Who among the following saints of the Saguna school were devotees of Krishna? Choose the answer from the codes given below
(i) Surdas
(ii) Tulsidas
(iii) Chaitanya
(iv) Mirabai
(v) Shankaradas

Question

Who among the following saints of the Saguna school were devotees of Krishna? Choose the answer from the codes given below 
(i) Surdas 
(ii) Tulsidas 
(iii) Chaitanya 
(iv) Mirabai 
(v) Shankaradas

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 1:

The Saguna school of Bhakti movement focused on worshipping God with form and attributes. Within this school, many saints dedicated their lives and devotional poetry to Lord Krishna, one of the most popular incarnations of Vishnu. Surdas (i) is renowned for his poetry dedicated entirely to Krishna's childhood (Bala Lila) and youthful exploits, especially in his work, the *Sur Sagar*. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (iii) is the founder of Gaudiya Vaishnavism and is considered a prime example of Krishna devotion, emphasizing congregational chanting and ecstasy in love for Radha and Krishna. Mirabai (iv) is one of the most famous poet-saints, whose entire oeuvre is characterized by her intense, personal love and devotion to Krishna (often referred to as Girdhar Gopal). Shankaradas (v) was a major 15th-16th century saint from Assam who established the Eka Sarana Nama Dharma, centering its worship on a single God, Krishna/Vishnu. Therefore, the combination of Surdas, Chaitanya, Mirabai, and Shankaradas correctly identifies the Krishna devotees among the Saguna saints listed.

The incorrect option is 2 (i, ii, iii and iv):
This option incorrectly includes Tulsidas (ii). Tulsidas was a great Saguna saint, but his devotion was primarily directed toward Lord Rama, as evidenced by his magnum opus, the *Ramcharitmanas*. While Rama and Krishna are both incarnations of Vishnu, Tulsidas is distinctly identified as a devotee of Rama, not Krishna.

The incorrect option is 3 (ii, iii and v):
This option incorrectly includes Tulsidas (ii) and, critically, excludes two major Krishna devotees: Surdas (i) and Mirabai (iv). Both Surdas and Mirabai are iconic figures in the history of Krishna Bhakti, making their exclusion a factual error in identifying Krishna devotees.

The incorrect option is 4 (i, ii, iii, iv and v):
This option is incorrect because it includes all five saints. As established, Tulsidas (ii) was a devotee of Lord Rama, not Krishna. Therefore, including Tulsidas makes this list inaccurate for a question specifically asking for devotees of Krishna within the Saguna school.