Jayadeva, the famous Bengali poet glorifies the Divine Love between Radha and Madhava in his magnum opus Gita Govinda. This is a great Sringara kavya and every Ashtapadi is suffused with the romantic emotions of Radha for her Madhava and the feelings of Krishna for His beloved paramour Radha! Jayadeva begins his work with an invocation to Lord Vishnu and His ten avatars so that Gita Govinda can overcome all obstacles! Gita Govinda is in beautiful Sanskrit language. I give below the meaning of the sthuthi in English for the benefit of readers who are not familiar with Sanskrit language.
1 Pralaya payodhi jale……….Kesava dhruta Meena sarira Jaya Jagadhisa Hare!
O Krishna! Hare! During the Pralaya or deluge, all the seven seas flooded the entire universe almost drowning it! To arrest the drowning of the world and the Vedas, You took the incarnation of the Fish (Meena) easily and became boat like to save the world and the Vedas!
2 kshitirati vipulatare……Kesava dhruta kacchapa Jaya Jagadhisa Hare!
Krishna! Be Victorious! You have saved the entire world from being drowned and descending down to Pathala loka by bearing it on Your back as the Tortoise (Tortoise). You have saved it once again!
3 Vasathi dasana sikhare dharanitava lagna……….Kesava dhruta Sukararupa Jaya Jagadhisa Hare!
O Krishna! Be Victorious! When the terrible Hiranyaksha folded up the entire earth like a mat and tormented all, You took the Avatar of the great Boar (Varaha), lifted up the earth by Your sharp horn and killed the cruel asura! The entire earth shone like the mark in the rising moon!
4 Tavakarakamale nakha madbhutasrungam………….Kesava dhruta Narahari Rupa Jaya Jagadhisa Hare!
O Krishna! Be Victorious! When you killed Hirayakasipu who tormented your child devotee, Prahlada, as the incarnation of Narasimha, Your soft lotus hand with its sharp nail, it was like piercing the bee like body in an astonishing manner!
5 chalayasi vikramane Balimadbhuta Vamana………Kesava dhruta Vamanarupa Jaya Jagadhisa Hare!
O Krishna! As a brahmachari (celibate) Vamana You begged Emperor Bali for three feet of earth! While measuring You assumed that Avatar of Trivikrama and covered all the three worlds! You placed your third step on the head of emperor Bali and sent him to the nether world!( Pathala). From the nail of your foot river Ganga originated and flowed on to the world! Thus You purified all those who bathed in that sacred river!
6 kshatriya rudhiramaye jagadapagata papam……..Kesava dhruta Brugupatirupa Jaya Jagadhisa Hare!
O Krishna! You incarnated as Parasurama, and rooted out the dynasty of Kings twenty one times! You created with their blood five lakes called Samanthaka” and ordained those who bathed in those lakes would be free from all sins! Be Victorious!
7 Vitarasi dikshurane dikpati kamaniyam……..Kesava dhruta Ramasarira Jaya Jagadhisa Hare!
O Krishna! You took birth as Rama, in Raghu vamsa, acclaimed by great scholars! You clipped off the ten heads of Ravana and presented them as 'Bali'- offering to the ten guardians of ten directions!!
8 Vahasi vapushe visade vasanam jaladabham……..Kesava dhruta Haladhararupa Jaya Jagadhisa Hare!
Krishna! You incarnated as Balaraama in the Yaduvamsa and dressed yourself with dark blue colored 'Pitambara,' which resembled the flight of the Yamuna out of the fear of your plough!
9 Nindasi yajnavidhe rahaha Sruthi jatam……….Kesava dhruta Buddha sareera Ja Jagadhisa Hare!
Krishna! You incarnated as Buddha and taught 'Ahimsa' --Non Violence to those men and Asuras in Kaliyuga, who under the pretext of Yajnas and rituals sacrificed animals! You proclaimed that Ahimsa is the best Dharma or righteous conduct to be put into practice!
10 Mleccha nivaha nidhanekalayasi karavalam……….Kesava dhruta Kalki Sareera Jaya Jagadhisa Hare!
Krishna! In order to kill the evil minded that infested at the end of Kali Yuga to torment the world You wielded in your hand the sword that looked like the comet come to destroy the world! Let Victory be to You!
11 Sri Jayadeva kaveridamudita mudaram………..Kesava dhruta dasavidharupa Jaya Jagadhisa Hare!
Krishna! Kesava! the embodiment of Ten Incarnations! Please listen to the songs of Jayadeva, that are the best in the world and liberate one from the cycle of Samsara and offer happiness to all!!!
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