III
Śrī Gīta Govindam · Jayadeva Gosvāmī · 12th c.
Twenty-four ashṭapadis composed by Jayadeva of Kenduli — sung every evening inside the sanctum of Puri, where the Lord Himself is said to have edited a line the poet feared to write.
Jayadeva was a Sanskrit poet of the twelfth century, born in Kenduli, and later a court poet of King Lakṣmaṇasena of Bengal. He wrote a single work — the Gīta Govindam, a lyrical drama in twelve chapters that describes the love-longing of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. Every one of its twenty-four songs is an ashṭapadi, eight paired lines set to a rāga and tāla.
Tradition holds that when Jayadeva reached the tenth ashṭapadi and had to write the line "smara-garaḷa-khaṇḍanam, mama śirasi maṇḍanam, dehi pada-pallavam-udāram" — "place, O beloved, thy tender foot upon my head" — he hesitated to place Kṛṣṇa's foot upon Rādhā, and went for his bath. In his absence, the Lord Himself is said to have completed the line. When Jayadeva returned and found the verse written, he understood who had visited.
In Purī, the tradition of singing the Gīta Govindam every evening in the Śrī Mandir was established by the Gajapati kings. Even today, the maharis (temple dancers) of Purī sing these ashṭapadis at the time of the Bada Śṛṅgāra seva.
Four Ashṭapadis
A garland of
love-verses.
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I · Daśāvatāra-stotra
प्रलयपयोधिजले धृतवानसि वेदं विहितवहित्रचरित्रमखेदम् । केशव धृतमीनशरीर जय जगदीश हरे ॥
Praḷaya-payodhi-jale dhṛtavān-asi vedaṃ / vihita-vahitra-caritram akhedaṃ / Keśava dhṛta-mīna-śarīra, jaya jagadīśa hare
O Keśava, who took the form of the fish in the waters of the deluge and effortlessly held up the Veda — glory to You, Lord of the universe.
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III · Rādhā-viraha
सञ्चरदधरसुधामधुरध्वनिमुखरितमोहनवंशम् । वलितदृगञ्चलचञ्चलमौलिकपोलविलोलकपोलम् ॥
Sañcarad-adhara-sudhā-madhura-dhvani-mukharita-mohana-vaṃśam / valita-dṛg-añcala-cañcala-mauli-kapola-vilola-kapolam
His enchanting flute is sweetened by the nectar of His moving lips; His restless eyes flicker across His cheek — the very peacock-feather on His crown sways.
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V · Sakhī's plea
पश्यति दिशि दिशि रहसि भवन्तम् । तदधरमधुरमधूनि पिबन्तम् ॥
Paśyati diśi diśi rahasi bhavantaṃ / tad-adhara-madhura-madhūni pibantam
In every direction, in solitude, she sees only You — drinking again and again from the honey of her lower lip.
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X · The reconciliation
प्रिये चारुशीले प्रिये चारुशीले मुञ्च मयि मानमनिदानम् ॥
Priye cāruśīle priye cāruśīle / muñca mayi mānam anidānam
Beloved of graceful conduct — abandon this baseless indignation towards Me.