Who was the saint of Maharashtra?

Saint Jnanadev, one of the most prominent figures of the Bhakti movement in Maharashtra was born in 1271 AD. Vittalpanth was the name of his father. Jnanadev inherited a pious and spiritual mind from his father. Saint Jnanadev started taking interest in spiritual and religious ideas and thoughts from an early age. He penned a commentary on the ‘Bhagwad Gita’ under the title of ‘Bhavartha Dipika’. This commentary became a great source of spiritualism and religious fervour in Maharashtra during the Bhakti Movement. Bhavartha Dipika is popularly known as ‘Jnaneshwari’ after the name of its writer.

Jnanadev started preaching his religious ideas and sermons in Marathi, the popular and common men language in Maharashtra to make his ideas accessible and comprehensible among masses. He earned great respect and acceptance among people that he became immensely popular as ‘the incarnation of Lord Krishna’. He died in October 1296 at Alandi.

► Saint Jnanadev was elected the President at a Sanskrit scholars assembly in Varanasi.

► He was contemporary of Saint Namdev, another great saint of Bhakti Movement.

► According to M.G. Ranade, “Jnaneshwar’s influence has been greater than that of any other Maratha Sadhu (Saint) except Tukaram. Jnaneshwar appeals to the pantheistic tendencies of our people’s intellect”.