List of 1000 Hindu Gurus and Saints

According to 15th-century Indian mystic poet and saint, Kabir,

“If all the land were turned to paper and all the seas turned to ink, and all the forests into pens to write with, they would still not suffice to describe the greatness of the guru.”

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

Quick Links

A – B – C – D – E – G – H – I – J – K – L – M – N – O – P – R – S – T – U – V – Y

Names of Hindu Gurus and Saints A to Z

The title of Hindu Guru or Saint can be achieved via Diksha, a standard initiation process, in which they receive a sacred Sanskrit phrase referred to as mantra.

List of Hindu Gurus and Saints Beginning with A

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada	September 1896 – 14 November 1977
Abhinavagupta	950 – 1020
Adi Shankara	788 – 820
Advaita Acharya	1434–1539
Agastyar
Akka Mahadevi	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 Thakur	Born 14 September 1888
Arunagirinathar	15th Century A.D.
Avvaiyar	c. 1st and 2nd century AD, Tamil literature
Ayya Vaikundar	1809–1851

Great Saints of India beginning with A

List of Hindu Gurus and Saints Beginning with B

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	November or December 1897 – 8 August 1961
Bhakti Charu Swami	17 September 1945 – 4 July 2020
Bhakti Tirtha Swami	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	20 December 1868 – 20 May 1953

Great Saints of India beginning with B

List of Hindu Gurus and Saints Beginning with C

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu	18 February 1486 – 14 June 1534
Chandrashekarendra Saraswati	20 May 1894 – 8 January 1994
Chandrashekhara Bharati III	1892–1954
Charan Singh (Sant) (Radha Soami Sant Satguru)	12 December 1916 – 1 June 1990
Chattampi Swamikal	c. 1853–1924
Chaturbhuj Sahay	3 November 1883 – 24 September 1957
Chinmayananda Saraswati	8 May 1916 – 3 August 1993
Chokhamela	14th century

Great Saints of India beginning with C

List of Hindu Gurus and Saints Beginning with D

Dada Bhagwan, founder of Akram Vignan	7 November 1908 – 2 January 1988
Damodardev	c. 1488 – c. 1598
Darshan Singh (Sant Mat)	1921–1989, founder of Sawan Kirpal Ruhani Mission
Dayananda Saraswati	Ärsha Vidya – 15 August 1930 – 24 September 2015
Dayananda Saraswati, founder of Arya Samaj	12 February 1824 – 30 October 1883
Dnyaneshwar	1275–1296
Drona	mythohistorical

Great Saints of India beginning with D

List of Hindu Gurus and Saints Beginning with E

Eknath	1533–1599
Eknath Easwaran	1910–1999

Great Saints of India beginning with E

List of Hindu Gurus and Saints Beginning with G

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	c. early 19th century
Gopala Bhatta Goswami	1503–1578
Gopala Krishna Goswami	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	born 24 June 1955

Great Saints of India beginning with G

List of Hindu Gurus and Saints Beginning with H

Hans Ji Maharaj	8 November 1900 – 18 July 1966
Haridasa Thakur	b. 1451 or 1450
Hariharananda Giri, (Paramahamsa Hariharananda)	27 May 1907 – 3 December 2002

List of Hindu Gurus and Saints Beginning with I

Isaignaniyar

c. 7th century, Tamil literature

Great Saints of India beginning with I

List of Hindu Gurus and Saints Beginning with J

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
Jayatirtha	1345-1388
Jiddu Krishnamurti	11 May 1895 – 17 February 1986
Jiva Goswami	c. 1513–1598

Great Saints of India beginning with J

List of Hindu Gurus and Saints Beginning with K

Kabir	c. 15th century Indian saint and mystic
Kalki Bhagwan	Born 1949
Kanakadasa	1509–1609
Kanhopatra	c. 15th century, Marathi literature
Kanwar Saheb
Karaikkal Ammaiyar	c. 6th century, Tamil literature
Khatkhate Baba	1859–1930
Kirpal Singh	c. 1894–1974 (Sawan Kirpal Ruhani Mission)
Kripalu Maharaj	5 October 1922 – 15 November 2013
Krishnadasa Kaviraja	Born 1496
Krishnananda Saraswati	25 April 1922 – 23 November 2001

Great Saints of India beginning with K

List of Hindu Gurus and Saints Beginning with L

Lahiri Mahasaya, (Shyamacharan Lahiri)	30 September 1828 – 26 September 1895
Lakshmanananda Saraswati	1926 – 23 August 2008
Lalleshwari	c.1320 – 1392, Kashmiri literature

Great Saints of India beginning with L

List of Hindu Gurus and Saints Beginning with M

Madhavdev	c. 1489 – c. 1596
Madhvacharya	c. 1238 – 1317
Mahant Swami Maharaj	Born 13 September 1933
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi	12 January 1918 – 5 February 2008
Mahavatar Babaji	Mid-19th – mid 20th century
Mangayarkkarasiyar	c. 7th century Tamil literature
Manik Prabhu	NA
Master C. V. V.	4 August 1868 – 12 May 1922
Mata Amritanandamayi	27 September 1953
Matsyendranath	c. 10th century
Mauni Baba	c. 20th 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	Born 26 December 1960
Muktabai	c.1279 – 1297 Marathi literature
Muktanand Swami	1758–1830
Muktananda	16 May 1908 – 2 October 1982

Great Saints of India beginning with M

List of Hindu Gurus and Saints Beginning with N

Namdev	c. 1270 – c. 1350
Narasimha Saraswati	1378–1459
Narayan Maharaj	20 May 1885 – 3 September 1945
Narayana Guru, writer of Daiva Dasakam	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	c. late 19th or early 20th century – 11 September 1973
Nigamananda Paramahansa	18 August 1880 – 29 November 1935
Nimbarka	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	17 April 1897 – 8 September 1981
Nishkulanand Swami	1766–1848
Nityananda Prabhu	Born 1474

Great Saints of India beginning with N

List of Hindu Gurus and Saints Beginning with O

Om Swami	Born 1979
Osho	Born 1931

Great Saints of India beginning with O

List of Hindu Gurus and Saints Beginning with P

Panth Maharaj	3 September 1855 – 16 October 1905
Paramahansa Yogananda	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	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
Purandara Dasa

Great Saints of India beginning with P

List of Hindu Gurus and Saints Beginning with R

Radhanath Swami	Born 7 December 1950
Raghavendra Swami	1595 – 1671
Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami	1505–1579
Rajinder Singh – spiritual master	20 September 1946. Sawan Kirpal Ruhani Mission, Founder of Science of Spirituality
Rakeshprasad	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	18 February 1836 – 16 August 1886 See Disciples
Ramalinga Swamigal	5 October 1823 Disappeared on 30 January 1874 aka Vallalar
Ramana Maharshi	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

Great Saints of India beginning with R

List of Hindu Gurus and Saints Beginning with S

Sahadeo Tiwari	1892–1972
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	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
Satyapramoda Tirtha	1918-1997
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
Sitaramdas Omkarnath	17 February 1892 – 6 December 1982
Sivananda Saraswati	8 September 1887 – 14 July 1963
Sivaya Subramuniyaswami	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	27 August 1931 – 11 October 2007
Sri M	Born 06 November 1948
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 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

Great Saints of India beginning with S

List of Hindu Gurus and Saints Beginning with T

Tibbetibaba	Birth unknown – 19 November 1930
Trailanga	1607–1887
Tukaram	c. 1608 – 1649
Tulsidas	1532–1623 also known as Goswami Tulsidas

Great Saints of India beginning with T

List of Hindu Gurus and Saints Beginning with U

Upasni Maharaj	15 May 1870 – 24 December 1941
Uppaluri Gopala Krishnamurti	9 July 1918 – 22 March 2007

Great Saints of India beginning with U

List of Hindu Gurus and Saints Beginning with V

Vallabha Acharya	1479 – 1531
Vadiraja Tirtha	1480-1600
Vethathiri Maharishi	14 August 1911 – 28 March 2006
Vidyaranya	c. 1268 – c. 1386
Vishuddhananda Paramahansa	14 March 1853 – 14 July 1937
Vishwesha Tirtha	1931-2019
Vyasatirtha	c. 1460 – 1539

Great Saints of India beginning with V

List of Hindu Gurus and Saints Beginning with Y

Yogaswami	1872 – March 1964
Yogi Ramsuratkumar	1 December 1918 – 20 February 2001
Yogiji Maharaj
Yukteswar Giri	10 May 1855 – 9 March 1936

Great Saints of India beginning with Y

FAQs (People Also Ask)

What is the difference between Guru and Sadguru?

Guru is referred to a teacher from whom we learn and gain knowledge. Sadguru is referred to as the “Only One”, also known as Satyam Shivam Sundaram. Sadguru is the guru in the highest order, he/she is the one that has achieved the highest order of divinity and remains completely immersed in it.

What is a Guru?

As per Hindu and Buddhist tradition, a guru is a spiritual leader and a teacher. The Guru Gita (verse 17) describes the guru as “dispeller of darkness” (from gu, “darkness” and ru, “that which dispels”).