Geethagovindam.

Geethagovindam also known as Astapadi is sung in temples like Guruvayoor and others on a daily basis. It is a Sanskrit work of medieval period composed of poems and songs.

The author is Jayadeva (12^th CE) an ardent devotee ofKrishna an avatar of Vishnu. The legend is that while Jayadeva sung those songs his wife Padmavathi used to dance to the tunes in the temple of Jagannath at Puri, Orissa. The poems are the narrative of the episodes or circumstances of the theme Radha Krishna Lila. The songs are the dialogues of Radha’s companion as well as Radha and Krishna. Before narrating, there is the invocation of god Vishnu in his ten avatars. However, there are two departures from the tradition. First, is omission of Krishnaas an avatar and second is including Budha as the ninth avatar inspite of the fact that Budha preached against the Vedic rituals and Brahmanism as such. He in fact instituted a completely separate religion not recognizing any god or gods. This is admitted in the invocation song. There is one about Vishnu as Vamana cheating Bali the grandson of Prahlada both devotees of Vishnu.

The narrative starts with thus: Nanda(gopa) the foster father of Krishna, tells Radha that the sky is full with rain clouds and the forest path is dark with Tamaala trees and he i.e. Krishna is scared of the night and therefore reach him home. Hearing these words both Radha and Krishnaleft and played love dalliance in each of the grooves of trees along the banks of river Yamuna. This indicates that Radha is much elder to Krishna a boy. There is a legend that says that Radha is a young sister of Nandgopa. Thus, the Radha – Krishna story justifies the love between older women and boys. The narrative might give the idea that the poet will be describing love plays of the couple but that is not so. He follows the conventional rules in portraying Vipralambha (separation in love) and Sambhoga (union in love) Sringara. There is no concept of love, as we understand it nowadays. At the start of his compositions, the author makes it clear that his work is about “Vasudeva’s love plays”. (Sarga 1. Verse 2) And again he mentions two ways to look at his compositions thus: If (you are) too interested in devotion to Hari i.e. God Krishna or enamored in pleasant arts (meaning love plays); then listen to the sweet, beautiful and attractive garland of Jayadeva’s musings. (Sarga 1. Verse 4) He reiterates the same idea at the end in Verse 72.

He starts with the description of the season Vasantha or spring. The season is supposed to induce different sentiments in different groups of people such as couples together and separated. There is pleasant nature facilitating such sentiments.

The poet introduces Raas-leela in Vrindavan where Krishnais in love play with a large number of young Gopies. From the description, it seems like one Krishna going around hugging, kissing and making love to each one of them. The Gopies are mature to be described having heavy milk bearing breasts in more than one place. The word used is “peena payodhara”. In Sanskrit, it could be explained that way. Jayadeva pictures Raas-leela with one Krishna and many Gopies whereas “Narayaneeyam” describes as many Krishnas as Gopies.

While the raas-leela was going on Radha feels neglected and moves out of the venue in anger and envy. The female companion of Radha describes what is going on and tries to induce her to go back to Krishna. She tells her: “You will be like the lightning in the clouds, when you are on top ofKrishna’s body performing Viparita Rati.” “Vigalitha vasanam, parihrita rasanam ghadaya jaghanam apidhanam.” Meaning thereby “discard the clothes and remove the jingling belt and join your wide open midriff” toKrishna’s body. There are more and more explicit descriptions of love making with different Gopies as well as Radha. One more example is there in Geetam 23, Verse 69. Krishna asks Radha to mount above him and play love. The verse 69 roughly means:

During the emergent love battle, she did something fantastic to be victorious over her lover and due to that performance; her midriff calmed down to rest, her hands loosened their tight grip. Her breasts were heaving and her eyes closed. Surprise; wherefrom women get such manly traits?

However, the text is mainly about Radha and Krishna with Radha’s friend intervening. Why Radha’s friend did not consort with Krishna like all other Gopies is not raised nor answered. There is praise for the God Krishna at every last line of Ashtapadi invoked by the author. There is an invocation at the end of Sarga 11, Verse, 16 in which the author says that Krishna remembered the large heavy breasts of Radha while hitting on the two head mounds on Kamsa’s elephant Kuvalayapida to make it dead. The simile looks a little out of place but the composer is the king in poetry. I found this verse omitted from one publication.

Most of the commentators and translators noted that Jayadeva’s composition is very much erotic in its essence inspite of his invocation to God at every step. But they caution the readers not to be carried away by the erotic descriptions and concentrate their attention on the devotional motive in them. The devotee author used his unfettered freedom in writing the love plays of the God.

Look at a different view. Omit the composition of all words referring to the God and also rename the words Gopies as well as Radha and Krishna. Make a translation of all remaining texts in any language and get branded as an obscene and pornographic writer. That is a reality.

By

K.N.Krishnan.

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