ಗೀತಗೋವಿನ್ದಮ್,ಚತುರ್ಥಃ ಸರ್ಗಃ

GITA GOVINDAM -CHAPTER ೪ 

GITA GOVINDAM (ಗೀತಗೋವಿನ್ದಮ್)
Gita Govindam, lyrical poetry in Sanskrit celebrating the love between Krishna and the gopis,  specifically Radha, is authored by Jayadeva, the ೧೨th century devotee-poet from Orissa.  The basis for this work is the ೫ chapters ೨೯ to ೩೩ 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.  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  above theme has been developed in Gita Govindam to such an extent that it  is known as ‘Sringara Mahakavya’ wherein  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 sensitiviy and poetic excellence.  The whole work is divided into twelve chapters ( sargas), each chapter containing one or more prabandhas. There are ೨೪ prabandhas each containing couplets grouped into eights called  Ashtapadis, songs with a refrain specific to that  Ashatapadi.  There are in all ೨೪ 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. 
Given below is the text of   the Fourth Chapter (ಚತುರ್ಥಃ ಸರ್ಗಃ) with a prosaic translation in English for those who cannot follow the Sanskrit of the original. The translation in no way can do justice to the poetic excellence or the beauty of expression of the original.

CHAPTER-೪
Prabandha-೮
ಯಮುನಾತೀರವಾನೀರನಿಕುಞ್ಜೇ ಮನ್ದಮಾಸ್ಥಿತಮ್| 
ಪ್ರಾಹ ಪ್ರೇಮಭರೋದ್ಭ್ರಾನ್ತಂ  ಮಾಧವಂ ರಾಧಿಕಾ ಸಖೀ|| ೧|| 

Krishna who was madly in love with Radha is resting in a bower on the banks of the Yamuna.   Radha’s friend(sakhi) speaks to him thus:
ಅಷ್ಟಪದೀ-೮

ನಿನ್ದತಿ ಚನ್ದನಮಿನ್ದುಕಿರಣಮನುವಿನ್ದತಿ ಖೇದಮಧೀರಮ್| 
ವ್ಯಾಲನಿಲಯಮಿಲನೇನ ಗರಲಮಿವ ಕಲಯತಿ ಮಲಯಸಮೀರಮ್
ಸಾ ವಿರಹೇ ತವ ದೀನಾ | 
ಮಾಧವ ಮನಸಿಜವಿಶಿಖಭಯಾದಿವ
ಭಾವನಯಾ ತ್ವಯಿ ಲೀನಾ || ೧|| 

O krishna! Radha, agonised over separation from you, is miserable and blames  even sandal paste and the cool rays of the moon. She considers the cool breeze from the malaya mountain as snake poison.  Apart from you, she is miserable O Madhava!  As if afraid of the arrows of Cupid she has mentally united herself with you.   


ಅವಿರಲನಿಪತಿತಮದನಶರಾದಿವ ಭವದವನಾಯ ವಿಶಾಲಮ್| 
ಸ್ವಹೃದಯಮರ್ಮಣಿ ವರ್ಮ ಕರೋತಿ ಸಜಲನಲಿನದಲಜಾಲಮ್ || ೨||  (ಸಾ ವಿರಹೇ…..)

Fearing the continually raining Cupid’s arrows, she covers her breasts with wet petals of lotus flowers as if to protect you who is in the heart of her heart.  Apart from you…..

ಕುಸುಮವಿಶಿಖಶರತಲ್ಪಮನಲ್ಪವಿಲಾಸಕಲಾಕಮನೀಯಮ್| 
ವ್ರತಮಿವ ತವ ಪರಿರಂಭಸುಖಾಯ ಕರೋತಿ ಕುಸುಮಶಯನೀಯಮ್ || ೩||  (ಸಾ ವಿರಹೇ…..)

Radha mentally prepares a bed of the very same arrows of Cupid and lies on it as a vow hoping that she will soon have the pleasure of embracing you on a bed of flowers.  Apart from you ….

ವಹತಿ ಚ ಚಲಿತವಿಲೋಚನಜಲಧರಮಾನನಕಮಲಮುದಾರಮ್| 
ವಿಧುಮಿವ ವಿಕಟ ವಿಧುಂತುದದಂತದಲನಗಲಿತಾಮೃತಧಾರಮ್ || ೪||  (ಸಾ ವಿರಹೇ…..)

Radha’s beautiful lotus-face shedding copious tears from her flitting eyes resembles the moon dripping nectar from the cut made on it by the teeth of Rahu.  Apart from you …..


ವಿಲಿಖತಿ ರಹಸಿ ಕುರಂಗಮದೇನ ಭವಂತಮಸಮಶರಭೂತಮ್| 
ಪ್ರಣಮತಿ ಮಕರಮಧೋ ವಿನಿಧಾಯ ಕರೇ ಚ ಶರಂ ನವಚೂತಮ್|| ೫||  (ಸಾ ವಿರಹೇ…..)

Radha secretly makes a portrait of you in deer-musk as if you are the God of love and, draws an alligator at the bottom and puts an arrow of mango flowers in your hands and prostrates before the portrait.  Apart from you,

ಪ್ರತಿಪದಮಿದಮಪಿ ನಿಗದತಿ ಮಾಧವ ತವ ಚರಣಂ ಪತಿತಾಹಮ್| 
ತ್ವಯಿ ವಿಮುಖೇ ಮಯಿ ಸಪದಿ ಸುಧಾನಿಧಿರಪಿ ತನುತೇ ತನುದಾಹಮ್ || ೬||  (ಸಾ ವಿರಹೇ…..)
In every sentence she utters she says ‘O Madhava! I am falling at your feet. When you turn away from me even the moon burns my body.’  Apart from you ….

ಧ್ಯಾನಲಯೇನ ಪುರಃ ಪರಿಕಲ್ಪ್ಯ ಭವಂತಮತೀವದುರಾಪಮ್| 
ವಿಲಪತಿ ಹಸತಿ ವಿಷೀದತಿ ರೋದಿತಿ ಚಂಚತಿ ಮುಞ್ಚತಿ ತಾಪಮ್ || ೭||  (ಸಾ ವಿರಹೇ…..)

Radha mentally visualizes you,  who are very difficult to attain,  and before that mental image  bewails, laughs, sorrows, cries, goes in circles and thus tries to mitigate her suffering. Apart from you ….

ಶ್ರೀ ಜಯದೇವಭಣಿತಮಿದಮಧಿಕಂ ಯದಿ ಮನಸಾ ನಟನೀಯಮ್| 
ಹರಿವಿರಹಾಕುಲವಲ್ಲವಯುವತಿಸಖೀವಚನಂ ಪಠನೀಯಮ್ || ೮||  (ಸಾ ವಿರಹೇ…..)

If you would like to gladden your heart, read Jayadeva’s words on the message delivered to Krishna by the friend of Radha who was suffering the agony of separation. Apart from you ….
ಆವಾಸೋ ವಿಪಿನಾಯತೇ ಪ್ರಿಯಸಖೀಮಾಲಾಪಿ ಜಾಲಾಯತೇ
ತಾಪೋಽಪಿ ಶ್ವಸಿತೇನ ದಾವದಹನಜ್ವಾಲಾಕಲಾಪಾಯತೇ | 
ಸಾಪಿ ತ್ವದ್ವಿರಹೇಣ ಹರಿಣಿರೂಪಾಯತೇ ಹಾ ಕಥಂ
ಕನ್ದರ್ಪೋಽಪಿ ಯಮಾಯತೇ ವಿರಚಯನ್ ಶಾರ್ದೂಲವಿಕೀಡಿತಮ್ || 

The bower becomes the forest.  The garland of the friend becomes the net. The hot breaths become the wild fire. She, separated from you, becomes the doe. Alas! Cupid himself becomes Yama, the God of death enacting the play of the panther  (or the metre shardulavikreeditam in Sanskrit poetry).
                             [End of prabandha -೮] 


ಅಷ್ಟಪದೀ-೯

Radha’s friend continues to describe to Krishna the miserable condition of Radha:

ಸ್ತನವಿನಿಹಿತಮಪಿ ಹಾರಮುದಾರಮ್| 
ಸಾ ಮನುತೇ ಕೃಶತನುರತಿಭಾರಮ್
ರಾಧಿಕಾ ವಿರಹೇ ತವ
ಕೇಶವ ಮಾಧವ ವಾಮನ ವಿಷ್ಣೋ|| ೧|| 
Even the beautiful necklace on her breast weighs heavily on Radha’s slender body, separated from you O Keshava!, Madhava!, Vamana! Vishnu!

ಸರಸಮಸೃಣಮಪಿ ಮಲಯಜಪಙ್ಕಮ್
ಪಶ್ಯತಿ ವಿಷಮಿವ ವಪುಷಿ ಸಶಙ್ಕಮ್|| ೨||  (ರಾಧಿಕಾ ವಿರಹೇ ….)

She sees with suspicion even the smooth liquid sandal paste on her body and feels that it is poison.  Separated from you O Keshava! …..


ಶ್ವಸಿತಪವನಮನುಪಮಪರಿಣಾಹಮ್| 
ಮದನದಹನಮಿವ ವಹತಿ ಸದಾಹಮ್ || ೩||  (ರಾಧಿಕಾ ವಿರಹೇ ….)

She suffers even her breathing as if it is the fire of Love God burning her body.  Separated from you O Keshava! …..

ದಿಶಿ ದಿಶಿ ಕಿರತಿ ಸಜಲಕಣಜಾಲಮ್| 
ನಯನನಲಿನಮಿವ ವಿಗಲಿತನಾಲಮ್|| ೪||  (ರಾಧಿಕಾ ವಿರಹೇ ….)

Radha scatters the tears from her lotus-eyes everywhere like a lotus full of water from its hollow stalk. Separated from you O Keshava! …..

ನಯನವಿಷಯಮಪಿ ಕಿಸಲಯತಲ್ಪಮ್| 
ಕಲಯತಿ ವಿಹಿತಹುತಾಶವಿಕಲ್ಪಮ್|| ೫||  (ರಾಧಿಕಾ ವಿರಹೇ ….)

Even when she sees a bed of tender leaves with her own eyes she doubts that it is fire.  
Separated from you O Keshava! …..

ತ್ಯಜತಿ ನ ಪಾಣಿತಲೇನ ಕಪೋಲಮ್| 
ಬಾಲಶಶಿನಮಿವ ಸಾಯಮಲೋಲಮ್ || ೬||   (ರಾಧಿಕಾ ವಿರಹೇ ….)

She does not take off her hand from her cheek and in this position her face looks like the crescent of moon in the evening sky. Separated from you O Keshava! …..

ಹರಿರಿತಿ ಹರಿರಿತಿ ಜಪತಿ ಸಕಾಮಮ್| 
ವಿರಹವಿಹಿತಮರಣೇವ ನಿಕಾಮಮ್ || ೭||  (ರಾಧಿಕಾ ವಿರಹೇ ….)

She repeatedly chants ‘Hari, Hari’ as if death is near at hand because of the agony of separation. Separated from you O Keshava! …..


ಶ್ರೀಜಯದೇವಭಣಿತಮಿತಿ ಗೀತಮ್| 
ಸುಖಯತು ಕೇಶವಪದಮುಪನೀತಮ್|| ೮||  (ರಾಧಿಕಾ ವಿರಹೇ ….)
         
May this song composed by Jayadeva gladden the hearts of Keshava’s devotees. Separated from you O Keshava! …..


ಸಾ ರೋಮಾಞ್ಚತಿ ಸೀತ್ಕರೋತಿ ವಿಲಪತ್ಯುತ್ಕಂಪತೇ ತಾಮ್ಯತಿ
ಧ್ಯಾಯತ್ಯುದ್ಭ್ರಮತಿ ಪ್ರಮೀಲತಿ ಪತತ್ಯುದ್ಯಾತಿ ಮೂರ್ಚ್ಛತ್ಯಪಿ | 
ಏತಾವತ್ಯತನುಜ್ವರೇ ವರತನುರ್ಜೀವೇನ್ನ ಕಿನ್ತೇ ರಸಾತ್
ಸ್ವರ್ವೈದ್ಯಪ್ರತಿಮ ಪ್ರಸೀದಸಿ ಯದಿ ತ್ಯಕ್ತೋಽನ್ಯಥಾ ಹಸ್ತಕಃ || ೧|| 

In the agony of separation Radha bristles, sighs, bewails, trembles, worries, meditates, becomes distracted, closes her eyes, falls down, gets up and faints.  Will she not recover from this love-fever if you, competent as the celestial twin physicians, are pleased to appear before her? Otherwise you can wash your hands off her; there is no hope.

ಸ್ಮರಾತುರಾಂ  ದೈವತವೈದ್ಯಹೃದ್ಯ ತ್ವದಂಗಸಂಗಾಮೃತಮಾತ್ರಸಾಧ್ಯಾಮ್| 
ವಿಮುಕ್ತಬಾಧಾಂಕುರುಷೇ ನ ರಾಧಾಮುಪೇನ್ದ್ರವಜ್ರಾದಪಿ ದಾರುಣೊಽಸಿ|| ೨|| 

O Krishna! You are as good as the twin celestial physicians. The love-fever of Radha can be cured only by the touch of your nectarine body. If you do not relieve her of this malady then your heart is harder than the thunderbolt of Indra. 

ಕಂದರ್ಪಜ್ವರಸಂಜ್ವರಾಕುಲತನೋರಾಶ್ಚರ್ಯಮಸ್ಯಾಶ್ಚಿರಮ್| 
ಚೇತಶ್ಚನ್ದನಚನ್ದ್ರಮಃ ಕಮಲಿನೀ ಚಿನ್ತಾಸು ಸಂತಾಮ್ಯತಿ| 
ಕಿನ್ತು ಕ್ಷಾನ್ತಿವಶೇನ ಶೀತಲತನುಂ ತ್ವಾಮೇಕಮೇವ ಪ್ರಿಯಮ್| 
ಧ್ಯಾಯನ್ತೀ ರಹಸಿ ಸ್ಥಿತಾ ಕಥಮಪಿ ಕ್ಷೀಣಾ ಕ್ಷಣಂ ಪ್ರಾಣಿತಿ|| ೩|| 

It is wonder of wonders that the slender body of Radha attacked by the love-fever becomes more hot by the very thought of sandal paste, moon or the lotus flowers but every minute she somehow holds on to her life by meditating only on you,  her darling,  who has a cool body 

ಕ್ಷಣಮಪಿ ವಿರಹಃ ಪುರಾ ನೇ ಸೇಹೇ
ನಯನನಿಮೀಲನಖಿನ್ನಯಾ ಯಯಾ ತೇ| 
ಶ್ವಸಿತಿ ಕಥಮಸೌ ರಸಾಲಶಾಖಾಂ
ಚಿರವಿರಹೇಣ ವಿಲೋಕ್ಯ ಪುಷ್ಪಿತಾಗ್ರಾಮ್|| ೪|| 

Earlier Radha could not suffer separation from you even for a second and she was sorry even to close her yes for a second. How does the same Radha breathes during this long separation even after seeing the mango tree flowering?

ವೃಷ್ಟಿವ್ಯಾಕುಲಗೋಕುಲಾವನವಶಾದುದ್ಧೃತ್ಯ ಗೋವರ್ಧನಮ್
ಬಿಭ್ರದ್ವಲ್ಲವಸುನ್ದರೀಭಿರಧಿಕಾನನ್ದಾಚ್ಚಿರಂ ಚುಮ್ಬಿತಃ| 
ಕನ್ದರ್ಪೇಣ ತದರ್ಪಿತಾಧರತಟೀಸಿನ್ದೂರಮುದ್ರಾಙ್ಕಿತೋ
ಬಾಹುರ್ಗೋಪತನೋಸ್ತನೋತು ಭವತಾಂ ಶ್ರೇಯಾಂಸಿ ಕಂಸದ್ವಿಷಃ || ೫||     

To save gokula from the heavy downpour (unleashed by Indra), Krishna lifted up the Govardhana mountain on one hand and asked every one to come under its protection.  The  attractive gopis, in their unbounded joy, passionately kissed Krishna’s hand.  May the hand of Krishna, the enemy of Kamsa,  with the imprint of the saffron from the lips of the gopis on it, bestow all that is good on you (who hear this story).
                         [End of prabandha -೯] 

ಇತಿ ಶ್ರೀಗೀತಗೋವಿನ್ದೇ  ಶೃಙ್ಗಾರಮಹಾಕಾವ್ಯೇ ಶ್ರೀಕೃಷ್ಣದಾಸಜಯದೇವಕೃತೌ
ಸ್ನಿಗ್ಧಮಧುಸೂದನೋನಾಮ ಚತುರ್ಥಃ ಸರ್ಗಃ