Sant Eknath
Without this Hindu saint, people in Maharashtra would have forgotten Sanatan Dharma’s core teachings!
That’s Sant Eknath & here is his story.
By the 16th century, Islamic rulers like the Adilshahi and Nizamshahi were capturing the Deccan plateau & persecuting Hindus.
Sant Dnyaneshwar’s foundational Marathi commentary on the Bhagavad Gita from nearly 300 years prior was slowly being corrupted and forgotten.
The masses were losing their way, while Vedic texts remained heavily gatekept.
In this turbulent time, Eknath rose to the challenge.
Born around 1533 in Paithan by the Godavari river, he lost his parents early. However, he inherited a profound spiritual legacy - his great-grandfather, Sant Bhanudas, was a pivotal figure in the Warkari movement.
At 12, Eknath left home to train for over a decade under his guru, Janardan Swami, in Devagiri. Upon returning, he lived as a householder - marrying and having three children - proving that spiritual liberation did not require abandoning society.
But his real destiny was extraordinary. He translated and expanded the 11th book of the Bhagavata Purana into vernacular Marathi.
He famously traveled to Alandi to rescue and restore the original Dnyaneshwari, and authored epics like the Bhavartha Ramayana.
But Sant Eknath’s greatest contribution were his actions. He directly challenged social evils like casteism and untouchability, bringing marginalized communities into the Bhakti fold.
He did not just teach Advaita Vedanta; he lived it. He saw the formless Nirguna Brahman in all living creatures, yet emphasized Saguna Bhakti - worship of a physical form - to make spirituality accessible to the common man.
Through his Abhanga songs & Bharuds - highly dramatic, performative folk poems - he awakened the masses, helping them absorb complex philosophy and practice Dharmic values in daily life.
While Dnyaneshwar laid the foundation of the Bhakti movement, Eknath built its strongest pillar, setting the stage for later saints like Tukaram to take it to its peak.
True to his name, he united the people under one roof of devotion.