Banarasidas was born in a Shrimal Jain family in 1587. His father Kharagsen was a jeweller in Jaunpur (now in Uttar Pradesh). He received basic education in letters and numbers from a local "Brahmin" in Jaunpur for one year and then from another "Brahmin" named Pandit Devdatt at the age of 14. He further completed his higher studies in astrology and "Khandasphuta", a work on mathemetics. He studied lexicographical texts like "Namamala" (synonyms) and "Anekarthakosha" (words with multiple meanings). He also studied "alankara" (techniques of poetic embellishment) and "Laghukoka" (a text on erotics).