Here are brief descriptions of all 50 enlightened masters and gurus from India:
Ancient & Medieval Sages
1. Adi Shankaracharya- 8th century philosopher who consolidated Advaita Vedanta doctrine
2. Ramana Maharshi - 20th century sage who taught self-enquiry ("Who am I?")
3. Gautama Buddha - Founder of Buddhism, taught the Middle Path to enlightenment
4. Mahavira - 24th Tirthankara of Jainism, preached ahimsa (non-violence)
5. Gorakhnath - Legendary hatha yogi, founder of Nath tradition
6. Matsyendranath - Pioneer of Nath Yoga, teacher of Gorakhnath
7. Kabir- 15th century mystic who blended Hindu and Islamic teachings
8. Guru Nanak - Founder of Sikhism, taught equality and devotion
9. Tulsidas - Author of Ramcharitmanas (Hindi Ramayana)
10. Mirabai - Rajput princess who became Krishna devotee
Vedantic & Bhakti Masters
11. Swami Vivekananda - Introduced Vedanta to West, disciple of Ramakrishna
12. Ramakrishna - Mystic who experienced God through multiple paths
13. Swami Sivananda - Doctor-turned-monk, founded Divine Life Society
14. Swami Chinmayananda - Popularized Bhagavad Gita teachings
15. Nisargadatta Maharaj - Taught radical non-duality ("I Am That")
16. Swami Dayananda - Classical Advaita scholar and teacher
17. Anandamayi Ma - Spontaneous yogini called "Blissful Mother"
18. Sri Aurobindo - Developed Integral Yoga and evolutionary philosophy
19. The Mother - Spiritual collaborator with Aurobindo, founded Auroville
20. Swami Rama - Himalayan master who demonstrated yogic powers
Modern Gurus & Saints
21. Paramahansa Yogananda - Author of Autobiography of a Yogi
22. Neem Karoli Baba - Loving devotional saint, guru of Ram Dass
23. Osho - Controversial but brilliant teacher of radical awareness
24. J. Krishnamurti - Rejected gurus, taught pathless observation
25. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar - Founder of Art of Living Foundation
26. Sai Baba of Shirdi - Miracle-working saint worshiped by all faiths
27. Sathya Sai Baba - Modern avatar known for materializations
28. Amma - "Hugging Saint" known for humanitarian work
29. Papaji - Direct disciple of Ramana Maharshi
30. Swami Muktananda - Spread Siddha Yoga globally
Tantra & Yoga Masters
31. Swami Satyananda - Founded Bihar School of Yoga
32. B.K.S. Iyengar - Developed Iyengar Yoga system
33. Pattabhi Jois - Popularized Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga
34. Lahiri Mahasaya - Reviver of Kriya Yoga
35. Swami Vishnudevananda - Spread Sivananda Yoga worldwide
36. Krishnamacharya - Father of modern yoga as exercise
Sufi & Bhakti Saints
37. Bulleh Shah- Punjabi Sufi poet-saint
38. Moinuddin Chishti - Most revered Sufi saint in India
39. Tukaram - Maharashtra's beloved bhakti poet
40. Namdev - Warkari saint who composed abhangs
41. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu - Ecstatic Krishna devotee
Contemporary Teachers
42. Mooji - Direct disciple of Papaji teaching self-inquiry
43. Sadhguru - Founder of Isha Foundation
44. Sri M - Modern yogi who walked Himalayas
45. Swami Sarvapriyananda - Current Vedanta Society teacher
46. Gangaji - American teacher in Papaji lineage
47. Ramesh Balsekar - Advaita teacher emphasizing choiceless awareness
48. Swami Parthasarathy - Vedantic scholar and author
49. Anand Mehrotra - Founder of Sattva Yoga
50. Prem Baba - Brazilian guru in Sachcha lineage
Each master represents a unique facet of India's spiritual wisdom, from rigorous philosophy to devotional love to practical yoga.
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