Top 20 Living Spiritual Gurus in India and World
Who is One of the Greatest Spiritual Leaders of Our Country?

We shall now examine the well-known Spiritual Leaders of India at the yardstick of a real Satguru. We shall focus on living spiritual leaders. The readers should read the article till the end to discover less known facts.

20) Swami Sukhabodhananda (Born 25 April 1955)

Born in Bangalore named Dwaraknath, Sukhabodhanada Ji was initiated into Sanyas at the age of 28 by Swami Dayananda. In 1982 SwamiJi established the organization called Prasanna Trust. His Trust runs many social services including an orphanage for girls, and provides artificial limbs. He makes his disciples recite the five mantras. He narrates Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads and teaches management and yogic practices such as rapport building, emptying technique, strengthening the strengths and weakening the weaknesses, kundalini pranayama, poorna shakti and yoga nidra.

Swami Sukhabodhanada Ji is more a management and yogic guru and lacks in true spiritual knowledge and three stage name initiation and thus fails the test of Satguru.

19) Satpal Ji Maharaj (Born 21 September 1951)

Satpal Maharaj, a spiritual master and an Indian politician, founded the Manav Utthan Sewa Samiti. He was born to Shri Hans Ji Maharaj. His father, a spiritual master, passed away in 1966, teenager Satpal Ji proved to be the source of energy for the followers. His message is "God is neither Hindu, nor Muslim, nor Christian. God is one and is our father. Satpal Maharaj took many social initiatives making him a Guinness world record.

Satpal Maharaj taught "Knowledge" meditation techniques to his followers but did nothing for true eternal spiritual knowledge. He also collects donations from non-disciples and therefore cannot be recognized as Satguru.

18) Baba Ramdev (Born 25 December 1965)

The 'Yoga guru' Baba Ramdev is known for his works in the Yoga, Ayurveda, and FMCG products. He popularized yoga throughout the world for which he gained recognition and honors. He was appointed brand ambassador by the Haryana government. He is often in controversy because of his political stance. He made huge money by selling everything including yoga.

Physical yoga cannot lead to moksha, even the great sages got stuck before Brahmarandhra. Ramdev, a yogic and wellness guru who is not conversant with true eternal knowledge. He is inclined towards a religion and discriminates against others. He earns money from non-disciples. Hence he fails on all three yardsticks to qualify as Satguru.

Note: There are a number of famous Saints such as Swami Chidanand Saraswati, Asaram Bapu (Asumal Sirumalani), Avdhoot Baba Shivanand, Nirmal Baba (Nirmaljeet Singh), Radhe Maa (Sukhwinder Kaur), Sachchidanand Giri (Sachin Datta), Swami Omji (Vinodanand Jha), Ichchadhari Bhimanand (Shivmurti Dwivedi), Swami Aseemanand, Acharya Kushmuni, Brahaspati Giri, all are unique of their kind and can not be judged as Satguru for some common characteristics such as accepting money from non-disciples and for not following the holy scriptures based spiritual knowledge.

17) Mother Meera ji (Born 26 December 1960)

Mother Meera, born Kamala Reddy in Telangana, gained her first miraculous experience at the age of six. Her darshan - performed in complete peace - involves touching a person's head, looking in the eye, so that she may "untie the knots" and other obstacles in their life. Considered a saint by her devotees, Mother Meera has nothing to do with any particular religion or spiritual practice, rather she defines the purpose of her work as "calling down the Supreme Light (Paramatman Light) and helping people."

It implies that Mother Meera used her previous lives' virtues to show miracles. She did not know spiritual knowledge for Salvation, she is not a candidate for Satguru.

16) Shwaasa Guru, Vachananand (Born 20 July 1983)

Four decades ago in Karnataka State's village Tanvashi, a pious married couple prayed for a male successor for their family. This wish came true when Mystical Ascetic, Sri MaralaShankara Shivayogi of Gachchina Mutt Monastery initiated Vachananand's mother when he was in womb, which she avidly chanted during the entire course of her pregnancy. Hence, was born Vachananand, the up-keeper of promises and disseminator of wellness in the world.

Wishing a male child by mother and initiation by Guru to fulfill the discriminative wish both are not spiritual acts. Vachanand Swami who wandered in the Himalayas searching for the truth but discovered the treasurers of yoga and wellness. He didn't learn true eternal spiritual knowledge from a Satguru and can not be termed as Satguru.

15) Paal Dhinakaran ji (Born 04 September 1962)

Paal Dhinakaran alias Paal Baba is a Christian preacher from Chennai, Tamilnadu. His father Dr. DGS Dhinakaran claimed that he had seen Jesus Christ with his own eyes. Paal Dhinakaran once said when he was worried about his future, his father spoke to Jesus Christ and gave him knowledge. Paal Baba claims to overcome physical and other problems with the power of his prayers. It is said that he offers prayer packages like prepaid cards and charges a hefty sum of money @ Rs 3000 per family totalling his annual turnover to 5,000 crores. An Income Tax department raid on his hideouts in January 2021 revealed illegal assets worth Rs 118 crore.

A person who charges money in lieu of prayer can not be regarded as Satguru.

14) Swami Avdheshanand Giri (Born 24 November 1962)

Swami Avdheshanand Giri is Acharya Mahamandaleshwar of the Junapeeth Akhara. His ashram is in Kankhal, Haridwar. He left his home in 1980 in search of the "truth" and, eventually, entered the Juna Akhara. He is the Chairman of the Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha and a board member of the World Council of Religious Leaders. He is also the founder of Prabhu Premi Sangh which has a million members. Swami Avadhesananda Giri has initiated about one million Naga sadhus, who live stubbornly opposed to scripture and worship lord Shiva.

He is the kathavachak or religious narrator of Shrimad Bhagwat Katha and collects funds through it. He gives the mantra for recitation. He preaches that all humans are children of the same God who take birth again and again to bear the fruits of Karma. Swami Ji follows Shakti (Prakriti or Nature) and Shiva (Kaal Brahm) therefore misses salvation obtained through the reverence of Supreme Almighty so he can not be judged as Satguru.

Note: There are a number of prestigious kathavachak or religious narrators such as Morari Bapu Ji, Rameshbhai Oza Ji, Sadhvi Ritambhara Ji, Goswami Mridul Krishna Ji, Shri Devkinandan Thakur Ji, Acharya Shashikant Bhardwaj Ji, Jaya Kishori Ji, Acharya Gaurav Krishna Goswami Ji, Devi Chitralekha Ji, Shri Indresh Upadhyay Ji, Shri Chinmayanand Bapu Ji, Rajendra Das Ji, Shyam Sundar Parashar Ji, Shri Krishna Chandra Thakur Ji, and Anirudh Acharya Ji. Due to limited space their names have not been covered separately. All of them do not qualify as Satguru at all parameters as they can not end sorrows, discriminate one religion from another, and accept donations from non-disciples.

13) Prakashmuni, Kabir Panth Damakheda (Born 1967)

Prakashmuni Naam Sahib is a Kabir Panthi saint belonging to the Dharamdas Ji's lineage. His Ashram is in Damakheda, Chattisgarh. He is the current Acharya of native seat of Kabir Panth at Damakheda. He belongs to the 42 generations (Bayalish vansh) of Sant Dharamdas Ji linage and is the son and disciple of Grindh muni Naam Sahib.

Acharya Prakashmuni Saheb and Kharsiya and Lahartara- Kashi give initiation (Updesh naam mantra) as following:

"Sat Sukrit ki rehni raho | ajar amar gaho satya naam | kah Kabir mool deeksha satya shabd pramaan | aadi naam, ajar naam, ami naam, pataale sapt sindhu naam, aakashe adli nij naam | yahi naam hans ka kaam | khale kunJi khale kapaat paanJi chade mool ke ghaat | bharm bhoot ka baandho gola kah Kabir yahi pramaan paanch naam le hansa satyalok samaan"

There is no benefit of cramming the aforementioned entire shabd (hymn) and by doing such sadhana salvation is not possible. Hence Kabir panth Damakheda and all its affiliated branches are far away from truth and can not be termed as Satguru.

Note: Similarly Madhu Param Hans - Jammu, Seat of Ardhnam Saheb in Varanasi, Kabir gaddi in Maghar, their respective seats in Surinam, Holland, Mauritius etc, Sect of Parkhi Sant Dharmendra Das (After demise of Abhilash Das), Kabir Panth by Madan Pati and many smaller Kabir Panths in various other Indian states such as Gujarat, Odisha etc and other countries do not give correct initiation (Naam Diksha) and hence all are far from eternal truth and hence does not qualify as Satguru.

12) Muhammad Saad Kandhlawi (Born 10 May 1965)

Currently in the limelight for holding the Tablighi Jamaat gathering during the pandemic lockdown, Kandhlawi is the head of the Nizamuddin Markaz faction of the Tablighi Jamaat. The Muslim Preacher is the great-grandson of the founder of Tablighi Jamat, Muhammad Ilyas Kandhlawi. He is from the Sunni denomination and preaches the same.

He pretends that he is knowledgeable of the Quran but it appears he did not explore Bakhabar and 'Ain-Seen-Qaaf'. He does nothing to stop killing animals for eating their flesh, hence he does not become a candidate for Satguru.

11) Gurinder Singh Dhillon Ji Radha Soami Satsang Beas (Born 1 August 1954)

Gurinder Singh Dhillon, popularly known as Baba Ji, is the spiritual head of Radha Soami Satsang Beas (RSSB). Born into the Dhillon family, follower of the Radha Soami Satsang Beas, he succeeded Maharaj Charan Singh, his uncle, in 1990. The headquarters of this spiritual community, called Dera Baba Jaimal Singh, near the town of Beas, Punjab since 1891. RSSB has 20 million followers worldwide located in 90 countries.

Dhillon was a businessman in Spain before ascending to RSSB's spiritual throne. He's more than charismatic, erudite, intellectually phenomenal with a sense of humor. He's fun-loving, loves his music, loves talking about economics, politics, philosophy, and loves watching films. These are certainly not Guru's characteristics.

The Sect's originator Shiv Dayal Singh Ji had no spiritual Guru and was addicted to Hookah. The five mantras are not confirmatory to Bhagavad Gita (BG 17:23). Stubborn practice of meditation is also prohibited in scriptures. For all these reasons Dhillon can not be qualified as SatGuru.

Note: The readers must know that other sants related to Sant-Mat such as Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh Insan of Dera Sacha Sauda (DSS), Kanwar Saheb Ji Maharaj of Radha Soami Satsang, Dinod (RSSD), Sant BalJit Singh in the Sant Mat lineage saint, , Prof Prem Saran Satsangi Sahab of Radhasoami Satsang Dayalbagh, Sant RaJinder Singh Ji Maharaj of Sawan Kirpal Ruhani Mission and Science of Spirituality (SOS) also come in the same category, therefore did not find a separate place in this article.

10) Swami Gyanvatsal (Born 12 November 1958)

Swami Gyanvatsal is a mechanical engineer and motivational speaker. He is related to Akshardham, Swami Narayan Mandir a part of Swaminarayan Sanstha is a volunteer-driven organization dedicated to fostering the Hindu ideals of faith, unity, and selfless service. He travels around the world to deliver speeches from ethics to stress management to being smart managers.

He talks about morality which is an important part of spirituality but misses the true eternal spiritual knowledge and fails to qualify as Satguru. Similarly the Iskcon kind of institutions come in the same category and failed to qualify as Satguru.

9) Dr. Zakir Naik (Born 18 October 1965)

Zakir Abdal Karim Naik is a well-known non-Arabic Indian Islamic preacher. Naik mastered Islam and other religions and founded the Islamic Research Foundation and the world's largest religious channel network Peace TV Network. Born in Mumbai. Zakir Naik passed a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBS). He has delivered 2,000 lectures in 30 countries in 20 years and has published booklet versions of lectures on Islam and comparative religion.

Inspired by Ahmed Husein Deedat, a preacher of Salafi ideology, and a radical Islamic preacher of the Wahhabi ideology, Naik's teachings are like those of organizations advocating violence. Based on hate-speech laws, Naik's Peace TV channel has been banned in India, Bangladesh, Canada, Sri Lanka, and the United Kingdom.

A preacher who loves one particular part of society and hates the other, can be designated as a Satguru? Definitely not. Jagatguru Saint Rampal Ji Maharaj beat him in the Spiritual Debate.

8) Dalai Lama (Born 6 July 1935)

Born in China, Lhamo Thondup was renamed as Tenzin Gyatso as the reincarnation of the preceding Dalai Lama. He is the 14th Dalai Lama and is the highest order spiritual leader in Tibet. In political turmoil in Tibet, the Dalai Lama organized several protests against the Chinese communist party but could not establish Tibetan autonomy. He was awarded the Nobel peace prize in 1989. The Dalai Lama along with followers lived in India and continued his humanitarian works and religious practices.

According to Buddhism, life is not perfect but one can reduce the suffering that comes from negative emotions by practicing ethical conduct and discipline. The Dalai Lama did not follow three stage spiritual practice and accepted aid from non-disciples, therefore he failed to qualify as Satguru.

7) Kamlesh D. Patel Ji (Born 28 September 1956)

Born in Gujarat, Kamlesh D. Patel showed an early interest in meditation and spiritual growth. In 1976, as a pharmacy student in Ahmedabad, he joined Sahaj Marg of Shri Ram Chandra Mission (SRCM) and practiced Raja Yoga system meditation. In 1980, Kamlesh bhai moved to the USA. In August 2012 he was made Vice-President of SRCM and on the 20th of December 2014, he became the third President of SRCM which has millions of followers. His Heartfulness Institute offers meditation, relaxation, and self-development.

The first Guru of Sahaj Marg did not have any Guru and had taught transmission (Pranahuti) to his disciples out of self inspiration. The 2nd Guru was intoxicated with Hookah, and the 3rd Guru supported this act and wrote a book "He,The Hookah and Me". SRCM has OM-TAT-SAT on its emblem but they don't know the process of reciting. SRCM gives discriminating services to disciples based on their paying capacity. Hence Kamlesh D. Patel, the current and 4th Guru whose spiritual path is completely non-aligned with the true eternal spiritual knowledge and practices, cannot be regarded as Sat guru.

Note: Similarly the followers of Acharya Rajneesh, J Krishnamurti, Satya Narayana Goenka, Dada Bhagwan who use various meditation techniques for Salvation are in misconception.

6) Dr. Pranab Pandya (born 8 November 1950)

Dr. Pranab Pandya is the present head of the Gayatri family. M.B.B.S. and M.D. Pandya is the second most disciple and son-in-law of Shriram Sharma Acharya, founder of gayatri parivar. He is also the Chancellor of Dev Sanskriti University, Director - Brahmavarchas Research Institute and Editor of Akhand Jyoti Magazine. It is claimed that Gayatri Parivar has millions of followers.

Their guiding factor is that Gayatri, the Adi Shakti, is the discerning, pure intellect, which, according to them, unfolds the ultimate truth and absolute knowledge. A person can proceed rapidly on the path of soul growth and self-realization through devotion of the Goddess Gayatri. Their spiritual knowledge is contrary to true spiritual knowledge and hence Dr. Pranav Pandya does not qualify to be a Satgutu.

5) Mata Amritanandamayi the Hugging Saint (Born 27 September 1953)

Born in a fishing community in Parayakadavu Kerala, Mata Amritanandamayi, also known as Amma, was plagued by extreme poverty around her. Discarding karma theory, Amma believed in helping the sufferers by a completely self-made - never used by any other guru or spiritual teacher - method. Including the most marginalized in society as prisoners and lepers, she hugs and holds her devotees for 8 to 10 seconds totalling to 37 million people worldwide. Her nonprofit organization raises a huge sum and supports charities in more than 40 countries.

She didn't possess scriptures substantiated spiritual knowledge and she depended on miracles from her previous births' virtues and can not be termed as Satguru.

4) Sister BK Shivani (Born 31 May 1972)

Sister Shivani Verma is the most influential female spiritual teacher related to Brahmakumaris. A graduate in Electrical Engineering from Pune University in 1994, she became a lecturer. Shivani is said to have accompanied her parents to listen to lectures at Brahma Kumari University as a child. She took the position of a spiritual teacher in 2007 and soon got popularized. She conducts seminars and television programs on Rajyoga meditation and self awareness and humanitarian works. She helped in recovering many people who were suffering from several dilemmas and mental problems.

Unfortunately, she did not come across a guru to teach her eternal truth and three stage worship necessary to attain Salvation and can not be categorized as Satguru.

3) Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev (Born 3 September 1957)

Perhaps the most popular Indian spiritual leader on social media today is Jaggi Vasudev. He is the founder of the Isha Foundation. A Padma Vibhushan recipient, an environmentalist, a social welfare worker, an author remains in controversy for his rightist remarks. He conducts yoga classes and encourages people to do yoga for a healthy life.

He promotes idol worship and rituals, discriminates one thought over other and does not possess eternal truth and three stage worship knowledge, therefore fails to be designated as Satguru.

2) Sri Sri Ravishankar (Born 13 May 1956)

The founder of The Art of Living foundation Sri Sri is famous for promoting Indian culture around the world. He is recipient of a number of awards including the prestigious Padma Vibhushan. He focuses on meditation, yoga, peace, happiness and trains for breath exercises to live a healthy life. He ran several movements including the drug free India and conducts courses to relieve stress. His organizations are dedicated to research, education, and social welfare. He is also a member of Amarnath Tirth Board.

He has a package of many things like unsubstantiated Mantras, Yoga, Ayurveda, Social welfare services. He collects a lot of funds from various activities. He lacks true spiritual knowledge and three stage initiation practice necessary for Salvation and thus does not qualify to be a Satguru.

It should be noted the Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj has been convicted of murder and is serving a life sentence

1) Jagatguru Tatvadarshi Saint "Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj" (Born 8 September 1951)

The material world is ephemeral, here people are busy accumulating wealth by hook or by crook. Only a Real Saint dares to remind the world of the prime motive of getting a human life. True worship can land back a devotee to the immortal abode free from sorrow, old age and death!
Jagatguru Tatvadarshi Saint "Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj" (Born 8 September 1951)

Saint Rampal Ji Maharaj is unadorned, straightforward, and deciphers the coded scriptures. His scripture substantiated divine and sacred knowledge and devotion purifies the soul. He delivers spiritual discourses with proof of references.

In His sermons, Ashrams, Naam Daan Centers and Bhandaras, anyone irrespective of caste, creed, color, faith, religion can come and rejoice. His Ashram provides free initiation, food, and shelter to devotees coming there to get their self-welfare done. He has not only explained four Vedas, eighteen Puranas, six Shastras but also Guru Granth Sahib, Quran Sharif and Bible.

It's not bizarre to add here that He is making intoxication free society, Dowry free Marriages and Corruption free civilization. He meets the criteria on all three yardsticks to be a Satguru.

Readers Must Also Learn…

The readers must remember that the day, when no one was there, when no universe was there, but the Supreme God. He established each and everything not only between the sky and earth but also, beyond this. He is the only one who created all souls, and matter. He is the one who does not die. When there was no one else but only Him, who told us the creation of the Universe. It is the Supreme God Himself who descends on earth in the form of Satguru and tells the eternal truth. The Satguru is none but the Supreme God or His representative.

There is only One True Saint at a time on Earth, that True Saint today is Satguru Rampal Ji Maharaj. He is the Incarnation of God Kabir Ji. Satguru Rampal Ji Maharaj proved God Kabir to be the Supreme Almighty from all of our Holy Books of every Holy Religion. In 2011, He invited every Spiritual Leader to have a Discussion on Spiritual Knowledge with Him so that the devotee society can know and follow the right Path of attaining God. None came forward. Sant Rampal Ji gives the most rational spiritual theory based on all holy scriptures. It is true that Sant Rampal Ji contemporary religious gurus stood in His opposition, and by misleading the public and judiciary they inflicted atrocities on Him by framing false charges. He ended the agonies from the life of devotee and not only this but He has alleviated the deadliest diseases.
Listen to Satsang of Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj

Satguru Rampal Ji makes us realize the prime motive of getting a human life. Only He can unveil the mystery about creation of the entire nature! It is certain that Almighty God Kabir, our real Supreme Father, has descended in the guise of Satguru Rampal Ji, yet again on this earth, to save souls who are stuck in the vicious cycle of life and death. The real Satguru is making tireless efforts for taking pious souls back to ever happy plentiful abode.

As we have seen more than nineteen worldly gurus who are busy in adding followers to raise wealth by playing on the name of spirituality. In this crowd there is Jewel Sant Rampal Ji. One can comprehend all the yardsticks given above and evaluate the characteristics of a real Guru satguru in Him. One who perceives real satguru shall not hold up taking Naam Diksha (Initiation) from sant Rampal Ji because by each passing breath you are wasting momentous life.