Gita Govinda — Dashavatara Stotra (Jayadeva)
The first ashtapadi of poet Jayadeva's Gita Govinda (12th century) — "Keshava dhrita ... jaya jagadisha hare", praising the ten avatars.
Original text
प्रलयपयोधिजले धृतवानसि वेदम् ।
विहितवहित्रचरित्रमखेदम् ॥
केशव धृतमीनशरीर जय जगदीश हरे ॥ १ ॥
क्षितिरतिविपुलतरे तव तिष्ठति पृष्ठे ।
धरणिधरणकिणचक्रगरिष्ठे ॥
केशव धृतकच्छपरूप जय जगदीश हरे ॥ २ ॥
वसति दशनशिखरे धरणी तव लग्ना ।
शशिनि कलङ्ककलेव निमग्ना ॥
केशव धृतसूकररूप जय जगदीश हरे ॥ ३ ॥
तव करकमलवरे नखमद्भुतशृङ्गम् ।
दलितहिरण्यकशिपुतनुभृङ्गम् ॥
केशव धृतनरहरिरूप जय जगदीश हरे ॥ ४ ॥
छलयसि विक्रमणे बलिमद्भुतवामन ।
पदनखनीरजनितजनपावन ॥
केशव धृतवामनरूप जय जगदीश हरे ॥ ५ ॥
क्षत्रियरुधिरमये जगदपगतपापम् ।
स्नपयसि पयसि शमितभवतापम् ॥
केशव धृतभृगुपतिरूप जय जगदीश हरे ॥ ६ ॥
वितरसि दिक्षु रणे दिक्पतिकमनीयम् ।
दशमुखमौलिबलिं रमणीयम् ॥
केशव धृतरामशरीर जय जगदीश हरे ॥ ७ ॥
वहसि वपुषि विशदे वसनं जलदाभम् ।
हलहतिभीतिमिलितयमुनाभम् ॥
केशव धृतहलधररूप जय जगदीश हरे ॥ ८ ॥
निन्दसि यज्ञविधेरहह श्रुतिजातम् ।
सदयहृदयदर्शितपशुघातम् ॥
केशव धृतबुद्धशरीर जय जगदीश हरे ॥ ९ ॥
म्लेच्छनिवहनिधने कलयसि करवालम् ।
धूमकेतुमिव किमपि करालम् ॥
केशव धृतकल्किशरीर जय जगदीश हरे ॥ १० ॥
श्रीजयदेवकवेरिदमुदितमुदारम् ।
शृणु सुखदं शुभदं भवसारम् ॥
केशव धृतदशविधरूप जय जगदीश हरे ॥ ११ ॥
Author: Jayadeva (12th century), Gita Govinda, canto 1, ashtapadi 1
The Gita Govinda is a Sanskrit work by the poet Jayadeva of Odisha, still sung in the service of the Jagannath temple at Puri, in Odissi dance and in bhajan traditions. It opens with this Dashavatara stotra, in which every avatar is praised as a form of "Keshava".
Meaning in brief: O Keshava! As the fish You saved the Vedas in the waters of dissolution; as the tortoise You held the earth on Your back; as the boar You lifted the earth on Your tusk; as Narasimha You tore Hiranyakashipu with Your nails; as Vamana You outwitted Bali and purified the people with the water (the Ganga) that flowed from Your toe-nail.
As Parashurama You cleansed the world of sin; as Rama You offered Ravana's ten heads to the guardians of the directions; as Balarama You carried the plough; as the Buddha, out of compassion, You condemned the killing of animals in sacrifice; and as Kalki You will raise the sword to destroy the wicked at the end of Kali Yuga.
Note that in Jayadeva's list both Balarama and the Buddha appear, and Shri Krishna is the "Keshava" who takes all ten forms. In the last verse Jayadeva says this auspicious, joy-giving song is the essence of the world.
- Author
- Jayadeva (12th century), Gita Govinda, canto 1, ashtapadi 1