Hariram Vyas

Hariram Vyas was a 16th-17th century spiritual poet, classical musician and saint belonging to the Radha Vallabha Sampradaya.

His work influenced both the classical music and the Bhakti movements of North India, especially those devoted to Krishna's consort Radha.

Hariram Vyas Ji was born in the year 1512 in a Sanadhya Gaur Brahmin family in Orchha, Bundelkhand.

There he lived his life as a vagabond and spent time in satsang with saints like Hith Harivansh Mahaprabhu and Swami Haridas.

And, finally after hearing a doha written by Sant Navaldas he followed his inner voice and came to the epicenter of madhura bhakti - Vrindavan where he began his satsang with Shri Haridas and Hit Harivansh.

Vyas Ji's father Sumokhan Shukl had been a disciple of and received Madhva tradition diksha from Shri Madhavdas who was Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's guru-bhai.

Some of his known major devotional dohas, poems in Braj bhasha have been compiled and published in a book called Shri Vyas Vani.

He has specifically named, appreciated and expressed his gratitude towards many contemporary and earlier saints and devotees for removing his own ignorance and doubts through their works, poems and held them in high regard like his Gurus.

“Is not your wish to remain in Vrindavan merely your own selfish desire?” Hariram Vyas accepted the king's logic, but his heart could not agree.

He said, “You are right, but I will only go if my friend Hit Harivams Goswami, allows me to go, for it is from him that the desire to stay here has come.” His response to the king is mentioned in the following doha.

वृंदावन के रूख हमारे माता पिता सुत बंधा। गुरु गोविंद साधुगति मति सुख, फल फूलन की गंधा|| इनहिं पीठि दै अनत डीठि करै सो अंधान में अंधा। व्यास इनहिं छोड़ै और छुड़ावै ताको परियो कंधा|| The king sent ministers to the Goswami and Harivans did indeed tell Hariram Vyas to tend to his worldly duties until they released him.

This upset Hariram, who had become attached to his life of musical devotion, writing poetry and absorption in Radha and Krishna's name, forms and pastimes.

The minister and envoys from Orcha were there waiting for Hariram to finish his prayers and get on their way, but when they saw him taking food from an outcaste woman, they concluded that he had lost his caste, and returned without him.

Compared to true devotion (bhakti), he not only considered caste unimportant, but also a complete waste of time and energy.

This is mentioned in one of the dohas written by him: स्वान प्रसादे छुइ गयो, कौआ गयो बिटारि। दोउ पावन 'व्यास' कें, कह भागोत बिचारि॥ 'व्यास' रसिक जन ते बड़े, ब्रज तजि अनत न जायँ। वृन्दावन के स्वपच लों, जूठनि मांगे खाय॥ 'व्यास' मिठाई विप्र की, तामें लागे आग। वृन्दावन की स्वपच की, जूठनि खेये माँग॥ By abandoning practice of untouchability and caste-divide Vyas Ji went against the social norms of his times and had to face wrath and disdain of many sections of the society.

When people appealed that he respect the caste system and uphold the place of Brahmins he fearlessly said- 'व्यास'हिं ब्राह्मण जिन गनों, हरि-भक्तन कौ दास। राधावल्लभ कारनै, सहयों जगत उपहास॥26॥ जासों लोग अधर्म कहत हैं, सोई धर्म है मेरौ। लोग दहिने मारग लाग्यो, हौंब चलत हों डेरों।x जिनकी ये सब छोति करत हैं, तिनहि के हों चेरों॥230॥ Vyas Ji continued to stay in Vrindavan for the remainder of his life and remained immersed in Radha Krishn bhakti and produced many works.

The exact year of his death is not known but Vyas Ji's samadhi sthal constructed by Orchha prince Veersingh Dev can still be found in Vrindavan.