Impact of Gitagovinda on the Gitakavyas of Post Medieval period With reference to Nayikabheda

Abstract

Gitagovinda, a literary work by Jayadeva is a lyrical, expression which earned newlinesainthood to Jayadeva and a wide audience to his poetics. He was a wandering ascetic who newlinemoved from one place to another and his ascetic life ended when he married a Brahminand#8223;s newlinedaughter named Padmini, who was a dedicated temple dancer. Jayadeva composed lyrics and newlinePadmavati danced for them; Miller in her introduction of the book Love song of the Dark newlineLord (Miller 1984:3), says, thus Gitagovinda was createdand#8223;. newlineJayadeva adorned the court of Lakshmanasena during the 12th Century along with newlineGovardhana, Dhoyi, and Umand#257;patidhara. He composed Gitagovinda, inspired by the love of newlineRadha and Krishna and dedicated it to Lord Krishna. It is a lyrical poem, an allegory of the newlineJeevand#257;tma striving to rescue from the worldly affairs and get united with Paramand#257;tma. Barbara newlineStoler Miller is of the opinion that: Gitagovinda, in its surface beauty has a wealth of newlinemeaning rooted in structurally intricate forms and concepts drawn from various levels of newlineIndian literary tradition (Miller 1984:7). The verbal description of the physical beauty of newlinemen, women and nature in Gitagovinda is aesthetic and refined Radha and Krishna have been newlinetreated as symbols of ideal beauty. Jayadeva introduced for the first time rand#257;ga and tand#257;la into newlinethe verses of Gitagovinda, which is regarded as the first collection of Gitakand#257;vya, or lyrical newlinepoetry in Sanskrit literature. In literature, Gitagovinda was responsible for distinctive types of commentaries, newlinereplications, and translations. It created a new motivation to compose numerous works. As newlinemany as 126 texts or kand#257;vyas on the basis of Gitagovinda have been written thematically in newlineSanskrit and other regional languages. Some of them are Shivand#257;shtapadi, Skandand#257;shtapadi, newlineRand#257;mand#257;shtapadi, etc., keeping the characters such as Shiva, Subramanya or Rama as the hero. newlineWell known works belonging to this class were written on the basis of Gitagovinda.The present study aims at identifying the texts or Kand#257;vyas written during the time of newlineJayadeva in post medieval period and analysing them in the perspective of nand#257;yikabheda. newlineKand#257;vyas inspired by Gitagovinda were found to have been written from 1400-1700 A.D newline(Lienhard 1984:209). These Gitakand#257;vyas remained in their manuscript form and did not reach newlinethe intended audience. Unlike Gitagovinda these Gitakand#257;vyas did not gain popularity either newline18 newlinethrough the medium of music or dance. Hence very little is known today about such newlineGitakand#257;vyas. In Gitagovinda the relationship between Krishna and Radha is portrayed in the newlineform of Nand#257;yaka-Nand#257;yikabhaand#257;va, which emerges as one of the central themes of this newlineGitakand#257;vya. Through this research the chosen Gitakand#257;vyas are being studied from the newlineperspective of nand#257;yikabheda and compared to Gitagovinda. The study can be applied in the newlinemedium of dance, to have an understanding of nand#257;yikabheda in detail. There is ample scope in newlinethe subject for further research in identifying some more Gitakand#257;vyas and their themes. This newlineresearch provides a methodology of exploring the Gitakand#257;vyas and bring into light the rich newlineIndian art and culture. newline newline