________________
Prakrit and Apabhramśa Studies
Kṛṣṇacarita as their theme. The citations from the poet Govinda (c. 800 A D.) indicate that he must have writen a long poem in Apabhramsa about Kṛṣṇa's early life. Out of the six verses cited from Govinda one pertains to the Kaliya-damana episode, and two to the amorous sports of Kṛṣṇa and the Gopis. Svyambhucchandas (=SC.) IV 10(i) refers to Kamsa's order to Nanda to bring for him lotuses from the fatal pool of the Yamuna that was the abode of the Serpent Kaliya9. IV 10(2) refers to Kṛṣṇa's deep love for Radha above all the other Gopis. IV 11(1) describes. love-lorn condition of Pali, one of Kṛṣṇa's sweethearts.
+212
As Govinda's verse given at SC. IV 10(2) is also cited anonymously by Hemacandra in the Apabhramśa section of his Siddhahema grammar (VII 4 422/5), we may make a surmise that another Apabha citation also in the same work (VIII 4 420/2), describing how Kṛṣṇa was made to dance by Radha in her courtyard, derived from the same poem of Govinda.
Both the Prakrit citations in SC., which are relevant to our present purpose, are from the poet Suddhasvabhāva (Pk. Suddhasahāva). One of these is highly interesting for the light it can throw on the trend of Kṛṣṇabhakti that is typified by the poems of Lilaśuka Bilvamangala and Jayadeva. SC. I 75(1) describes in the Simhavikranta variety of the Dandaka metre Kṛṣṇa and Gopis playing the game of Blindman's Buff. In the autumn night, in the game played with the GopIs, Radha covered with her beautiful, delicate hands the eyes of Kṛṣṇa, who stood with the hollow of his joined hands filled with dust, and led him to the place of rendezvous as she removed her hands from his eyes, Kṛṣṇa saw before him the extremely beautiful girl, who kissed him, embraced him and passionately engaged him in love-sports.
This at once reminds us of the opening verse of the Gitagovinda. The theme of Krsna's clandestine love sports with Radha was, it seems, favourite with the poets since at least eighth century, if not earlieri.e. some three-hurdred years prior to Jayadeva. It is significant to remember here that the metres of the Gitagoy
