List of Hindu gurus and sants

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," 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.

A to C

 * A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1September 1896 – 14November 1977)
 * Abhinavagupta (c. 950 – 1020)
 * Adi Shankara (507 BCE –  475 BCE)
 * Acharya Prashant (1978 –  Present)
 * Advaita Acharya (1434–1539)
 * Agastyar (3rd millennium BCE)
 * Akka Mahadevi (c.1130 – 1160), Kannada literature
 * Alvar Saints (700–1000)
 * Anandamayi Ma (30April 1896 – 27August 1982)
 * Anasuya Devī, also known as Jillellamudi Amma(28March 1923 – 12June 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 (26March 1923 – 25September 2018)
 * Baba Mast Nath (born 1764)
 * Bahinabai (1628–1700), Marathi literature
 * Bamakhepa, or Bamakhyapa/ Bamdev Bhairav (1837 – 1911)
 * Basava (1105 CE–1167 CE)
 * Bajrangdas Bapa
 * Bhadase Sagan Maraj (1920–1971), Indo-Trinidadian Hindu leader and politician, founded the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha
 * Bhagat Dhanna (born 1415)
 * Bhagatji Maharaj (20March 1829 – 7November 1897)
 * Bhagawan Nityananda (November orDecember 1897 – 8August 1961)
 * Bhakti Charu Swami (17September 1945 – 4 July 2020)
 * Bhakti Tirtha Swami (25February 1950 – 27June 2005)
 * Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati (6 February 1874 – 1 January 1937)
 * Bhaktivinoda Thakur (2September 1838 – 23June 1914)
 * Bharathi Tirtha (born 11 April 1951, 36th Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Sringeri Sharada Peetham)
 * Bhaskararaya (c. 1690–1785)
 * Bijoy Krishna Goswami (2August 1841 – 1899)
 * Brahma Chaitanya, also known as Gondavalekar Maharaj (1845–22December 1913)
 * Brahmanand Swami (1772–1832)
 * Brahmananda Saraswati (20December 1868 – 20May 1953)


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

D to F

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

G to I

 * Gagangiri Maharaj (1906 – 4February 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 (c. early 19th century)
 * 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 (17October 1785 – 11October 1867)
 * Guru Jambheshwar (1451–1536)
 * Gurumayi Chidvilasananda (born 24June 1955)


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

J to L

 * Jagannatha Dasa (c. 1490-1550] Odia Vaishnav poet and devotee
 * Jaggi Vasudev (born 3September 1957)
 * Jalaram Bapa (4November 1799 23February 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)
 * 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)
 * Kirpal Singh (c. 1894–1974) (Sawan Kirpal Ruhani Mission)
 * Kirupanandha Variyar (25August 1906 – 7November 1993)
 * Kripalu Maharaj (5October 1922 – 15November 2013)
 * Krishna Prem (1898–1965)
 * Krishnadasa Kaviraja (born 1496)
 * Krishnananda Saraswati (25April 1922 – 23November 2001)


 * Lahiri Mahasaya (Shyamacharan Lahiri) (30September 1828 – 26September 1895)
 * Lakshman Joo (9May 1907 – 27September 1991), modern scholar of Kashmiri Shaivism
 * Lakshmanananda Saraswati (1926 – 23August 2008)
 * Lalleshwari (c.1320 – 1392), Kashmiri literature

M to O

 * Madhavdev (c. 1489 – c. 1596)
 * Madhvacharya (c. 1238 – 1317)
 * Mahant Swami Maharaj (born 13September 1933)
 * Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (12January 1918 – 5February 2008)
 * Mahavatar Babaji (mid-19th – mid-20th century)
 * Mangayarkkarasiyar (c. 7th century), Tamil literature
 * Manik Prabhu
 * Master C. V. V. (4August 1868 – 12May 1922)
 * Mata Amritanandamayi (born 27September 1953)
 * Matsyendranath (c. 10th century)
 * Meera (c. 1498 – c. 1547), Hindi literature
 * Meher Baba (25February 1894 – 31January 1969)
 * Mehi (28April 1885 – 8June 1986)
 * Mirra Alfassa (21February 1878 – 17November 1973)
 * Morari Bapu (born 25September 1946)
 * Mother Meera (born 26December 1960)
 * Muktabai (c.1279 – 1297), Marathi literature
 * Muktanand Swami (1758–1830)
 * Muktananda (16May 1908 – 2October 1982)
 * Murugan Chillayah (born 22November 1978)
 * Muthuswami Dikshitar (24March 1776 – 21October 1835)


 * Namdev (c. 1270 – c. 1350)
 * Narasimha Saraswati(1378–1459)
 * Narayan Maharaj (20May 1885 – 3September 1945)
 * Narayana Guru, writer of Daiva Dasakam (c. 1854 – 1928)
 * Narayanprasaddasji Swami (14January 1921 – 30January 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 (c. late 19th or early 20th century – 11September 1973)
 * Nigamananda Paramahansa (18August 1880 – 29November 1935)
 * Nimbarka (c. 13th century or earlier)
 * Niranjanananda (c. 1862 – 9May 1904)
 * Nirmala Srivastava, also known as Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi (21March 1923 – 23February 2011)
 * Nisargadatta Maharaj (17April 1897 – 8September 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)
 * Osho also known as Rajneesh (11December 1931 – 19January 1990)

P to R

 * Panth Maharaj (3 September 1855 – 16 October 1905)
 * Paramahansa Yogananda (5January 1893 – 7March 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 (21May 1921 – 21October 1990)
 * Pramukh Swami Maharaj (born 7December 1921 – 13August 2016)
 * Pranavananda, also known as Yugacharya Srimat Swami Pranavananda Ji Maharaj (29January 1896 – 8February 1941)
 * Pranavanda Saraswati (28August 1908 – 28August 1982)
 * Prem Rawat, also known as Maharaji, Guru Maharaj Ji, and Balyogeshwar (born 10December 1957)
 * Purandara Dasa (c. 1484 – c. 1565)
 * Puran Puri (born 1742)


 * Rambhadracharya (born 14January 1950)
 * Ramdas Kathiababa (early 24July 1800 – 8February 1909)
 * Ramdev Pir (1352–1385 AD)
 * Radhanath Swami (born 7December 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 (born 23July 1966)
 * Raghuttama Tirtha (1537 – 1596)
 * Ram Chandra (Babuji) (30April 1899 – 19April 1983)
 * Ram Thakur (2February 1860 – 1May 1949)
 * Rama Tirtha (22October 1873 – 27October 1906)
 * Ramakrishna (18February 1836 – 16August 1886) See Disciples
 * Ramalinga Swamigal (5 October 1823, disappeared on 30 January 1874), also known as Vallalar
 * Ramana Maharshi (30December 1879 – 14April 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

 * Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj (1951–present)
 * Santadas Kathiababa (10 June 1859 – 9 November 1935)
 * 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
 * Sarada Devi (22 December 1853 – 20 July 1920)
 * Satchidananda Saraswati (22December 1914 – 19August 2002)
 * Sathya Sai Baba (23November 1926 – 24April 2011)
 * Satnarayan Maharaj (born 1931), Indo-Trinidadian Hindu leader and son-in-law of Bhadase Sagan Maraj
 * Satsvarupa dasa Goswami (born 6December 1939)
 * Satya Narayan Goenka (30January 1924 – 29September 2013)
 * Satyananda Giri (17November 1896 – 2August 1971)
 * Satyananda Saraswati (25December 1923 – 5December 2009)
 * Satyapramoda Tirtha (1918–1997)
 * Satyeswarananda Giri (born 16 August 1941 – 3 September 2017)
 * Shaunaka,
 * Seshadri Swamigal (22January 1870 – 4January 1929)
 * Shastriji Maharaj (31January 1865 – 10May 1951)
 * Shivabalayogi (24January 1935 – 28March 1994)
 * Shreedhar Swami (7December 1908 – 19April 1973)
 * Shrimad Rajchandra (11November 1867 – 9April 1901)
 * Shripad Shri Vallabha
 * Shrivatsa Goswami (27October 1950 – present
 * Shyama Shastri (26April 1762 – 6February 1982)
 * Sitaramdas Omkarnath (17February 1892 – 6December 1827)
 * Sivananda Saraswati (8September 1887 – 14July 1963)
 * Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (5January 1927 – 12November 2001)
 * Soham Swami (birth unknown – 1918)
 * Sopan (c. 13th century)
 * Sri Aurobindo (15August 1872 – 5December 1950)
 * Sripadaraja (c. 1422 – 1480)
 * Sri Chinmoy (27August 1931 – 11October 2007)
 * Sri Madhukarnath (born 06November 1948)
 * Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (born 1956)
 * Sudhanshu Ji Maharaj (born May 1955)
 * Surdas (c. late 15th-century)
 * Swami Abhedananda (2October 1866 – 8September 1939)
 * Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha (born 13May 1933)
 * Swami Chidbhavananda (11March 1898 – 16November 1985)
 * Swami Janakananda (born 13June 1939)
 * Swami Keshwanand Satyarthi (born 5 September 1943) (Paramhans Satyarthi Mission, Advait Mat )
 * Swami Nithyananda (born 1January 1978 or 13March 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 (10April 1884 – 25July 1963)
 * Swami Samarth
 * Swami Vivekananda (12January 1863 – 4July 1902)
 * Swaminarayan (3April 1781 – 1June 1830)
 * Swarupanand (1February 1884 – 9April 1936), part of Advait Mat lineage
 * Swarupananda (8July 1871 – 27June 1906)


 * Trailanga (1607 – 1887)
 * Tukaram (c. 1608 – 1649)
 * Tulsidas (1532 – 1623), also known as Goswami Tulsidas
 * Tyagaraja (4May 1767 – 6January 1847)


 * Upasni Maharaj (15May 1870 – 24December 1941)
 * Uppaluri Gopala Krishnamurti (9July 1918 – 22March 2007)
 * Utpaladeva (ca. 900–950), teacher of Kashmiri Shaivism

V to X

 * Vallabha (1479 – 1531)
 * Vadiraja Tirtha (1480–1600)
 * Vasugupta (~ 800–850 CE), author of the Shiva Sutras in Kashmiri Shaivism
 * Vidyaranya (c. 1268 – c. 1386)
 * Vishwananda (13 June 1980)
 * Vishwesha Tirtha (1931 – 2019)
 * Vyasatirtha (c. 1460 – 1539)
 * Vasistha (Rig Veda)
 * Valmiki (Ramayana)

Y to Z

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