By Swami Harshananda
Caraṇadāsa literally means ‘the servant of God’s feet’.
Caraṇadāsa is the founder of the Caraṇadāsī sect that goes in his name. He lived in the 18th century. He was born at Dehara near Delhi. His guru was Sukhadevadāsa. He founded this sect when he was about 35 years of age and lived for about 78 years. The followers of this sect are generally found in:
- Delhi
- Haryana
- Western Uttar Pradesh
- Northern Rajasthan
He lived mostly in Alwar and taught devotion to Krṣna. The eleventh book of the Bhāgavata was the basic text for his teachings. He wrote several works on yoga and bhakti. Two of his distinguished disciples were women:
- Sahajobāī
- Dayābāī
His followers sing bhajans in honor of Kṛṣṇa.
References[edit]
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore