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Sant Eknath
संत एकनाथ
The saint-poet of Paithan — the singer of devotion and compassion
Years
1533 – 1599
Known as
Sant Eknath — the saint-poet of Maharashtra
Birthplace
Paithan, Maharashtra
Field
Saints & Sages
“God dwells in the heart of every being — who then is low, and who is high?”
— Sant Eknath
The Story
Born in 1533 in Paithan, Eknath was raised by his grandfather after the early death of his parents, and from childhood he was drawn to the path of devotion. He studied the scriptures, was initiated into the tradition of Dnyaneshwar, and became a householder-saint — one who proved that devotion could be lived in the world.
His life was a series of acts of compassion: he fed the hungry, cared for the outcast, and washed the feet of the poor, saying that in serving them he served God. His writings include the Eknathi Bhagavata, his great commentary in Marathi on the Bhagavata Purana, and hundreds of abhangas and bharuds of matchless beauty.
He also edited and saved the works of Dnyaneshwar, the founder of his tradition, when they were feared lost. He died in 1599, and his name stands in the front rank of the saints of Maharashtra — the singer of devotion and the servant of the poor.
Core Ideas
The Eknathi Bhagavata
His great Marathi retelling of the Bhagavata.
The Householder Saint
He proved devotion could be lived in the world.
The Compassion
He served the poor as the very form of God.
The Abhangas
His devotional songs still move millions.
The Preserver
He saved the works of Dnyaneshwar for posterity.
Why it matters today
Sant Eknath is honoured as one of the four great saints of Maharashtra — the singer of devotion who served the poor and composed some of the most beloved poetry of the land. His works are read and sung in every Marathi home, and his life remains the model of the saint who lives in the world.