Born Duḥkhī Kṛṣṇadāsa, a disciple of Hṛdaya Caitanya sent to Vṛndāvana to study under Jīva Gosvāmī alongside Śrīnivāsa and Narottama. Sweeping Nidhivana he found a golden nūpura lost by Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī; Lalitā marked his forehead with it and gave him the name Śyāmānanda — ānanda given to Śyāmā.
