Jayadeva’s Gitagovinda

Generations have marveled at the exquisite beauty, lyricism and literary value of Geetagovinda.  At once sacred and profane, its appeal is universal.  While an inimitable felicity of diction and an intensity of passion distinguish the work in its original Sanskrit, no less significant is Jayadeva’s intensity of devotion to Hari.  The work portrays the nuances and complexities of love in all its dimensions.  Krishna and Radha, as portrayed by Jayadeva, endear themselves to the reader by their human and divine attributes.  Jayadeva’s Krishna is human in his follies while divine in his intensity of love.  Radha is infallible as a goddess in devotion while human in her susceptibility to anger and grief.  By its celestial perfection and extraordinary beauty, Geetagovinda has always challenged and lured translators and commentators.  Every generation deserves to rediscover the eternal spell and charm of this great work that combines sensuous beauty with devotional fervour.