Krishnadas Payahari Explained

Krishnadas Payahari (sa|कृष्णदास पयहारी|Kṛṣṇadās Payahārī|lit= ), also known as Payahari Baba was a Ramanandi Hindu saint and disciple of Anantananda, one of the twelve disciple of Ramananda (the founder of Ramanandi Sampradaya).^[1] Krishnadas Payohari was the founder and first Mahant of Gaddi of Galtaji dham,^[2] Jaipur (one of the 36 Dwara/Gates of Vaishanavism held by Ramanandis). He came to Galta early in the 16th century.^[3] He was the guru of Prithvi Singh, ruler of Amber (Jaipur) and his wife Apurva Devi (Bala Bai). He was also guru of Raja Jagat Singh of Kullu.^[4]

Life

Krishnadas Payahari was born in a Dahima Brahmin^[5] (Dadhich Brahmin) family of Rajasthan. He was a followed bramcharya right from his childhood. It is believed that he used to consume only milk for his sustenance since his birth, hence he was also known as Payahari/Payohari, literally meaning one who thrives on milk.^[6] Bhaktamal (lit. rosary/garland of devotees) written by Nabha Dass mentions an incident about life of Krishnadas Payahari where he showed his disciple, Prithviraj Kachhawaha, darshan of Dwarikanath Krishna while remaining in Amber.

Lineage

Krishnadas Payahari belonged to Ramanandi sampradaya and was a disciple of Anantananda who was one of the twelve disciples of Ramananda. Krishnadas Payahari had twenty three main disciples out of whom the three prominent were Agradas, Kilhadev and Bhagwan of Pandori dham in Gurdaspur. Agradas became guru of the Vaishnav saint Nabha dass who was the author of Bhaktamal.

In Bhaktamal, while explaining the lineage of Tulsidas, the author of Ramacharitmanas, Nabha das makes a mention of Krishnadas Payahari and indirectly his lineage too.

It is said that the Ramanandi saint of Punjab Shri Bhagwanji became disciple Krishnadas Payahari ji, who initiated him into Ramanandi tradition.^[7]

Legacy

Krishnadas is remembered as the first Ramanandi who established the Ramanandi centre at Galtaji in Rajasthan and hence strengthened Ram Bhakti (devotion of the god Rama) in Northern India. The memory of Krishnadas Payahari's influence as a Vaishnav saint is one that extends even beyond Galta in Rajasthan and the Kullu Valley in Himachal.

Founder of Galtaji Peeth

Built within a mountain pass in the Aravalli Hills 10 km east of Jaipur, located is the shrine of Galtaji peeth which is one of the 52 dwaras (gates) of Vaishnavism. Since the early 15th century Galtaji had been a retreat for Hindu ascetics belonging to the Vaishnava Ramanandi Samaprdaya. Payahari Krishnadas came to Galta in the early 15th century and became head of Galta gaddi replacing earlier yogis in the place. The fame and popularity of Galtaji increased and it has become a major pilgrimage for Ramanandi Hindus.

Establishment of Sita-Rama and Narasimha icons

Krishnadas Payahari was instrumental in establishing two deities: Sita-Rama (Rama with his consort Sita) and Narasimha. Sita-Rama was one of the four deities which protected, secured and legitimized Kachawaha rulers. The icon of Sita-Rama is to this day housed at Sita-Ram-dwara located in the precincts of City Palace of Jaipur.

The image of Narasimha, which was presented to Raja Prithvi Singh of Amber, is housed at old fort of Amber.^[8]

Initiation of Bhagwan of Pandori dham, Gurdaspur, Punjab

As per Ramanandi tradition, Krishnadas Payahari selected a local Dogra Khajuria Brahmin known as Bhagwan, to spread Vaishnavism in Punjab plains and Hindu hill states of Jammu and Himachal. Bhagwan was born at Kahnuwan in Gurdaspur and established the Ramanandi centre at Pandori Mahantan village, also located in Gurdaspur. During his childhood, Bhagwan went to Galtaji for pilgrimage, where he met Krishnadas Payahari. Krishnadas initiated him into Ramanandi Vaishnavism and made him a disciple.

Institutionalizing Kullu Dussehra

The Kullu Dussehra tradition has links with Ramanandi traditions of Krishnadas Payahari and his disciple of Bhagwan of Gurdaspur. Krishnadas managed to persuade Raja Jagat Singh of Kullu^[9] to bring Raghunath murti (from Tretanath temple Ayodhya), in whose honour Kullu Dusshera is celebrated. He also established a centre at Naggar in Kullu.^[10]

Disciples

Krishnadas Payahari's disciples included famous personalities in Ramanandi Hindu history. Many of his disciples were from Jammu, Himachal & Punjab region.

1. Kilhadeva was his prominent disciple who later on became second head of Galtaji peeth.
2. Agradeva who is associated with Raiwasa dham and who was guru of Nabha Dass was also Payahari's foremost disciple.
3. Bhagwanji, a Dogra Khajuria Brahmin, was the founder of Thakurdwara at Pandori dham in Gurdaspur, Punjab.
4. Bawa Lal Dayal, a Hindu Ramanandi Khatri saint from Punjab and founder of Dhianpur Dham and several daughter branches in India.
5. Ram Thaman, a Hindu Ramanandi Khatri from Punjab who was founder of Ramanandi seat in West Punjab.^[11]
6. Raja Prithviraj of Amber who was father of Bharmal.
7. Rani Apoorva Devi, wife of Raja Prthiviraj of Amber.

Literary works

There are three texts which have been attributed to Krishnadas Payahari and these include: Brahmgita, Premtatva Nirupan, Jugalman Charit.^[12]

See also

• Ramanandacharya
  • Ramanandi Sampradaya Kilhadeva
• Galta ji dham
• Thakurdwara Bhagwan Narainji
• Goswami Nabha Das
• Bhaktamala

Notes and References

1. Book: Bakshi, Shiri Ram . Jaipur State Rulers and Their Diplomacy . 2000 . Deep & Deep Publications . 978-81-7629-223-8 . en . Payohari Krishnadas was the disciple of Anantananda who was a disciple of Ramananda, the founder of the Rama Bhakti school in northern India . In the Galta Gaddi Payohariji was succeeded by his disciple Kilhadevaji who in turn was....
2. Book: Dalmia . Vasudha . Charisma and Canon: Essays on the Religious History of the Indian Subcontinent . Malinar . Angelika . Christof . Martin . 2001 . Oxford University Press . 978-0-19-565453-0 . 197 . en . The Rāmānandīs of Galta were the custodians of the famous monastery situated on the hill of Galta (near Jaipur) which had been founded by Krishnadas Payohari in the sixteenth century, the guru of Prithvi Singh of Amber..
3. Book: Gupta. R. K.. Bakshi. S. R.. Rajsthan through the ages - Vol 4. Jaipur rulers and administrators. 2008. Sarup & sons. 978-81-7625-841-8. 118.
4. Web site: Official website for Kullu Dussehra. 2021-06-15. en-US.
5. Garland of devotees: Nābhādās' Bhaktamāl and modern Hinduism . Columbia University . 2011 . 10.7916/d8vh5tn9 . en . James P. . Hare.
6. Web site: पयहारी कृष्‍णदास . 2023-05-20 . hi.krishnakosh.org . hi . पयहारी कृष्‍णदास जी गालव-ऋषि आश्रम के प्रसिद्ध संत थे। आपने आजन्‍म पय (दूध) का ही आहार किया, जिससे आप पयहारीबाबा के नाम से विख्‍यात हैं। आपकी जाति दाहिमा (दाधीच) ब्राह्मण थी। आप बालब्रह्मचारी थे। उदासीनता (वैराग्‍य) की तो पयहारी कृष्‍णदा मर्यादा ही थे।.
7. Book: Burchett, Patton E. . A Genealogy of Devotion: Bhakti, Tantra, Yoga, and Sufism in North India . 2019-05-28 . Columbia University Press . 978-0-231-54883-0 . en . According to the tradition of Pindori Dhām, a major Rāmānandī center in the Gurdaspur district of Panjab, the young Bhagvān-jī met Kṛṣṇadās Payahārī at Galta while on a pilgrimage. Payahārī is said to have converted him to Vaiṣṇavism.
8. Book: Taknet . D. K. . D. K. Taknet . Jaipur: Gem of India . IntegralDMS . 2016-07-07 . IntegralDMS . 978-1-942322-05-4 . en . Images of Narasimha were presented to him by the abbot of Galtaji, Sant Krishna Das Payohari, and can be seen today enshrined at the Narasimha temple located in the old fort of Amber..
9. Web site: Kanika Agarwal . 2013-08-23 . Kullu Dussehra: Divine assembly . 2023-05-21 . ixigo Travel Stories . en-US . The story goes that a Vaishnav saint, Krishnadas, advised Raja Jagat Singh (1637-62) of Kullu to somehow obtain the idols of Lord Ram and Sita, which were enshrined in Ayodhya’s Tretanath Temple, if he wished to be cured of leprosy..
10. Book: BANERJEE, P. . THE LIFE OF KRISHNA IN INDIAN ART . Publications Division Ministry of Information & Broadcasting . 978-81-230-3008-1 . en . He is said to have also gone to Kullu and established a center at Nagar.
11. Web site: 2020-07-06 . संत परंपरा: वैष्णव भक्ति केंद्र गलताजी मठ . 2023-10-23 . Jansatta . hi . गुरु नानक जी के मौसेरे भाई और रामानंदी संत बाबा राम थमन जी भी कृष्णदास पायोहारी की परंपरा से ही थे। बाबा राम थमन जी ने वर्तमान पाकिस्तान में कसूर से 20 किलोमीटर दूरी पर कालूखेड़ा नामक स्थान पर एक मठ की स्थापना की थी। स्वतंत्रता से पूर्व देश में बैसाखी पर सबसे बड़ा मेला इसी मठ पर भरता था।.
12. Book: Singh, Dr Bhagwati Prasad . Rambhakti Me Rasik Sampraday . 1957.