Shri Paramhans Dayal Ji, also known as Shri Paramhans Swami Advaitanand Ji Maharaj, was born in 1846 in Chhapra (Bihar). As he was born on Ram Navami, he was named as Ram Yad. His parents died when he was only five years old, and he was brought up by a kayastha family. Because of his sharp mind, Ram Yad attained proficiency in Hindi, Sanskrit, Urdu, Arabic and Persian with in a very short time. He did not take interest in worldly affairs and was rather inclined towards a life of asceticism. When he was 17 years old, he got diksha (initiation) from Paramhans Ji Kedar Ghat (Banaras Wale mentor), and became Paramhans Dayalji. Inspired by his spiritual master, he wandered through the vast area of Ara, Deenapur, Bankipur, Patna, Motihari, Sonpur, Balia, Gazipur, and Saran. In this journey, he interacted with many saints and shared their spiritual experiences.
Having visited Nandgaon, Gokul, and Vrindavan, he reached Mathura. Once while sleeping near ‘Kali Daha’ of Mathura, he had a vision of a spiritual personality asking him, “God resides in everybody and why are you searching for Him outside?” These words changed the course of his life, and he became an introvert. From Mathura, Paramhans Dayal Ji went to Jaipur. During his stay in Jaipur, he practiced sadhana and started propagating Vedantic philosophy in the common language of people.
Dewan Bhagwan Das of Teri (district Kohat, North West Frontier Province, now in Pakistan) became his disciple. Teri became the main center of Paramhans’s propagation of his faith. It was here that he founded his Paramhans Advaita sect. He breathed his last on July 10,1919 at Teri. After partition, the main center of his sect was shifted to Anandpur in Madhya Pradesh.
Shri Paramhans Dayal Ji Ashrams
- The ashrams (temples) founded by Shri Paramhans Dayal Ji were called Krishna Dwaras.
- Sant Mat-a-nuyayi Ashram, Gadwaghat, Varanasi,
- Brahma Vidyalaya and Ashram, Chhotka Rajpur, Buxar,
- Adwait-Swaroop Ashram,
- Paramhans Satyarthi Dham,
- Rajyog Mandir, Shanti Mohalla, Delhi and
- Shri Anandpur Satsang Ashram
Shri Paramhans Dayal Ji attained samadhi in July 1919 after transferring succession of the seat to Swami Swarupanand ji. A Sacred Samadhi Shrine was built at that place in Teri (district Kohat, North West Frontier Province, now in Pakistan). Till 1997, devotees from India and other parts of the world consistently visited the Samadhi of Paramhans Dayal Ji Maharaj uninterrupted. But later the Samadhi was vandalized and now nothing of it remains.