Ashtapadis
Encyclopedia
Ashtapadis or Ashtapadi are Indian
hymn
s where the music
has eight lines (steps) within each composition. Each ashtapadi song is set in a special raga
(an Indian musical mode
) and tala
. It is a rhyme of eternal love and supreme devotion. The literal meaning of "ashtapadi" is "eight steps." This word is also the source for the word ashtāpada, an Indian board game
, the forerunner of chess
.
was composed in the 12th century by Indian poet Jayadeva
from Orissa
in Sanskrit
language. Gita govindam is a lyrical poetry in twelve chapters, sub-divided into twenty four divisions called prabandha. The prabandhas contain couplets grouped into eights, called ashtapadis. The songs in Gita Govinda symbolize the eternal love of Lord Krishna and his beloved Radha
.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
hymn
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
s where the music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
has eight lines (steps) within each composition. Each ashtapadi song is set in a special raga
Raga
A raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...
(an Indian musical mode
Musical mode
In the theory of Western music since the ninth century, mode generally refers to a type of scale. This usage, still the most common in recent years, reflects a tradition dating to the middle ages, itself inspired by the theory of ancient Greek music.The word encompasses several additional...
) and tala
Tala (music)
Tāla, Taal or Tal is the term used in Indian classical music for the rhythmic pattern of any composition and for the entire subject of rhythm, roughly corresponding to metre in Western music, though closer conceptual equivalents are to be found in other Asian classical systems such as the notion...
. It is a rhyme of eternal love and supreme devotion. The literal meaning of "ashtapadi" is "eight steps." This word is also the source for the word ashtāpada, an Indian board game
Board game
A board game is a game which involves counters or pieces being moved on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Games may be based on pure strategy, chance or a mixture of the two, and usually have a goal which a player aims to achieve...
, the forerunner of chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
.
Ashtapadis of Gita Govinda
Gita GovindaGita Govinda
The Gita Govinda is a work composed by the 12th-century poet, Jayadeva, who was born in Kenduli Sasan near Puri in Orissa. It describes the relationship between Krishna and the gopis of Vrindavana, and in particular one gopi named Radha...
was composed in the 12th century by Indian poet Jayadeva
Jayadeva
Jayadeva was a Sanskrit poet circa 1200 AD. He is most known for his composition, the epic poem Gita Govinda, which depicts the divine love of Krishna-an avatar of Vishnu and his consort, Radha, and it is mentioned that Radha is greater than Hari, and is considered an important text in the...
from Orissa
Orissa
Orissa , officially Odisha since Nov 2011, is a state of India, located on the east coast of India, by the Bay of Bengal. It is the modern name of the ancient nation of Kalinga, which was invaded by the Maurya Emperor Ashoka in 261 BC. The modern state of Orissa was established on 1 April...
in Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
language. Gita govindam is a lyrical poetry in twelve chapters, sub-divided into twenty four divisions called prabandha. The prabandhas contain couplets grouped into eights, called ashtapadis. The songs in Gita Govinda symbolize the eternal love of Lord Krishna and his beloved Radha
Radha
Radha , also called Radhika, Radharani and Radhikarani, is the childhood friend and lover of Krishna in the Bhagavata Purana, and the Gita Govinda of the Vaisnava traditions of Hinduism...
.