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) [[R
• 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. 1077 – c. 1157)
• 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
• Shriram Sharma Acharya (20 September 1911 – 2 June 1990)
• 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, Sri Vaishnava Philosopher and Guru (c. 1268 – c. 1369)
• Vethathiri Maharishi (1911 - 2006) Indian yoga guru, philosopher and spiritual leader
• 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