Ashtsakha

the 8 poet saints who sang in the court of ShriNathji

 

1. Kumbhandasji - lived till the ripe old age of 115 years and wrote in excess of 4000 padas in honour of his beloved Shri Govardhandharan – ie ShriNathji.  He had a great affiliation to the Nikunjlila – sakhi bhava.

2. Surdasji - lived for remarkable 105 years and wrote in excess of 125,000 padas.  25,000 of these have Surshyam as his signature, which is belived to be Shri Kurshna’s / Shri Radh's own creations for him to help him achieve his goal of 125,000 padas.  He prolific writer, he wrote SurSagar, SurSaravali, SahityaLahari etc.  His favoured deity was Shri Mathureshji.  Surdasji had a great affiliation to Bala-lila (childhood pranks of Krushna), Mana-lila (Krushna appeasing his beloved) and Gaucharan-lila (when Krushna was herding the cows in Vraj).

3. Parmananddasji - is reputed to have lived till he was 91 years old and wrote in excess of 2000 padas, found mainly in his compilation called ParmanadaSagar.  He was very fond of Shri NavneetPriyaji and had great affiliation towards the childhood pranks of the Lord.

4. Krishnadasji - lived for 84 years and wrote about 700 padas.  Most of these are found in his work, titled KrushnaSagar.  He loved the form of MadanMohanji and loved the Rasa-lila of the Lord.

5. Govindswami - Having lived till he was 80 years old, he wrote over 400 padas.  He was especially fond of Shri Dwarikadhishji and loved Hindola (monsoon festival, when the Lord swings on hindolas) and the Aakhamicholi-lila (hide and seek)

6. Chhitaswami - Lived for about 70 years and wrote 200 plus padas.  He was fond of Shri VitthalNathji’s svaroop and loved the Janma-lila – the festival celebrating the “birth” of Shri Krushna.

7. Chaturbhujdasji - He lived a mere 45 years and wrote over 200 padas.  He loved Shri GokulNathji’s svaroop and loved the Annakut (feast offered at New Year’s festival) and Govardhanlila (when the Lord lifted mount Govardhan) of the Lord.

8. Nanddasji - He lived till he was 52 years old and wrote over 400 main padas and wrote PanchaManjari.   He was especially fond of Shri Gokulchandramaji and loved the Kishorlila (youthful activities), RasaPanchadhyayi (the Rasa lila, as described in the fives chapter of Shrimaada Bhagvatam), Bhramargeet (when Shri Radha teaches devotion to Shri Uddhavji through the medium of the bee).

Edited by - Anpur and Reeta Patel

 

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