Jayanand Brahmchari (also known as Jeram Brahmchari) was born as Jeram Bhatt, and he was said to be an incarnation of the wind-god (Vayu). He spread the fragrance of his life throughout the Satsang community with the famous kirtan: “Aaj sakhi anand ni heli.”
Upon learning that Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan, the cause of all incarnations, had manifested on this earth, he traveled to Sorath with an intense desire for darshan. In Dhoraji, when he witnessed the manifest Purushottam Narayan, he captured that divine image in the chamber of his heart and immediately entered a state of samadhi. Awakening from samadhi and witnessing the divine majesty of the manifest Bhagwan, his faith in the divinity of Maharaj became absolute. Waves of bliss surged in the ocean of his heart, and a river of devotional singing began to flow in glory of the manifest Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan.
He composed four verses of the kirtan: “Aaj sakhi anand ni heli.” He immediately performed prostrations (sashtang dandvat pranam) at the lotus feet of Maharaj and made a humble request: “O Maharaj! I have longed for Your darshan for a long time. Today, my human birth has become fruitful. Now, please keep me in the service of Your lotus feet.” Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan recognized the fragrance of his total surrender, kept him near, and gave him the new name “Jayanand Varni.” He was highly skilled in the art of cooking and was extremely enthusiastic and faithful in his service. He also served as a specialized messenger (khepiya) to deliver letters written by Maharaj to santo and haribhakto. He was capable of traveling forty gaus (approximately 80 miles) in a single day.
Once, while traveling to Vadtal for the Hutasani (Holi) festival, a khakhra tree (Palash) began to sway without any wind upon seeing Jayanand Brahmachari. Seeing the tree, Brahmacharishree made a resolution to grant it moksha. He thought, “I will take the kesuda flowers from this tree, make colors from them, and spray them upon Maharaj.” With this intent, he gave the tree the sacred panch vartaman. The tree quivered in the wind, and the kesuda flowers fell. Brahmacharishree brought those flowers to Vadtal. With the colors made from those flowers, Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan played Holi with the santo, and thus that tree attained moksha. Jayanand Brahmachari departed for Akshardham in V.S. 1886 (1830 C.E.)