Pt. Dyanat Rai

(1676—1726)

Greatly spiritualist and devotional poet Pt. Dyanat Rai was born in 1676 at Agra where his ancestors had settled from Lalpur. He received education in Urdu, Persian and Sanskrit. His compositions are mainly influenced by Sanskrit. He was married at the age of fifteen, lived in poverty and family life was also not happy.

Pt. Man Singh and Bihari Das, good Jain scholars of the time at Agra, were his religious teachers. He composed several Jain Pujas in Hindi of which Dev Shastra Guru, Bis Tirthankar, Videh Chhetra, Panchmeru, Dash Lakshan Dharma, Solahkaran Bhavna, Rattnatrya, Nir- wan Chhetra, Nandishwar Dweep, Ashtahnika, Sidha-Chakra and Saraswati Pujas are more popular.

His Swayambhu Stotra and Paraswanath Stotra are original compositions and Eki-Bhava Stotra is translation of the Sanskrit work of Shri Vadirajsuri. He composed five Araties viz. Ihi Vidhi Mangal Arati Kije, Arati Shri Jinraj Tihari, Arati Kije Shri Muniraj Ki, Karo Arati Vardhman Ki and Mangal Arati Atamram.

He composed Samadhi Maran, Dharma Pachhisi and Adhyatma Panchasika. His other poetic works known so far are 108Namon Ki Gunmala, Dashsthan Chaubisi and Chhaidhala. Dharma Vilas compilation of which was completed by him in 1723 soon after his settlement at Delhi has collection of all his compositions including 333 poems, pujas and writings on 45 other subjects.