Jayadeva's Geeta Govinda - A Love Song 18 Comments

Dear Dr. Menon, thank u for your poet's note from which one can know the history of Jayadeva's Geeta Govinda and its adoration throughout the world. I came to know that the British Indologist William Jones was the first to carry Geeta Govinda across the oceans. His English translation (Calcutta 1792, reprinted in London 1799) became the source for the continental European reception. The German poet Wolfgang von Goethe was impressed by Geeta Govinda, which he read in the German translation, by F.H. van Dalberg (1802) . The German romantic poet Friedrich Rueckert (1829) undertook a poetic translation in verse form. I read 'Jayadeva's Geeta Govinda - A Love Song 18 ' that has been translated astutely by you in english language from sanskrit. Here the love among Radha and Krishna has been inscribed beautifully and touchingly through a Sakhi. When Radha sits immersed in Hari's thoughts, Sakhi says.... When the soft breeze of spring blows, Hari will come! Then what in the world is happier than that? Please don't be vain, Sakhi! Madhava could choose to be indifferent as well. Interesting to read more and moreover. Nice work.

Hi, Geeta! Though knowing almost nothing of the cast in this song, I relate to it well. I recognize the trying to reason with someone stuck in a snit. Anyone who has done this can recognize the appropriateness of the refrain at the end of each stanza, trying to coax one from a foul mood. Cool! Hoping this finds you well in body, soul, and spirit, Glen