Saints of Maharashtra

The Saints of Maharashtra: In Maharashtra ,Namdev, Tukaram, Eknath and Jnaneshwar popularised the devotion to vitthala (a form of Vishnu).Jnaneshwar wrote Jnaneshwari,which is a Marathi Commentary on the Bhagavad Gita.

Famous Bhakti Saints from Maharashtra, India: Maharashtra or the land of the Marathas produced a large number of saints, but those born between the thirteenth and the seventeenth centuries are famous in its social and cultural history. Among these Maratha saints, the names of Sant Dnyaneshwar, Namdeo, Eknath, Tukaram and Ramdas are the most prominent.

From the thirteenth to the seventeenth centuries Maharashtra saw a great number of saint- poets, whose songs in simple Marathi continue to inspire people. This regional tradition of bhakti focused on the Vitthala (a form of Vishnu) temple in Pandharpur, as well as on the notion of a personal god residing in the hearts of all people. Poets rejected all forms of ritualism, outward display of piety and social differences based on birth.

Sant Dnyaneshwar (1275-1296 AD):

He was the greatest saint of Maharashtra. He was born in 1275 AD in a Brahmin family at Apegaon near Paithan situated on the banks of the river Godavari. He was blessed with divine knowledge and showed signs of greatness from his childhood. He is said to have performed many miracles. It cannot be denied that he was highly learned and talented.

He condemned rituals, ceremonies, and sacrifices in religious worship. His followers are known as Varkaris. They believe in attaining the presence of God through religious songs or Bhajans and prayers. They worship Lord Vithoba whom they believe to be the incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

Sant Namdeo:

Sant Namdeo was a follower of Sant Dnyaneshwar. He was a tailor by caste and was five years older than his guru. He travelled all over Maharashtra with Sant Dnyaneshwar. Following the teachings of his celebrated master, he believed in the equality of all men. He advised people to follow the Bhakti Marga or the path of deep devotion to God.

He created in them a strong desire to protect their religion and have a deep love for their motherland! Like Kabir, he condemned idol worship. He carried on the work of Sant Dnyaneshwar after the latter s death in 1296 AD.

Sant Eknath:

He lived in the sixteenth century. Sant Eknaths beliefs and teachings were similar to those of the great Maratha saints, Sant Dnyaneshwar and Namdeo. He advocated social equality and preached the abolition of distinctions based on class, caste, and creed.

Thus, he carried on the work started by Dnyaneshwar and Namdeo. He preached that one could devote oneself to God by leading a normal family life and discharging all functions of a householder.

SantTukaram (1608-1651 AD):

Sant Tukaram was a contemporary of Chatrapati Shivaji, and though he never met the Maratha ruler, Shivaji was greatly influenced by his ideas. Sant Tukaram was born in a Vaishya family in 1608 AD in a village near Poona.

He was deeply religious even in his childhood and spent his time singing devotional songs in praise of his favorite deity. Lord Vithoba of Pandharpur. Like Dnyaneshwar, Namdeo, Eknath, and other Maratha saints, he believed in the Bhakti Marga or path of devotion to God. He often sang songs in praise of Lord Vithoba.

Samarth Guru Ramdas:

Guru Ramdas was also a contemporary of Chatrapati Shivaji. He was Shivajis chosen friend, philosopher, and guide. Shivaji was influenced by the ideas of both Sant Tukaram and Guru Ramdas. His real name was Narayan, but he preferred to call himself Ramdas meaning the servant of Rama.

He was a born devotee and was deeply religious from his childhood. He had decided to devote himself to religion and to the worship of Lord Rama. He carried out a great amount of penance (tapasya) at Panchavati (Nasik), a place associated with Lord Rama’s life in exile. Ramdas became a great admirer of Hanuman and looked upon him as the god of strength and an apostle of Brahmacharya.

Sample Questions

(More Questions for each concept available in Login)

Question : 1

The most important saint of the bhakti movement in Maharashtra who was born at Satara and is said to have died in Punjab , was ___________________
A. Jnanesvar	B. Namadeva	C. Tukaram	D. Guru Ramdas
Right Option : B
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Question : 2

From the thirteenth to seventeenth centuries, great numbers of saints - poets were born in ______, coastal area.
A. Bengal	B. Kerela	C. Maharashtra	D. Tamil Nadu
Right Option : C
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