During the Russian Revolution of 1905, his works reflected struggles and suffering of the common people and socialist ideology.

Krikščiūnas was born in the village of Kalniškiai [lt] near Šiauliai, Kovno Governorate, Russian Empire, to a family of poor Lithuanian farmers.

He showed great interest in books and even began teaching other children to read.

[2] He worked as a herder and began experimenting with short stories and songs based on the Lithuanian folk traditions.

While it was not published, he received a letter from its editor Juozas Tumas-Vaižgantas encouraging him to continue writing.

Via Augustinas Janulaitis, Krikščiūnas was introduced to the intelligentsia of Šiauliai area – Žemaitė, Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė, Sofija Pšibiliauskienė (Lazdynų Pelėda), Vladas Putvinskis, Povilas Višinskis.

[1] Višinskis, mentor of literary talent, noticed Krikščiūnas' interest in literature and taught him the basics, including rhyme, of poetry.

[1] Since the publications were illegal, he signed by many different pen names, including Gaivalas (uncontrollable force of nature, tempest), Laukinis (wild), Surūdijusi Plunksna (rusty feather), Vėjobrolis (wind brother), but Jovaras (hawthorn)[nb 1] became most popular.

[3] After the Lithuanian press ban was lifted in 1904, Krikščiūnas began selling various calendars, books, and periodicals legally in Šiauliai.

In 1908, he became acquainted with Julius Janonis, another young Lithuanian poet, and they used to discuss literary matters.

He had a large private collection of various Lithuanian books and periodicals and his home acted as a village library.

[5] He joined the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1949 and was declared People's Poet of the Lithuanian SSR in 1960.

During and after the Russian Revolution of 1905, his poetry reflected social democratic political ideas and slogans.

[3] Žibutė arba Pirmieji pavasario žiedai (Liverleaf or the First Blooms of Spring), the first collection of Krikščiūnas' poetry, was published in Vilnius in 1906.

Isakas Brevda published Poezija (Poetry) and Jausmų kibirkštėlės (Sparks of Feelings) at the combined circulation of 25,000 copies in Šiauliai.

Otto von Mauderode in Tilsit published Širdies balsai (Voices of the Heart).

Two poetry collections were published by Lithuanian Americans: Pirmieji žiedai (First Blooms) in Chicago in 1909 and Amžinos dainos (Forever Songs) in Boston in 1914.

In addition to poetry, he published a collection of short stories Tėvynės laukuose (In the Fields of the Homeland) in Pittsburgh in 1909.