Dayananda Saraswati was a social reformer, Vedic philosopher, and the founder of the Arya Samaj community who values the Vedas (ancient Indian spiritual texts) as their supreme authority. Members of this community believe in the existence of ‘One God’ as the ultimate reality.
Tukaram
Sant Tukaram, also known as Tukoba or Tukobaraya was a 17th century Hindu sage who was also a famous Marathi poet. Best known for his Marathi devotional poem – Abhanga (meaning ‘uninterrupted’), Tukaram was born in 1608 in a village near Pune, in the current day state of Maharashtra, India.
Ramchartimanas
‘Ramchartimanas’ can be translated as ‘a divine lake of the deeds of Rama’. This poem is considered a masterpiece of medieval Hindu literature and is known for its powerful influence on modern-day Hinduism, especially in the northern regions of India.
Tulsidas
Tulsidas was a Hindu sage, a devotee of Rama, who went on to become a world-renowned poet, primarily because of his epic poem, Ramcharitmanas. The word ‘Tulsi’ denotes a sacred variety of basil, which is worshipped by the Vaishnavas (followers of Vishnu and his avatars like Rama and Krishna)and ‘Das’ means a devotee.
Chaitanya
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu also known as Shri Krishna Chaitanya or Gauranga, was a 15th century Hindu sage, philosopher, and mystic from the state of Bengal, India. He was the founder of Achintya Bheda Abheda (existence of inconceivable oneness and differences, both at the same time), a branch of the Vedanta which incorporates both the Advaita and Dvaita schools of Hindu philosophies.