JAYADEVA is the literary name of the author of the pastoral poem the Gita Govinda, and also of the Prasanna Raghava, a drama of five acts. His real name is unknown, and the meaning of his pseudonym is God of Victory. He was a native of Kenduli in Tirhut, and is supposed to have lived about the 12th century, and his tomb was still (1862) to be seen at I3irblium. Though now remembered as a poet, he was a great re former. He spiritualized the worship of Krishna, denounced the caste system, and has left a lasting impress on Bengal. What Melanchthon was to the early Lutheran Church, that was Jayadeva to the reformation in Bengal. His Herdman's Song is now the devotional work of a great sect. It was translated in full by Sir William Jones, and printed in one of the early volumes of the Asiatic Society. He abandoned his ascetic life for a Brahman girl who bad been devoted to Jaganath.
In the Gita Govinda, Jayadeva sings the praises of Krishna as an incarnation of Vishnu. At his time the worship of Krishna was taking a pro minent position, and the history of his incarna tions was the theme of the wondering praise of every rustic bard ; and Jayadeva's poem describes Krishna as Vishnu the preserver, incarnate as man, man in his weakness, divine in his talents, aspira tions, and final conquest of earthly desires. The Gita Govinda is the history of his carnal and finally of his spiritual passions.
The plot of the poem describes Krishna as coming to earth in a pleasant land of woods and streams, of fragrant flowers and warbling birds, with the spring fragrance of the jasmine and myrtle, and the prolonged note of the koel (Eudi namys orientalis) coming from among the yellow champs bushes. •Ile is wandering in the forest
alone, when his face and form attract the loveliest of the shepherdesses of the surrounding country, and he loves them all. Ile eateth of the ripe fruit of desire till his soul abhorreth its lusciousness.' Then comes penitence, and his soul is sorely troubled. He meditates on the charms of intel lectual delight (typified by the single and tran scendently beautiful Radha) as contrasted with the charms of carnal pleasure (typified by the thousand fascinating shepherdesses). In time he relinquishes the latter and adheres to the former, and, after many trials, disappointments and hopes, rebukes and deferments, is at length indissolubly united to the incomparable Radha, the flower of the flowers of the garden.
In one respect the Gita Govinda may be likened to the Song of Solomon. Professor Lassen thinks it puts forth deep spiritual teaching under the guise of extremely plain and often coarsely voluptuous verse ; but as no Hebrew youth was allowed to read the Song of Solomon until past the age of eighteen, so Jayadeva's .poem should not be read by school-boys. It has been partially translated into English verse by Mr. Edwin Arnold, who, however, modifies much of it and omits a whole canto. The great charm of the Gita Govinda consists in its mellifluous style and exquisite woodland pieces. They exhibit in per fection the luxuriant imagery, the voluptuous softness, and the want of vigour and interest which form the beauties and defects of the Hindu school.—Tr. of Hind. i. 56 ; Elph. 156 ; Ward, iv. 376.