Sant Eknath Aarti
श्री संत एकनाथ महाराज आरती
What is the Sant Eknath Aarti?
Sant Eknath Aarti The Sant Eknath Aarti is a short Marathi hymn honouring the sixteenth-century Warkari saint Eknath of Paithan, praising his name as the essence of scripture and a path to inner peace.
The Sant Eknath Aarti is a brief Marathi devotional hymn sung in honour of Sant Eknath Maharaj, the poet-saint and social reformer of Paithan on the Godavari. It is a short aarti of just a refrain and two verses, closing with the signature of the devotee-poet Gopaldas. Warkari devotees sing it especially during Nath Shashthi, the annual observance at Eknath’s Paithan samadhi.
Sant Eknath Aarti Lyrics (English)
Roman transliteration for easy chanting. Tap “Meaning” under any verse for the English translation.
Refrain
Aarti Eknatha, Maharaja samartha
Tribhuvani tunchi thor, Jagadguru Jagannatha
Eknath naam saar, Vedshastranche gooj
Sansaradukkha nase, Mahamantrache beej
Meaning
The name of Eknath is called the essence of the Vedas and shastras and their inner secret. Uttering it is said to dissolve the sorrows of worldly life, for it is treated as the seed of a great mantra.
Eknath naam gheta, Sukh vatale chitta
Anant Gopaldasa, dhani na pure gata
Meaning
Simply taking Eknath's name brings a settled joy to the mind. The poet Gopaldas signs off by saying his heart is never satisfied, however long he keeps singing this praise.
Meaning & Significance
Unlike aartis addressed to a deity, this one is a hymn of gratitude to a human teacher. It places Eknath’s name itself at the centre of devotion, calling him the world-teacher and treating the mere sound of his name as scripture distilled into a single seed-syllable. For the Warkari community this reflects their bhakti of the sant-parampara, the living chain of saints through whom God is approached.
The closing line carries the poet’s bhanita, or signature, in the name of Gopaldas, a convention in Marathi abhang and aarti verse. Its message is quiet and personal: the singer admits that no amount of praise feels enough. That sense of unfinished longing is the heart of the piece, which is why it stays short rather than cataloguing the saint’s deeds.
How Do You Perform the Aarti?
- Light the diya. — Place a lit oil or ghee lamp and a stick of incense before an image or portrait of Sant Eknath Maharaj, ideally facing east.
- Begin with the refrain. — Open with the dhruva line, Aarti Eknatha Maharaja samartha, then move through the two verses, returning to the refrain between them.
- Circle the lamp. — Hold the aarti thali and move it in slow clockwise circles before the saint's image while everyone sings together.
- Close and share. — End on the final line, take the flame's warmth to your eyes with your palms, and distribute prasad or kala among those present.
What Are the Benefits of Singing This Aarti?
Singing the Sant Eknath Aarti is chiefly an act of gratitude and remembrance within the Warkari path.
- Honours the guru lineage: It keeps alive the Warkari devotion to the sant-parampara, remembering Eknath as a teacher who carried the tradition forward.
- Settles the mind: The verse itself promises a calm, contented heart to those who take the saint's name, making it a gentle focus for daily prayer.
- Connects to Nath Shashthi: Learning it links a household to the Paithan observances, where the aarti is sung during Eknath's annual commemoration.
- Simple to learn: Being short, of only a refrain and two verses, it is easy for families and children to memorise and sing together.
Who Wrote This Aarti?
The aarti belongs to the anonymous Warkari devotional stream and is not a composition of Eknath himself, since it praises him in the third person. Its final line carries the signature of a poet named Gopaldas, following the Marathi convention of ending a hymn with the composer’s name. Beyond this signature the authorship and exact date are uncertain, and the text has been passed down through oral and printed aarti collections used at Paithan and across Maharashtra.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Sant Eknath Aarti?
The Sant Eknath Aarti is a short Marathi hymn honouring the sixteenth-century Warkari saint Eknath of Paithan, praising his name as the essence of scripture and a path to inner peace.
Who was Sant Eknath?
Sant Eknath (about 1533 to 1599) was a Marathi poet-saint, scholar and social reformer from Paithan on the Godavari river, and a major figure of the Warkari bhakti movement.
When is this aarti sung?
It is sung in daily worship before Eknath's image and especially during Nath Shashthi, the annual observance at his Paithan samadhi that draws large numbers of Warkari pilgrims.
Did Sant Eknath write this aarti himself?
No. The aarti praises Eknath in the third person and closes with the signature of a devotee-poet named Gopaldas, so it was composed by a follower rather than by Eknath.
How long is the Sant Eknath Aarti?
It is a short aarti made up of one repeating refrain and two verses, which makes it easy to learn and sing in full.
॥ जय जय एकनाथ महाराज ॥