YADEVA

AUTHOR OF THE FAMOUS GITA-GOVINDA

■■I

F
“ *
 J a y a d e v a , t he c e l e b r a t e d author of the G ita -G o vin d a , lived
in t h e s e c o n d ha lf of the twelfth century. The Gita-Govinda
d e s c r i b e s t h e l ov e o f R a d h a a n d K r i s h n a . It h a s bee n hailed as
a master-piece.
The Gita-Govinda has b ee n translated i nt o all t he Indian
la ng ua ge s and also i nt o G e rm a n and E ngl ish. A number of
sch o ols of medieval I ndi an p a i n t i n g h a v e bee n inspired b y the
lyrics of Jayadeva and some of t he best paintings d ep ic t
scenes f ro m t he Gita-Govinda. So n gs from t he G i t a - G o v i n d a
h a v e b ee n se t t o m u s i c a n d d an ce .
Jayadeva's real or ig in is l o st in a mist of l egend, but
- tr a di t io n h a s it t h a t he w a s b o r n in t he vi ll ag e K e n d u b i l v a . W h i l e
s o m e s c h o l a r s i denti fy t h i ^ p l ac e a s t h e m o d e r n Kend ul i in t he
B i r b h u m d i s tr ic t of W e s t Bengal, others i denti fy it w i t h the
v i l lag e b e a ri n g t he s a m e name, situated in t he Puri d is tr ic t
o f O r i s sa .
J a y a d e v a ' s life is t o ld in t he B h a k t a - M a l a , a collection of
ston es on great devotees by Nabhadas.

A M A R C H I T R A K A T H A m e a n s g o o d re a d in g .
O v e r 3 3 0 title s a re n o w o n sale

© IBH Publishers Pvt. Ltd., Bombay 400 026.

All rights reserved.

Published by H.G. Mirchandani for IBH Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 22, Bhulabhai
Desai Road, Bombay 400 026 and printed by him at IBH Printers, Marol Naka,
Mathuradas Vissanji Road, Andheri (East), Bombay 400 059.
E d i t o r : A n a n t Pai S c r i p t : H a r i P. V a s w a n i A r t w o r k s : S o u r e n Roy
 JAVAPEVA WAS BORN IN KENDUBILVA, A SMALL VILLAGE ON
THE EASTERN COAST OF/ND/A, NEARLY EIGHT HUNPRED YEARS AGO.
H/S FATHER WAS A POOR BRAHMAN NAMED BHCJADEVA *•*

••AND HIS MOTHER WAS A P/OUS WOMAN, LITTLE ONE, I HAVE WORK
WHOSE NAME WAS BHAN\A DEV/. TO DO. YOU PLAY

* SIN& OF HAR! ( VISHNU/ KR/SHNA

____________________________________________ o m a r chitra katha
HUMMING THE NAME OF LORD HA/?/,
BHAMA DEV! BE6AN TO CHURN CURDS.

VERY 6 0 0 D , MY SON.
ALWAYS SING OF HARI
HARI BOL-------

WHEN JA WADEVA WAS S/X WEARS OLD , HE BEGAN TO STUDY AT THE VILLAGE
SCHOOL.
 JA YA D EV A

A S THE YEARS PASSED BY, 8HOJADEVA FOUND /T INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT

 am ar chitra katha

JAYADEVA WAS LOST /N THE WORLD OF THE BHA6AWAT PURAN A , THE GREAT BOOK
ON THE SLORV OF LORD V/SHNU. HE SPECIALLY LIKED TO READ ABOUT THE
EXPLOITS OP KRISHNA,

YOU HAVE MY IN THE FORESTJAYADEVA SANS SONGS

BLESSINGS, //V PRAISE OFRADHA AND KRISHNA. HE
JAYADEVA. WAS IN A STATE OF ECSTASY.

* S/N6 OP GOV/NDA, RADHA’S BELOVED

 JA YA D EV A

A FEW WEEKS LATER, JAYADEVA RETURNED TO HIS VILLAGE. A S H E WAS

NEARING HIS HOME, AI/RANJAN BABU M ET HIM.
 am ar chitra katha
FATHER! FATHER! \ BHAJA SHOCKED, N/RANJAN BABU STOOD
COME SOON! RADHE ROOTED TO THE GROUND, B U T
,OUR HOUSE IS /60VINDAM! JAYADEVA RAN TOWARDS THE ^ —
L ON FIRE. BURN/N6 HOUSE. ^ j i ------
JAYADEVA! COME
^ BACK! IfA

BHAJA RADHE
&OVINDAM!

LOOK! THE NOTHIN©

FIRE HAS OONE/HAS BEEN
^ O U T! X BURMT!

JAYADEVA!
 JA YA D EV A

I SEE THE HAND OF 60D BHAJA RA'DHE

IN THIS.FOR6IVE ME, SOVINDAM! .
JAYADEVA, AND ACCEPT ME
AS YOUR DISCIPLE! J

JAYADEVA DID NOT STAY FOR LONG. HE TH0U6H IT WAS SUMMER, JAYADEVA
LEFT THE V/LLA6E AND SET OUT FOR PURI DID NOT STOP TO REST. HE WALKED
TO WORSHIP LORD JASANNATHA. * FOR MANY MILES IN THESCORCHINS
HEAT.

BHAJA RADHE
©OVINDAM!

* LORD OF THE UNIVERSE, ANOTHER NAME OF V/SHNU

 a rnar chitra katha

• • • (5ENTLVPLACED JAMDEVA’6
HEAD O/Vrt/6 LAP. i-----------------------------------------

A LITTLE LATER— HERE, HAVE SOME

CURDS. YOU WILL
S. PEEL BETTER. .

RADHE
eOVINDAf

500N JAM DEI/A FELT BETTER.

YOU ARE A GOOD, KIND,
CHILD. WHAT ARE VOU
\ DOING HERE IN THE
_ FORESTl^i

I AM LOOKING
AFTER NW !
CATTLE.I AM
A COWHERD,
JAYADEVA

9
 a m a r chitra katha

SO IT WAS YOU, N l
LORD KRISHNA! IT
WAS YOU WHO RE­
VIVED ME WITH COOL
CURDS. AND I DIDN’T
v RECOGNIZE YOU! y

HE RAN BLINDLY LOOKING FOR KRISHNA- •*« TILL HE REACHED THE SHORE. IN
HIS ECSTASY H E MISTOOK THE SEA
GOVINDA! FOR THE KIVER YAMUNA, ON WHOSE
BANKS LORD KRISHNA HAD SPENT
HIS CHILDHOOD■
 JA YA D EV A

THERE HE CAU6HT A FLEETING GLIMPSE OF KR/SHMA

LATER , WHEN HE RETURNED TO THE TEMPLE, A BRAHMAN SPOKE TO HIM.

 am ar chitra katha

I WILL LEAVE MY DAUGHTER

WITH YOU. YOU MU5T DECIDE
WHETHER OR NOT YOU
WILL CARRY OUT THE
LORD’S WILL.

JAYADEVA RETURNED WITH HIS WIFE TD KENDUBILVA, WHERE HE BUILT A HUT, AND
INSTALLED AN /MA6E OF KRISHNA.

HERE JAYADEVA BEGAN TO WR/TE HIS FAMOUS SANSKRIT POEM, THE GITA-SOV/NDA
ABOUT RADHA’S IMMORTAL LOVE FOR KR/SHNA.
RAV/SHED BY HER DREAM OF KRISHNA,
SHE SORROWS
FOR SHE CANNOT FEEL HIM N E A R ■■■■
 JA YA D EV A

HER CURVING BROW IS LIK E AN

ARCHER'S BOW;
THE 6LANCES OF HER E V E S FLY
LIKE LOVE’S SWIFT ARROWS.

JAYADEVA CONTINUED TO W /TE ABOUT

KRISHNA ’S LOVE FOR RADHA.
0 RADHA, PLACE YOUR TENDER
FE E T UPON MY HEAD
.AS A DIADEM DIVINE ••• •
 a m a r c h i t r a k a th a

H E REWROTE THE UN Ed MANY TIMES AS HE WALKED TOWARDS THE RIVER,

BUT M S NOT SATISFIED. THEN HE SOT UP. H E K EP T THINKINS OF THE
INCOMPLETE VERSE.
PADMAVATI, I AM
6OIN0 FOR A DIP
IN THE RIVER.
 IAYADEVA

PADAAAVATI, I HAD AS YOU A FEW MINUTES LATER

BETTER TAKE A /WISH.
BATH AT HOME.

I WILL 6 0 IMAND
REST FOR A
WHILE UCM./C

A FEW MINUTES LATER, WHEN PADMAVAT/ HAD

JU ST SAT DOWN TO HAVE HER OWN MEAL—
HAVE YOU STARTED BUT YOU
YOUR MEAL ALREADY. HAVE EATEN
WITHOUT WAITING „ ALREADY!
V FORME? >
am ar chitra katha
JA YA D EV A
 am ar chitra katha

YOU ARE LUCKY, TO THE BEWILDERED PADMAVATI,

PADMA. YOU SAW JAYADEI/A EXPLAINED— JB S ;:
THE LORD, AND
SERVED HIM FOOD NOW I SEE THE LI6H7? YES! DID NOT
WITH YOUR OWN PADMA. THE LORD v KRISHNA
HAND5! LOVES RADHA SO MUCH BECOME
THAT HE IS PREPARED ) ARJUNA’S
TO BECOME HER SERVANT, HIS
SLAVE. ^ :HARIOTEER?

WHEN JAYADEVA COMPLETED THE 6/TA - &OV/NDA, -HIS POEM WON IMMEDIATE
RECOGNITION. DANCES BA5ED ON ITS LYRICS WERE PERFORMED.

Hr THIS REFERS TO THE RAMA AVATAR

 JA YA D EV A

THE KIN6 OFUTKAL* WAS A POET AND A SCHOLAR; HE TOO HAD COMPOSED 60N6S
yB O U T LORD KRISHNA, WHICH HE CALLED “6ITA-G0V/NDA.

THOUGH THE K/N6 TRIED HARD TO SET HIS MINISTERS TOA6REE TO POPULARISING HIS
VERSION, THEY STUBBORNLY RESISTED. AT LAST, HE HAD AN IDEA —

* MODERN ORISSA
 o m a r chitra katha

THE K/N6 PLACED BOTH VERSIONS THEN HE WENT OUT AND THE TEMPLE
BEFORE THE /MAOE AT THE JA6ANNATHA DOOR WAS SHUT.
TEMPLE. WILL THE LORD
ACCEPT MY
WORK?OR WILL
HE FAVOUR
JAYADEVA?

AFTER SOME TIME, THE DOOR WAS OPENED AND THE KINS W ENT INSIDE.
WHAT* JAYADEVA’S
WORK IS ON TOP OF
MINE! I ACCEPT YOUR
VERDICT, LORD
JA6ANNATHA»

20
 JAYADEVA

LATER, THE KING V/S/TED JAYADEVA TO TELL HIM OF H/S EXPERIENCE.

 Q m ar chitra katha

JAYADEVA LEFT KENDUBILVA AND REACHED JEVPORE* THE K/NG OF TH/5 PLACE
WAS A GENEROUS MAN WHO HAD PROV/DED A REST-HOUSE. JAYADEVA JO/NED
/N THE COMMUNITY MEAL GIVEN THERE. AFTER THE MEAL — y ---------------------
WHAT HAVE
WITH WORLDLY WEALTH r*
6 0 D ’S LOVE IS MY
RICHEST TREASURE,

*/N KORAPUT DISTRICT OF ORISSA

 JA YA D EV A

THE THREE MEN WERE DACOITS. WHEN

N/6HT FELL, THEY CUT OFF JAYADEVAfS
HANDS, THREW H/M INTO A DRY WELL
AND RAN AWAY IN/TH H/S 60LD CO/NS.

THE GOLD COINS LAKSHMANA SENA, THE KIN6 OF GAUD,*

WERE A KING'S GIFT. HAPPENED TO BE PASS/.N& THAT WAY.
BUT SUFFERING IS
THE 61 FT OF THE
KING OF KINGS. BHAJA DO YOU
RADHE GOVINDAM! HEAR
THAT?

* MODERN BENGAL
Q m ar chitra katha
JA YA D EV A
 g m a r c h i t r a katha

THE KINS TOOK HIS ADVICE AND BUILT A REST-HOUSE WHERE SHELTER AND
FOOD WERE PROVIDED. JAYADEVA PERSONALLY ATTENDED TO THE TRAVELLERS
WHO CAME THERE.

ONE DAY, THE THREE DACO/TS WHO HAD

TREATED JAYADEVA SO CRUELLY CAME
THERE, DISGUISED AS SADHUS.
 JA YA D EV A

ACCEPT THESE ©OLD

COINS. AAV GUARDS
WILL SEE YOU ^
, SAFELY TO OUR F a
BORDERS. J & l

HE IS INDEED A SAINT. ) A SAINT,

OUR KIN© HAS THE HI6H-/ INDEED •HE
 a m a r c h i t r a k a th a

YOUR SO-CALLED S AI NT \ THESE SUDDENLY THERE WAS A LOUD RUMBLING

WAS AFRAID WE WOULD SOLD COINS NO/SE AND THE DACOITS FELL IN7DA
REVEAL HIS PAST TO , WERE MEANT PIT THAT OPENED BENEATH 7HE/RFEET.
TO BUY OUR
SILENCE.

THE GUARDS RETURNED AND REPORTED TO THE A7N6 WHATHAD JUST HAPPENED.
 JA YA D EV A

JAYADEVA THEN DISCLOSED THE

MANNER /N WHICH THE W/CKED MEN
HAD DEALT W/TH H/M /N THE FOREST.

*A CUSTOM THEN PREVALENT, WHICH REQUIRED A HINDU WIDOW TO BURN HERSELF TO DEATH ON HER
HUSBANDS FUNERAL PYRE
29
a m a r c h i t r a k a th a

30
 JA YA D EV A

HEARING HER LOUD CRIES, THE KINO

AND JAYADEVA CAME RUNNING IN.
PUNISH ME{ MM A 'COMPOSE YOURSELF,)
SINNER. I KILLED 0 QUEEN. HAVE
PADMAVATI. FAITH IN LORD
JASANNATHA.

THEN JAYADEVA BEGAN TO RECITE FROM A FEW MOMENTS LATER, PAPMAVAT/

HIS GITA-GOV/AIDA, p SAT UP AND JOINED HE/? HUSBAND IN
SINGING THE PRAISES OF KRISHNA.

JAYADEVA AND PADMAVATI LIVED LONG. WHEN THEY WERE QUITE OLD
THEY WENT TO BRINDAVAN. THEY SPENT THE LAST DAYS OF THEIR
LIVES WITH OTHER DEVOTEES, SINGING OF THE GLORYOF LORD KRISHNA\

31
 r

11 KRISHNA 42 PARASHURAMA
13 THE PANDAVA PRINCES 88 GANGA
14 SAVITRI 89 GANESHA
15 RAMA 111 S A TI& SHIVA
16 NALA DAM AYANTI 122 ANCESTORS OF RAMA
17 HARISCHANDRA 127 THE GITA
18 THE SONS OF RAMA 160 TALES OF VISHNU
19 HANUM AN 176 TALES OF DURGA
20 M AHABH A R A TA 273 THE CHURNING OF
26 KARNA THE OCEAN
29 SHIVA PARVATI 281 SHUNAHSHEPA
34 BHEESHMA JA G AN N A TH A OF PURI
35 A BHIM AN YU
___________________________________________________

36 Pages in multicolour. A new title every fortnight!

Over 300 titles on s a le . Rs. 4.00 per copy.
? \
Distributed by:
IRU INDIA BOOK HOUSE
U4U Bombay, Delhi, Calcutta,
Madras, Bangalore, Hyderabad,
Patna, Trivandrum, Chandigarh.