What sets the story of the Gita Govinda apart is that, firstly, its impact is unprecedented among other comparable 12th century works or even older or modern compositions. Precious little is known about the author's origin. The power of Jayadeva’s craftsmanship alone carried it through the centuries. Few classical works in the history of contemporary literature enjoys the privilege of being recited daily at a prominent religious site for over 700 years.
The Gita Govinda allows believers to re-experience devotion more intimately, thereby releasing them from the stranglehold of dogma. In this classic, we find both forms of shringara – vipralambha shringara (love in separation) and sambhoga shringara (love in the union), each strengthening the other. Rasa, tone or flavour, is an important aspect of enjoying art. Of the nine rasas (navarasa) identified by Indian aestheticians, shringara rasa is the most popular. It is called rasa raja, the king of rasas. The Gita Govinda celebrates the sensuous while enriching the devotee’s soul. Jayadeva’s ability to embrace this dichotomy of faith and eroticism truly sets this work apart. The influence of Bharata’s Natyasastra and Vatsyayana’s Kamasutra is evident throughout the work.
Nearly eight centuries have gone by, and Jayadeva’s epic love song is still sung across the country and enjoyed...
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