Lyrics and Meanings (Ashtapadi)

Aṣhṭapadhi - It is lyrical poetry in 12 chapters, which is further sub-divided into 24 divisions called Prabandhha. Each Prabandhha is again sub-divided into two, comprising eight couplets called Aṣhṭapadhis.

Each song of the Aṣhṭapadhiis set in a special rāga and thāḷa. It is a rhyme of eternal love and supreme devotion. The literal meaning of "Aṣhṭapadhi" is "eight steps".

Gītha Govindha composed in the 12th century by Indian poet Jayadheva in Sanskrit language is a lyrical poetry in twelve chapters, sub-divided into twenty four divisions called Prabandhha. The songs in Gītha Govindha symbolize the eternal love of Lord Kriṣhṇa and his beloved Rādhhā and the sublimation of love in God through complete surrender.

Chapter one and chapter two, four, five and twelve contain two Aṣhṭapadhis each; chapters three, six, eight, nine and ten contain only one Aṣhṭapadhi each. Thus there are twenty-four Aṣhṭapadhi. These Aṣhṭapadhis can be set to music in different melodious ragas, which were appreciated and followed by the poets later period. On which more than hundred commentaries has been written in Sanskrit and over fifty more than hundred commentaries have been written in Sanskrit and over fifty in regional languages in India also in many foreign languages.

Since the Gīthagovindha was composed specifically for dance performance during the night worship of Lord Jagannātha, the composition is so deftly made as to be sung to the beats of a dancer's foot movements. The author himself at the end of the Kāvya again states this fact, where he again emphasizes that the poem was intended to be a prop for meditation on Viṣhṇu and it is clothed in Śhrungāra rasa by the kavi Jayadheva panḍitha immersed in the contemplation of Krishna. The poem became so popular that within a century or so, it spread to all corners of the country from east to south, west and north and was adapted to dance, music, painting and temple worship.

In short, these songs describe the celestial love between Rādhhikā and Kriṣhṇa, The egoistic nature of Rādhhikā, Her anger towards Kriṣhṇa, Her viraha thāpam (sorrow in separation), reunion and their Sallāpam.

Chapter 4

Snigdhha Madhhusūdhana

Nindhathi Chandana

Composer: Jayadheva

Language: Sānskrit

Meanings-Word by word & Overall:www.Sānskritdocuments.org/sites/giirvaani/.../gg/.../gg_4_frame.htm

Alignment, Diacriticals & consequent spelling changes, Language & grammar editing, if any and necesSāry, of existing meaning: Team Ambalam

Yamunathīravānīranikunje Mandhamasthitham|

Prāha Premabharothbrantham Mādhhavam Rādhhikāsakhī||

1.Nindhathi Chandhanam Indhu Kiraṇam Anu-Vindhathi Khethamadhhīram|

Vyāla Nilaya Milanena Garalamiva Kalayathi Malaya Sāmīram ||

Sā Virahe Thavadhīnā Mādhhava Manasija Viśhikha Bhayādhiva Bhāvanaya Thvayi Līnā||Dhhruvam||

2. Avirala Nipathitha Madhana Śharādhiva Bhavadhavanāya Viśhālam|

Svahrudhaya Marmaṇi Varma Karothi Sājala Nalinīdhala Jālam||
Sā Virahe Thavadhīnā Mādhhava Manasija Viśhikha Bhayādhiva Bhāvanaya Thvayi Līnā||Dhhruvam||

3. Kusumaviśhikha Śhārathalpam Analpa Vilāsa Kalā Kamanīyam|

Vrathamiva Thava Pariramba Sukhāya Karothi Kusuma Śhayanīyam||
Sā Virahe Thavadhīnā Mādhhava Manasija Viśhikha Bhayādhiva Bhāvanaya Thvayi Līnā||Dhhruvam||

4. Vahathi Cha Galitha Vilochana Jalabharam Ānanakamalam Udhāram|

Vidhhumiva Vikaṭa Vidhhunthudha Dhantha Dhalana Galithāmrutha Dhhāram||
Sā Virahe Thavadhīnā Mādhhava Manasija Viśhikha Bhayādhiva Bhāvanaya Thvayi Līnā||Dhhruvam||

5. Vilikhathi Rahasi Kurangamadhena Bhavantham Asamaśhara Bhūtham|

Praṇamathi Makaramadhho Vinidhhāya Kare Cha Śharam Navachūtham||
Sā Virahe Thavadhīnā Mādhhava Manasija Viśhikha Bhayādhiva Bhāvanaya Thvayi Līnā||Dhhruvam||

6. Prathipadham Idhamapi Nigadhathi Mādhhava Thava Charaṇe Pathithāham|

Thvayi Vimukhe Mayi Sapadhi Sudhhānidhhirapi Thanuthe Thanūdhāham||
Sā Virahe Thavadhīnā Mādhhava Manasija Viśhikha Bhayādhiva Bhāvanaya Thvayi Līnā||Dhhruvam||

7. Dhhyānalayena Pura: Parikalpya Bhavantham Athīva Dhurāpam|

Vilapathi Hasāthi Viṣhīdhathi Rodhithi Chanchathi Munchathi Thāpam||
Sā Virahe Thavadhīnā Mādhhava Manasija Viśhikha Bhayādhiva Bhāvanaya Thvayi Līnā||Dhhruvam||

8. Śhrī Jayadhevabhaṇitham Idhamadhhikam Yadhimanasā Naṭanīyam|

Hari Virahākula Ballava Yuvathi Sakhī Vachanam Paṭhanīyam ||

Sā Virahe Thavadhīnā Mādhhava Manasija Viśhikha Bhayādhiva Bhāvanaya Thvayi Līnā||Dhhruvam||

Meaning:

Rādhhā's friend approaches Kriṣhṇa to inform about the agony of Rādhhā owing to her state of separation from Kriṣhṇa. This is called Dhūthi yoga - friendly messaging.

Yamunāthīravānīranikunje Mandhamasthitham|

Prāha Premabharothbrantham Mādhhavam Rādhhikāsakhī||

Yamunāthīra-on the banks of the river Yamunā

Vānīra- rattan plant, [calamus rotang];

nikunje - in the arbour;

Mandham- slowly [indolently];

Asthitham- came and staying;

Prāha-said;

 Premabhara- overwhelmed by love;

uthbrāntham - perplexed;

Mādhhavam – to Kriṣhṇa

Rādhhikā-another name for Rādhhā;

Sakhī- friend;

Rādhhā 's friend is now approaching him, who has came to another bower and staying at it indolently, for he could not find Rādhhā even after a thorough search. Hence, he is perplexed as he is overwhelmed by his love for Rādhhā, and to such a Kriṣhṇa, she says the following details.

Nindhathi Chandhanam Indhu Kiraṇam Anu-Vindhathi Khethamadhhīram|

Vyāla Nilaya Milanena Garalamiva Kalayathi Malaya Sāmīram ||

Sā Virahe Thavadhīnā Mādhhava Manasija Viśhikha Bhayādhiva Bhāvanaya Thvayi Līnā||Dhhruvam||

Nindhathi- scorns [loathes];

 Chandhanam –sandal;

Indhu Kiraṇam-moon beam;

 Anu-Vindhathi - thereby, knowing;

Khetham- desperately;

Adhhīram- without  courage;

Vyāla - serpents;

Nilaya - of abode [Sandalwood trees];

Milanena - by their mingling;

Garalamiva- like poison;  

Kalayathi - she reckons;

Malaya Samīram- Mt Malaya’s, [Sandal-scented] breeze;

Sā-she- Rādhhā;

 Virahe - from separation;

Thavadhīnā-lovelorn for you;

 Mādhhava- Kriṣhṇa

 Manasija- mind born one;

 Viśhikha- those that have pointed ends, arrows;

 Bhayādhiva- from fear, as though;

 Bhāvanaya - on cogitating;

Thvayi- in you;

 Līnā- engrossed;

O Kriṣhṇa, now Rādhhā is desperately despondent as she is engrossed in you, and cogitates only on you, and she fears and reviles the dint of moonbeams as though they are the arrows of love-god. Moreover, she loathes the scent of Sandal-paste as if that scent is a poison. She reckons the Sandal-scented breeze is as if mixed with venom, for it breezes from Mt Malaya, an abode of serpents... Thus, now she is lovelorn, as you have left her in the lurch...

Avirala Nipathitha Madhana Śharādhiva Bhavadhavanāya Viśhālam|

Svahrudhaya Marmaṇi Varma Karothi Sajala Nalinīdhala Jālam||
Sā Virahe Thavadhīnā Mādhhava Manasija Viśhikha Bhayādhiva Bhāvanaya Thvayi Līnā||Dhhruvam||

 Avirala- incessant;

 Nipathitha - falling [darting];

Madhana - love-god;

Śharādhiva – like the arrows;

Bhavath-your;

avanāya- to safeguard;

 Viśhālam - wide;

Svahrudhaya - her own heart;

Marmaṇi - in innermost recesses;

Varma- leather coat of mail;  

Karothi - she is making;

Sajala - with water [wet petals];

Nalinīdhala – lotus petals;

Jālam- a group of;
Sā Virahe Thavadhīnā Mādhhava Manasija Viśhikha Bhayādhiva Bhāvanaya Thvayi Līnā-

But, now she is lovelorn, as you have left her in the lurch

She, that Rādhhā is making a coat of mail with the sprays of wide and wet lotus petals, in the innermost recesses of her heart, against the incessantly darting arrows of love-god targeting her. I think, it is maybe to safeguard you who are snugly settled in there. I do not know. But, now she is lovelorn, as you have left her in the lurch.

Note:

·         The love-god has five arrows and they are: 1.Aravindha = a lotus [nelumblum speciosum], 2. Aśhoka = a flower of hellebore origin, 3. Chūtham = mango flower, 4.Nava mallikā = new jasmine, 5.Nīla uthpala = blue costus, (aravindham aśhokam cha chūtham cha navamallikā nilothpalam cha pañcha  ethe pañcha bāṇāh asya sāyakāh ||)

·         The five states associated with each arrow are: 1)unmādha = maniacal state; 2) thapana = fervent state; 3)śhoṣhaṇa = wasting away; 4) sthambhana = standstill state and 5) sammohana = stupefaction.

Kusumaviśhikha Śhārathalpam Analpa Vilāsa Kalā Kamanīyam|

Vrathamiva Thava Pariramba Sukhāya Karothi Kusuma Śhayanīyam||
Sā Virahe Thavadhīnā Mādhhava Manasija Viśhikha Bhayādhiva Bhāvanaya Thvayi Līnā||Dhhruvam||

Kusumaviśhikha – flowers with pointed ends;

Śhāra- arrrow;

thalpam - bed;

Analpa – not less;

Vilāsa – voluptuousness;

Kalā – arts;

Kamanīyam- beautiful;

Vrathamiva- a ceremony, as if;

 Thava - your;

Pariramba-

 Sukhāya- [desiring that] comfort;

 Karothi- making;

 Kusuma-flower;

Śhayanīyam- on which one can repose;
Sā Virahe Thavadhīnā Mādhhava Manasija Viśhikha Bhayādhiva Bhāvanaya Thvayi Līnā||Dhhruvam||
But, now she is lovelorn, as you have left her in the lurch.

O Kriṣhṇa, though the flower arrows darted by love-god are pinching her heart, she is preparing a flowery and reclinable bed with them alone, as if it is a ceremony, desiring to instate you in there, and to ceremoniously repose in your tight but comfortable embrace. Think not that she is idling. Therefore, leave her not in the lurch, as she is lovelorn.

Vahathi Cha Galitha Vilochana Jalabharam Ānanakamalam Udhāram|

Vidhhumiva Vikaṭa Vidhhunthudha Dhantha Dhalana Galithāmrutha Dhhāram||
Sā Virahe Thavadhīnā Mādhhava Manasija Viśhikha Bhayādhiva Bhāvanaya Thvayi Līnā||Dhhruvam||

Vahathi - bearing up;

Cha-also;

Galitha- squirmy

 Vilochana - eyes;

Jalabharam- filled with water;

Ānanakamalam - face, lotus;

Udhāram- beauteous;

Vidhhumiva-like the moon ;

 Vikaṭa – uneven;

Vidhhunthudha-one who bites the moon;

 Dhantha -by teeth;

Dhalana - by way of biting;

Galitha- slid;

Amrutha- ambrosial;

 Dhhāram- streams;
Sā Virahe Thavadhīnā Mādhhava Manasija Viśhikha Bhayādhiva Bhāvanaya Thvayi Līnā||Dhhruvam||
But, now she is lovelorn, as you have left her in the lurch.

She that Rādhhā bears up a lotus like beauteous face, that have cloud like blackish eyes with squirmy glances, which now appears like the moon bitten by the Saw toothed rāhu, the eclipsing villainous planet, and while that moon sheds streams of ambrosia when bitten by teeth, she is shedding streams of tears, smitten by love... Thus, she is lovelorn, as you have left her in the lurch.

Vilikhathi Rahasi Kurangamadhena Bhavantham Asamaśhara Bhūtham|

Praṇamathi Makaramadhho Vinidhhāya Kare Cha Śharam Navachūtham||
Sā Virahe Thavadhīnā Mādhhava Manasija Viśhikha Bhayādhiva Bhāvanaya Thvayi Līnā||Dhhruvam||

Vilikhathi- writing [sketching, picturing];

Rahasi- in aloneness;

Kurangamadhena- deer’s fat;

 Bhavantham-you;

 Asamaśhara - not equal arrow;

Bhūtham- like that of, in the shape of;

Praṇamathi- adoring;

 Makaram- crocodile;

 Adhho- down under;

Vinidhhāya- properly placing;

 Kare Cha –also in her hand;

Śharam-arrow;

Navachūtham- new mango leaf;

Sā Virahe Thavadhīnā Mādhhava Manasija Viśhikha Bhayādhiva Bhāvanaya Thvayi Līnā||Dhhruvam||

But, now she is lovelorn, as you have left her in the lurch.

She that Rādhhā in all her aloneness is sketching you in the shape of shapeless love-god with deer musk, and even sketching a crocodile as his seat, and placing a mango leaflet in his hand, since it is his arrow, and then she is adoring that sketch saying, "oh, god, save my body and soul..." that way she is lovelorn, as you have left her in the lurch...

Dhhyānalayena Pura: Parikalpya Bhavantham Athīva Dhurāpam|

Vilapathi Hasāthi Viṣhīdhathi Rodhithi Chanchathi Munchathi Thāpam||
Sā Virahe Thavadhīnā Mādhhava Manasija Viśhikha Bhayādhiva Bhāvanaya Thvayi Līnā||Dhhruvam||

Dhhyāna- in meditation;

Layena- engrossed;

Purah - in front of;

Parikalpya - imagining;

Bhavantham -

Athīva – highly;

Dhurāpam- impossible, one to get;

Vilapathi- snaps at;

 Hasathi – laughs;

Viṣhīdhathi - sinks;

Rodhithi- sobs;  

Chanchathi – strays;

Munchathi –leaves;

Thāpam- leaves off [simmers down]; 

Sā Virahe Thavadhīnā Mādhhava Manasija Viśhikha Bhayādhiva Bhāvanaya Thvayi Līnā||Dhhruvam||

But, now she is lovelorn, as you have left her in the lurch.

She, that Rādhhā, thinking that you shall be highly inaccessible to others, she is engrossed in meditation on you, and on imagining you in her front, in the form of that musk painting, she snaps, sneers, sinks, sobs, strays, and simmers down.

Prathipadham Idhamapi Nigadhathi Mādhhava Thava Charaṇe Pathithāham|

Thvayi Vimukhe Mayi Sapadhi Sudhhānidhhirapi Thanuthe Thanūdhāham||
Sā Virahe Thavadhīnā Mādhhava Manasija Viśhikha Bhayādhiva Bhāvanaya Thvayi Līnā||Dhhruvam||

Prathipadham- at each step;

Idhamapi-this also;

 Nigadhathi- asserts;

 Mādhhava - Kriṣhṇa

Thava-your;

Charaṇe –feet;

Pathithāham- fallen;

Thvayi –on your;

 Vimukhe –facing away;

Mayi – in me;

Sapadhi - now;

Sudhhā- ambrosia;

nidhhirapi - treasure trove;

Thanuthe - increasing;

Thanūdhāham- fervidity – love fever;
Sā Virahe Thavadhīnā Mādhhava Manasija Viśhikha Bhayādhiva Bhāvanaya Thvayi Līnā||Dhhruvam||
But, now she is lovelorn, as you have left her in the lurch.

She, that Rādhhā is even asserting this on each and every step of hers, “O Kriṣhṇa , though you are insouciant towards me as of now, the moon, who is supposed to be the treasure trove of coolant ambrosial moonshine, is making my love fever rampant." Thus, she who is lovelorn is mediating on you, as you have left her in the lurch... [a

Śhrī Jayadhevabhaṇitham Idhamadhhikam Yadhimanasā Naṭanīyam|

Hari Virahākula Ballava Yuvathi Sakhī Vachanam Paṭhanīyam ||

Sā Virahe Thavadhīnā Mādhhava Manasija Viśhikha Bhayādhiva Bhāvanaya Thvayi Līnā||Dhhruvam||

Śhrī Jayadheva-poet Jayadheva;

bhaṇitham –saying;

Idham-this;

adhhikam -  deemed highly reverent;

Yadhi-if;

manasā - heartily;

Naṭanīyam- actable [relish able];

Hari -

Virah- heartsick;

Ākula- flustered;

Ballava – cowherd;

Yuvathi –young woman;

Sakhī –friend;

Vachanam –words;

Paṭhanīyam – to be read;

Sā Virahe Thavadhīnā Mādhhava Manasija Viśhikha Bhayādhiva Bhāvanaya Thvayi Līnā||Dhhruvam||
But, now she is lovelorn, as you have left her in the lurch.

If you deem this auspicious saying by Jayadheva, through the girlfriend of the cowherdess, namely Rādhhā, as highly reverent to relish, then this alone is memorable for all of us[as these words have a conductance spirituality]