Contents
Gita Govinda -Shri Jayadeva Gosvami
Act One : sämoda dämodaraù
The Delighted Captive of Love
Verse 2
Commentary
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The heart of Shri Jayadeva is now submerged in a vast flood of bliss after attaining a momentary vision of the pastimes of Shri Rädhä-Mädhava, as indicated by the last line of the previous verse. The compassionate emperor of poets, Shri Jayadeva, bestows favour upon all devotees by directly expressing his own literary competence in this verse beginning with the phrase väg-devatäcarita. Jayadevaù – jaya means “the utmost excellence”; deva means dyotayati, prakäçayati or “he illuminates”. Shri Jayadeva is one who illuminates the utmost excellence of the pastimes of Shri Kṛṣṇa by his devotion. Prabandha – This literary composition (prabandha) entitled Géta-govinda attracts the hearts of its audience in the most excellent way (pra). Alternatively, it awakens Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes in the hearts of the devotees in the most excellent way, thereby liberating them from the bondage (bandha) o of material existence. Why is this poem so attractive? Shri-väsudeva-rati-keli-kathä-sametam. Here the word Shri refers to Rädhä. Väsudeva refers to the master and indwelling soul of the entire universe, Bhagavän Shri Kṛṣṇa, who incarnated as the son of Vasudeva. He who brilliantly illuminates the Vasu dynasty, the best of the Vasus, Shri Nanda Mahäräja, is called Vasudeva. Consequently the son of Nanda is called Väsudeva Kṛṣṇa. Shri Jayadeva’s composition has the power to attract the hearts of all because he has elaborately described rati-keli, the love-play of Shri Rädhä-Kṛṣṇa. The etymology of this line is Shriç ca väsudevaç ca Shriväsudevau tayo rati-keli-kathaù täbhiù sametam. The next question is, “How did this narration come about?” Shri Jayadeva replies that Shri Kṛṣṇa is the presiding deity of the art of speaking. He is the orator, ever present within the innermost region of Shri Jayadeva’s heart, inspiring him to write. As the presiding deity of the poet’s senses, Shri Kṛṣṇa infuses them with potency. Therefore Shri Jayadeva describes his worshipful deity as väg-devatä, the presiding deity of speech, to confirm that Shri Kṛṣṇa is per sonally composing this poem. |
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