A History of Indian Literature v3.c35.s8.215

v3.c35.s8.215

In India erotic and religious lyrics seem to have got mixed up together. The most famous religious erotic poem is the Gītagovinda¹ of Jayadeva, the son of Bhojadeva of Kindubilva (modern Kenduli) in Bengal, the court-poet of Lakṣmaṇasena. The Bhaktamāla², a book of legends of the followers of the Kṛṣṇa-cult, written in the Hindī language, contains about the poet several legends, in which he is extolled as a saint and miracle-worker³. In his youth he led the life of a wandering ascetic, but is said to have married later when a Brāhmaṇa forced upon him his daughter. In the status of a married man he composed the poem Gītagovinda, in which Lord Kṛṣṇa aided him to describe the loveliness of Rādhā, when his mortal powers failed. The complete title of the poem is Gītagovindakāvyam, i.e. "the poem, in which Govinda is extolled through songs." Govinda is the name of the cowherd god Kṛṣṇa, and the theme of the poem consists of his love for Rādhā, who keeps herself aloof from him on account of jealousy, the longing of the loving pair and their final entreaties and reconciliations. The simple activity, if it can be so called is narrated in a few recitative verses, whilst the main portion of the poem consists of rhyming dance-songs with a refrain¹. The melody and cadence, according to which they are to be sung and that are to accompany the dance, are always given. These songs, that are alternately put into the mouths of Rādhā, her friend and Kṛṣṇa, describe in pictures full of sentient ardour the events and the sentiments. Here and there are inserted also benedictions, and in the concluding stanza of each song the name of the poet is mentioned, and it is said that he is a devotee of Hari². The recitative verses that follow each of the songs—such verses number upto three—are not sung, but are to be recited in an artistic manner. They describe many a time the situation, and often the appearing person is further brought into the song. The narrative and the recitative parts have been interwoven in this work as can be seen by casting a glance at the contents of the first canto.