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

Rādhhikā, Thave Virahe Keśhava

Composer: Jayadheva

Language: Sanskrit

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

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

Sthanavinihithamapi Hāramudhāram |
Sā Manuthe Kruśhathanurathibhāram ||
Rādhhikā  Virahe Thava Keśhava||Dhhruvam||

Sarasama Srṇamapi Malayaja Paṅkam |

Paśhyathi Viṣhamiva Vapuṣhi Saśhaṅkam ||Rādhhikā||

Śhwasitha Pavanam Anupama Pariṇāham|

Madhana Dhahanam Iva Vahathi Sadhāham|| Rādhhikā||

Dhiśhi Dhiśhi Kirathi Sajala Kaṇajālam |

Nayana Nalinam Iva Vigalitha Nalam ||Rādhhikā||

Nayana Viṣhayam Api Kisalaya Thalpam|

 Kalayathi Vilaya Huthāśha Kalpam|| Rādhhikā||

Thyajathi Na Pāṇithalena Kapolam|

 Bāla Śhaśhinam Iva Sāyamalolam ||Rādhhikā||

Haririthi Haririthi Japathi Sakāmam |

Viraha Vihitha Maraṇeva Nikāmam|| Rādhhikā||

Śhrī Jayadheva Bhaṇithamithi Gītham |

Sukhayathu Keśhava Padhamupanītham ||Rādhhikā||

Meaning:

Sthanavinihithamapi Hāramudhāram |
Sā Manuthe Kruśhathanurathibhāram ||
Rādhhikā  Virahe Thava Keśhava||Dhhruvam||

Sthana-bosom;

Vinihitham –adorning;

api –also;

Hāram- necklace;

udhāram - feather-light;
Sā –she, Rādhhikā  ;

Manuthe- feels;

 Kruśhathanu- frail bodied;

athibhāram – weighing much;
Rādhhikā  Virahe Thava Keśhava - Rādhhikā is pining for you, O Keśhava, for she is parted from you.

O Keśhava , she with her frailly body feels even a feather-light pearly string adorning her bosom is weighty, and such as she is, she is pining for you, for she is parted from you.

Sarasam asrṇamapi Malayaja Paṅkam |

Paśhyathi Viṣhamiva Vapuṣhi Saśhaṅkam ||Rādhhikā||

Sarasam-with fluid, soggy;

 asrṇamapi- satiny;

 Malayaja- from Mt Malaya;

 Paṅkam - cream [cosmetic cream obtained on rubbing sandalwood sticks on grit stone];

Paśhyathi-sees;

 Viṣhamiva- as if it is poison;

Vapuṣhi – on body;

Saśhaṅkam – with doubt;

||Rādhhikā|| Rādhhikā is pining for you, O Keśhava, for she is parted from you.

Even though the sandal-cream on her body is soggy, satiny, thus balsamic, she looks down on it as if it is a venom. Thus, she is pining for you, for she is parted from you.

Śhwasitha Pavanam Anupama Pariṇāham|

Madhana Dhahanam Iva Vahathi Sadhāham|| Rādhhikā||

Śhwasitha – breathed;

Pavanam-air;

 Anupama- uncommon, abnormal;

 Pariṇāham- overlong [in duration];

Madhana Dhahanam Iva - love-god’s flame;

Vahathi – bears;

Sadhāham- love-god’s flame;

|| Rādhhikā||

Her abnormally overlong flame like sighs are overburdening her, as if they are the flames of love-god. Hence, she is pining for you, for she is parted from you.

Dhiśhi Dhiśhi Kirathi Sajala Kaṇajālam |

Nayana Nalinam Iva Vigalitha Nalam ||Rādhhikā||

Dhiśhi Dhiśhi- directions;

Kirathi- bestrews;

Sajala- with water, tear;

Kaṇajālam – groups of drops;

Nayana –eyes;

Nalinam- lotuses;

Iva- as if;

 Vigalitha- slipped down;

 Nalam - tubular stem;

||Rādhhikā||

She with her eyes that look like black-lotuses, slipped from their stems, are filled with a sea of teardrops, and she is casting about her sight for you, in every direction... That way, she is pining for you, for she is parted from you.

Nayana Viṣhayam Api Kisalaya Thalpam|

 Kalayathi Vihitha Huthāśha Kalpam|| Rādhhikā||

Nayana-eyes;

Viṣhayam-subject;

 Api-also;

 Kisalaya – coppery;

Thalpam- bed;

 Kalayathi - reckons;

Vihitha – made;

Huthāśha – flame;

Kalpam-thinks;

|| Rādhhikā||

Though the subject of her eyes is an eye-filling bed of coppery tender leaves, she reckons it as a flame bed. That way, she is pining for you, for she is parted from you.

Thyajathi Na Pāṇithalena Kapolam|

 Bāla Śhaśhinam Iva Sāyamalolam ||Rādhhikā||

Thyajathi- removes;

Na-not;

Pāṇithalena - on palm’s surface; 

Kapolam- cheek;

 Bāla – tender;

Śhaśhinam – moon;

Iva-akin to;

 Sāyam- in evenings;

alolam – motionless;

||Rādhhikā||

She neither removes her moonlike cheek, a cheek akin to youthful but motionless moon of evenings, placed on her palm, nor is she motional. And statically she is pining for you, for she is parted from you.

Haririthi Haririthi Japathi Sakāmam |

Viraha Vihitha Maraṇeva Nikāmam|| Rādhhikā||

Haririthi Haririthi- lord Hari, thus;

Japathi -chants

Sakāmam- with the wish;

Viraha- by wistfulness;

 Vihitha- ordained;

 Maraṇeva- as if in death;

 Nikāmam- always;

|| Rādhhikā||

She is as if dying, a death ordained by her own wistfulness and hence wishful to tell her dying words she is always intoning thus as, "Hari... Hari..." Hence, she is pining for you, for she is parted from you.

Śhrī Jayadheva Bhaṇithamithi Gītham |

Sukhayathu Keśhava Padhamupanītham ||Rādhhikā||

Śhrī Jayadheva – Poet Jayadheva;

 Bhaṇithamithi- said by; 

Gītham - song;

Sukhayathu – comforts [singers and listeners];

Keśhava -Kriṣhṇa;

Pādham- feet;

upanītham - that draws nigh of those feet;

||Rādhhikā||

This way, the auspicious song said by Jayadheva and dedicated at the feet of Kriṣhṇa through me, the friend of Rādhhā, comfort all of us, its singers like me or its listeners like you. Thus Rādhhā is pining for Kriṣhṇa, parted from him.

Chapter 7

Aṣhṭapadhi – 15

Samudhitha-Madhane

Ramathe Yamunā

Composer: Jayadheva

Language: Sanskrit

Meanings-Word by word &Overall: www.sanskritdocuments.org/sites/giirvaani/giirvaani/gg/sarga7/gg_7_frame.htm

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

Viraha-Pāṇḍu-Murāri-Mukhāmbuja-

Dhyuthir Ayam Thirayann Api Vedhanām |

Vidhur Athīva Thanothi Mano-Bhuvah

Suhrudh Aye Hrudhaye Madhana-Vyathhām ||

Samudhithā-Madhane Ramaṇi-Vadhane Chumbana-Valithadhhare |

Mruga-Madha-Thilakam Likhathi Sapulakam Mrugam Iva Rajani-Kare ||1||

Ramathe Yamuna-Pulina-Vane Vijayi Murārir Adhhuna ||Dhruva||||

Ghana-Chaya-Ruchire Rachayathi Chikure Tharalitha-Tharuṇānane |

Kurubaka-Kusurnam Chapala Suṣhamam Rathi-Pathi-Mruga-Kānane ||2||

Ghaṭayathi Sughane Kucha-Yuga-Gagane Mruga-Madha-Ruchi-Ruṣhithe |

Maṇi-Saram Arṇālam Thāraka-Patalam Nakha-Padha-Śhaśhi-Bhūṣhithe ||3||

Jitha-Bisa-Śhakale Mrudhu-Bhuja-Yugale Kara-Thala-Nalinī-Dhale |

Marakatha-Valayam Madhhu-Kara-Nichayam Vitharathi Hima-Śhīthale ||4||

Rathi-Gruha-Jaghane Vipulapaghane Manastja-Kanakāsane |

Maṇi-Maya-Thaṣhaṇam Thoraṇa-Hasanam Vikirathi Ktta-Vāsane||5||

Charaṇa-Kisalaye Kamala-Nilaye Nakha-Maṇi-Gaṇa-Pūjithe |

Bahir-Apavaranām Ya-Vaka-Bharanām Janayathi Hrudhiyojithe ||6||

Ramayathi Subhrusham Kam Api Sudhrusham Khala-Hala-Dhara-Sodhare |

Kim Aphalam Avasam Chiram Iha Virasam Vadha Sakhi Vithapodhare ||7||

Iha Rasa-Bhanane Krutha-Hari-Guṇane Madhu-Ripu-Padha-Sevake |

Kali-Yuga-Rachitham Na Vasathu Dhuritham Kavi-Nrupa-Jayadhevake ||8||

Nāyāthaha Sakhi Nirdhayo Yadhi Śhaṭhas Thvam Dhuti Kim Dhūyase

Svachchandham Bahu-Vallabhah Sa Ramathe Kim Thathra The Dhūṣhaṇam |

Paśhyad Priya-Saṅgamaya Dhayithasyakrushyamānam Guṇair

Uthkantharthi-Bharadh Iva Sphutadh Idham Chethah Svayam Yāsyathi||9||

Meaning:

Viraha-Pāṇḍu-Murāri-Mukhāmbuja-

Dhyuthir Ayam Thirayann Api Vedhanām |

Vidhur Athīva Thanothi Mano-Bhuvah

Suhrudh Aye Hrudhaye Madhana-Vyathhām ||

Aye - oh, friend;

Ayam vidhur - this, moon;

Mano-Bhuvah Suhrudh - love-god's good friend [moon];

Viraha - [my] anguish in dissociation;

Pāṇḍu-Murāri - pale faced Kriṣhṇa's;

Mukhāmbuja- Dhyuthir - face, lotus-like, its resplendence; 

Thirayann Api Vedhanām - anguishes, covering up [abated,] even though;

Hrudhaye Madhana-Vyathhām - in heart, love's, anguish, much, intensifying [unabated.]

"Oh, friend, this moon earlier had a pale face like that of the lotus-like face of Kriṣhṇa, by which my anguish in dissociation was somewhat abated, waiting for him. But now, unabated is the pale silver like look of this very moon, as his friend love-god is abetting him to take vengeance on me, since I am unmoving to Kriṣhṇa. Thus my anguish too, is much unabated

Samudhithā-Madhane Ramaṇi-Vadhane Chumbana-Valithadhhare |

Mruga-Madha-Thilakam Likhathi Sapulakam Mrugam Iva Rajani-Kare ||1||

Ramathe Yamuna-Pulina-Vane Vijayi Murārir Adhhuna ||Dhruva||||

He sakhi - of friend;

Samudhithā - well, uprisen [up surged];

Madhane - passion [in a girl];

Chumbana-Valithadhhare - for a kiss, swerved

[in text as 'lalita ānane' then it is beautiful face for it will be kissed];

Ramaṇi-Vadhane - a comely girl's, face;

Mrugam Iva Rajani-Kare - in night, maker [in moon,] deer, like;

Sapulakam - with, thrills [for the girl];

Mruga-Madha-Thilakam Likhathi - deer's, fat [musk,] mark [usu. On forehead,] making; [reprise]

Adhhuna - presently;

Yamuna-Pulina-Vane - river Yamunā's, on sand dunes, groves;

 Ramathe is frolicking.

"Oh, friend, He is swerving the face of a comely girl, in whom passion is up-surging, for a kiss, and like the deer mark in moon, he is making a mark with musk on her face with his kiss, while she thrills. Thus that prized Kriṣhṇa is presently frolicking on the sand dunes and in the groves of Yamunā river.

Ghana-Chaya-Ruchire Rachayathi Chikure Tharalitha-Tharuṇānane |

Kurubaka-Kusurnam Chapala Suṣhamam Rathi-Pathi-Mruga-Kānane ||2||

Ghana-Chaya-Ruchire - clouds, gather, in sheen [he is shiny like a cloudscape];

Tharalitha - made to ripples [on seeing such a one riffle like thrills occur in girls];

Tharuṇānane - on a beauty's, face;

Rathi Pathi - Rathi's, husband, [or lord of love - of love-god];

Mruga-Kānane - beast / deer, a forest of;

chikure - in head hair;

Chapala Suṣhamam - scintillating, lightning [like];

Kurubaka-Kusurnam - kuravaka [mehandi,] red flower;

Rachayathi - decorating.

"He whose sheen is like a cloudscape, and on seeing whom riffles of thrills occur in girls, such a Kriṣhṇa is decorating a red flower that is scintillating like lightning, in the braid of a beauty, in that forest where that beastly love-god is on the prowl.

Ghaṭayathi Sughane Kucha-Yuga-Gagane Mruga-Madha-Ruchi-Ruṣhithe |

Maṇi-Saram Arṇālam Thāraka-Patalam Nakha-Padha-Śhaśhi-Bhūṣhithe ||3||

Mruga-Madha - deer, musk;

Ruchi-Ruṣhithe - shine, bestrewn [bedaubed, cosmetic];

su ghane - highly massy, with clouds;

nakha pada - fingernail, dent [like];

Śhaśhi-Bhūṣhithe - with [crescent] moon, decorated with;

kucha yuga gagane - bosoms, twosome, on sky of [on overside];

 amalam - impeccable;

 Maṇi-Saram - gemmy [pearly,] pendant;

Thāraka-Patalam [iva] - starts, cluster of [like pendant];

Ghaṭayathi - adjusting;

"Oh, friend, now he is adjusting an impeccable pearly pendant on the over side of her two bosoms that shine like deer musk, that which is bedaubed on them... In doing so his fingernails are making crescentic dents on those bosoms... And that sky bust appears to be a sky with two massy clouds and that pearly pendant as the star studded sky, and those crescentic dents as crescent moons.

Jitha-Bisa-Śhakale Mrudhu-Bhuja-Yugale Kara-Thala-Nalinī-Dhale |

Marakatha-Valayam Madhhu-Kara-Nichayam Vitharathi Hima-Śhīthale ||4||

Murāri - Kriṣhṇa;

Jitha-Bisa-Śhakale - triumphant [than] lotus, stalks;

Hima-Śhīthale - snowy, cool;

Kara Thala - hand's, surface [with palms];

Nalinī-Dhale - [like] lotus, leaves;

Mrudhu-Bhuja-Yugale - softish, shoulders, a pair of;

Marakatha-Valayam - emerald, armlet;

Madhukara nichayam [iva] - honey-makers [honey bees,] a swarm [alike];

Vitharathi - he is keeping [adjusting.]

"Now he is adjusting emerald armlets on the pair of her palms that liken to snow like cool lotus leaves, while her shoulders are soft  like lotus itself, and arms triumph over the tender stalks of lotuses, thus those emeralds in those armlets are like a swarm of honeybees, hovering over that lotus-like girl.

Rathi-Gruha-Jaghane Vipulapaghane Manastja-Kanakāsane |

Maṇi-Maya-Thaṣhaṇam Thoraṇa-Hasanam Vikirathi Ktta-Vāsane||5||

Vipulapaghane - on beamy, hip;

Manastja-Kanakāsane - love-god's, golden, throne;

Ktta-Vāsane - rendered voluptuous [or, while she is enrobing her hips;

Rathi-Gruha-Jaghane - lust, house homelike, on hip;

Maṇi-Maya-Thaṣhaṇam - gem-studded, waist-strings;

Thoraṇa-Hasanam - arched [festoons - as a welcome sign];

Vikirathi - strews around [because he could not tie that string on hip, because his mood changed as soon as he touched her broadly hip, and she too clings to him for his magic touch.]

Kriṣhṇa is now trying to tie her gem-studded waist-strings like arched welcome festoons on her homelike beamy hip, for it homes lust and houses the golden throne of love-god, but he had to strew it around, for both of them are subjected to sudden voluptuousness by that tenant-like king on the throne in that house, called love-god.

Charaṇa-Kisalaye Kamala-Nilaye Nakha-Maṇi-Gaṇa-Pūjithe |

Bahir-Apavaranām Ya-Vaka-Bharanām Janayathi Hrudhiyojithe ||6||

Kamala Nilaye - Lakṣhmi's, abode;

Nakha-Maṇi-Gaṇa-Pūjithe - nails, jewels [like,] adored with;

Charaṇa-Kisalaye - feet, leaflets;

Hrudhiyojithe - on chest, on joining [on placing -or on think thus in his heart];

Bahir-Apavaranām - as outer, covering [outer, peripheral - because those feet are already rosy]; yaavaka Bharanām Janayathi - lace reddish colour, decoration, causing [he is making, painting.]

"On placing her leaf like feet on his supine chest, that are the abode of Lakṣhmi, and that are adorned with jewel like rosy nails, he is decorating them with reddish lac colour on the already rosy feet.

Ramayathi Subhrusham Kam Api Sudhrusham Khala-Hala-Dhara-Sodhare |

Kim Aphalam Avasam Chiram Iha Virasam Vadha Sakhi Vithapodhare ||7||

Hala-Dhara - plough wielder [plougher];

Subhrusham Kam Api  - by brother of someone.

Ramayathi - making merry [with her];

Iha Vithapodhare - here, in tree's, belly [inside arbour];

Virasam - without, spirit [futilely];

Aphalam - without, fruit;

Chiram - for a long;

Vadha sakhi - speak up, friend.

"When that ploughman’s brother is very hastily merrymaking with an anonymous girl, hoodwinked by her mesmeric eyes, why should I futilely and fruitlessly tarry inside an arbor for a long time. Speak up, oh, friend!

Iha Rasa-Bhanane Krutha-Hari-Guṇane Madhu-Ripu-Padha-Sevake |

Kali-Yuga-Rachitham Na Vasathu Dhuritham Kavi-Nrupa-Jayadhevake ||8||

Rasa-Bhanane - blissful essence, saying;

Iha Krutha-Hari-Guṇane - now, made [said,] Kriṣhṇa's, praise song;

Madhu-Ripu-Padha-Sevake - Kriṣhṇa's, at feet, worshipper;

Kavi nrupa - poet's, king;

Jayadhevake - by Jayadheva [by his saying];

Kali-Yuga-Rachitham - in kali, era, treading;

Dhuritham - profanation;

Na vasathu - not, dwells [not to be attached; come on... For it is experience able, experience it oh, devotees... Is ensuant.]

Let not the profanation that is treading its way in this kali era be attached to the king of poets Jayadheva, for he is a worshipper at the feet of Kriṣhṇa, further he is expressing his 'experience able blissful essence' in this praise song on Kriṣhṇa... Come on, experience it, oh, devotees...