11. Characters of the Gitagovinda

The total characters of Gitagovinda are three and the poet himself expressed his identification with significance of the subject at the end of every canto. As it is a vaisnavite poem the poet has described the manly play of the divine characters. Jayadeva was a lover and devotee of Krsna. His born-talent and blessed devotion helped to imagine the love-lorn conditions of the Almighty with his eternal partner and the result is the sweet, sacred poem, the Gitagovinda. 125 1.8.1 SriKrsna This central figure of the Vaisnavism is designed both as the supreme and a simple lover by Jayadeva. This character may be defined as a. The Almighty - The two songs present the glory of Lord Visnu who is regarded as Krsna himself. The ten incarnations of Visnu are described in the first song. It indicates that Krsna is at once all of the ten forms of cosmic power he assumes in his awesome aspect (aisvarya) in order to save the world. Krsna is the supreme person and nature or prakrti is always trying for his 124. kuruyadunandana candanasisiratarena karena payodhare | (Song. 24 in Ramakeri or Ramakrtiraga) 125. Sastri, Gayatr., Odia Bhakti Sahityare Jayadevanka Prabhava (Odia), p.126 126. Miller, B.S., Ed. The Gitagovinda of Jayadeva, p.20 126 38

pleasure. Krsna is the central power of attraction, which exists in every creature and the lifeless elements of this world also. The whole world is processed by this all abiding power and without this it is not possible to imagine the existence 127 of creation. The supreme person Krsna is the enemy of Madhu as described by the poet. His desire is the real truth. To fulfil that desire is the only aim of Jiva or the living creature. For this the intellectual purification is necessary by the nineways of devotion. 128 b. As a lover-hero Though Krsna is more attracted towards Radha, he equally treats each cowherdess which creates jealousy in Radha. Then the conflict arises and the subject proceeds by the emmisery or the companion of Radha. Here Krsna is regarded as a deeply attracted lover of Radha and a cheater also. At last he surrendered near Radha and she also agreed with him. C. Ornamented figure - The stylistic hair decoration of Lord Krsna is described as a circle of peacock plumes caressed by moonlight crowns his 129 hair. He anointed his body with sandal paste and deer musk. The costume of Krsna is described as |-He toyed with ropes of clear pearls lying on his chest. His body was wrapped in fine silk cloth. Earrings caressing his lotus-face caught the brilliant sunlight. Flowers tangled his hair like moonbeams caught in 130 cloud breaks. The gleaming jewel necklaces, golden rope belt, armlet and wrist bands of Krsna are glazing in Jayadeva's presentation. 127. Tripathy, Prafulla Chandra, Sri Gitagovindare lila tattva (Odia), Srikrsna, A Collection of Articles, p.107 128. Sri Gitagovindare lila tattva (Odia), p.107 129. Misra, Manish., Sixty-four Art forms & the Gitagovindam, p.71 130. Miller, B.S., Ed. The Gitagovinda of Jayadeva, p.118 39

1.8.2 Radha Many scholars and researchers introduced the origin and serial development of the character of Radha. But the power of hladini and the beloved of Krsna is exactly manifested by the Gitagovinda of Jayadeva. From the twelfth century Jayadeva has given the divine respect to Radha. Radha comes down to the material earth from the secret divine world. 131 Jayadeva has accepted the sahaja way of the Buddhism but the path showed by Nimbarka was his ideal. In his poem Radha is not a theory but a lively character. She herself is the symbol of endless want. She is the figure of love herself, but excited to get the love of the loveable Krsna. This character is not the whole creation of Jayadeva but the presentation made Radha the own-creation of Jayadeva. The poet described Radha as an excited lover who has only one desire to please her lover. The subject of Gitagovinda presents Radha as a heroine of different variety such as svadhinabhartrka, khandita, abhisarika, vasakasajja and kalahantarita etc. 134 Radha becomes depressed by hearing about Krsna's amorous play with other cow-heardess women in the sweet spring season. But she remembers the love of Krsna and does not mind about his mistake. When she saw the play of Krsna a little bit anger is expressed with grief on her face and later Krsna prayed her to forgive him. The companion of Radha again says about the conditions of Radha in separation of Krsna. She is so weak that she is unable to walk for Krsna. She also negelects her life without him. But Radha avoids 131. Brahmavaivartapuranam, p.12 132. The Gitagovinda of Jayadeva, p.14 133. Patnaik, Tandra, Mysticism in Jayadeva's Gitagovinda, Jayadeva & Gitagovinda, Utkal University of Culture, 2001, p.45 134. Benerji, Patitapava, Evolution of Sanskrit lyric poetry of Odisha, pp.261-265 40

Krsna when he came at the fourth part of the night. Then both are suffered for union as each other and at last Krsna's flattery could work on Radha and her wounded sense of honour was restored. Then she entered in the arbour and both of them got the supreme joy. 135 The heroine of Gitagovinda is an ordinary woman with earthly senses. She is the svakiya or own heroine of Krsna, but she is not expressed as the wife of Krsna clearly. She is also not the Radha described by Nimbarka, but Radha manifested by Jayadeva holds some amount character of Nimbarkite Radha. Jayadeva's Radha is not the result of the theory prevailed before about Radha. But in some places he prayed Radha and Madhava and beg their blessing and mercy. 136 Radha is praised by Krsna and her friend also 137 for her beauty and quality. Krsna says that - "your moist lips glow like. crimson autumn blossoms, the skin of your cheek is a honey coloured flower, your eyes glower like gleaming dark lotuses, your nose is a sesame flower, your teeth are white jasmine, Love's flower arms conquer world by worshipping your face. As you walk on earth you bear the young beauty of heavenly nyphs."138 135. Dash, Shovana Kumari, The Study of the major characters of Gitagovinda, M.Phi. Dissertation of Utkal University, Dept. of Sanskrit, 1999, pp.56-66 136. Sri Gitagovindam, 11.21.2(v) 137. Samal, Vaisnava Chara, Gitagovindare Sriradha, Utkalara Kavi Jayadeva, A Collection of Articles, 1992, p.174 bandhukahutibandhavo'yamadharah snigdhomadhukacchavi- 138. gande candi ! cakasti nilanalina srimocanam locanam | nasanveti tilaprasunapadavim kundabhadanti ! priye ! prayastvanmukhasevaya vijayate visvam sa puspayudhah ||Gitagovinda 10.1.4(v) drsau tava madalase vadanamindumatyanvitam gatistava manorama vidhutarambhamurudvayam | ratistava kalavati ruciracitralekhe bhrva vaho vibudhayauvanam vahasi tanvi ! prthvigata || Cg.10.1.5(v) 41

1.8.3 The Messenger of Radha and the poet Jayadeva has not given any name to the friend of Radha who works as a messenger. He expressed the condition of both Radha and Krsna by the lady companion of Radha. He also suggested and praised the hero and heroine by that companion. The work of an emissary is done by that nameless friend of Radha. Probably the poet thought himself as a friend of Radha and he expressed his imagination. In the Vaisnava opinion a devotee may think himself/herself as a companion of Radha and tries to help and serve in the union of the worshipped divine pair. Here the mental stage of sacrifice and thought of devotion is more important that the physic because all the friends of Radha have no self-desire. They get joy to see their worshipped one with pleasure. 139 { 139. Patnaik, Asutosh, Vaisnava Sahitya tattva, p.109 42