JAYADEVA'S NINTH ASHTAPADI

 “Radhika Krishna Radhika thava virahe Kesava………”

Very much distressed at the pathetic state of Radha, her maid reaches out Krishna seated alone in a bush cottage and describes Radha’s  pangs of separation from Krishna! She has already explained to Madhava the pitiable state of Radha. Once again, in this Ashtapadi, she describes the deep distress of her friend. There is no end to the sorrow of Radha! She is for ever thinking about You and wailing in anticipation of your return! She now points out in detail the manner in which Radha’s pangs are hightened!

“ O Krishna! Radha has grown lean as she is unable to endure separation. From you! It is surprising that she considers the priceless garlands on her breasts very heavy unbearable!

“O Madhava! She is afraid of the fragrant sandal paste smeared on your body and considers it as poison! She is sighing heavily for long and endures it like the fire of Manmatha! She is weeping and her tearful eyes look like the lotus cut off from their stalk! She is searching all the directions for your presence!”

“Radha is keeping  her Palms on her still moonlike cheeks and doesn’t take them off during the evening! O Krishna! She sees in front of her the bed made of tender leaves but feels that it is fire itself!”

“O Madhava! She feels that death is nearer to her because of your separation! She is very much depressed and exclaims” Sri Hari, Sri Hari” many a time!”

“Those devotees who sing and hear the song dedicated unto the Lotus feet of Madhava shall be ever happy and prosperous!”

After describing the pitiable state of Radha and her agony in the absence of Krishna, Radha’s maid attempts to attract Krishna’s heart and change it in favor of Radha!

“ Krishna! Radha is now seriously seized with indescribable love fever! She hates herself! She weeps suddenly! She trembles at the next moment! She is drowned in sorrow! She sits in dhyana and closes her eyes! Next, she rolls down on the floor and faints!! It is proper time for you to come  and treat her just like the Divine Doctors—the Aswini Devas! Otherwise it is I’m possible for her to survive!”

JAYADEVA'S EIGHTH ASHTAPADI

 

 In his classic Gita Govinda, Jayadeva glorifies the Divine Love between Radha and Madhava. After describing the pangs of separation between them, he points out how Radha's maid approaches lovelorn and languid Krishna and describes the pathetic state of Radha! She meets Krishna sitting alone in the bush cottage.

“O Madhava! Look at the pathetic state of Radha! She has merged herself in you totally and is afraid that Manmatha’s arrows will harm You! She is abusing the sweet fragrant sandal paste and the cool rays of moon! She considers the cool gentle breeze, coming from the sandalwood trees where serpents reside, as poison!”

“O Kesava! Manmatha is raining his flower arrows on Radha! She is afraid that those arrows are likely to harm you as You are in her heart!  In order to save you from those sharp arrows she has wrapped her heart with wet lotus leaves as an armour! O the Lotus Eyed! She expects the wonderful bliss of your embrace and reclines on the bed arranged from the arrows of Manmatha! She appears to perform a  ‘Vrata’and sleeps on the beautiful bed decked with Flowers, an epitome of romance and eroticism!”

“ O Garudadhwaja! Unable to endure your separation, tears roll down her cheeks! It looks like continuous rain! On account of this, her beautiful lotus face looks like the eclipsed moon when Rahu affects it! O Krishna! Your darling Radha sits at a rendezvous and works out your idol resembling the Love God Manmatha! She is preparing the idol with “ Kasthuri! Below the idol she has drawn the figure of a peacock and arranged a tender mango leaf as an arrow! She bows down to that figure and exclaims “O Panchasara! (The One with Five Arrows) Don’t torment me!”

“ O Chakrapani! (The One with the Disc in Hand) through meditation Radha  has achieved your presence before her and is expressing her sorrow! It is impossible for others to be blessed with your immediate presence! She is mad after You! She laughs suddenly at times and at the next moment is worried too much! At other times she is worn out with sorrow! Finally she departs to some unknown destination and feels relaxed!”

O Sri Hari! She wails at every moment and cries, “ O Madhava! I have surrendered myself at your lotus feet! Even the moon with his cool rays is burning my body as you are somewhere and invisible!” She is always in your thought!”

“O the Devotees of Krishna! Enjoy the words of poet Jayadeva if you feel they are very great! Listen to the words of  Radha's maid who describes the pangs of Radha's separation from Madhava!”

DATTANATHA DASAKAM

 This Stotra was composed by Krishna Murthy Yayavaram on the occasion of Sri Datta Jayanthi and consecration at Gudilova near Visakhapatnam in Andhrapradesh a few years back!

Adimadhya nasahina mavyayam paratparam

Kheda Moda bhranthi varjya nitya tatvarajitam

Sadaranuraga purna santhidayakam vibhum

Dattadevamasrayami Darmavardhnam Gurum!

Atrimauni bhavyaputra maprameya miswaram

Satrumitra varjitam Trimurtirupa dharinam

Matrumurthi bhratathatha mamaka prabhodakam

Dattadevamasrayami Darmavardhnam Gurum!

Namagotra varjitam Digambaram Jitendriyam

Yajnarupa Yajnabhoktha yajnasutra dharinam

Panchabhuta vyapakam sukandharam sukhasanam

Dattadevamasrayami Darmavardhnam Gurum!

Ragalesahina mounibrunda vandya sadgurum

Siddha sadhya deva pujya padapankajam sivam

Vedavedya Brahmatatwa viswa vistrutam yatim

Dattadevamasrayami Darmavardhnam Gurum!

Mohanam jatadharam Trisulahastha maksharam

Deha moha bhranthi roga nasakam yasaskaram

Tarakam bhavabdhi pota martharakshakam Prabhum

Dattadevamasrayami Darmavardhnam Gurum!

Brahmatatwa bhodakam varaprasada nayakam

Nirvikara nischalam niramayam niranjanam

Sarvaloka sakshibhuta Sarvabhouma Daivatam

Dattadevamasrayami Darmavardhnam Gurum!

 Divyakanti sobhitam vidheya sarva nirjaram

 Bhavyanama rupateja Bhaskarendu lochanam

 Navyadeha bhasitam sanatanam manoharam

Dattadevamasrayami Darmavardhnam Gurum!

Panduranga pasabhanga pavananghri pankajam

Chandateja sakthipurna satwarupa sobhitam

Sarvarogavarakam visala manasambujam

Dattadevamasrayami Darmavardhnam Gurum!

Nrutya Gita vadya Lola nadalola kshemadam

Satyarupa santhasila sadguna prabhasitam

Nirgunatma lakshanam vilakshanasya mandalam

Dattadevamasrayami Darmavardhnam Gurum!

Sarvapapa mapakam prapanna bhaktha vatsalam

Nirvikalpa madwitiya tatwarajitam subham 

Komalam madiya ghora soka tapa nasakam

Dattadevamasrayami Darmavardhnam Gurum! 

                                                          ITI   Dattanathadasakam sampurnam.

JAYADEVA'S SEVENTH ASHTAPADI--KRISHNA'S AGONY

 Unable to experience the pangs of separation from His paramour Radha,  Krishna, bitten by the sharp arrows of Mamatha, feels extremely sorry. He reaches the bank of the Yamuna and settling Himself in a bush cottage reflects on His pathetic state!

“ Radha grew angry and went away as I was playing with the Gopikas! I wanted to prevent her but I was afraid of her reaction on seeing me since I was at fault! She left me without any feeling of compassion. What is the use of thinking now?  What is it that I can do now?”

 “Radha has suffered enough the pangs of separation from me. What is the means to free herself from this suffering? What can She say? What is the use of this wealth, mansion and life without Radha? Why this janma or birth? All these are worthless!”

“I am deeply thinking of Radha!  The eyebrows of Radha, who grew angry with me, are bent very beautifully!  Her face looks agitated like the red lotus over which the bees are buzzing by!”

“. Why should I search for Radha in this dark dense forest? Why should I feel sorrow? Is not my darling Radha in my heart for ever? Let me make her supremely happy!”

“O my Lady! I presume that you are furious with me because of the mistakes that I have committed! If it is not so where did you go? I don’t understand. My pranams to you! I prevail upon you, tell me all about it!”

“O Radha!  It is as if you are in front of me! I wonder why you do not embrace me quickly as you used to do!”

“ O My Beauty! Have I done any mistake? If so, please pardon me! I will never do such a mistake once again! Please be present before me! My pangs of separation from you is simply unbearable”

“ This Ashtapadi is composed by the great bhaktha Jayadeva who belongs to the lineage of Bindubilva!” 

In His lovelorn and languid situation, Krishna takes exception to the activities of the love God Manmatha! Krishna exclaims, “O Manmatha! You have mistaken me for Siva!  I am not Siva but you are aiming arrows at me!  My identification marks are not those of Siva! It is the garland of lotus flowers that lies on my chest! It is not the snake on Siva’s neck! The black mark on my neck is not the mark of poison! It is because of the bunch of black Lily flowers! It is sandalwood powder that I have smeared all over my body! It is not the sacred Ash of Siva! You are acting against me in vain like a madcap!”