maharashtra the place of saints essay in English 300 words
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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.
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 wrote a beautiful commentary in Marathi on the Bhagavad Gita called the Dnyaneshwari at the tender age of 15. Besides his famous work, Dnyaneshwar also wrote Amritanuhhava and Bhavartha Dipika in Marathi. His followers belonged to all castes, as he did not believe in the caste system.
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.
He composed songs not only in Marathi but also in Hindi and spread the message of equality within and outside Maharashtra. He travelled all over India and also went to Punjab. Some of his devotional songs are found in the Granth Sahib and other religious books of the Sikhs. His songs are sung with great love and devotion not only in Maharashtra but also in other parts of the world.
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.
He did not believe in rituals, ceremonies, and other orthodox ways of worship. He preferred to use Marathi in his religious discourses and composed songs in the language of the common people. He wrote numerous religious songs called Abhangas, Owees, and Bharuds. These songs are still very popular in Maharashtra.
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.
He visited the temple of Lord Vithoba at Pandharpur twice a year in the months of Ashad (June-July) and Kartik (October-November). Sant Tukaram sang devotional songs which he himself composed.
He performed keertans at devotional gatherings and sang his own devotional songs called Abhangas.