Sri Jayadev (Part – 2)

Lakshmanasena was then the ruler of the kingdom. Seeing the acclamation that Jayadev’s Ashtapadi had earned, he wrote an Ashtapadi. But, none would sing his Ashtapadi. People refused to sing the king’s Ashtapadi. To find out whose Ashtapadi the Lord desired the king placed his own Ashtapadi as well as Jayadev’s Ashtapadi in the Sanctum Sanctorum of Lord Jagannatha before closing the doors for the day. The next morning while all the people, the king and Jayadev were present the doors of the Sanctum Sanctorum was opened. The king’s Ashtapadi had been pushed aside while Jayadev’s Astapadi was held by the Lord on His head.
To this day Jayadev’s Ashtapadi is sung every day in Puri Jaganath Temple. It is also sung in Guruvayur Temple.
The king realized his mistake and realized the greatness of Jayadev. The king sought Jayadev’s company. The king looked upon Jayadev as his Guru. He invited him to his palace. Since the king was deeply devoted, Jayadev accepted his invitation and went to the palace along with his wife Padmavati. Jayadev did not like staying in the palace for long as he was used to living in solitude on the outskirts of the kingdom and singing the praises of the Lord. He and his wife Padmavati, dependant only on the Lord, lived a joyful life in the forest. Whenever he expressed his desire to leave, the king pleaded with him to stay a day more. In this manner some days passed. The king did not like to part with his Guru Jayadev.
However, Jayadev had no desire to stay long with the king. With a desire to escape the king he said that he wished to go on pilgrimage. But, the king said that he had also been nurturing such a desire and that it would be all the more good to make it in the company of his Guru! Thus, the king and Jayadev went on pilgrimage. And Padmavaty stayed behind with the Queen.
The Queen and Padmavaty were always together. The Queen had utmost respect for Padmavaty, as she was Guru ‘patni’ (Guru’s wife). Moreover, she always spoke about the Lord. Once, while the Queen and Padmavaty were chatting on the terrace of the palace they saw a lady committing Sati in the funeral pyre of her husband in the nearby graveyard. The Queen said to Padmavaty that since her husband, the king, was a great dharmatma such ‘pativratas’ (loyal wives) lived in the kingdom.
Padmavaty said to the Queen, ‘She cannot be deemed a ‘pativrata’. A ‘pativrata’ is one whose life goes out of her immediately on hearing about her husband’s death.’
The Queen could not accept this statement of Padmavaty. The Queen, in a manner of testing Padmavaty, arranged for a messenger to come in while she and Padmavaty were together, with the fake news of Jayadev’s death. On receiving the news Padmavaty fell down dead! The Queen was thoroughly shaken up. She thought, ‘What would I say to the king and Jayadev? She is our Guru patni (Guru’s wife).’
It happened that due to the Will of the Lord the king and Jayadev returned at this time. The king, very angry at what had happened picked up a sword to kill the Queen and then to kill himself. But, Jayadev quickly stopped him. Jayadev then sang ‘Smaragaralakhandanam mama shirasi mandanam
dhehi padapallavamudaram’
the very lines that Bhagavan had written though Jayadev had erased them and tried to replace it with some other words. This brought Padmavaty back to life!
The King invited Jayadev to sing his Ashtapadi everyday in the Temple. But, Jayadev did not like visiting the Temple at a particular time and singing the Ashtapadi as a servant of the king.
A little girl selling vegetables used to listen very attentively to Jayadev’s Ashtapadi and watch Padmavaty dance to its tune. The girl began to sing the Ashtapadi sweetly. Jayadev was overwhelmed by this and taught the girl to sing them. Bhagavan, attracted by her devotion, used to follow her like shadow. One day, the Lord dropped His ring into the girl’s basket of vegetables. The girl was unaware of this. However, while delivering vegetables at the palace this ring got into the hands of the servants of the royal palace. The matter was taken to the king. The girl was brought to the king’s presence and questioned. But, the innocent girl had no answer for it. The king believing the girl to be innocent kept her safely in the palace. He desired to know how Bhagavan’s ring had got into the girl’s basket. The Lord appeared in the king’s dream that night and said to him, ‘It is verily I who had dropped it into her basket, bound by the bhakti of the little one.’
The highly pleased king, at the behest of Jayadev, ordered the girl to stay in the palace and sing Gita Govindam and worship the Lord as she pleased. Jayadev had this girl married to a young man devoted to the Lord and had them appointed to sing the Ashtapadi for Lord Jagannatha. Even today this practice is being followed by those who have come down this lineage.
Once Jayadev was going through a forest. Unknown to him, his disciples were carrying invaluable gifts that he had refused of the king. Some robbers attacked them and deprived the group of the costly jewels and coins. They then beat up Jayadev thoroughly and threw him in to a deep well. Jayadev lay their lost in singing his Gita Govindam. He was found in this state by the king and taken to the palace and attended to.
Once these robbers came to the court of the king in the guise of virtuous Sadhus. Jayadev recognized them at once and advised the king to take special care of them! Real Sadhus do good even to those who harm them. However, these ‘Sadhus’ were shocked, for, they had recognized Jayadev to be the man whom they had pushed into the well in the forest.
They wondered, ‘Goodness gracious! This man whom we had pushed into the well is seated here next to the king. What is the special treatment is he advising the king to mete to us? Has he informed the king about our true identity? What is to be done now?’ The king hosted them for some days in the palace and as per Jayadev’s advise honoured and worshipped them as he would a Sadhu. But, these ‘Sadhus’ doubting Jayadev’s intention and therefore deeply perturbed took leave of the king. The king, at Jayadev’s behest, offered them many valuable gifts and sent some guards along for protection. This only further deepened the suspicion of the robbers in the guise of Sadhus They thought, ‘This man is out to take revenge on us. We had pushed him into a well having robbed him of his valuables. He has now set some guards to square it up.’ The guards asked these men, ‘What is your relationship with Jayadev? He seems so much interested in your welfare and has offered such honour to you?’
These ‘Sadhus’ said to the guards, ‘This minister of yours is a criminal from another kingdom. We had helped him escape punishment and in a manner of gratitude he has done this to us!’ No sooner had they said this than they were struck by thundee. Jayadev felt truly sorry for the fate of these men who had harmed him.
Jayadev and Padmavaty spent their lives totally devoted to the Lord. Padmavaty attained to the Lotus Feet of the Lord first. Jayadev lived to a ripe age before mingling with Lord Jagannath of Puri.