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.
The list
A to C
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1September 189614November 1977)
Abhinavagupta (c. 9501020) Adi Shankara (8th c. CE) Advaita Acharya (1434–1539) Agastyar (3rd millennium BCE) Akka Mahadevi (c.1130 – 1160), Kannada literature Akshobhya Tirtha ( 1282- 1365), disciple of Madhvacharya Alvar Saints (700–1000) Anandamayi Ma (30April 1896 – 27August 1982) Anasuya Devī, also known as Jillellamudi Amma(28March 192312June 1985) Andal (c.767), Tamil literature Annamacharya, Telugu literature Anukulchandra Chakravarty, also known as Sree Sree Thakur (1888–1969) Arunagirinathar (15th century A.D.) Asaram Bapu (born 1941) Atmananda Krishna Menon(8December 188314May 1959) Avvaiyar (c. 1st and 2nd century AD), Tamil literature Ayya Vaikundar (1809–1851) Atri (Vedic times)
Baba Hari Dass (26March 192325September 2018) Baba Mast Nath (born 1764) Bahinabai (1628–1700), Marathi literature Bamakhepa, or Bamakhyapa/ Bamdev Bhairav (18371911) 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 (20March 18297November 1897) Bhagawan Nityananda (November orDecember 18978August 1961) Bhakti Charu Swami (17September 1945 – 4 July 2020) Bhakti Tirtha Swami (25February 195027June 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 18411899) Brahma Chaitanya, also known as Gondavalekar Maharaj (1845–22December 1913) Brahmanand Swami (1772–1832) Brahmananda Saraswati (20December 186820May 1953)
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (18February 148614June 1534) Chandrashekarendra Saraswati (20May 18948January 1994) Chandrashekhara Bharati III (1892–1954) Chattampi Swamikal (c. 1853–1924) Chaturbhuj Sahay (3November 188324September 1957) Chinmayananda Saraswati (8May 19163August 1993) Chokhamela (14th century)
D to F
Dada Bhagwan, founder of Akram Vignan (7Novembery 19082January 1988) Damodardev (c. 1488c. 1598) Dayananda Saraswati (Ärsha Vidya) (15August 193024September 2015) Dayananda Saraswati, founder of Arya Samaj (12February 182430October 1883) Dhyanyogi Madhusudandas (1878–1994) Dhirendra Krishna Shastri Devraha Baba Dnyaneshwar (1275–1296) Drona (Mahabharat era) Eknath (1533–1599) Eknath Easwaran (1910–1999)
G to I
Gagangiri Maharaj (19064February 2008) Gajanan Maharaj (c. mid-19th century) Ganapati Muni (c. 1878–c.1936) Gambhirnath (death 1917) Garib Das (1717–1778) Gauḍapāda (Gauḍapādācārya), (The Gure of Govindapada) Gaurakisora Dasa Babaji (1838–1915) Gnanananda Giri (c. early 19th century) Gokulanatha (1551-1641) (Author of Chaurasi and Dou Sau Bavan Vaishnavo Ki Varta) 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) Govindapada, (Govinda Bhagavatpada) (The Guru of Adi Shankara) Gulabrao Maharaj (6 July 1881 – 20 September 1915 ) Gunatitanand Swami (17October 178511October 1867) Guru Jambheshwar (1451–1536) Gurumayi Chidvilasananda (born 24June 1955)
Hans Ji Maharaj (8November 190018July 1966) Haridasa Thakur (born 1451 or 1450) Hariharananda Giri (Paramahamsa Hariharananda) (27May 19073December 2002) Hathiram Bhavaji 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 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 Karaikkal Ammaiyar (c. 6th century), Tamil literature Khaptad Baba Khatkhate Baba (1859–1930)G.K. Gurtu, "Khatkhate Baba – The Savior of Etawah". Ikashmir.net Kripa (Kripacharya), (Mahabharata era) Kirpal Singh (c. 1894–1974) (Sawan Kirpal Ruhani Mission) Kirupanandha Variyar (25August 19067November 1993) Kripalu Maharaj (5October 192215November 2013) Krishna Prem (1898–1965) Krishnadasa Kaviraja (born 1496) Krishnananda Saraswati (25April 192223November 2001)
Lahiri Mahasaya (Shyamacharan Lahiri) (30September 182826September 1895) Lakshman Joo (9May 190727September 1991), modern scholar of Kashmiri Shaivism Lakshmanananda Saraswati (192623August 2008) Lalleshwari (c.13201392), Kashmiri literature
M to O
Madhavdev (c. 1489c. 1596) Madhvacharya (c. 12381317) Mahant Swami Maharaj (born 13September 1933) Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (12January 19185February 2008) Mahavatar Babaji (mid-19thmid-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. 1498c. 1547), Hindi literature Meher Baba (25February 189431January 1969) Mehi (28April 18858June 1986) Mirra Alfassa (21February 187817November 1973) Morari Bapu (born 25September 1946) Mother Meera (born 26December 1960) Muktabai (c.12791297), Marathi literature Muktanand Swami (1758–1830) Muktananda (16May 19082October 1982) Murugan Chillayah (born 22November 1978) Muthuswami Dikshitar (24March 177621October 1835)
Namdev (c. 1270c. 1350) Narahari Tirtha Narasimha Saraswati(1378–1459) Narayan Maharaj (20May 18853September 1945) Narayana Guru, writer of Daiva Dasakam (c. 18541928) Narayanprasaddasji Swami (14January 192130January 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. 7th century or earlier) Niranjanananda (c. 18629May 1904) Nirmala Srivastava, also known as Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi (21March 192323February 2011) Nisargadatta Maharaj(17April 18978September 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 (5January 18937March 1952) Parthasarathi Rajagopalachari, also known as chariji (24 July 1927 – 20 December 2014) Pattinathar (c. 10th or 14th century AD) Pavhari Baba (birth unknown1898) Potuluri Virabrahmendra Swami (c. 17th century) Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar, also known as Shrii Shrii Anandamurti (21May 192121October 1990) Pramukh Swami Maharaj"Spiritual Leader of Bochansanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha...", Calgary Herald, 18July 2012, available at https://calgaryherald.com/life/story.html?id=6952731 (born 7December 1921 – 13August 2016) Pranavananda, also known as Yugacharya Srimat Swami Pranavananda Ji Maharaj (29January 18968February 1941) Pranavanda Saraswati (28August 190828August 1982) Prem Rawat, also known as Maharaji, Guru Maharaj Ji, and Balyogeshwar (born 10December 1957) Premanand Ji Maharaj, Radhavallabh Sampradaya, Vrindavan (born 30March 1969) 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 (15951671) 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) Rakesh Jhaveri (born 26Sep 1966) Raghuttama Tirtha (15371596) Ram Chandra (Babuji) (30April 1899 – 19April 1983) Ram Chandra (Lalaji) (02February 1873 – 14August 1931) Ram Thakur (2February 18601May 1949) Rama Tirtha (22October 187327October 1906) Ramakrishna (18February 183616August 1886) Ramalinga Swamigal (5 October 1823, disappeared on 30 January 1874), also known as Vallalar Ramana Maharshi (30December 187914April 1950) Ramanuja (c. 1077c. 1157) Ramprasad Sen (c. 1718 or c. 1723c. 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. 1449c. 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 191419August 2002) Sathya Sai Baba (23November 192624April 2011) Satnarayan Maharaj (born 1931), Indo-Trinidadian Hindu leader and son-in-law of Bhadase Sagan Maraj Satsvarupa dasa Goswami (born 6December 1939) Satyadhyana Tirtha Satyasandha Tirtha Dvaita philosopher Satyanatha Tirtha Satyavrata Tirtha Satyapriya Tirtha Satyanidhi Tirtha Satyasandha Tirtha Satyadharma Tirtha Satya Narayan Goenka (30January 192429September 2013) Satyananda Saraswati (25December 19235December 2009) Satyapramoda Tirtha (1918–1997) Satyatma Tirtha (born 1973) Shaunaka Seshadri Swamigal (22January 18704January 1929) Shastriji Maharaj (31January 186510May 1951) Shivabalayogi (24January 193528March 1994) Shreedhar Swami (7December 190819April 1973) Shrimad Rajchandra (11November 18679April 1901) Shripad Shri Vallabha Shriram Sharma Acharya (20September 19112June 1990) Shrivatsa Goswami (27October 1950present Shyama Shastri (26April 17626February 1982) Sitaramdas Omkarnath (17February 18926December 1827) Sivananda Saraswati (8September 188714July 1963) Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (5January 192712November 2001) Soham Swami (birth unknown1918) Sopan (c. 13th century) Sri Aurobindo (15August 18725December 1950) Sripadaraja (c. 1422 – 1480) Sri Chinmoy (27August 193111October 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 18668September 1939) Swami Avdheshanand Giri Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha (born 13May 1933) Swami Chidbhavananda (11March 189816November 1985) Swami Janakananda (born 13June 1939) Swami Keshwanand Satyarthi (born 5 September 1943) (Paramhans Satyarthi Mission, Advait Mat ) Swami Narayan Gautam Khatri (born 1858) Swami Nithyananda (born 1January 1978 or 13March 1977) Swami Prakashanand Saraswati (born 15 January 1929 – ) Swami Purnachaitanya (born 1984) Swami Sharnanandji (birth unknown - 1974) Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri (1855–1936) Swami Rama (1925–1996) Swami Ramanand (c. 1738c. 1802) Swami Ramdas (10April 188425July 1963) Swami Samarth Swami Vivekananda (12January 18634July 1902) Swaminarayan (3April 17811June 1830) Swarupanand (1February 18849April 1936), part of Advait Mat lineage Swarupananda (8July 187127June 1906)
Tapovan Maharaj(3December 188916January 1957)