In the Swaminarayan Sampraday, there were three saints named Krishnanand Swami among the contemporary Nand saints of Shreeji Maharaj. Manjukeshanand Swami notes in “Nandnama Mala”:
Krishnanand mota samadhivan, ahonish rakhe antar Hari dhyan
Krishnanand beeja guru thai phare, Krishnanand treeja vatu roodi kare
However, in “Shree Haricharitramrut Sagar,” composed by Sadguru Aadharanand Swami, more than three saints named Krishnanand are mentioned. There is a reference to an ascetic named Krishnanand, and some Sadgurus and Brahmacharis in the Sampraday accept Shree Achintyanand Varni himself as Krishnanand Swami.
Little information is available regarding Krishnanand Swami’s early life before initiation. He was born to Parmanand Vyas of the Audichya Brahmin caste in the village of “Ranpar” located in North Gujarat. From childhood, driven by an innate sense of vairagya sparked by past spiritual impressions, he left his parents and embraced sannyas. Taking initiation from Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan Himself, he writes in “Shree Haricharitramrut”:
Paramhansni deeksha aapi, padhyu Krishnanand vali naam
Pase rakhi gurupreetthi, kari aagna Sundar Shyam
Maharaj Himself gave him initiation and named him “Krishnanand.”
Krishnanand Swami was not only a poet, but also a fine singer. In Samvat 1883, when Iccharam Bhai passed away to Dham in Gadhada, Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan asked Krishnanand Swami to sing the kirtan “Lagadi Te Preet Lal” composed by Brahmamuni in the sabha held at Dada Khachar’s court. Treating Maharaj’s command as supreme, Krishnanand Swami sang the kirtan in the sabha and pleased Maharaj. Delighted by this, Maharaj blessed him with His sanctified clothing.
Krishnanand Swami was a heroic, courageous saint. Maharaj greatly liked the quality of valor. Once, while holding a sabha in Vadtal, Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan mentioned that saints should meditate on God and fix their gaze at the tip of the nose (nasikagra vrutti) whenever sitting in the sabha. They should not flinch even if bitten by flies or mosquitoes. Maharaj asked those who possessed such heroic resolve to stand up in the sabha. Aadharanand Swami writes in “Haricharitramrut Sagar” that Krishnanand Swami stood up in the sabha at that moment.
Maharaj taught poet Krishnanand Swami poetic, lexicographical, and other scholarly texts, inspiring him to compose literature. Referring to this in his own work, he writes:
Kavya koshadik granthne shikhavi Shree sukhkand,
Granth karyo nij swamiye, sukhkari Shree Govind
Just as in the devotional verses of the dhyan mala composed by Premanand Swami, such as “Vandu Sahjanand Rasroop,” Sadguru Krishnanand Swami also composed poetry contemplating the beauty of every limb of Maharaj’s divine form across four garbi verses, including:
Aavo mare mandir Sahajanand, manohar Shreehari re lol,
Sheer paghaldi sone re, zalke suraj sam bhari
Poet Krishnanand Swami possessed deep love and devotion for Maharaj.
Salutations at the holy feet of Krishnanand Swami, who dedicated his life to propagating satsang, nurturing the garden of satsang and keeping it forever fragrant.