Ashtapadi 19-8

Smara-Garala-Khandanam Mama Shirasi Mandanam

Dehi Pada-Pallavam Udaram
Jvalati Mayi Daruno Madana-Kadanaruno
Haratu Tad-upahita-vikaram ||8||

Sri Jayadeva - Ashtapadi reveals the  True Essence of Love between Sri Radha and Sri Krishna.  Sri Geetha Govinda Mahakavyam declares the beautiful blend and unison of Jeevathma with Paramatma.

When Jayadevar got the inspiration to write the beautiful lines ’Smara Garala  Kandanam Mama Shirsi Mandanam Dhehi Padha Pallavam Udharam ….’ He abruptly threw away his pen  with a wavering mind and got up from his seat.  He did not want to continue writing.  His eyes were filled with tears and he started to cry like a child, ‘What a sin I have committed….Lord…Apacharam…Apacharam. How  could I write these lines? How an ardent devotee –  Sri Radha could keep her feet on Lord Krishna's head?.   He is the Supreme Lord.‘  He thought, a devotee can keep Lord’s feet on his/ her  head but it is never possible a devotee’s feet on Lord’s Head.  The whole night he could not sleep thinking of the sin he had committed.  After seeing her husband’s restlessness Smt.Padmavathy - the wife of Jayadevar went to pray to Lord.  She sincerely prayed to Lord to help her husband complete the compositions  of Ashtapadi without any break.  Jayadevar was tormented by the thought of his ignorance and felt terrible.

The next day morning, the King Krouvcha invited Jayadevar to His palace.  Jayadevar  finished his morning abulations , prayers to Lord and  left to palace.  Smt.Padmavathy sent off her husband, closed the doors and engaged herself in her routines.

After a few minutes, she heard somebody knocking at the door.  She opened the door and saw Jayadevar standing in front of her.  Without asking anything he replied to her that he was not feeling well.  It was too hot outside and he was feeling giddiness.  On  half way to palace he returned home.  He instructed Padmavathy to bring some hot oil to take bath.  She was shocked to hear this from her husband.  That day was Ekadashi, an auspicious day to worship Lord Hari and Tuesday usually Jayadevar observed Ekadashi by  fasting sincerely.  Moreover, He had his morning abulations and prayers already.  But she was not in a position ask anything to him.  As a sincere wife, Padmavathy brought  hot oil and Jayadevar asked her to rub the oil on his head.  She sang a song in her melodious tune and rubbed the hot oil in his head.

Srirama Jaya Jaya……Seetha Manohara…

Karunya Sagara Karuna nidhey Jaya Jaya

According to Dharma and Sastras, taking oil bath on an Ekadashi day is inauspicious.  Sastras say that an ordinary person’s hand should not rest on the head of  a King, A shishya should not place his hands on his Guru’s head  and a wife should not place her hand on her husband's head.  She felt terribly wrong.  Jayadevar instructed Padmavathy to bring the ‘Grantham’ (olachuvadi – the writing materials in olden days )in which he used to write 'Ashtapadi'.   Padmavathy brought it to her husband and he started writing the same lines.

Smara Garala Khandanam…… Mama Shirasi Mandanam…Dehi Padha pallavam Udharam’

The meaning of the lines goes on like this, 'Hey Radhey keep your feet on my head, in order to make me happy  I am burning with the desires for you.  I am totally  in love with you'.

Immediately after his bath, Jayadevar instructed Padmavathy to serve the previous day's cooked rice (Pazhayasadam).  It was a total strange behaviour she could expect from him.    Usually, they both observed Ekadashi sincerely and didn’t keep any previous day’s leftovers on the day of Ekadashi.  However, she had kept  the previous day's handfull of cooked rice .  He advised her to feed him.   He had a mouthful and asked her to take the rest of the rice and went out. 

She cried to Lord.   She sincerely prayed to Lord, Jayadevar  was terribly  affected by something and he was not in a normal state of mind   .  She wanted her husband in his old form when he returned. ....

Jaydevar arrived home and explained about his meeting with the king.  He asked his wife  to bring all the pooja materials for the afternoon.  She surprisingly asked him ‘Why did you come early? Just now only you left to  the Palace.’  Jayadevar astonishingly replied that she was thinking of him all the time, so  it made her think like that.  He consoled her that she must have fallen asleep and dreamt.  She cried to Jayadevar and started to explain everything about his oil bath, writing on the Grantham (Olachuvadi) to complete ashtapadi, eating yesterday’s cooked rice  etc.. He became confused and  rushed to pick the Grantham, to check the writings of Ashtapadi with the oil finger print on it.   He was firmly beleived that Padmavathy was mistaken and was lying to him.   He did not want to read  the lines  completely.

Smara Garala Kandanam…… Mama Shirasi Mandanam…dehi mudha pallavam

His face reddened with anger.   How Padmavathy dared to do this? How could she write these futile lines about Lord Krishna.    In a rage he  took the sword to cut off her head.  He felt  that she committed a great sin and was not worthy to live in this Earth. In a sudden rage, forcefully lifted the sword to shove off her head,  Alas !!  The sword was forcefully taken away by somebody.  To his amazement, Lord Krishna was standing in front of him.

Shanku, Chakra, Gadha, Vanamala, Kausthubam, Pattu Peethambaram, with the brightness of thousands of Adithyas together…

Jayadevar was shocked to see the Lord in front of him.  He forgot to worship Lord instead, he  started to complain about Padmavathy like a child.   He complained to Lord that  She had lied to him.  Lord Krishna replied Padmavathy did not lie and  explained to him that it was not his talent that made him write Ashtapadi.    The Lord also revealed the truth that he did complete the composition. 

Lord Krishna explains to them that when He was a child, his  mother Yasoda packed the previous day's  cooked rice with curd and buttermilk before leaving home in order to take care of the cattle.  Everytime, he missed the opportunity to taste the food which she packed.  Because most of the time it was eaten by his friends.  Yasoda force her son to take oil bath by heating the oil with all the herbs.  He lost that opportunity too.  So He sincerely wanted to have these from the hands of Padmavathy after seeing her.  He felt his mother's attitude in Padmavathy.   Lord Krishna asked Jayadevar  ‘ Did I do any mistake?  I heartily wish to have oil bath and Thayir Sadam from her hand,  Did I make any crime?’.   Jayadevar cried  and in a sudden rush fell on the feet of  Padmavathy.

Jayadevar started mumbling to Padmavathy that she was the most blessed one on this Earth. Padmavathy had the opportunity to serve the Lord well and She had the heartfelt dharshan of Him.   She had all the blessings of Lord and Lord declared that Padamavathy was more superior than Jayadevar. Padmavathy’s utmost faith and devotion to Lord made  Jayadevar think that she was superior to him.  After seeing this devotion and respect of Jayadevar, Lord Krishna  replied that this was the same  case with Him and Radha.  Sri Radha Rani’s devotion and faith made Krishna fall in love with her, an unlimited and unconditional love towards Sri Radha. 

Radhey Krishna !!