Jayadeva and Geeta Govindam

*** Jayadeva and Geeta Govindam ***

Vishwakarma, the sun god and a great devotee of Lord Sriman NArayana was once destined to be born on earth by the lord. During his life time on earth he composed a beautiful song, Geeta-Govindam, which explains the love between Radha and Krishna.

In one sense, Jayadeva was like Annamayya, who followed the Vaggeyakara tradition, where in the composer of the poem thinks that he/she is the wife of the divine lord. Annamayya in his Srungara sankeerthanas, always thought himself as one of the gopikas of brindavan and srinivasa as Lord Krishna. Similarly Jayadeva thought himself as to be another gopika and beautifully brings out the love between Radha and Krishna. In reality, radha was a cousin of Sri Krishna and was much elder to him, like any other gopika and for that matter Radha never married krishna. Her soul was united with Krishna. All the Gopikas in Brindavan were devatas themselves, who out of their infinte love for Sriman NArayana were born in this world, so that they can love him and have his blessings during his
stay in this world.

Geeta Govindam does not explain the exocitism in the love between Radha and Krishna. For non-believers or non-followers or one who doesnt understand Krishna, it might seem so, but in reality it explains the relationship between the Jeevatma(Radha) and Paramaatmaa(Krishna). All of us are Radhas in that sense and our ultimate aim must be to reach the Paramatmaa, that is Krishna. This is what is explained in Geeta Govindam.

History of JayaDeva

As already explained, he is the incarnation of Vishwakarma, the Sun god. Viswakarma is also considered to be another avatar of Lord Vishnu himself. He was born as a son to a Brahmin Kanduke in Bengal in a place called Bilvagram(bordering Orissa). When he was just five years old, he was engaged in the service of his parents and continued for twelve years. After sometime his parents left
their body and Jayadeva did all the final ceremonies (Shraddha) in Gaya. Being satisfied they went to heaven. Then Jayadeva lived in a jungle as a detached brahmana.

At the age of twenty three, a brahmana offered his beautiful daughter to Lord Jagannatha. At the end of his worship the eternal Lord Aniruddha(krishna), having the form of Darubrahma, directly spoke thus: “O Satyavrata, please listen to Me, it is my order that you offer your daughter Padmavati to Jayadeva because he is the body of Mine, or he is as good as Me.” Then he found the detached brahmana (Jayadeva) and leaving his daughter in front of him, he went to his home. Padmavati served her husband for so many years accepting him as a beautiful and learned one. Jayadeva compiled a book known as Nirukta, the Vedic vocabulary, one of the six Vedangas.

Once the evil minded Kali situated in the hearts of thieves, plundered all the money of the brahmana Jayadeva which was given to him by a king. Following this they cut both his hands and legs and went home leaving Padmavati aside. Jaydeva was thrown into a ditch. Padmavati took him out cried and lamented again and again seeing the situation of her husband.

One day, when the king Dharmapala was out hunting. He saw the sage Jayadeva without hands and feet and asked: “Who put you in such a condition?” Jayadeva answered: “No one put me in this condition, O king. It is due to my previous activities that I am suffering now in this abominable condition." Having heard this statement, the religious king put the brahmana on a palanquin along with his wife and brought them to his palace. The king built a dharma-shala, religious institution, after receiving instructions from Jayadeva. The king considered Jayadeva as his guru.

One day those same thieves, dressed as Vaishnavas came to the king and said: “We are experts in the scriptures and therefore we have come to you. O best of the kings, Lord Vishnu, while being in the stone (Shalagrama) eats food cooked by us everyday with love. If you don’t believe us, you can see this right here.” Saying thus the slaves of kali by their power showed the king a four handed form of Lord Vishnu eating. Being struck with wonder, king Dharmapala said to Jayadeva: “O my gurudeva, some vaishnavas, the devotees of Lord Vishnu have come to my palace, and they have shown me the Lord before my very eyes, therefore please come quickly."

The theives saw Jayadeva and became struck with wonder. They said to the king in a joking mood: “O king, this brahmana was a cook in the palace of the king of Gaudadesa (Bengal). Once he became very much greedy for money and he mixed some poison in the food and offered it to a king. When the king came to know about it he ordered him to be crucified. Then we came to him (Jayadeva), and knowing him to be an offender, we instructed him in the Vedic knowledge. Then the king refused to crucify him, but he cut off his hands and legs. At that time the king became our disciple, having been enlightened by us.”

While they were speaking thus, the earth below them broke in two and those thieves fell within the earth, being sent to the lowest hell known as patala-loka. Jayadeva began crying for what happend to the thieves and while he was crying his hands and legs appeared to be as they were. Then he explained to the bewildered king what had happened. The king became very happy after hearing everything from him. Jayadeva wrote a song called Gita-Govinda, the song sung for the pleasure of Lord Govinda. The king read the song and attained liberation.

I will now explain the divine incidents that took place during the writing of this song

Krishna himself writes one part of this song

While Jayadeva was composing this hymn, at one place he feels he is stuck up. He was writing a poem that was dealing with Sri Krishna's Rasa Krida at Brindavan. Jayadeva was unable to proceed further. His wife was cooking food from inside the house. Jayadeva feels very bad that he is unable to progress, and calls to his wife that he will go for a bathe in the river and then come back and have his food. This was not audible to his wife.
The moment he leaves the house, Krishna comes in that place disguised as Jayadeva. He takes the talla patra (the pen and paper used in olden days) and starts to write the song from where jayadeva left. While krishna is writing, Jayadeva's wife comes there and she thinks the person there is her husband only and asks him if he will have his food, as it was already late. Krishna too agrees and eats the food served by Padmavathi(jayadeva's wife).

After serving the food and krishna having the same, she goes inside the house. As soon as she goes inside the house, krishna disappears and by that time the original jayadeva returns and asks padmavathi to serve him lunch. She is shocked. Not clear of what had happened, she explains jayadeva of what all happened. Jayadeva also sees that his poem is completed. Immediately he understands that none other than Lord Krishna could have written this poem in such a beautiful
manner. His wife is also very happy that she was able to feed the lord the food that she cooked.
Thus jayadeva manages to complete Geeta Govindam

Krishna testifies for Jayadeva

Once Jayadeva has completed writing geeta govindam, he wanted to present it to the public at the Puri-Jagannath temple(in orissa). In the meantime one more poet comes and says, claiming that he had written a poem and that was infact the geeta govindam and not what jayadeva has written.
They both go to the king. The king is unable to decide. Then the new poet says we will go to the Puri-Jagannath temple and lord will decide. Then all three and other people go the temple and place the manuscripts of both the poems near the lord's moorthy and pray the god to provide them an answer. Immediately lord, will answer from within the moorthy that Jayadeva's work is the real geeta govindam. And the other poet who appeared suddenly is none other than lord Krishna himself as he
wanted the world to know the greatness of Geeta Govindam.

Ashtapathi

The Geeta govinda consists of 12 kandas and each stanza is grouped into set of 8 verses and hence this is also called as Ashtapathi. This is a most sacred and devotional lyric sung mostly during the Radha Kalyana mahaotsavams.

Why Radha Kalyanam is celebrated?

As said before, Radha never celebrated Krishna. But to highlight Radha's devotion for Krishna this function is celebrated. However there is no fixed date / time / thithi to celebrate this. We can do it at any time. People prefer to do this elaborately or make it simple, all based on how much they can afford to do. All said and done bakthi and love towards god is what counts the most.

In brief, radha kalyanam consists of the following. While nothing is mandatory, it all depends on the devotees who perform this.

Unchavruthi :

People go house-to-house singing the geeta govindam and collect biksha. This can be rice, money or anything that will be used to perform the radha kalyanam.

Procession :

Devotees then decorate the moorthies of Lord and Krishna and take it in a procession. In big sabhas where they celebrate radha kalyanam grand processions envying the marriage processions are undertaken.

Singing of Ashtapathis :

On the day before the proposed day for marriage, bhagavathars(people who are trained in singing ashtapathis) are invited and they sing ashtapathis. After each and every kanda is completed, naivedya is given to the lord and prasad is distributed. For some kandas, devotees, especially ladies and children perform Kolataams (dandiya). This is in the kanda where rasa krida of the lord is explained.

On the day of marriage :

The marriage is performed as per any traditional hindu marriage. However the small customs might vary based on where radha kalyanam is celebrated. Even through the marriage, singing of ashtapathis continue and people perform bhajans. This is totally a very good experience.

And finally...
When ashtapathis are being sung, if you follow them closely, and feel that you are one among the gopika, you will experience a divine feeling that Krishna is dancing with you. This will be a point, as close as you can get to god. Such is the power of Geeta Govindam, and all said and done, devotion with sincerity and unflinching faith is important without which nothing can be felt.

Have faith in lord krishna and read geeta govindam, you can definitely feel krishna is with you.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare