Biography of Shri Hariram Vyas - Rasik Saint of Vrindavan

Shri Hariram Vyas was born in Samvat 1567 ​​(AD 1510) in Orchha, the capital of Bundelkhand, in an elite Noble Brahmin family. His father's name was Mr. Sumokhan Shukla and his mother's Mrs. Devika. Sumokhan Shukla was rich and prosperous, however also a devotee of high quality. He made good arrangements for Hariram Ji's education. Shri Hariram Ji was was meritorious to the extent of having a master's degree in Sanskrit grammar, Vedas and Puranas.

Shri Hariram Vyas was married to a girl named 'Gopi', the daughter of Dayaram Ji, born in the dynasty tradition of the priest of Shri Vrishabhanu Ji. He had three sons and a daughter.

Shri Hariram Vyas was a Sanskrit scholar. He was also very famous in Kashi (city of knowledge) due to his impressive knowledge. Shri Hariram Vyas Ji was the Guru of 52 princely states.

Once Shri Hariram Vyas Ji went to Kashi for spiritual debate, Kashi is a city of scholars. One after another pandits [scholars] were defeated by Shri Hariram Vyas.
 After that, all the priests started praying on 'Lord Vishwanath Ji' Saying only Almighty himself can get them out of this dilemma. After some time, Lord Vishwanath went to Shri Hariram Vyas disguised as a monk.  Then Hariram Vyas Ji asked "O Nobleman, what have you come to discuss? Then Lord Vishwanath, the monk, said: "No, I just want to ask a question". So Hariram Vyas Ji said, "ask".

Lord Vishwanath said: What is the fruit of attainment of highest knowledge?

Hariram Vyas Ji: The fruits of knowledge is ‘Vivek’ [wisdom].

Lord Vishwanath: What is Vivek (wisdom)?

Shri Hariram Vyas: Know the truth and the discrete, that is, let the discrete be abandoned and accept the truth.

Lord Vishwanath said, "O Wiseman, Have you accepted the truth? Why are you debating with everyone? You should leave this false ego, and devote yourself completely after accepting the truth.

Harriram Vyas: “You cannot be an ordinary man. Who are You?”

That night, Lord Vishwanath came to Hariram Vyas Ji in the dream and said, "I came in the form of a monk to enlighten you. You are the embodiment of the Vishakha Sakhi, you should not waste your time in the world. You should walk on the spiritual path and guide the world."

Getting very impressed by this, Kashi Pandits conferred the title of ‘Vyas’ in the meeting. Since then, He started being called 'Hariram Vyas'.

After that, Hariram Vyas Ji returned to Orchha. By the grace of God, Shri Hit Harivansh's disciple Shri Nawal Das Ji reached Orchha. Through the association of Shri Nawal Das Ji, Shri Hariram Vyas Ji had a desire of having a darshan of Shri Dham Vrindavan and of Shri Hita Harivansha Mahaprabhu.

Hariram Vyas Ji along Shri Nawal Das came to Shri Dham Vrindavan and went to see Shri Hita Harivansha Mahaprabhu. At that time Shri Mahaprabhu was making food to offer Shri Radha Vallabh Ji. Shri Hariram Vyas Ji told Shri Mahaprabhu, "Maharaj, we want to discuss the scriptures with you."

Hearing this, Shri Mahaprabhu took the metal pots off the stove and came near Vyas Ji. Seeing this, Hariram Vyas Ji said, Mahaprabhu, you could discuss the scriptures even while making food.

So then Mahaprabhu said, "If this mind lives in different places at one time, then it cannot achieve its goal, that is, if the mind remains in one place (on Radha Krishna), then only you can experience bliss."

Shri Hariram Vyas Ji was very much impressed in the first meeting and pleaded with Shri Mahaprabhu, "You may kindly show your compassion to me so that I too can have darshan of Shri Radha Krishna." 

 Shri Hariram Vyas Ji vowed not to go out of Vrindavan for a lifetime.

Shri Hariram Vyas Ji performed bhajan by staying in 'Kishore Van' that lies next to Sewa Kunj. 

Shri Hariram Vyas ji was the Guru of 52 princely states. King of Orchha, Maharaj Madhukar Shah was also his disciple. His devotion to the guru was unique. It was his daily routine to touch Gurudev's feet. Vyasji was very pleased with Madhukar Shah's devotion to Guru. He was self-realized by the grace of Vyas Ji. He was attached to his governing duties from the body, but in his heart, he was attached to the service of Radha - Krishna.

Shri Hariram Vyas was given the title “Rasik Ananya” by all the Rasiks because of His strict vows for never leaving Vrindavan. He had high respect not only for Vrindavan but for everything belonging to Vrindavan like Brajwasis, trees-vines, ponds, birds, and animals of Vrindavan. Humbleness was filled in him to his core. He used to consider himself worthless and insignificant, smaller than the smallest. He revered all the acharyas and gave full respect to them. 

Once the king of Orchha sent his members and relatives to bring him back however Shri Vyas Ji refused to go. They went to Shri Hit-Harivansh Ji and requested him to ask Shri Vyas Ji to go with him. Shri Hit Harivansh Ji agreed to his request. When Shri Vyas Ji came to know about it, he did not meet with Mahaprabhu Hit Harivansh Ji for three days. When he was found, he was coming on a donkey after bathing in Shri Yamuna and with his face smeared black. When asked for the reason for this Shri Vyas Ji said, “If I were worthy of living in Shri Dham, wouldn’t Guru Maharaj keep me right here?” It is said that Shri Harivansh Ji became very happy and did not ask Shri Vyas Ji to leave Vrindavan. The officers and relatives of the king became ready to take him forcibly once. Shri Vyas ji told those officers, “At least let me meet my family and relatives.” He got down from the palanquin and kept embracing each tree for hours and shedding floods of tears singing this verse: "Vrindavan Ke Rookh Humaaro Mata Pita Guru Bandho"

The love and faith of Shri Vyas Ji for Vrindavan, its trees, and sites is very difficult and rare to find. He ran from there and he was going to the temple of Shri Radhavallabh Ji. On the way, he heard that the Rajbhog arti was over and the darshan was closed. He was very upset because it was his rule to take Mahaprasad after seeing the Aarti of Rajbhog. At the same time, he saw someone carrying Shri Radha Krishn's Prasad in her punnet. He took one of the dumplings out of the basket and applied it with his forehead and put it in the mouth. The ministers saw this and thought He is completely mad, He is of no use now. They left him there. Shri Hariram Vyas was very happy, thanked her saying: “Mother, This is the grace of Mahaprasad, Mahaprasad did what no one could do. This Mahaprasad in the form of ‘Kadi Ki Pakodi’ has given me the residence of Vrindavan permanently. He expressed his conviction in his writings that to think of caste, color, and untouchability in relation to Mahaprasad is a crime and condemned those who did not believe so.

 It has so happened that Shri Radha-Krishna was doing the Raas dance and Radharani’s anklet broke, Vyasji being absorbed in Leela, present there because of his divinity, instantly mended it with his sacred thread. Some of the Vaishnavas complained about his behavior of removing his sacred thread of tulsi beaded necklace and putting it on Shri Radha’s feet. He, in fact, was very firm on his decision as he suggested for what purpose is this sacred thread to me if it cannot be used in the service of Shri Radharani. Seeing this moment, everyone was stunned.

He loved saints a lot. He used to consider all the saints as one and His spiritual master only, As He mentioned as well:

All Rasik saints are one and they are our spiritual masters only. There is no question of greater or smaller between them.

Once He was sitting with the saints in a row to get Prasad and His wife was serving. While serving the milk, the cream slipped into your bowl. When Vyasji saw this, he got angry and said to his wife, "You have treated me more than the saints, only because, I am your husband. Your behavior to saints is not good, so you are not worthy of the service of saints." Having said this, He abandoned her from saint-service.

Poor wife was devastated and gave up on food and water. Three days passed without eating and drinking. The saints explained to Vyasji that there is no fault of her. The cream gets automatically slipped into your bowl. On saying so much, Vyasji said - "If she sells her jewelry and put money into the service of saints, then I can provide service of saints to her again." So She sold her jewels of the value of millions to serve the saints, then she got the right to serve the saints.

During the lifetime of Shri Hariram Vyas Ji, many pastimes took place.

Once Shri Hariram Vyas had a dream of Thakurji where he was instructed by Shri Krishn to take him out of the well in Kishor Van and establish the temple. In that dream, Vyas Ji asked Thakurji, are you alone or with Radha Rani? If you are with Radha Rani, then I will take you out from the well. Hearing it, Thakurji said, Yes I am with Radha Rani, take me out from well and establish me here. This is how the Yugal Kishor appeared. During Mughal empire, the original deity has been shifted.

Pastime 2:  [Slipping Turban of Shri Krishn]

Once Vyas Ji was wearing a turban of Brocade to Jugalkishor. The turban used to slip from his head repeatedly. In the end, he said, "Let me tie it, or else tie it yourself." Even then they did not tie the turban, he was annoyed. He left the turban and went outside the temple. After a while, he saw that the turban was very beautifully tied. Seeing this he said, "Wow! What a beautiful turban you have tied! Then how could you let me tie your turban?" This pastime is mentioned in Bhaktamal's Bhaktirasabodhini commentary, verse number 359.

Once Vyasji was wearing a golden flute to the lord. The flute was somewhat thick. Lord's finger got scratched while wearing. One or two blood points were also seen. Seeing this, Vyasji slammed flute at a different place. He tied a wet cloth on the finger. He did not eat anything for a whole day in grief. In the evening, when he opened the door of the temple for Aarti, so there was no limit to his enjoyment seeing that lord himself has held that flute in his hands.

Vyas Vani, Ragamala, and Navratna are composed by Shri Hariram Vyas Ji.

1. Vyas-Vani:  Vyas Ji's main text is 'Vyas-Vani'. It is a collection of 654 poems, 14 couplets, and 30 verses. It has some eulogies and doctrines. But the multiplicity is that of Radha - the footsteps of Shringar - Rasa related to Krishna, in which Nikunj - Leela and Vraj Leela are described. Vyas Ji's language is succulent and flexible. It has full capacity to present beautiful and careful pictures of Shringar Ras. His designations in composition and sentiment plan remind us of the sweet compositions of Jayadeva poet.

2. Ragamala:  'Ragamala' is a classical treatise on music in stanzas and verses. It has 407 couplets. This shows that Vyas Ji was a scholar of music and a good singer of his time. He had a special love for Dhrupad style.

3. Navaratna:  This book is written in Sanskrit. The other name for it is 'Self Method'. In this, Vyasji has expressed his faith by mentioning the nine theorems accepted by Shri Madhvacharya.