Sri Jayadeva Goswami

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Sri Jayadeva Goswami

 

Sri Jayadeva Goswami was the court pandit of Sri Lakshman Sena, the King of

Bengal. Jayadeva's father was Bhojadeva, and his mother's name was Bamadevi.

They lived in the Birbhum district of what is now in West Bengal in a village

called Kenubilva Gram. He was born at the beginning of the twelfth centrury AD.

 

Jayadeva Goswami's wife was named Sri Padmavati. When he was the court pandit

of Lakshman Sena, he lived on the banks of the Ganges. Approximately three

hundred years before the appearance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Jayadeva

Goswami lived in Bengal. He was the author of Sri Gita Govinda, which is

mentioned by Krishnadas Kaviraja Goswami in the Caitanya Caritamrita

as follows (CC ML 2/11): "Day and night, in the company of Svarupa Damodara and

Ramananda Raya, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to hear with great ecstasy the

songs of Vidyapati and Chandidas, as well as a drama composed by Ramananda

Raya. He also used to relish hearing the Krishna-Karnamrita and the

Gita-Govinda.

 

In his introduction, Jayadeva says that the Gita Govinda is a

scripture describing the intimate pastimes of Sri Radha and Govinda. It may be

worshiped and served by those who are extremely qualified in devotional piety.

For those who are constantly remembering the esoteric pastimes of Sri Hari

within his mind, Sri Jayadeva has composed this divine poetic song

glorifying the Lord's internal pastimes. He requests the topmost spiritually

advanced souls to hear it with gravity and attention."

 

There are many many traditional stories regarding the life of Sri Jayadeva. The

following story is generally accepted as authoritative. One day, Sri Jayadeva

Goswami was composing a particulary sensitive section of the Gita-Govinda,

describing Krishna's relationship with the gopis headed by Radharani. He

meditated deeply on what he had written and became concerned that he had

perhaps gone too far in describing the exalted character of the gopis. What he

had written seemed to represent Krishna's position as being, in a sense,

subordinate to that of the gopis. And yet Krishna is the Supreme Personality of

Godhead. How could he be subordinate to the gopis? He had been inspired to pen

a line stating that Krishna bows down to touch the lotus feet of Sri Radha. But

his hand shrank from the page.

 

He hesitated thinking, "How can I commit such an idea to writing? How can I

have the audacity to put such a thing it in black and white?" At that time he

decided to go bathe in the Ganges, in hopes that perhaps some inspiration would

come to him. Jayadeva Goswami went off to take his afternoon bath, leaving his

wife Padmavati behind to cook the offering for the Deities.

 

While he was away, Krishna arrived at his house in the dress of Jayadeva.

Krishna went over to Jayadeva's writing desk, and there found the sheaves of

palm upon which the Gita-Govinda was written. Krishna picked up Jayadeva's pen

and wrote the verse with the line "dehi padapallava-mudaram,"

wherein it says "Krishna bows down his head to the lotus feet of Sri Radha."

 

With this Krishna, disguised as Jayadeva, sat down and took the prasadam

prepared by Padmavati. After finishing his prasadam, Krishna stepped outside

and vanished.

 

Just at that time, Jayadeva returned from bathing at the Ganges. When he asked

about prasadam, his wife was perplexed. When she told Jayadeva what had just

happened, Jayadeva was astonished. He went over to his book and saw there in

wet ink the verse he had thought of writing before he had gone to bathe

in the Ganges: dehi padapallavam udaram: Krishna bows down his head to the

lotus feet of Sri Radha.

 

Upon seeing that verse he said to Padmavati, "It is a miracle! See here: what I

told you I was reluctant to write has been written here exactly as I thought of

it." Tears of ecstasy flowed in rivers from his eyes as he understood the

mystery of what had just transpired. "Padmavati!" he said, "You are most

fortunate. Krishna Himself has written the line, ³dehi padapallavam udaram²,

and accepted prasadam from your own hand."

 

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura has written that although Chandidasa, Vidyapati,

Bilvamangala, and Jayadeva lived before Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was externally

manifest within this world, Caitanya Mahaprabhu's conception of bhakti had

arisen within their hearts and was expressed in their writings.

 

Besides the Gita Govinda, Jayadeva Gowsami has written another book called

"Chandraloka". The famous "Dasa-Avatara-Gita", describing the ten avatars of

Vishnu is from Gita-Govinda.

 

Jayadeva Goswami's disappearance day is on Pausha-Sankranti. At present, at

Jayadeva's birthplace in Kendubiva Gram, there is a festival every year on this

day which is known as the Jayadeva Mela.