This is a list of religious people in Hinduism, including gurus, saint, 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]
- A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada[3] (1 September 1896 – 14 November 1977)
- Abhinavagupta (c. 950 – 1020)
- Adi Shankara[4] (c. 788 – 820)
- Advaita Acharya (1434–1539)
- Agastyar [5]
- Akhandanand[6] (25 July 1911 – 19 November 1987)
- Akka Mahadevi(c.1130 – 1160), Kannada literature
- 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 (born 14 September 1888)
- Arunagirinathar (15th Century A.D.)
- Avvaiyar (c. 1st and 2nd century AD), Tamil literature
- Ayya Vaikundar (1809–1851)
- Baba Hari Dass (26 March 1923 – 25 September 2018)
- 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
- Dhanna jatt (born 1415)
- Bhagawan Nityananda[7] (November or December 1897 – 8 August 1961)
- Bhakti Charu Swami (born 17 September 1945)
- Bhakti Tirtha Swami[8] (25 February 1950 – 27 June 2005)
- Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati (6 February 1874 – 1 January 1937)
- Bhaktivinoda Thakur (2 September 1838 – 23 June 1914)
- 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[9] (20 December 1868 – 20 May 1953)
- Chaitanya Mahaprabhu[10] (18 February 1486 – 14 June 1534)
- Chandrashekarendra Saraswati (20 May 1894 – 8 January 1994)
- Chandrashekhara Bharati III (1892–1954)
- Charan Singh (Radha Soami Sant Satguru) (12 December 1916 – 1 June 1990)
- Chattampi Swamikal (c. 1853–1924)
- Chinmayananda Saraswati (8 May 1916 – 3 August 1993)
- Chokhamela (14th century)
- Dada Bhagwan, Founder of Akram Vignan (7 Novembery 1908 – 2 January 1988)[11]
- 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)
- Dnyaneshwar[12] (1275–1296)
- Drona (mythohistorical)
- Eknath (1533–1599)
- Eknath Easwaran (1910–1999)
- Gagangiri Maharaj (1906 – 4 February 2008)
- Gajanan Maharaj (c. mid 19th century)
- Ganapati Muni (c. 1878 – c.1936)
- Gaurakisora Dasa Babaji (1838–1915)
- Gnanananda Giri[13] (c. early 19th century)
- Gopala Bhatta Goswami (1503–1578)
- Gopala Krishna Goswami[14] (b. 14 August 1944)
- 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)
- Gurinder Singh (Radha Soami Sant Satguru) (born 1 August 1954)
- Gurumayi Chidvilasananda[15] (born 24 June 1955)
- Hans Ji Maharaj (8 November 1900 – 18 July 1966)
- Haridasa Thakur (born 1451)
- Haridasa Thakur[16][17] (b. 1451 or 1450)
- Hariharananda Giri, (Paramahamsa Hariharananda) (27 May 1907 – 3 December 2002)
- Isaignaniyar (c. 7th century), Tamil literature
- Jagannatha Dasa Babaji (1776–1894)
- Jaggi Vasudev (born 3 September 1957)
- Jaimal Singh (Radha Soami Sant Satguru) (July 1839 – 29 December 1903)
- Janabai (c. 13th century), Marathi literature
- Jiddu Krishnamurti (11 May 1895 – 17 February 1986)
- Jiva Goswami (c. 1513–1598)
- Kabir (c. 15th century) Indian Saint and Mystic
- Kalki Bhagwan (born 1949) [18] [19]
- Kanakadasa (1509–1609)
- Kanhopatra (c. 15th century), Marathi literature
- Kanwar Saheb
- Karaikkal Ammaiyar (c. 6th century), Tamil literature
- Khatkhate Baba (1859–1930)[20]
- Kripalu Maharaj (5 October 1922 – 15 November 2013)
- Krishnadasa Kaviraja (born 1496)
- Krishnananda Saraswati (25 April 1922 – 23 November 2001)
- Lahiri Mahasaya, (Shyamacharan Lahiri)[21] (30 September 1828 – 26 September 1895)
- Lakshmanananda Saraswati (1926 – 23 August 2008)
- Lalleshwari (c.1320 – 1392), Kashmiri literature
- Madhavdev (c. 1489 – c. 1596)
- Madhvacharya[22] (c. 1238 – 1317)
- Mahant Swami Maharaj (born 13 September 1933)
- Maharishi Mahesh Yogi[23] (12 January 1918 – 5 February 2008)
- Mahavatar Babaji[24] (mid 18th – mid 19th century)
- Mangayarkkarasiyar (c. 7th century) Tamil literature
- Manik Prabhu
- Mata Amritanandamayi[25] (b. 27 September 1953)
- Matsyendranath (c. 10th century)
- Meera (c. 1498 – c. 1547) Hindi literature
- Mehi (28 April 1885 – 8 June 1986)
- Mirra Alfassa (21 February 1878 – 17 November 1973)
- Morari Bapu (born 25 September 1946)
- Mother Meera[26] (born 26 December 1960)
- Muktabai (c.1279 – 1297) Marathi literature
- Muktanand Swami (1758–1830)
- Muktananda[15] (16 May 1908 – 2 October 1982)
- Namdev (c. 1270 – c. 1350)
- Narasimha Saraswati(1378–1459)
- Narayan Maharaj[27] (20 May 1885 – 3 September 1945)
- Narayana Guru, writer of Daiva Dasakam[28] (c. 1854 – 1928)
- Narayanprasaddasji Swami (14 January 1921 – 30 January 2018) also known as Tapomurti Shastri Swami (Gujarati: તપોમૂર્તિ શાસ્ત્રી સ્વામી) and Guruji by his devotees, was one of the most noted Swami of the Swaminarayan Sampraday
- 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[29] (c. late 19th or early 20th century – 11 September 1973)
- Nigamananda Paramahansa[30] (18 August 1880 – 29 November 1935)
- Nimbarka[31] (c. 13th 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[32](17 April 1897 – 8 September 1981)
- Nishkulanand Swami (1766–1848)
- Nityananda Prabhu (born 1474)
- Om Swami (born 1979)
- Osho (born 1931)
- Panth Maharaj (3 September 1855 – 16 October 1905)
- Paramahansa Yogananda[33] (5 January 1893 – 7 March 1952)
- 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[34][35] (b. 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 (b. 10 December 1957)
- Radhanath Swami (born 7 December 1950)
- Raghavendra Swami[36] (1595 – 1671)
- Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami (1505–1579)
- Rakeshprasad[37] (b. 23 July 1966)
- Raghuttama Tirtha (1537 – 1596)
- Ram Thakur (2 February 1860 – 1 May 1949)
- Rama Tirtha (22 October 1873 – 27 October 1906)
- Ramakrishna[38] (18 February 1836 – 16 August 1886) See Disciples
- Ramalinga Swamigal (05 October 1823 Disappeared on 30 January 1874) aka Vallalar
- Ramana Maharshi[39] (30 December 1879 – 14 April 1950)
- Ramanuja (c. 1017 – c. 1137)
- Ramprasad Sen (c. 1718 or c. 1723 – c. 1775)
- Rupa Goswami (1489–1564)
- Sahadeo Tiwari (1892–1972), India-born Indo-Trinidadian pandit who formed the Sanatan Dharma Board of Control which later merged to become the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha and the first person in Trinidad and Tobago to conduct a vivah samskara during the daytime
- Sai Baba of Shirdi (1838–1918)
- Samarth Ramdas (1608–1681)
- 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
- Satchidananda Saraswati (22 December 1914 – 19 August 2002)
- Sathya Sai Baba (23 November 1926 – 24 April 2011)
- Satnarayan Maharaj (born 1931) is an Indo-Trinidadian Hindu leader and son-in-law of Bhadase Sagan Maraj
- Satsvarupa dasa Goswami[40] (b. 6 December 1939)
- Satya Narayan Goenka (30 January 1924 – 29 September 2013)
- Satyananda Giri (17 November 1896 – 2 August 1971)
- Satyananda Saraswati (25 December 1923 – 5 December 2009)
- Sawan Singh (Radha Soami Sant Satguru) (27 July 1858 – 2 April 1948)
- Seshadri Swamigal (22 January 1870 – 4 January 1929)
- Shiv Dayal Singh also known as "Soamiji Maharaj" (25 August 1818 – 15 June 1878)
- Shivabalayogi (24 January 1935 – 28 March 1994)
- Shreedhar Swami (7 December 1908 – 19 April 1973)
- Shripad Shri Vallabha
- Shriram Sharma (20 September 1911 – 2 June 1990)
- Sitaramdas Omkarnath (17 February 1892 – 6 December 1982)
- Sivananda Saraswati (8 September 1887 – 14 July 1963)
- Sivaya Subramuniyaswami[41] (5 January 1927 – 12 November 2001)
- Soham Swami (birth unknown – 1918)
- Sopan (c. 13th century)
- Sri Aurobindo (15 August 1872 – 5 December 1950)
- Sri Chinmoy[42] (27 August 1931 – 11 October 2007)
- Sri M (born 06 November 1948)
- Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (born 1956)
- Sudhanshu Ji Maharaj (Born May 1955)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudhanshu_Ji_Maharaj
- 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 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)
- Tibbetibaba (birth unknown – 19 November 1930)
- Trailanga (1607–1887)
- Tukaram (c. 1608 – 1649)
- Tulsidas (1532–1623) also known as Goswami Tulsidas
- Upasni Maharaj (15 May 1870 – 24 December 1941)
- Uppaluri Gopala Krishnamurti (9 July 1918 – 22 March 2007)
- Vallabha Acharya[43] (1479 – 1531)
- Vethathiri Maharishi (14 August 1911 – 28 March 2006)
- Vidyaranya (c. 1268 – c. 1386)
- Vishuddhananda Paramahansa (14 March 1853 – 14 July 1937)
- Vishwesha Tirtha
- Yogaswami (1872 – March 1964)
- Yogi Gupta (25 September 1917 - 6 May 2011)
- Yogi Ramsuratkumar (1 December 1918 – 20 February 2001)
- Yukteswar Giri (10 May 1855 – 9 March 1936)
See also