Saint Eknath (1544-1599) was a prominent Poet-Saint-Philosopher in the Bhakti tradition of Maharashtra in the medieval period. He was from Paithan, then called Pratishthan, on the bank of river Godavari. He believed, practised and promulgated equality of humans irrespective of caste and creed. He awakened the common people to see that God is all pervading. He is known for dissemination of knowledge in Sanskrit texts through his Marathi translations, his restored edition of the corrupted Dnyaneshwari and his compositions called Bhaarud and Gavlan, forms of folk poetry. From a number of incidents in his life it is revealed that Saint Eknath was an epitome of sympathy, forgiveness and peace.

The Abhang by Saint Eknath presented here is very popular in Maharashtra. Also, it is set to music and presented by many veteran musicians, including Bharatratna M. S. Subbalaxmi, across the country. The language, here, is very simple and lucid.

हरि बोला देता | हरि बोला घेता |
हासता खेळता | हरि बोला ||१||
हरि बोला गाता | हरि बोला गाता |
सर्व कार्य करिता | हरि बोला ||२||
हरि बोला एकांती | हरि बोला लोकांती |
देहत्यागाअंती हरि बोला ||३||
हरि बोला भांडता | हरि बोला कांडता |
उठता बैसता | हरि बोला ||४||
हरि बोला जनी | हरि बोला विजनी |
एका जनार्दनी | हरि बोला ||५||
                   ~ संत एकनाथ

Hari bolaa detaa | Hari bolaa ghetaa |
Haasataa khelataa | Hari bolaa ||1||
Hari bolaa gaataa | Hari bolaa khaataa |
Sarva kaarya karitaa | Hari bolaa ||2||
Hari bolaa ekaantee | Hari bolaa lokaantee |
Dehatyaagaa antee | Hari bolaa ||3||
Hari bolaa bhaandataa| Hari bolaa kaadataa|
Uthhataa baisataa | Hari bolaa ||4||
Hari bolaa janee | Hari bolaa vijanee |
Ekaa Janaardanee | Hari bolaa ||5||
                                ~ Saint Eknath

हरि बोलो देते | हरि बोलो लेते |
हॅंसते खेलते | हरि बोलो ||१||
हरि बोलो गाते | हरि बोलो खाते |
सारे काम करते | हरि बोलो ||२||
हरि बोलो अकेले में | हरि बोलो लोगों में |
देहत्याग के अंत में | हरि बोलो ||३||
हरि बोलो झगडते | हरि बोलो कूटते |
उठते बैठते | हरि बोलो ||४||
हरि बोलो जन में | हरि बोलो विजन में |
एका जनार्दनी | हरि बोलो ||५||
(संत एकनाथ के अभंग का हिंदी अनुवाद
                                  – डॉ. सुषमा जोग)

1.Say Hari while giving. Say Hari while accepting.
While smiling/laughing, playing, say Hari.
2.Say Hari while singing. Say Hari while eating.
While doing all the work, say Hari.
3.Say Hari while alone. Say Hari while among people.
In the end while leaving the body, say Hari.
4.Say Hari while quarrelling. Say Hari while pounding(the grain).
While standing, sitting, say Hari.
5.Say Hari while amidst a crowd. Say Hari while in a deserted place.
Ekaa(Eknath) (the disciple) of Janardan (says), say Hari.

(The name “Hari” used for God is very meaningful. God is named as Hari because He takes away negativity, external as well as internal. In this Abhang Saint Eknath says that remember God while doing everything in life, on all the occasions in life, even while quarrelling! If you remember God while quarrelling, the quarrel itself will vanish!

The last line of the short poetic compositions of the poet-saints of the medieval period show the poet’s name, called Mudra. ‘Ekaa Janaardanee’ is the Mudra adopted by Saint Eknath in honour of his spiritual teacher Janardan Swami.)