Orissa Review # May - 2008 Miracles in the Life of Sri Jayadeva Somanath Jena Jagatguru Shri Sankarcharya has narrated Lord William Jones and then to German, French and Jagannath of Puri Dham as "Kalinditata Bipina other European languages, which made the Sangitkabaro." Jayadev is the first poet who acceptance of Gitagovinda as one of the master- mentioned Lord Jagannath as Radha and Krishna pieces even in world literature. who are mingled together. He is the poet who Sri Jayadeva was famous in Orissa, eulogized Lord Jagannath, the God who is the especially at Puri Dham for his composition of same who Gitagovinda. His undertook father's name was Dasabatar. Bhojadeva and his Dasabatar is a part mother's name of immortal Sri was Radha Devi. Gitagobinda. The His wife's name miraculous was Padmabati. incidents relating to His birth place life history of Sri was a known Jayadev and his wife Padmabati who dedicated village, namely Kendubilwa, a few miles away themselves to the heart of Lord Jagannath of Puri from Puri. He was the sole devotee to Lord Sri Dham, go to prove that there was no difference Krishna or Lord Jagannath of Puri Dham, Orissa. between Lord Sri Jagannath, Sri Jayadeva and Devasharma, a Brahmin devotee of Lord Padmabati. Jagannath, was also living in Kendubilwa. He was Jayadeva was one of the best writers on childless who prayed Lord to grant one child so Sanskrit musical verses and known as such that he will offer the same to Lord. A daughter throughout India and abroad by writing of Sri was born. He offered her to Lord. But Lord told Gitagobinda. The musical charm in composition him in dream and to priests of Lord Jagannath to remain unique to its type in Sanskrit literature and offer her to Jayadeva who was a saint poet, thus has perennial appeal to the audience. His engaged in meditation and living a sacred life. She poetic genius was highly appreciated, his was Padmabati by name. Accordingly, the Gitagovinda was translated into English by Sir marriage was performed through the intervention 1 Orissa Review # May - 2008 of Lord Jagannath. Both wife and husband were superiority of Gitagovinda was cleared up by Lord devoted to Lord and had a religious life. Jagannath himself. He composed Gitagovinda and sang the Another miracle can be mentioned here. same with his wife before Lord Jagannath and An old lady, a seller of Bruntap-fruit (sweet fruit danced while singing losing worldly grown in thorny trees) went to jungle filled with consciousness. It deals with divine play of Sri thorny Bruntap trees, and while collecting fruits, Krishna with Radha and their conversation while sang devotional Gitagovinda in melodious voice playing both in spring being affected by cupid. and whole-hearted devotion. It was a moonlit While composing the Gitagovinda one line of autumn night. Lord Sri Krishna was enchanted, conversation of Sri Krishna to Radha could not left his seat and followed her. His dresses were be filled up with appropriate words. He went for torn into pieces coming in contact with thorns. bath keeping his pen and book. While away for The priests in the morning could find night dresses bath, Lord came in his form and wrote the of the Lord torn though temple of Lord Jagannath incomplete verse "Smar-garala-Khandanam, was closed. In dream, the priests and Maharaja mama sirasi mandanam dehi pada-pallava could know the real incident of Lord Jagannath mudaram" (10th canto of Gitagovinda) "Sri in form of Sri Krishna following the old lady in Krishna was approaching Radha to be gracious the thorny jungle, lured by the devotional singing to remove the poison of separation by placing of Gitagovinda. her feet liberally like a lotus on his head." Not While Padmavati was in the palace of the only Lord filled up the appropriate words, but Gajapati king, the queen out of joke told that took meal in guise of Jayadeva, being served by Jayadev breathed his last while in meditation in Padmabati. the temple of Lord Jagannath. Hearing this news Being irritated by envy, listening to the Padmabati also breathed her last, out of sorrow. popularity of Gitagovinda of Jayadev, Maharaja King told Jayadev about the mischief of his queen. (Gajapati) king composed one poem himself with Jayadeva never minded. He prayed to Lord and the same theme and music and asked the singers sang the appropriate line from Gita Govinda to sing it in the temple and asked not to allow "Priye, Charusile, munch mayee mana Jayadev's Gitagovinda to be sung in temple. But manidanam" with help of musical instruments. This still through grace of Lord, Jayadev sung forming the part of the composition in the 10th Gitagovinda while dancing in devotion in that canto of his lovely epic "Gitagovinda" refers to temple. When asked by Maharaja, why he did the story that when Lord was cupid-affected and not sing the song composed by the king, he replied felt the absence of Goddess, Lord was singing that Lord considered his Gitagobinda as superior. song to get the love of his consort lying affected To test this, both the composition of Maharaja by the separation of the king. Lord has wished to and Jayadev were kept in front of Lord, the door get a sight of her eyes in order to get the nectar of the temple was closed and all vacated the like drips from the lips of the man's face temple. A few minutes later, when door was besmeared with glistening light from white teeth. opened, it was seen that Gitagovinda was placed Hence, Lord was approaching the goddess above Maharaja's composition. The test of saying" 'O' my lovely darling of very gentle 2 Orissa Review # May - 2008 behaviour, give up your fear uselessly arising in The king did not relish the words and made query your heart. Now my mind is burnt by a sensation whose wife is of this nature. Jayadev claimed that of cupid, give me a drink of honey dripping from his wife Padmabati is like this. To test the veracity, your lotus like face and let my eyes become very the king sent a detective to observe the real fact. much pleased at your sight. Padmabati got senses That messanger detective confided to Padmabati and got up and sang the song with Jayadev joining that her husband, the poet Jayadev was dead due herself in chorus. to capsizing of the boat in the Ganga when he Sri Jayadev spent his last life at Banaras was making boat journey with king and got and left his mortal body. drowned in heavy current of the Ganga. On hearing the death news of her beloved husband There is another miracle witnessed at Padmabati left her life out of severe sorrow due Banaras. Once, Jayadev felt weak due to his old to separation. The queen of Kashiraj felt much. age on the way going to Ganga after performing Jayadev, when knew the fact became the call of nature and took rest on the way. The unconscious. Jayadev, after gaining consciousness king requested him to avail a conveyance to go addressed the goddess of learning to be messenger to Ganga at this old age, but he declined and to establish eternal love between them. Being pleaded that according to his ability he will appeased, goddess Saraswati went to Radha and proceed to Ganga and take bath. At night, Sri Krishna and told that both Sri Krishna and Jayadev dreamed Ganga in the form of a lady Radha are cupid affected. They require who approached him saying that henceforth from conjugation. She eulogized that chanting sacred the morning for all the time, I will reside in the name of Krishna can repeated to the ward off well, used by Jayadev. The fact became true. Next evil and to ensure sacred life. At this, Sri Krishna day, Jayadev narrated the story and with advised Saraswati to repeat the lines of Padmavati, the king and the queen went to the Gitagovinda "Priye, Charusile" before Sri Radha well to take bath. Jayadev worshipped Ganga. as a messenger. Saraswati repeated this verse He while reciting the Mantras before taking bath before Padmabati, who is recognised as Radha found that the water of the well swelled up high, in another form incarnated. Then, Padmabati the colour of the water changed and became as regained consciousness, got life, became reunited transparent as white as milk. People were with Jayadev, the human incarnation of Lord surprised at this and Jayadev's eyes became filled Krishna (Jagannath) and both of them sang with tears of joy, worshipped the Ganga and took Gitagovinda while dancing in ecstacy before Lord his bath. This is the devotion of the great Jayadev. and vanished from the world. At Kashi (Banaras) when he was residing Thus, the miracle ridden life of the divine and moving alongwith the king of Kasi, at couple disappeared from human eyes at Kashi Manikarnikar Ghat on the bank of sacred Ganga, by having permanent union. a lady was found following her dead husband's body. Jayadev remarked that this is not sign of a chaste lady, because a chaste lady can not bear Somanath Jena lives at Walliganj, Ward No.2, Baripada the life for a moment on the death of her husband. Town, Bhanjpur -757002, Mayurbhanj. 3 Orissa Review # May - 2008 The Philosophy of the Gitagovinda Prafulla Chandra Tripathy God is the Chidatma and the Absolute that due to all-pervading darkness in the dense Consciousness, whose mysterious existence can forest caused by clouds, Krsna, the child, was be conceived at heart by the acquisition of afraid and so Nanda asked Radha to lead the kid Brahmajnana through vedantic meditation.