Saints:

Century	Saints	Description	Chosen Deity
6th to 5th Century BCE	Sri Mahavira (599 - 527 BCE)? • Born in Vaishali, Bihar	• 24th and the last Tirthankara of Jainism • Propagated the philosophy of Jainism based on Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya and Brahmacharya.
6th to 5th Century BCE	Sri Gautama Buddha (563 - 483 BCE)? • Born in Kapilvastu, Nepal	• Founder of Buddhism • Attained Enlightenment under the famous Bodhi Tree at Bodh Gaya, Bihar. • Preached the Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Paths. • Founded the Sangha of Buddhist monks. • Sri Gautama Buddha
5th to 4th Century BCE
4th to 3rd Century BCE
3rd to 2nd Century BCE
2nd to 1st Century BCE
1st to 2nd Century CE
2nd to 3rd Century CE
3rd to 4th Century CE
4th to 5th Century CE
5th to 6th Century CE	Alvars (5th - 9th Century) • Born in Tamil Nadu	• Vishnu Bhakti • Tradition of Vishistadvaita Vedanta. • Collection of their hymns are known as Nalayira Divya Prabandham. • 108 Vishnu temples praised by them are known as Divya Desams. • Andal	Lakshmi-Narayana
5th to 6th Century CE	Nayanmars (5th - 9th century) • Born in Tamil Nadu	• Shiva Bhakti • Tradition of Shaiva Siddhanta. • Lives recorded in book Periya Puranam. • Collection of their hymns recorded in Tirumurai. • 275 Shiva temples praised by them are known as Paadal Petra Sthalams.	Shiva-Parvati
6th to 7th Century CE	Alvars (5th - 9th Century) • Born in Tamil Nadu	• Vishnu Bhakti • Tradition of Vishistadvaita Vedanta. • Collection of their hymns are known as Nalayira Divya Prabandham. • 108 Vishnu temples praised by them are known as Divya Desams. • Andal	Lakshmi-Narayana
6th to 7th Century CE	Nayanmars (5th - 9th century) • Born in Tamil Nadu	• Shiva Bhakti • Tradition of Shaiva Siddhanta. • Lives recorded in book Periya Puranam. • Collection of their hymns recorded in Tirumurai. • 275 Shiva temples praised by them are known as Paadal Petra Sthalams.	Shiva-Parvati
7th to 8th Century CE	Alvars (5th - 9th Century) • Born in Tamil Nadu	• Vishnu Bhakti • Tradition of Vishistadvaita Vedanta. • Collection of their hymns are known as Nalayira Divya Prabandham. • 108 Vishnu temples praised by them are known as Divya Desams. • Andal	Lakshmi-Narayana
7th to 8th Century CE	Nayanmars (5th - 9th century) • Born in Tamil Nadu	• Shiva Bhakti • Tradition of Shaiva Siddhanta. • Lives recorded in book Periya Puranam. • Collection of their hymns recorded in Tirumurai. • 275 Shiva temples praised by them are known as Paadal Petra Sthalams.	Shiva-Parvati
8th to 9th Century CE	Alvars (5th - 9th Century) • Born in Tamil Nadu	• Vishnu Bhakti • Tradition of Vishistadvaita Vedanta. • Collection of their hymns are known as Nalayira Divya Prabandham. • 108 Vishnu temples praised by them are known as Divya Desams. • Andal	Lakshmi-Narayana
8th to 9th Century CE	Nayanmars (5th - 9th century) • Born in Tamil Nadu	• Shiva Bhakti • Tradition of Shaiva Siddhanta. • Lives recorded in book Periya Puranam. • Collection of their hymns recorded in Tirumurai. • 275 Shiva temples praised by them are known as Paadal Petra Sthalams.	Shiva-Parvati
8th to 9th Century CE	Sri Adi Shankaracharya (788 - 820 CE)? • Born in Kaladi, Kerala	• Knowledge of Brahman. • Exponent of the philosophy of Advaita Vedanta. • Wrote commentaries on Brahma Sutras, principal Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita. • Composed Sanskrit Stotras on various Deities. • Founded four Mathas around the four corners of India. • Believed to be the organiser of Dashanami monastic order and founder of Shanmata tradition of worship. • Sri Adi Shankaracharya	Devi Sharada
9th to 10th Century CE	Sri Nathamuni (823 – 951 CE) • Born in Tamil Nadu	• Vishnu Bhakti • Tradition of Vishistadvaita Vedanta. • Compiled the Naalayira Divya Prabandham.	Lakshmi-Narayana
10th to 11th Century CE	Sri Abhinavagupta (950 – 1016 CE) • Born in Kashmir	• Exponent of the philosophy of Kashmir Shaivism (Trika System). • Composed Tantraloka and many other works.	Kashmir Shaivism
11th to 12th Century CE	Sri Thirukachi Nambi (1009 - ? CE) • Born in Poonamallee, Chennai suburb, Tamil Nadu	• Vishnu Bhakti • A great devotee of Sri Varadaraja Perumal of Kanchipuram. • Tradition of Vishistadvaita Vedanta.	Lakshmi-Narayana
11th to 12th Century CE	Sri Ramanujacharya (1017 - 1137 CE) • Born in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu	• Vishnu Bhakti • Exponent of the philosophy of Vishistadvaita Vedanta. • Wrote commentaries on Brahma Sutras (known as Sri Bhashya) and Bhagavad Gita. • Composed several texts on Sri Vaishnavism and organised the method of worship.	Lord Ranganatha
12th to 13th Century CE	Sri Sekkizhar (12th Century CE) • Born in Kundrathur, Chennai suburb, Tamil Nadu	• Shiva Bhakti • Tradition of Shaiva Siddhanta. • Compiled the Periya Puranam.	Shiva-Parvati
12th to 13th Century CE	Sri Madhvacharya (1199 - 1278 CE) • Born in Udupi, Karnataka	• Krishna Bhakti • Exponent of the philosophy of Dvaita Vedanta. • Wrote commentaries on Brahma Sutras, Bhagavad Gita and several Upanishads. • Founded the Krishna Temple at Udupi and several other Mathas.	Sri Krishna
13th to 14th Century CE	Sri Vedanta Desika (1268 - 1369 CE) • Born in Thooppul, near Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu	• Vishnu Bhakti • An acharya and a pillar of Vaishnavism. • Wrote several books in both Sanskrit and Tamil Language. • Worshipped Lord Hayagriva at Thiruvahindrapuram and was blessed by the Lord.	Lord Hayagriva
13th to 14th Century CE	Sri Namdev (1270 - 1350 CE) • Born in Hingoli district, Maharashtra	• Krishna Bhakti • Tradition of Maharashtrian Saints. • Spent his life in devotion to Lord Vithoba of Pandharpur. • Proponent of Bhagavad Dharma and purity of living.	Sri Panduranga
13th to 14th Century CE	Sri Jnaneshwar or Dyaneshwar (1275 - 1296 CE) • Born in Apegaon, Aurangabad, Maharashtra	• Philosopher and Yogi of Nath tradition. • Also, Tradition of Maharashtrian Saints. • Composed Bhavartha Deepika (a commentary on Bhagavad Gita, popularly known as Dnyaneshwari) and Amrutanubhav. • Sant Jnaneshwar	Sri Panduranga
14th to 15th Century CE	Sri Manavala Mamunigal (1370 - 1443 CE) • Born in Alwarthirunagiri, Tamil Nadu	• Vishnu Bhakti • An acharya and proponent of Vishistadvaita philosophy of Vaishnavism. • Wrote several books and commentaries of Vaishnavism.	Lakshmi-Narayana
15th to 16th Century CE	Sri Surdas (1478 - 1573 CE) • Sihi, Faridabad, Haryana	• Krishna Bhakti. • Composed Sur Sagar, which is a collection of thousands of melodious songs on Sri Krishna, only around 8000 extant now. • Disciple of Sri Vallabhacharya.	Sri Krishna
15th to 16th Century CE	Sri Vallabhacharya (1479 - 1531 CE) • Born in Champaram, Chattisgarh	• Krishna Bhakti • Founder exponent of the philosophy of Shuddha Advaita Vedanta. • Wrote commentaries on Brahma Sutras (known as Anubhasya) and Srimad Bhagavad Mahapurana. • Composed several texts on Krishna Bhakti. • Believed to have got the vision of Srinathji (seven year old Krishna) whose temple is in Nathadwara, Rajasthan.	Srinathji
15th to 16th Century CE	Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486 - 1534 CE) • Born in Nabadwip, West Bengal	• Krishna Bhakti • Pillar of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. • Popularised the chanting of Hare Krishna Maha Mantra. • Composed Shikshashtakam (eight devotional prayers on Sri Krishna) in sanskrit.	Sri Krishna
15th to 16th Century CE	Sri Meerabai (1497 - 1557 CE) • Born in Merta, Rajasthan	• Krishna Bhakti • Composed around 1300 Krishna Bhajans. • Disciple of guru Ravidass.	Sri Krishna
16th to 17th Century CE	Sri Tulsidas (1497/1532 - 1623 CE) • Born in Rajapur, Chitrakoot district, Uttar Pradesh	• Rama Bhakti • Composed Ramcharitmanas, several Dohas and other texts. • Hanuman Chalisa is attributed to him. • Founded the Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple at Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.	Sri Rama
16th to 17th Century CE	Sri Eknath (1533 - 1599 CE) • Born in Aurangabad district, Maharastra	• Krishna Bhakti • Tradition of Maharashtrian Saints. • Revived Dnyaneshwari. • Composed Eknath Bhagavatam, a commentary on Srimad Bhagavatam. • Disciple of Sri Janardhanaswami.	Sri Panduranga
16th to 17th Century CE	Sri Doddacharya (16th Century CE) • Born in Sholingur, Tamil Nadu	• Vishnu Bhakti • A great devotee of Sri Varadaraja Perumal of Kanchipuram.	Lakshmi-Narayana
17th to 18th Century CE	Sri Bhadrachala Ramadasu (1620 - 1688 CE) • Born in Nelakondapalli village, Khammam district, Telangana	• Rama Bhakti • Composed Ramadasu Keertanalu (devotional kirtanas dedicated to Sri Rama).	Sri Rama
17th to 18th Century CE	Sri Bhaskararaya Makhin (1690 – 1785 CE) • Born in Hyderabad, Telangana	• Lalita Bhakti • Master of Sri Vidya tradition. • Among the many books authored by him are Saubhagya Bhaskara and Setubandha.	Devi Lalita
18th to 19th Century CE	Sri Ramprasad Sen (1723 - 1775 CE) • Born in Halishahar, North 24 Parganas district, West Bengal	• Kali Bhakti • Performed his sadhana invoking Mother Kali in a Panchavati grove, often sitting on a Panchamundi Asana near the place of the present Ramprasad Vita Kali Temple of Halishahar. • Composed many Shyama Sangeet (Bhajans on Mother Kali). • Ramprasad Vita Kali Temple of Halishahar.	Devi Kali
18th to 19th Century CE	Sri Shyama Shastri (1762 - 1827 CE) • Born in Tiruvarur, Tamil Nadu	• Kamakshi Bhakti • One of the Trinity of Carnatic Music (along with Thyagaraja and Muthuswami Dikshitar). • Composed many devotional compositions mostly in praise of Devi Kamakshi.	Devi Kamakshi
18th to 19th Century CE	Sri Thyagaraja (1767 - 1847 CE) • Born in Tiruvarur, Tamil Nadu	• Rama Bhakti • One of the Trinity of Carnatic Music (along with Shyama Shastri and Muthuswami Dikshitar). • Composed thousands of devotional compositions in praise of Sri Rama. • His famous compositions are the Pancharatna Kritis. • Thyagaraja	Sri Rama
18th to 19th Century CE	Sri Kamalakanta Bhattacharya (1769 - 1821 CE) • Born in Bardhaman district, West Bengal	• Kali Bhakti • Invoked Mother Kali sitting on a Panchamundi Asana near the place of the present Kamalakanta Kalibari of Bardhaman. • • Composed many Shyama Sangeet (Bhajans on Mother Kali). • Kamalakanta Kalibari of Bardhaman.	Devi Kali
18th to 19th Century CE	Sri Muthuswamy Dikshitar (1776 - 1835 CE) • Born in Tiruvarur, Tamil Nadu	• One of the Trinity of Carnatic Music (along with Thyagaraja and Shyama Shastri). • Composed hundreds of devotional compositions in praise of various gods and goddesses.
19th to 20th Century CE	Sri Shyama Charan Lahiri (1828 – 1895 CE) • Born in Ghurni village in Nadia district, West Bengal	• Master of Kriya Yoga. • Initiated into yoga by Mahavatar Babaji himself. • Famous yogis in this tradition are: - Sri Yukteshwar Giri: Disciple of Sri Shyama Charan Lahiri. - Paramahamsha Yogananda: Disciple of Sri Yukteshwar Giri.	Mahavatar Babaji
19th to 20th Century CE	Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa (1836 - 1886 CE) • Born in Kamarpukur, West Bengal	• Kali Bhakti • Rama Bhakti • Krishna Bhakti • Shiva Bhakti • Brahman (Advaita Vedanta) • Also practised Christanity and • Islam • Dakshineswar Kali Temple (Place of Sadhana) • Praying to God with intense yearning in heart in order to realize Him or Her. • God can be realized through any path if the devotee has this intense yearning in heart (Jato Mat, Tato Path). • Vision of Serving Man as God (Shiva Jnane Jiva Seva). • Sayings recorded as Ramakrishna Kathamrita in Bengali, which is translated in English as Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna. • Ramakrishna Maths and Missions (headquarters in Belur Math). • Sri Ramakrishna	Devi Kali
19th to 20th Century CE	Sri Bamakhepa (1837 - 1911 CE) • Born in Atla village, Rampurhat, Birbhum district, West Bengal	• Tara Bhakti • Invoked Mother Tara sitting on a Panchamundi Asana at the Tarapith Maha Samshan ground (Cremation ground), performing sadhana under the guidance of Kailashpati Baba and Mokshadananda. • Tarapith Temple, Rampurhat, Birbhum district, West Bengal.	Devi Tara
19th to 20th Century CE	Swami Vivekananda (1863 - 1902 CE) • Born in Kolkata, West Bengal	• Disciple of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. • Core Teachings: - Character Building, i.e. building the right tendencies of mind using will power, discrimination and high ideal for the welfare of many. - Practical Vedanta, i.e. the vision of Advaita Vedanta applied in practical life to raise the masses, regenerate India and for welfare of many. In this context comes his precept of Serving Man as God. - Acceptance of all valid paths as a means to realize God. - Four Yogas - Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Raja Yoga for a balanced development of human being and God realization. • Lectures, Compositions, Letters etc recorded in The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda. • Founder of Ramakrishna Maths and Missions. • Sayings of Swami Vivekananda	Shiva-Parvati
19th to 20th Century CE	Sri Ramana Maharshi (1879 - 1950 CE) • Born in Thirucuzhi, near Madurai	• Realized the Self through a death experience during boyhood. • Suggested Aatma Vichara (Self-Enquiry), or the direct enquiry within oneself to find the source from where the "I" rises. • Sayings recorded in many books including Who am I, Day by Day with Bhagavan and Talks. • Famous song Arunachala Akshara Manimalai (Arunachala Shiva, Arunachala Shiva) • Sayings of Ramana Maharshi	Thiruvannamalai
19th to 20th Century CE	Sri Paramahamsha Yogananda (1893 – 1952 CE) • Born in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh	• Master of Kriya Yoga. • Writer of the famous book Autobiography of a Yogi. • Founder of Yogoda Satsanga Society (YSS) for teaching Kriya Yoga.	Mahavatar Babaji
20th to 21st Century CE