (1965). Sree Narayana Guru. Bangalore: The Christian Institute for the Religion and Society.
27. Dass, Ram (1979). Miracle of love: stories about Neem Karoli Baba . New York: E. P. Dutton. ISBN   9780525476115.
28. Paramahamsa Prajnanananda (15 August 2006). My Time with the Master. Sai Towers Publishing. pp. 25–. ISBN   978-81-7899-055-2 . Retrieved 18 March 2011.
29. Khurana, G.R. (1990). The theology of Nimbārka : a translation of Nimbārka's Daśaślokī with Giridhara Prapanna's Laghumañjūsā. Vantage. ISBN   978-0-533-08705-1.
30. Maharaj, N.; Powell, R. (1987). The Nectar of the Lord's Feet: Final Teachings of Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj: Discourses January–November 1980. Element Books.
31. Yogananda, P. (2005). Autobiography of a Yogi. Diamond Pocket Books (P) Ltd.
32. "Spiritual Leader of Bochansanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha...", Calgary Herald , 18 July 2012, available at https://calgaryherald.com/life/story.html?id=6952731%5B‍%5D
33. Kalarthi, S.M. "Idol of Inspiration—Pramukh Swami Maharaj". Ahmedabad: Swaminarayan Aksharpith.
34. Narayanan, V. (2006). "Religious Vows at the Shrine of Shahul Hamid". Dealing with Deities: The Ritual Vow in South Asia. ISBN   978-0-7914-6707-7 . Retrieved 2 July 2008.
35. "Vadtal, the delinquent in Swaminarayan family". The Times of India . 17 February 2003. Archived from the original on 23 October 2012. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
36. Kripal, J.J. (1998). "Mystical Homoeroticism, Reductionism, and the Reality of Censorship: A Response to Gerald James Larson". Journal of the American Academy of Religion . 66 (3): 627–635. doi:10.1093/jaarel/66.3.627. JSTOR   1466137.
37. Osis, K. (1970). "Informal methods of research in psychic phenomena for religious believers". Pastoral Psychology . 21 (7): 35–40. doi:10.1007/BF01797827. S2CID   143283370.
38. Rochford, E. Burke (2007). Hare Krishna transformed . New York: New York University Press. p.  224. ISBN   978-0-8147-7579-0.
39. Feuerstein, G. (2002). The Yoga Tradition: Its History, Literature, Philosophy and Practice. Motilal Banarsidass.
40. "Athletic Spiritual Leader, Dies at 76". The New York Times . 13 October 1997. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
41. Barz, R. (1992). The Bhakti sect of Vallabhacarya. New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal.
42. Vishwananda, P. (2021). Just Love: A Journey into the Heart of God. Bhakti Event GmbH.