Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Jayadeva

Role / Field:

Vaishnava Sanskrit poet celebrated for the epic poem Gita Govinda.

Born:

1170

Died:

1245

Century / Era:

1170s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Jayadeva (Sanskrit: जयदेव, romanized: Jayadēva, pronounced [dʑɐjɐˈdeːʋɐ]; born c. 1170 CE), also spelt Jayadev, Jaydeva, Jaydev, Jaideva and Jaidev; was a Sanskrit poet during the 12th century. He is most known for his epic poem Gita Govinda which concentrates on Krishna's love with the gopi, Radha, in a rite of spring. This poem, which presents the view that Radha is greater than Krishna, is considered an important text in the Bhakti movement of Hinduism.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Little is known of his life, except that he was a loner poet and a Hindu mendicant celebrated for his poetic genius in eastern India. Jayadeva is the earliest dated author of hymns that are included in the Guru Granth Sahib, the primary scripture of Sikhism – a religion founded in the Indian subcontinent centuries after his death. He was born in a Brahmin family but the date and place of Jayadeva's birth is uncertain. The Gitagovinda suggests that he was born in the "Kindubilva" village. Scholars have variously identified this place with a present-day village in their own region, including Kenduli Sasan near Puri in Odisha, Jaydev Kenduli in Birbhum district in West Bengal, and the village of Kenduli near Jhanjharpur...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Dominic de Guzmán — Contemporary (Born in 1170) (1170): Founder of the Dominican Order, a pivotal figure in medieval religious life.
• Fibonacci — Contemporary (Born in 1170) (1170): Pioneering Italian mathematician who popularized the Hindu-Arabic numeral system in the West.
• Hermann von Salza — Contemporary (Born in 1170) (1170): Fourth Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights, overseeing expansion into Prussia.
• Philip III of France — Contemporary (Born in 1245) (1245): King of France, known as the Bold, who reigned from 1270 to 1285.
• Muhammad II of Khwarazm — Historical peer (Born in 1170) (1170): Shah of the Khwarazmian Empire, whose reign marked its military zenith.
• Muqali — Historical peer (Born in 1170) (1170): Esteemed Mongol general and trusted second-in-command under Genghis Khan.
• Alfonso IX of León — Contemporary figure (Born in 1171) (1171): King of León and Galicia, known for modernizing his domain and founding Salamanca.
• Robert Grosseteste — Contemporary figure (Born in 1168) (1168): 13th-century Bishop, philosopher, and pioneer of scientific thought in the Middle Ages.
• Shota Rustaveli — Contemporary figure (Born in 1172) (1172): Pre-eminent poet of the Georgian Golden Age, author of The Knight in the Panther's Skin.
• Abraham ibn Ezra — Contemporary figure (Died in 1167) (1167): Distinguished 12th-century Sephardic rabbi, philosopher, and biblical commentator.
• 1170 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1170
• 1245 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1245

Frequently Asked Questions about Jayadeva