Chapter 2 - The background and plot contents of Jayadeva’s Gitagovinda

Coḍaganga Deva, a ruler of Odisha. The copper plate inscription of A.D 1198 proves that the king has made a new temple for Lord Jagannātha. The outer wall of Nṛsimha temple which is situated inside the Jagannātha temple, Purī proves that the king had conquered Odisha in the beginning of the twelfth century. During that time the Saivism and the Vaiṣṇavism occupied a major religious places in Odisha. The inscription of Coḍaganga Deva proves the worship of Vasudeva prevailed in the twelfth century. He declared himself as parama Maḥeśvara, parama Vaiṣṇava through his inscription 29. Vaiṣṇavism prevailed in Oḍishā through the Acintyabhedabheda of Nimbārka and dvaita principle of Madhavācārya during the twelfth century. 1.2.2 Establishment of Vaiṣṇavism About the first century B.C. the Sankarṣaṇa and Vasudeva had come to be worshipped as gods in the Marāṭhā country. The Bhāgavata-purāṇa says most of the people who drink the water of Tāmpraparṇi and Kāverī river will mostly be pure-hearted devotees of Väsudeva 30. Therefore, we have no doubt that Vaiṣṇavism has its origin from South-India. Rāmānuja perhaps the first popular ācārya to establish the theory of Vaiṣṇavism. His followers are called Śrīvaiṣṇavas and their philosophy is called visiṣṭādvaita. He opines that the love of the deity manifests itself in his assuming numerous forms to delight his worshippers. In other words he advocates the worship of a personal God characterized by love. It is the most effective means of salvation, which is not running away from God, but relieving the soul from bondage. It is equality with 29.Mohanty, Bichitrananda, Vaiṣṇava Kavi Jayadeva, An article pub. By Sāralā Sāhitya Samsad, Cuttack, 1989 p. 62 30. Bhandarkar, R.G., Vaisnavism, Saivism, & c, p.68 17