Jagannatha Pandita Rayalu
| Jagannatha Pandita Rayalu | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Jagannatha Pandita Rayalu |
| Genres | Classical |
| Occupation(s) | Sanskrit scholar, poet, musician |
Jagannatha Pandita Rayalu, also known as Panditraj Jagannath in North India, was a Telugu Vaidiki Brahmin from Khandrika (Upadrasta) family.[1]
Career
He was a Sanskrit scholar, poet and a musician from Munikhanda Agraharam (present day Munganda), East Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh, India. He later lived in Varanasi, India. Jagannatha Pandita Raya's contributions were, "Rasa Gangadharam" (Alankara Sastram), Ganga Lahari, and Five Vilasams in Sanskrit language.
He served in the courts of the Mughal emperors Jehangir and Shah Jahan. Some writers say that Jagannath Pandit Raj (as he was called) was born (1590) in a Veginadu Andhra Brahmin family. His father Perubhatt and mother Laxmi both were learned Sanskrit scholars. In his poetry work Rasa Gangadhar Jagannath has named his father as his teacher.His poetic work includes Rasa Gangadhar, Ganga Lahari (also known as Piyush lahari) Kawita kamini, Yamuna lahari, Bhamini Vilas, Vishnu Lahari, Asaph-Lahari etc.
"Ganga Lahari" is a composition of 52 Sanskrit Shlokas by Jagannath Pandit has historic importance. The Great man was accepted as her spiritual guide by princess Lavangika, Daughter of emperor shah jehan and the prince Dara Shukoh was friendly with him to learn more of Sanskrit and Hindu culture. Both these facts were mistaken by the citizens in Delhias an ordinary earthly love story.
The emperor asked Jagannath Pandit to accept Islam as his religion and marry his daughter which was not acceptable to Jagannath. He started fasting on the banks of river ganga and every day he would compose a shloka to pray the godly and motherly river Ganga.On completion of every shloka the waters rose by a step by step for 52 days (Jeshthha shuddha 1 to 10 are the days called "Ganga Dashahara) in Hindu calendar, and at the end, Pandit Raj offered himself into the river and ended his life nobly.(1670) The band of 52 shlokas is available now also with its meaning and is known as a very beautiful piece of poetry of the old times.
Work
- Bhaminivilasa - It is a collection of miscellaneous verses which the talented Sanskrit poet Pandittaraja Jagannatha, a junior contemporary of Emperor Akbar, composed on different occasions. This includes four Vilasas, viz., Prastavikavilasa, Srngaravilasa, Karunavilasa and Samtavilasa, the present publications comprising only two of them, namely the first and the last. Many of the verses are infused with personal touches serving as the poet`s memoirs. The collection is named after the poet`s first wife Bhamini whom he had lost at a very young age before he launched into his scholarly career. All scholars of South Asian religion would benefit from a greater acquaintance with the writings of this fine poet.
- "Rasa Gangadharam" (Alankara Sastram),
- Ganga Lahari,
- Five Vilasams
Art Epics
There is a movie on Jagannatha Pandita Rayalu in Tamil(1945) and Hindi(1950). A Marathi musical drama was also a historic work of Shri Vidyadhar Gokhale in Mumbai in 1960.
There are few more art epics on "jagannath Pandit". A Marathi drama by Shri Vidyadhar Gokhale named "Pandit Raj Jagannath" Famous musical stage show was performed by leading artists Shri Bhalchandra Pendharkar, Prasad Sawkar, Mama Pendse, Chittaranjan Kolhatkar, Chandrakant Gokhale, Master Dattaram and Mangala Sanjhagiri and others under the famous banner of "Lalitkaladarsha" about 50 years back.(9-Oct 1960)
The film "Lavangi" based on Jagannatha pandita Rayalu was released in 1946 [2]
References
- Ref Gangalahari Stotra. neelakanth publications. 1643,Sadashiv Peth, Pune Maharashtra India.
- Ref Gangalahari stotra with Parady shloka by Waman Pandit. Saddharma prakashan.Thane Maharashtra India.
- Ref Marathi Drama Panditraj Jagannath by Vidyadhar Gokhale.
- Ref A Hindi movie of 1961 also presents some of the Sanskrit shlokas music composed by late shri Vasant Desai.