Sant Eknath (1533–1599), a prominent 16th-century Varkari saint and scholar from Paithan, played a transformative role in making spirituality accessible to common people. He composed the Eknathi Bhagwat, a masterful Marathi adaptation of the Bhagavata Purana, and wrote numerous abhangas and bharuds. By using simple, colloquial Marathi and blending devotion with social reform, he strongly advocated equality across caste and gender, elevated Marathi poetry to new literary heights, and deepened the reach of the Bhakti movement.