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Sant Eknath Teachings - A Collection Quotes Of Sant Eknath

Sant Eknath (1533–1599) was a Marathi saint and religious poet of the Varkari tradition. His teachings remove the dust of ignorance and sets a devotee on the true path of spirituality. Here is a collection Sant Eknath teachings and quotes.

Purity – not merely of the body but the internal one of the heart as well as the external one of good actions is needed.

One who wants to make the mind pure should first perform the necessary actions and the primal ignorance will be destroyed; by spiritual practice the mind becomes steady and the steady mind easily becomes thirsty (for God) and Janardan’s disciple Eknath says that this is the stage when the mind becomes one with Brahman.



Penance or constant meditation on God and not fasting or torturing the body is needed.

Retirement from worldly affairs to lead a life of silent meditation in solitude.

Calm endurance of the weak points of others without feeling anger as the Atman is the same in all.

Bhakti – realizing the presence of God everywhere.

Birds descend in the courtyard, do they get entangled? So, one should be detached in the world as long as the effects of previous actions remain. A guest stays in a shelter but leaves the next morning. Janardan’s disciple Eknath says that if one surrenders only to God, then what is the need for fear?’

One should become purified by performing regular (nitya) and special (naimittika) duties. Practice spiritual disciplines and remember God with one-pointed devotion to make the mind steady. As a result of these practices and by the grace of God, one achieves discernment and renunciation. Then the mind hankers for getting an ideal guru. By the grace of an ideal guru, one gets the true knowledge of Brahman. Constantly meditate on the guru’s holy feet in your heart. Janardan’s disciple Eknath says that by keeping one’s mind constantly on God, the mind gets uplifted.

A cloud showers pure water but as is the seed so will be the fruit like there is a difference between a devotee and a nonbeliever (the difference is due to their past tendencies, good or bad), Janardan’s disciple Eknath says that a piece of bamboo and that of a sandalwood are not the same.

One should not resort to violence, if one is desirous of knowing the supreme Self, so say the Vedas. That person is a sannyasi, who has destroyed all the resolves and future plans. Then, what is the use of planning? The Vedas say that God is indwelling in all; there is only one, no other. Janardan’s disciple Eknath says that let us understand that we cannot understand God through the Vedas.

Due to the desire for the sense objects, one perceives all difference. How can there be liberation where even an iota of any sense object is present? First, give up all worldly desires and then, begin doing spiritual practices, and know about the sweetness of renunciation from your guru. How can one go towards the knowledge of Brahman, when there is the idea of male and female? When even a small speck of dust enters the eyes, it gives great pain to the body; similarly, even a small amount of sense enjoyments produces the bondage of samsara. Janardan’s disciple Eknath says that by the power of true knowledge, the mind becomes free from the sense objects, which is the same as devotion beyond all differences.

Sant Eknath