Jaya Deva's Ashtapathi/Gita Govinda

Though I didn’t learn music formally but listen to classical songs and Bhajan from my teenage. Sampradaya Bhajana or Dakhshina Bharatha Sampradaya Bhajana is the tradition of Bhajans in India and as the name suggests particularly in South India. It's the collection of Kirtanas and Namavalis in specific order. This is very simple and can be done thought the day and night without any effort or rules. Added to it, if the Naama is uttered with Music (Sruti, Raaga and Thaala), it gives a soothing effect and takes the mind to "layam". It, therefore, makes it easy to get one pointed attention and at the same time, it is more pleasant to the ears that singing or listening to Ashtapadi.

Ashtapadi (Gita Govinda) itself is a very popular Maha-Kavyam, being sung and heard sung for years and holds a prime position. one would have rarely understood the importance and influence of singing/listening to the Ashtapadi.   I found especially interesting  to learn Gita govind until much later, by learning all these songs Though I am able to find the explanation I try to find word to word meaning of the ashtapadi. So I started reading Books about Gita Govinda and Meaning. I refers books of, Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja who translate sankrit to english. Translation and notes by Colin John Holcombe and various books. in upcoming weeks you will find a collection of different renditions and meaning of Jayadeva’s Gita Govinda Ashtapadis.
 The Ashtapadi is a work by Jayadeva, a great devotee of Krishna. It is replete with elements conducive to bhakti rasa—music and dance. It was composed by Jayadeva at the Jagannatha Kshetra of Puri, while his wife, Padmavati, danced to its music.  Both music and dance are among the sixty-four kinds of offerings made to god at the time of pooja or worship. Each of these offerings helps us to invoke the Lord’s karuna or compassion on us. Of these, music and dance have very intense, personal significance. The Lord is of the form of music. The art of dance is a mingling of music with the ambient air

Since it is a song (geetha) about Govinda, it is called the Geethagovinda. Since it is composed in eight padas (in keeping with rhythms of dance), So it is also called the Ashtapadi. Several slokas are added to the songs in the beginning and in the end. Many writers have specified the raga and tala in which these verses are set. Yet others sing these as taught by their gurus. This work has been composed in twelve sargas, bearing the Dvadashakshari mantra (twelve-syllable mantra) of Krishna. The names given by Jayadeva to each of these sargas are also unique and meaningful. They bestow grace upon devotees.

The basis for this work is the 5 chapters 29 to 33 of Srimadbhagavatam (known as Rasapanchadhyaayi) which describe the events leading to the rasaleela, the great dance on the banks of the Yamuna where each gopi thinks that Krishna is with her in Srimadbhagavatam, however, does not specifically talk about a gopi named Radha though Radha is described as the very heart of Krishna in some of the other Puranas. the predominant sentiment is sringara(erotic sentiment) in all its various moods in relation to the divine love between Radha and Krishna. The ecstasy of union,  the agony of separation, the anxious moments of wait for the loved one are all treated with sensitivity and poetic excellence.  The whole work is divided into twelve chapters ( sargas), each chapter containing one or more prabandhas. There are 24 prabandhas each containing couplets grouped into eight called  Ashtapadis, songs with refrain specific to that Ashatapadi.  There are in all 24 Ashtapadis in Gita Govindam. Each Chapter may have one or more slokas in  different metres of Sanskrit poetry interspersed with the Ashtapadis.  It is said that the Poet-devotee Jayadeva would sing the Ashtapadis and his wife Padmavati would dance to the music.  There have been many choreographic works  to enact and present the Ashtapadis  as  a dance drama.

List of Ashtapadis

    1. Pralayapayodijale -Raga-Sowrashtram

    2. Shrutha Kamala - Bhairavi

    3. Lalitha Lavanga - Usaini / Vasantha

    4. Chandana Charcharitha- Pantuvarali

    5. Sanchara - Thodi

    6. Nibhtutha - Kambhoji

    7. Maamiyam - Bhupalam

    8. Nindathi chandanam - Sowrashtram (also Dwijavanthi)

    9. Sthanavini - Bilahari

    10. Vahathi - Anandabhairavi

    11. Rathi sukha - Kedaragowlai

    12. Naatha hare - Dheerasankarabharanam

    13. Kathithasamaye - Ahiri

    14. Smarasamaro - Saranga

    15. Samudhita - Saveri

    16. Anilatarala - Punnagavarali

    17. Rajanijanitha - Arabhi

    18. Harirabhi - Yadukulakamboji

    19. Vadasiyadi - Mukhari

    20. Virachita - Kalyani

    21. Manjutara - Kanta

The Song of India...

The Song of India

“What song shall I sing of you Mother?” I asked

Shall I sing

Of the Himalayas with their snow-born Peaks

Of the three seas that wash your Palm?

Shall I sing

“Of your clear dawn with pure gold streaks?”

Said the mother Imperturable calm:

Sing of the beggar and Leper

That swam my streets.

Sing of the filth and the dirt

That foul my sylvan retreats:

“What song shall I sing of you Mother?” I asked

Shall I sing

Of your rock cut temples, epics in stone,

Of your children that died to call you their own

Of the seers and prophets that hewed that straight path

For the man that pilgrims alone?”

Said the Mother in indignant words

That beat into my ears like gong,

That flew about me, a pitiful thing.

Like great white birds:

Sing of the millions that tail

Sing of the wrinkled face

Indexing ignorance.

Sing of the helpless child

Born in a bleak, dark home.

Nervous I yet would ask,

Deeming it my task:

What song shall I sing of you, my mother?

What song?

Shall I sing of the dam and the lake?

Of steel mills , the shipbuilding yard?

Of the men that work hard.

To technologies, to put you on the page

Of the Atomic Age?

Said the Mother: of these you may sing.

But sing also of the strikes, early and late.

Of iron men that come in their wake.

O class- war and its correlate.’

Querulous, I said:

Is there no song that I can sing of you,

Heart whole , alloyed?

A song bathed in the stainless blue

Unvapouring in the void?”

At that the mother rose, draped in the blue sky.

Milk-white oceans heaved round her.Their waves.

Were the entrancing and enthroning light.

On which she sat and wrote the book of the Morrow

Her forehead opened like earth’s destiny

Yielding the sun God cancelling all sorrow.

It was clear dawn like a nightmare fled the inght

An the sun-beam was as the hand that saves.

Author: Vinayaka Krishna Gokak

The Poem was written by Vinayaka Krishna Gokak in the form of a dialogue between Mother India and the Poet. In this Poem The Poet wants to present glorious picture of the past and also wishes to paint India’s natural beauty .

As Indians we can rightly be proud of our country’s natural beauty, Its Rich cultural heritage, its ancient wisdom, Its glorious freedom struggle and its industrial progress. As the same time we should not ignore the numerous ills affecting our motherland Like Poverty disease, environmental degradation, ignorance, illiteracy, unemployment, caste, and class conflicts and a hundred forms of exploitation. We should try to eradicate them as far as Possible.

As poet said Our mother India has to write the book of our destiny, cancelling all our sorrow. Tomorrow should be clear dawn..Our nightmare should fled in the night. We have to write our bright future…

Sujalaam ….Sufalaam ….Malayaja Sheetalaam …. Dream for bright future….

Let us pledge for commitment to our constitution ….

Let us Pledge to fight against terrorism ….

Let us pledge to fight against communal ism….

Unity in diversity …… and towards continual progress

Striving always for peace ….

Vande Mataram! ! Jai Hind!!!

Happy Republic Day!