Jayadev - the Immortal Poet of Gita Govinda
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Orissa Review * May - 2007 Jayadev - the Immortal Poet of Gita Govinda Dr. Dinabandhu Moharana Jayadev belonged to the 12th century. He was one deter him. Blessed by a divine power, he started of the greatest devotional poets in the whole range writing Gita Govinda. The legends and traditions of religious literature. His monumental poem Gita suggest that the poet could not complete an Govinda, written in Sanskrit is a song celebrating important part of the poem, but a divine power filled the glory of Lord Srikrishna and his beloved Radha. in the lines while he had gone to take his bath in The divine love celebrated in the poem in human the river. Thus miraculous divine powers are terms is actually the presentation of the creator's attributed to the poem's powerful rendering in love of the created - a realisation of the fountain chaste sanskrit. Madala Panji, the ancient of divine love. historical record of the temple of Lord Jagannath first mentions Gita Govinda's recital in the temple. The songs of Gita Govinda have an abiding That was the first mention of the poem's history. charm. The experience and feeling expressed in the poem deeply move the reader by celebrating Maithili poet Pandit Keshav Mishra assigns the divine relationship between Madhav and Radha. an outstanding position to Jaydev, one of the great In reality, Radha's complete surrender to Madhav Sanskrit poet's of Orissa. Dr. Sukumar Sen has is the individual soul's surrender to the Lord for lavishly praised Jaydev's poetic virtues while the salvation of man. The art of poetry embedded establishing Jaydev's roots in Orissa. One has to in Gita Govinda is a fine fusion of religious hear and recite the poem to enjoy the beauty and experience, love, music and the metaphors of Rasa felicity of the poem. Indeed, the recital of Gita literature that transmute the reader to a plane of Govinda in the presentation of Odissi dances divine reality. convey the classical spirit of music, dance, legend and myth embedded in the poem. Jaydev often The merit of Jaydev's poem lies in its spiritual recited the poem and danced to its tune and his power. It was popular throughout Orissa and wife Padmavti danced with him in divine naturally it was admired widely throughout India. communion and reverence. Since then, the Even to-day, this great Sanskrit poem is dedicated popularity of the poem has gone up. Today, its in temples as the highest celebration of Lord's glory power of transporting the reader to the plane of and a prayer of great beauty and power. Everyday spiritual experience is immortalized in the poem's Gita Govinda is recited before Lord Jagannath in celebration of Radhamadhav's love-play that the temple at Puri. Moreover, the felicity of lines transports us to a realisation of God's glory and on Dasavatar, the ten incarnations of the Lord benediction. Thus The Gita Govinda has enriched are recited in temples and religious places for their the social, religious and moral traditions of Indian spiritual import. The poem's incantation, diction and the feeling of Bhakti are rich resources for the life. elevation of the body and soul - thus expressing the communion with God. Jaydev was born in the village Kendubilya Dr. Dinabandhu Moharana lives at Orissa Ayurveda in Puri district, on the bank of the Prachi river. He Sebasadan, 111-Municipal Market, OMP Square, was born in a poor Brahmin family but that did not Cuttack. 28.