An Introduction to Shri Krishna Pranami Dharma

 

 

Saurashtra is a territory of India where saints, warriors and women of distiction, during middle ages gave special importance to Shri Krishna Pranami Dharma. This branch with Pranami emphasis originating from Jamnagar spread all over Gujarat and entire India, and to Nepal and other countries, still preserving its initial essence, inspite of intermingling with several other religious streams.

 

Pranami Dharma has over 5 million adherents who are known to respect each other as friends with Pranam - salutations irrespective of difference of age or youth.

 

The most important leader of Pranami Dharma who carried the word and practice to places far and near is Shri Prannath, whose monumental efforts and dedication historically have made a distinct mark on the Indian religion and civilization. The main scriptures are: Tartam Sagar and Vitak.

 

The founder Shri Devchandra Maharaj was born in 1581 A. D., in Marwad province in Umarkot village in a Kayasth family. From early childhood he showed saintly tendencies. At 16 years of age he renounced the world and left in search of Brahma Gyana (divine knowledge) from Kutch to Jamnagar.

 

Jamnagar was a very important center of Indian civilization. With the contributions of outstanding leaders of thought and religion, it was considered a miniature Kashi, the holy of the holiest of religious centers for pilgrimage and learning. It is here that Shri Devchandraji learned from the famous savant Kanji Bhatt Bhagwat Katha for 14 years with single pointedness and realized the meaning of Bhagwat and attained Bhrahma Vidya (divine knowledge and realization).

 

After this experience from Tartam Mantra, Shri Devchandraji undertook the work of giving concrete shape and form and called this stream Nijanand Sampradaya, when he made Jamnagar his major center of operation where he explained Vedas, Vedantic knowledge and Bhagwatam in simple language intelligible to lay persons irrespective of social class and religious differences, and taught them Tartam Mantra. This group of persons/followers are now known as Sunder Sath/Pranami.