Shankaracharya ● Born at Kaladi (KL), saint at 5 yo

● Disciple of Govindacharya
● Mathas/Ashrams at Sringeri (KA), Dwarka (GJ), Puri (OD),
Badrinath (UK)
● Popular works: Vivekahudamani, Saundaryalahari,
Bhajagovindam
● His followers: Smratas
● Founded Advaita Vedanta:
● Higher/true self identical to Brahman ie Absolute
Reality
● Jnana Yoga path to Moksha
● Moksha can be achieved in this life (Jivanmukti)
and not after life like other philosophies in India

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believe

Ramanujacharya ● Born Sriperumbudur, disciple of Yamuna Muni & Vedprakash

● Kullonga Chola (Shaivite) banished him for Vaishnavism
● Wrote Sri Bashya, headed Srirangam Vaishnava Math
● Shudras and outcastes can also achieve salvation with

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complete submission to guru
Ilaya Perumal - radiant one was his title
Gave Vishista Advait
○ Worship of Lord Vishnu
○ Non dualistic school of Vedantic philosophy
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○ Doesn’t see the world as a mere illusion

Madhavacharya ● Born in Pajaka (Udupi) in 1238 on Vijayadashami and named

Vasudeva
● Third of trinity philosophers (Shankarayacharya and Rama)
● Commentaries on texts like Gita and Brahma Sutra
● Works: Gita Bhashya, Anu Bhashya, Karma Nirnaya etc
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● Gave philosophy of Dwaita/Dualism, aka Tattvavada

○ Refutation of Mayavada of Sri Shankara
○ World is real, not just an illusion
○ Soul bound to world via ignorance and Sri Hari can
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free one of this world

○ How to reach Hari? Bhakti
○ How to do Bhakti? Meditate
○ How to meditate? Clear mind and attain detachment

Nimbaraka ● Disciple of Ramanujacharya, he was prominent astronomer

● Founded Dvaita Advaita, a philosophy centred on balance b/w
Advaita and Vishishtadvaita (Andhra)
● Wrote Dashashloki & Vedanta
● First to introduce Radhamadhav cult to worship Radha &
Madhav
○ Men trapped in physical bodies (prakriti)
○ Only surrender to Radha-Krishna can help them attain
grace necessary for liberation from rebirth
Vallabhacharya ● Aka Achinitabhadra
● First to promote Krishna Bhakti on Maha Bhagvad Purana
● Founded Shuddha Advaita with faith in Absolute union
● Prescribed Pushtimarga as means of salvation (extreme
devotion to God)

Basavanna ● 12 cent administrator, philosopher, poet, Lingayat Sain

● Shiva focused Bhakti
● Social awareness via his poetry known as Vachanas
● Anubhava Mantapa (hall of spiritual experience) welcome
men and women from all BGs to discuss spiritual and
mundane Qs of life in open
● Propagated Vishishtadvaita (of Ramanujacharya)
● Aka Bhakti Bhandari & Basaveswara

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Ramananda ● 14 cent Vaishnava devotional poet saint
● Developed philosophy & devotional themes
● Influenced by Nathpanthi aspects
● Disciples from various BGs: Kabir, Ravidas, Bhagat Pipa etc
● Verses mentioned in Adi Granth

Kabir
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Works: Gyanlila, Yogachintamani (both Hindi) Ramarcana
Paddhati (Sanskrit)

15 cent mystic poet/saint w/ verses in Guru Granth Sahib

Ramanada’s disciple who attacked superficial H&M practices
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Formless god, first to reconcile Hinduism and Islam
● Kabir Panth & propagated Ram Bhakti
● “Truth is with person who’s on path of righteousness,
considered all people on earth as his own and detached from
affairs of the world”
● Wrote: Sabad, Bijak, Holi, Rekhtal

Guru Nanak Dev ● Born in Talvandi near Lahore, Gurupurab his b’day
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● 1496: set out on spiritual journey through India, Tibet, Arabia

for nearly 30 years
● Last days in Kartarpur
● Most famous teachings: only one god, all humans can have
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direct access to w/o priests.

● Most radical teaching: denounce caste system ‘cz all equal
● Gave the concept of ‘Vahiguru’ i.e. shapeless, timeless,
omnipresent, invisible entity.
● Other names of god in sikh faith: Akaal Purkh & Nirankar
● Guru Granth Sahib has 974 of hymns of his!

Mirabai ● Born RJ, wife of Raja Bhojraj, most popular Bhakti reformer
● First to introduce: Giridhara Gopala cult and Bhajans
● Bhajans in Vraj/Braj Bhasha

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu ● Born Nabadwip (Bengal), disciple of Keshav Bharti

● aka Gouranga & Vishambar,
● preached Gudik Vaishnavism (Bengal, Odisha)
● Main centre: Puri, first to introduce Kirtans
Tulsidas ● Contemporary of Akbar, wrote Ramcharitmanas in Avadhi
● Founder: Sankatmochan Mandir Varanasi, said that he got
darshan of Lord Hanuman here
● Started Ramlila plays
● Other works: Dohavali, Sahitya ratna/Ratna Ramayan,
Gitavali, Krishna Gitavali/Krisnavali, Vinaya Patrika

Dadu Dayal ● Born in weaver’s family in Ahd, Nirgunbhakti preached

● Teachings compiled in Dadu Dayaram ki Bani

Shankar Dev ● 1st to preach Vaishnavism in Brahmaputra valley

● Founder of Eka Saranadharma & Veerapurushamarga
● Credits for new forms of:
○ Borgeet (Music
○ Ankia Naat, Bhaona (Theatrical Performance)

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○ Sattriya (dance)
○ Brajavali (Literary Language)

Purandardas ● Haridas philosopher from KA, father of Carnatic Music

● Notable work: Dasa Sahitya

Gnaneshwar
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Most kirtans around social reform & pointing defects in society
Introduced Raga Mayamalavagowla as first scale to be learnt
by beginners in field of music

Maratha, wrote commentary on Gita as Gnaneswari (aka

Maratha Bhawad Gita)
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● Followers: Varkaris
○ Believe: attaining god’s presence via religious
song/bhajan
○ Worship lord Vithoba as incarnation of Vishnu

Ekanath ● pro-Marathi language use

● Devotion can be done with family life
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● Works: Abhangas, Owees, & Bharuds

Namdev ● Profession: tailor; men and women equal

● cultural unity b/w Marathas emphasised with new tradition
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called Mahapurusha Sampradaya

● Pro devotion to realise god
● His devotional songs in Guru Granth Sahib

Tukaram ● Shivaji contemporary, greatest Marathi Bhakti reformed

● Popularised Vithoba cult, devotional songs called Abhangs on
Vithalswami
● Message: equality and Universal Brotherhood

Samard ● Shivaji’s guru, inspired Shivaji for Swaraj

● Devotee of Rama, ashrams all over India
● His message compiled in text Dasabodha
Narsinh Mehta ● CA: Junagarh Uni named a spider after him
● Born 1410 at Talaja, Bhavnagar in Pandya family
● Mehta was a class of people who used to keep accounts
● Paid li’ll attention to family duties, devoted to Krishna Bhakti
● Ran away from home and did tapascharya at a temple for 7 days
● Ra Mandlik the ruler of Junagarh imprisoned him for claiming to
see Krishna while (as per ruler) he had not seen Krishna
● 750+ poems called padd in Gujarati
● Padd mainly dealt with Krishna, gyan, & variagya
● Penned down Gandhi’s favourite vaishnav te tene kahiye

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