Question

‘Gita Govinda’ was written in the 12th century by _________________
A] Bana
B] Bhartuhari
C] Jayadeva
D] Ramanuja

Answer 1

Hint: The Gita Govinda explores the love life of Krishna, a beloved god in Hindu mythology. It tells the ever so romantic tales of Krishna with his gopis, ladies who are mostly cow herders as Krishna was written as one of the boys from a family of cow herders. The storyline mainly revolves around one woman in particular named Radha as she is portrayed as one of the beloved women of Krishna. The poem is written in Sanskrit during the twelfth century and was performed in many venues including Puri temple.

Complete Answer:
Gita Govinda is one of the famous Indian love poem collections written in Sanskrit by a poet called Jayadeva. The poems follow the love of Krishna, the beloved eighth reincarnation of Lord Vishnu of the Hindu religion. His love was towards one of the gopis, ladies of the cowherd families, named Radha. The poem follows the ups and downs of a love that is portrayed as so divine and beautiful. It starts with the attraction followed by estrangement and final reconciliation through the help of a Sakhi (female confidant). The poem is of 12 chapters and 24 short songs called Prabhanthas, inspired by the poems during the Bhakti era. Songs from the Gita Govinda were made into songs to be sung in temples, during festivals, and at kirtans (communal worship through song). Jayadeva was a poet from Odisha and was involved with the temple of puri. Regular recitations of his poem were conducted by the temple dancers in Puri. The apocryphal story is that Jayadeva once toned down his explicit version in one of the stanzas and went to sleep and, on waking up, found that Krishna had appeared and restored the original version.
So, the correct answer is Option C.

Note: Commentators and scholars, both Indian and Western, are unanimous in their opinion that the Gita Govinda has gotten remarks from critics and scholars all over the world as it is one of the most prestigious artworks in the literature of all time. Composed in the twelfth century AD, the Gita Govinda spread remarkably fast over much of the Indian subcontinent – from Kerala to Punjab, from Gujarat to Manipur – and had a profound influence on the culture and traditions of each region.