Dinakrushna Das

Dinakrushna Das (1650 - 1710) was a famous poet of Orissa (in modern India), belonging to the Vaishnava tradition of bhakti movement. He is known for his Oriya poem titled "Rasakallola", which is devoted to Lord Krishna. Among his many literary compositions, "Artatrana Chautisa" is a reputed one.

Biography

Born at Jaleswar in Balasore district. Famous for his book ‘Rasakallola’, which describe the Divine Leela of Radhaand Krishna and to be a staunch devotee of Lord Jagannath at Puri. Dinakrushna Dasa is an outstanding Oriya poet of the medieval Oriya literature. Not many details about him are available. He was born in Jaleswar in the State of Orissa and was contemporary of Mukunda Deva (1651–1686 A.D.) and Divyasingha Deva (1686–1713 A.D.) the then kings of Orissa. A major part of his life was spent in Puri. His mastery over varied subjects like Sanskrit poetics, grammar, astrology, classical medicine etc., made him a figure of eminence. But his domestic life was fraught with continued poverty and ailments. The ruler of Orissa, the then king of Puri, promised him many allurements provided he wrote a panegyric in the king’s honour. The poet rejected all such offers and remained resolute in glorifying only Jagannatha through his writings. It is said that he was inflicted with the leprosy and yet he used to visit the Puri temple of Jagannath and sing his devotional songs in a most moving voice everyday. The exact time and place of the poet’s death is not known.