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 1

Aṣhṭapadhī – 3: Mādhhavothsava Kamalākaram

Lalitha Lavaṅga

Composer: Jayadheva

Language: Sanskrit

Meanings-Word by word & Overall:www.sanskritdocuments.org/sites/giirvaani

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

Lalitha Lavaṅga Lathā Pariśhīlana Komala Malaya Samīre

Madhhukara Nikara Karambitha Kokila Kūjitha Kunja Kuṭīre

Viharathi Haririha Sarasa Vasanthe Nruthyathi Yuvathi Janena Samam Sakhi

Virahi Janasya Duranthe

Vikalitha Lajjitha Jagadh Avalokana Tharuna Karuna Krutha Hāse

Virahi Nikrunthana Kuntha Mukhakruthi Kethaki Danthurithāśhe   || Viharathi ||

Sphuradathi Muktha Lathā Parirambhaṇa Mukulitha Pulakitha Chūthe

Brindhāvana Vipine Parisara Pari Gatha Yamunājala Pūthe || Viharathi ||

Śhrī Jayadheva Bhaṇithamitha Mudhayathu Hari Charaṇa Smruthi Sāram

Sarasa Vasantha Samaya Vana Varṇanam Anugathamadhana Vikāram

Meanings:

Lalitha Lavaṅga Lathā Pariśhīlana Komala Malaya Samīre

Madhhukara Nikara Karambitha Kokila Kūjitha Kunja Kuṭīre

Lalitha Lavaṅga Lathā - slimly, clove gillyflower plants, tendrils of;

Pariśhīlana - [lexically] on examining, [interwoven with their fragrance];

Komala - gentle;

Malaya Samīre - Mount Malaya [with sandalwood trees] breezes;

Madhhukara Nikara - honey, makers [honey bees] swarms of;

Karambitha - intermingled with;

Kokila Kūjitha - by kokila [black singing bird] crooned;

Kunja Kuṭīre - bowery, in cabins;

Viharathi Haririha Sarasa Vasanthe Nruthyathi Yuvathi Janena Samam Sakhi

Virahi Janasya Duranthe

Virahi - without, having [their lovers, estranged couples];

Janasya - of people;

Duranthe - non, stop endless, incessant [unrequited]; [ellipted]

Vasanthe - in springtime; - unrequited are lovelorn people in vernal season

Yuvathi Janena - with girls of age, folks;

Samam - even as [at the very moment];

Viharathi Nruthyathi - frolicking, dancing;

Sakhi - oh, dear;

Sarasa - come on with glory [gloriously];

Sarasa Vasanthe - with sapful bliss, inclusive of [spring season that which contains the sapful bliss];

Viharathi - frolicking.

Now the gentle breezes with scents of sandalwood from mount. Malaya, the abode of sandalwood trees, on swiveling round the tendrils of clove gillyflower plants, they are gently breezing, interwoven with both the fragrances. Bowery cabins are intermingled with the buzzes of swarms of honeybees and with the croons of kokila-s. And he, for whom you are searching, that Kriṣhṇa is frolicking and dancing with folks of girls of age in brindavan, at this very moment for this is spring, isn't it. Oh, dear, therefore, come on, let’s go! Lovelorn people are unrequited, otherwise.

Vikalitha Lajjitha Jagadh Avalokana Tharuna Karuna Krutha Hāse

Virahi Nikrunthana Kuntha Mukhakruthi Kethaki Danthurithāśhe   || Viharathi ||

Virahi - lovelorn ones;

Vikalitha - completely, tumbled [utterly bereft of];

Lajjitha - having prudishness;

Jagadh - world [lovelorn people];

Avalokana - on espying;

Tharuna Karuna - tender, whitish karuna flowers;

Krutha Hāse - made, laugh at;

Virahi - lovelorn ones;

Nikrunthana - [as though] to lunge, tear asunder;

Kuntha Mukhakruthi - spear, faced, in shape;

Kethaki - ketaka, mogra flowers;

Danthurithāśhe - full with, directions of compass.

Now the tender whitish flowers of karuna are in full bloom, and they on espying the lovelorn people, who are utterly bereft of their prudishness in their lovesick behaviour, appear to be laughing at them, and the long and spear-faced mogra flowers are in full bloom in all directions, as though ready to lunge and tear asunder the hearts of lovelorn people. And he, for whom you are searching, that Kriṣhṇa is frolicking and dancing with folks of girls of age in brindavan, at this very moment for this is spring, isn't it. Oh, dear, therefore, come on, Let us go! Lovelorn people are unrequited, otherwise.

Sphuradathi Muktha Lathā Parirambhaṇa Mukulitha Pulakitha Chūthe

Brindhāvana Vipine Parisara Pari Gatha Yamunājala Pūthe || Viharathi ||

Sphuradh - vibrate, titillating;

Adhi Muktha Lathā - maadhavi, tendrils;

Parirambhaṇa - by overarched, whorled;

Mukulitha - having buds;

Pulakitha - ticklish;

Chūthe - mango trees;

Parisara - around, surging;

Pari Gatha - around, going [flowing in an enwreathing and surging manner];

Yamunājala Pūthe - by river yamunā, waters, sanctified;

Brindhāvana Vipine - in brindavan named, forest;

In this spring season, whereat the titillating tendrils of Mādhavi climber plants are whorled around the budding mango trees in an overarching manner, tickling those mango trees, and whereat river Yamunā is flowing in an enwreathing and surging manner, with whose waters that place is sanctified, and in which sanctified place obtainable is the final release, Moksha, namely brindavan, and in which solitude a group of yearners are yearning for the love of Kriṣhṇa,. And he, for whom you are searching, that Kriṣhṇa is frolicking and dancing with folks of girls of age in brindavan, at this very moment for this is spring, isn't it. Oh, dear, therefore, come on, let’s go! Lovelorn people are unrequited, otherwise.

Note: The climber plants are feminine and the mango trees are masculine. According to the saying vanithā, kavithā, lathā, na āshrayam vinā shobhate - a maid, a poetry, or a tendril cannot possibly outshine themselves, with not a leg to stand on. Thus, when sessile beings are thrilling and tickling in spring, how about other living beings.

Śhrī Jayadheva Bhaṇithamitha Mudhayathu Hari Charaṇa Smruthi Sāram

Sarasa Vasantha Samaya Vana Varṇanam Anugathamadhana Vikāram

Śhrī Hari - shri Kriṣhṇa's;

Charaṇa - feet;

Smruthi - remembrancer of;

Sāram - having sapful bliss,

Vasantha Samaya - spring, time;

Vana Varṇanam - woodlands having depictation;

Anugatha - ingoing, imbibed;

Madhana Vikāram - with passional, immoderations;

Idham Jayadheva Bhaṇithamitha - this, Jayadheva, uttered by [poetry];

This poem can be a remembrance of Kriṣhṇa's feet, for it has all the ingredients to obtain a sap full bliss from it, and this is even a best and congenial poem to meditate upon them, as this has a sapid depiction about the gregariously reclusive brindavan, and even imbibed are the passionate immoderations of springtime fevers, and such a poem is now coming up, as uttered by Jayadheva, on the feet of Śhrī Kriṣhṇa.