PROGRAMMES - Gujarati Saraswats  

Dayaram

Shri. Dayaram was born in Chanod (then known as Chandpur) in 1833 on Bhadarva Sud 11th , a Saturday, to Prabhuram and Mahalaxmi (Rajkor) Bhatt, Dayaram had one brother and one sister.  By caste this Nagar-Brahmin family’s deity was ‘Hatakeshwar Mahadev’but the family had adapted‘Pushtimarg Sampraday’. Goswami Shri Devkinandanji gave him ‘Mantra daan’and at the age of 8 years he was given his ‘Yagno Paveet Sanskar’.
But unfortunately at a very young age he lost both his parents, and the destitute Dayaram had to live with his cousin and uncle consecutively. Dayaram thus studied in the small village school.  A little of Sanskrit that he learnt was from his own father, however Dayaram had an excellent voice, a gods gift.  Dayaram had an attractive personality but was also well known for his temperament and over scrupulous behavior.  At the age of 13 years, the deep rooted ‘Vaishnav’ impressions motivated Dayaram to create 66 lines ‘Paad’ (poem) in the raag ‘Dhaval Dhanashri.’

Dayaram did not marry, but considered himself married to ‘Krishna-Bhakti’ and called him self as ‘Daya-Sakhi’ and devoted his whole life in ‘Krishna-Bhakti’.  However in the late years of the poets life, he came in contact with a widow named ‘Ratan Sonaran’ who became his disciple and looked after him till his death.
His life and literature were also greatly influenced by his pilgrimages all over India and from the major guidance of Shri Iccharam Bhatt. Meeting people of different states-enriched him with various languages and he became proficient in Punjabi, Rajasthani, Urdu, Marathi and Vraj.  In one of his poetry Creations he has used 12 languages!  Dayaram was also greatly interested in music, he was through in his knowledge of ‘Haveli Sangeet’, and he could also play various instruments.  Dayaram’s devotional music was immensely popular and people came from all over, to listen to it.

In the year 1898, after a pilgrimage to Shreenathji the poet fell critically ill, this became his last tour.  It was as if the poet knew that his end was coming and he told all his followers not to mourn after him but to celebrate…….This sensitive poet expired in 1853; on Maha Vaad Pancham, Monday, in dabhod.

Indicative List of Books By Dayaram

Although Dayaram has written in prose a major chunk of his published work is in poetry. The total number of his creations is not known and is still under debate.  There are various opinions of Scholars.  Kavi Narmad writes; with confirmation with Dayaram’s chief disciple Ranchod , that the poet has written 38 Gujarati books and 37 Hindustani books, where as one other scholar  states that the total number of books is 87, where as some others believe that the total Number of the poets creation is almost one and a half lakhs ; where as some believe that he has written 48 books in Gujarati,41 in ‘Vraj’ plus 7000 more in ‘gujarati’,12,000 in ‘Vraj’,200 in Marathi,24 in Punjabi,15 in Sanskrit and 75 in Urdu etc. 

Hence such wide writings are impossible to mention here, however they can be roughly divided into 14 parts.

1. ‘Shikshatmak
2. Siddhantmak
3. Bhavatmak
4. Namatmak
5. Aakhyanatmak
6. Varnatmak
7. Shuddha Kavyatmak
8. Prameyatmak
9. Rahasyatmak
10. Prakeerna
11. Anuvaado
12. Gadya
13. Stotratmak
14. Lakshanatmak

Some of his most famous works are:

(A) Creations pertaining to Vallabhsampraday

1. Vallabh Parivar
2. Choryashi Vaishnav Nu Dhol
3.  Bhaktiposhan
4. Rasik Vallabh
5. Saat Saiya (Hindi)

(B) Pouranik Aakhiyano

1.     Aajamilaakhyan
2.     Vakatraasurakhyan
3.     Satyabhamaakhyan
4.     Okha haran
5.     Dashamheela
6.     Raas Panchadhyayi

(C) Prakeernasarjan

1. Narsinh Mehta Ni Hundi
2. Shadarutuvarnan
3. Neetibhakti Na Pado

(D) Garbi Sangraha

1. Dayaram Raas-Sudha

     Apart from the above below are a few more of his creations (These do      not Include his Garba-Garbi)
    

1. Aakalcharitrachandrika
2. Anubhavmanjari
3. Aaparadhkshama Stotra
4. Aashbhapatrani No Vivah
5. Aashtottar Shaat Krushna Maala
6. Aloukik Nayak Nayika Bhed Prakran
7. Kamal Leela
8. KaalGnanSaransh
9. Kunwarbai Nu Mameru
10. Koutuk Ratnavalli
11. Krishna Virah Na baar Maas
12. KaaleshKuthar
13. GuruShishya Samvad
14. GuruSataKhyan
15. ChaaturchittaVilaas
16. ChintaChurnika
17. Chovees Aavtaar Nu Dhol
18. TatvaPrabandh
19. DharmaNeetisaar
20. NaagnaJeetiVivah
21. NaamPrabhavBatrishi
22. NissaDhanta
23. Patra Leela
24. Pingal Saar
25. PushtiPathRahasya
26. PushtiPaathSaarmanidam
27. PushtiRoopMaalika
28. Prabhandh
29. PrabodhBaavni
30. PrashnottarMalika
31. PrashnottarMala
32. Prashnottari
33. PremBhakti
34. PremraasGeeta
35. BaassoBaavan Vaishnav Nu Dhol
36. Baal Leela
37. BrahmanBhaktVeevad
38. BhaktaVel
39. BhaktiPoshan
40. BhaktiVeedhan
41. Bhagwad Geeta Mahatmaya
42. BhagwataNuKramanika
43. Maanprabodh No Kakko
44. MaanMatiSamvad
45. MeeraCharitra
46. MurliLeela
47. MurkhaLakshanaValli
48. RasikRanjan
49. Rasik Vallabh
50. Rasiyaji Na Maheena
51. RukmaniVivah
52. RukmaniSeemant
53. Roop Leela
54. VastuVrundDeepika
55. VinayBatrishi
56. VignaptiVilas
57. Vrutasur Nu Aakhyan
58. Vrundavan Vilas
59. Shree Krishna Akaal Charitra Chandrika
60. Shree Krishna Ashtottar Shaat Naam Chintamani
61. Shree Krishna Upreet
62. Shree Krishna Naam Chintamani
63. Shree Krishna Naam Chintamani Maala
64. Shree Krishna Naam Maahat Maya Manjari
65. Shree Krishna NaamAmrutDhara
66. Shree KrishnaNaamaMrutDhvani
67. Shree Krishna StavanChandrika
68. Shree Krishna StavanManjari
69. Shree Krishna Stavan Maadhuri
70. Shree Krishna StavanaMrut
71. Shree DushMaskandh Leela Nu Kramanika
72. Shree Purushottam Panchaang
73. ShreeMad Bhagwad Geeta
74. ShreeMad Bhagwad Geeta Mahatmaya
75. Shree Vishnu Swami Ni Parchari
76. Shree SheShshayee Nu Dhol
77. Shaad Rutuvarnan
78. Saat Saiya
79. SampradaySaar
80. SaarShiksha
81. SaaraVali
82. Siddhant Saar
83. Hanuman Garud Samvad
84. Haridas Mani Mala
85. Hari Heeradi SwarupTaarat Maya