Significance of Ashtapathi on this Radhashtami

 

Happy Radhashtami.

   Today is Radha Rani's b'day. On this auspicious day let us have some idea about Sri Jayadeva Kavi 

and his Geetha Govindha Mahakavyam.

To understand the relationship between Radha and Krishna, first we have to clear the worldly impurities from our mind, which is clogging our vision. Once these impurities are removed we will understand the true meaning of Raslila – the individual soul realizing that it is part of the universal soul, which is a continuity.

It is always Radha and Krishna together or simply Radhakrishna. Radha exists with Krishna; not without Krishna. Radha represents the individual soul and Krishna the universal soul. On a lower level, we say the individual soul merges with the universal soul.

In fact, Radha on seeing Krishna realizes that there is nothing called the individual soul and that she is Krishna.

Sri Jayadevar

         Sri Jayadeva was said to be living in the 12th century in the village "Kindu Bilwam" near Puri Jagannath in the present Orissa State, born to the saahtwic brahmin couple known as Sri Narayana Sashtri (also called Bhojadevan) and Smt.Kamala Devi (also called Radha Devi). In his early age Sri Jayadeva lost his parents and was staying in a Kutir in the forest, composing songs and singing them with music in praise of Sri Krishna. Sri Jayadeva is said to be the avathar of Sri Puri Jagannath.

Padmaavathi was born to a devoute Brahmin Deva Sarma, who,during his prayers longed for a child and promised to present the child after growth to the Lord Jagannath Himself. When she became of marriageable age, Sri Deva Sarma, in fulfilment of his promise, offered her to Lord Jagannath, who ordered the chief priest in his dreams to take the child to Sri Jayadeva and get her married to him. Lord Jagannath informed the priest that Jayadeva is none other than Himself. Thus, the girl was left at the Kutir of Sri Jayadeva, against his wish, who refused to enter into Gruhasthaasrama. Due to the stead fastness of Padmaavathi & her Bhakthi and service to him, he considered it as God's will and ultimately married her in the normal way. Sri Jayadeva enacted the scenes of this Kaavyam while composing it along with Padmavathi dancing to the tunes. Thus, this Kaavyam is a living monument of Srigaara Rasa Bhaava. 

  ASHTAPTHI:

  The Ashtapathi songs are called "GEETHA GOVINDA MAHAA KAAVYAM", which is said to be the ancient form of Sringaara Kaavyams. These are full of Sringaara Rasapravaaham. In short, These songs describe the celestial love between Raadhika Devi and Krishna, The Egoistic nature of Raadhika, Her Anger towards Krishna, Her viraha thaapam (sorrow in separation), reunion and their Sallapam. This Kaavyam is composed by Sri Jayadeva Swamigal, from self experience of the Godly principle within. 

The summary of contents of Ashtapathi:
.
Like Bhagawatham describing Krishna
Leela and Raasakreeda in 12 Skandams, Ashtapathi also has 12 Sargams, containing
24 Ashtapathi songs. Each song comprises mostly of Eight stanzaas with the
exception ofone or two Ashtapadis which are less or more than 8 stanzaas. (This
kaavyam was placed before the Raja Sadas and this has been named as Ashtap0adi
by the Pandits and Raja. The contents of Sargams, in short, are:

1. Picturisation of Dasaavathaarams
of Krishna and the prabhaavams of the Lord in various avathaars are described in
priase of Lord in the first two Ashtapadis. The third & fourth Ashtapadis
are the description of Vasantha Kaala Varnanai & Raasa Leela of Krishna with
other Gopis in Brindaavan described by the Sakkhi.(1 to 4 Ashtapadis-
1st Sargam called: " Samoda Damodarah " )
.
2. Raadhikaa's grief as Krishna is
enjoying with other Gopis, ignoring her totally and getting herself annoyed,
being too possessive of Krishna and staying alone in the kutir made of plants
and requesting Sakkhi to go and explain to Krishna Her plight and to fetch him
to Her to accept Her. (5th and 6th Ashtapadi - 2nd Sargam called: " Aklesa
Kesavah " ).
.
3. Krishna's realisation of his
mistake of ignoring Raadhika & spending his time with other Gopis.(7th
Ashtapadi-3rd Sargam called: " Mugddha Madhusudhanah " ).

4. Sakkhi explaining the Viraha
Thaapam suffered by Raadhika and pleading to God to please Raadhika by His
presence before Her..(8th & 9th Ashtapadi - 4th Sargam
called: " Snigddha Madhusudhanah " ).
.
5. Sri Krishna asking Sakkhi to
pacify Raadhika & fetch Her to Him. (10th & 11th Ashtapadis - 5th Sargam
called: " Abhisaarikaa Varnane Saakaamksha
Pundareekakshah " ).
.
6. Sakkhi explaining the aweful
condition of Raadhika due to Viraha Thaapam and Her inability to move &
requesting Lord to go to Her.(12th Ashtapadi - 6th Sargam called:
" Sothkkhantta Vaikunttah " ).
.
7. Shri Raadhika's plight of
suffering due to Viraha Thaapam and started blabbering like a mad person in
imagination of Krishna being in company of other Gopis.(13th, 14th, 15th and
16th Ashtapadis - 7th Sargam called: " Vipralabhdha
Varnane Naagareeka Naaraayana " ).
.
8. In the dawn Sri Krishna arriving
at Raadhika's Kutir and Raadhika, in anger, drives away Krishna saying 'YAAHI
MAADHAVA " .(17th Ashtapadi - 8th Sargam called: " Kkhanditha
Varnane Vilaksha Lakshmipadi: " ).



9. Sakkhi, criticising about
Raadhika's angry mood which mades Krishna disappear. The Sakkhi advices Her to
behave well when He comes next. Raadhika realises Her faults and repents.(18th
Ashtapadi - 9th Sargam called: " Kalahaantharitha Varnane
Mugddha Mukundah " ).
.
10. Sri Krishna reappearing before
Raadhika and pacifying Her with His sweet words like: you are my Jeeva, you are
my ornament, you are my Pearl etc. and pleads for Her forgiveness and goes
away.(19th Ashtapadi - 10th Sargam called : " Radha
Varnane Mugddha Maadhavah " ).
.
11. Sakkhi, pointing out to
Raadhika about the kindness of Krishna and His behaviour and that She should now
go to Krishna's place and unite with Him & please Him. Raadhika visits
Krishna Mandir(where Krishna was waiting to receive Her) and gets thrilled in
his darshan.. (20th, 21st and 22nd Ashtapadis - 11th Sargam called:
" Saanada Govindah " ).
.
12. Both enter the house &
become united.Krishna does alankaaram to Raadhika, whose dresses were crumbled
and displaced during the Union.Thus ends the Sringaara Rasa Kaavyam.(23rd and
24th Ashtapadis - 12th Sargam called: " Swadheena
Barthrukaa Varnane Supreetha Peethaambarah " 

Significance of Ashtapathy

Jayadeva’s ‘Ashtapathi’ occupies a prominent place in any Radha Kalyanam to this day. Ashtapathi is part of the ‘Gita Govindam’ ranked as the foremost of the devotional literature and Jayadeva, the holy saint-poet, drips of love, passion, compassion and devotion in his matchless versification of the poetry on Krishna. Ashtapathi is an eight-liner of 24 verses depicting the various phases of love between Radha and Krishna. Initially it is love at first sight; then indifference peeps in; again there is passion; then jealousy creeps; again there is parting between the lovers; unable bear the pain of parting Radha sends word to Krishna but Krishna teases; then Radha recoils; finally Krishna rushes to surrender unto Radha’s love and there is holy union. The 21st Ashtapathi is called ‘Madhava Sameepam’ meaning the proximity of Krishna to Radha, wherein their differences vanish and the 22nd, ‘Kalyana Ashtapathi’ or in other words the holy union of Radha and Krishna thus becoming Radhe-Krishna as one.

Two Bhagavathars, one dressed as Krishna and the other as Radha, draped in a sari dance to the mellow verses of Jayadeva. On the one side, the bold passion of Krishna and a shy Radha retreating. The scene changes in a flash. A teasing Krishna to the passionate advances of Radha; again a change of scene in a spark! The disappointed love lorn Radha weeping that melts everyone's heart; again a Krishna in the height of passion uttering the poem,

‘Smara garala khandanam, mama sirasi mandanam, dehi pada pallava mudharam’

(Oh Radha! Place your tender leaf-like soft feet upon my head to cool down my hot scorching passion)

Interesting Story :

There is an interesting story behind this verse. Jayadeva in a state of ecstasy and frenzy composed the holy Ashtapathi and this particular verse scarcely cognizant of his physical consciousness. After writing he used to review the verses and while thus going through it, was shocked to find that he had put an irreverent and ‘atrocious’ statement of Radha ‘placing her feet upon the head of Krishna, the supreme God’. Vexed, he struck out the lines and put the palm leaves aside and proceeded to the river to take oil bath. After a lapse of some time, his wife Padmavathi was surprised to find her husband return from the river with oil dripping from his hair and face and ask for the palm leaves. To her query, her husband answered that he had had a sudden inspiration to pen a new song and might forget if he did not jot it down immediately and hence returned. Padmavathi struck by this unusual behaviour of her husband, nevertheless brought out the palm leaves and writing material whereupon, Jayadeva scribbled something and went back to the bath. After the daily poojas and meals, a stunned Jayadeva commanded his wife as to who had come in the middle and written down once again what he had already deleted. Again an amazed Padmavathi reiterated that he only returned in the middle of the oil bath and scribbled something on the palm leaves and went back. Stupefied, Jayadeva found the very exact words that he had previously written reinstated back in place and realized that Sri Krishna Himself had come in his form and written the verse again. He hugged the palm leaves and beat on his chest and lamented that he, the devotee could not have a glimpse of the Almighty, but his wife without any devotional effort had seen Him. But again a thought took hold of him – wasn’t this uncomplaining, toiling Padmavathi, ever serving him putting up with his most unruly habits, a Karma Yogi, a real devotee of Him and hadn’t he neglected her as an ignorant and crude woman? When reality thus dawned upon him, he saluted his wife and penned an instant poem extolling her virtues and feeling pride in being her husband:

‘Padmavathi Ramanam – Jayadeva Kavirayam’

(I, the poet Jayadeva is in sooth the husband of Padmavathi)

Incidentally, it is only too true that God Almighty reveals His presence first to the consort of the devotee and next only to the devotee. Saint Thyagaraja, beheld the holy vision of Sri Rama, his deity, only after his wife perceived Him.
The link to download the Jayadeva Ashtapathi [Geeta Govindam] rendered by SAUNDARAVALLI & KRISHNAMURTHY....
http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=f...1b60e8188a3461

For more about Radhashtami,
radha-ashtami-2010-radhashtami.