Pada and Kirtans of Pushti Marg
Poetry sung in the haveli reflects on the wonderful literary achievements of poets of a bygone era. Most frequently sung are the poets of the 15th and 16th century, who wrote at the time of Shri Vallabhacharyaji and Shri Gosaiji. During the tenure of Shri Gosaiji, he created a very select group of singers and musicians in the main haveli at mount Goverdhan. These were led by eight main poet singer devotees of the time - Surdas, Kumbhandas, Parmanad-das, Nanadadas, Krishnadas, Chitswami, Chaturbhujdas, Govindswami.
By the grace of the Lord and their Guru, these great devotees wrote down the lilas of the Lord that they actually saw and hence their words are still capable of evoking the divine mood in us all. Often their words stir the deepest emotions in us and help lift us off this mundane world into a divine world full of divine play of the Lord.
Variously, they saw the Lord's lilas as a friend, parent or a lover. Many wrote about the gopi bhava that Pushti Marg instilled in them. Of all the various bhavas that a bhakta can have, gopi and vattsalya bhava are the most popular in Pushti Marg.
Sung in classical ragas appropriate to the moods, seasons, settings and situations, the padas of Pushti Marg made a very valuable contribution to the literary movement of their time.
One of the main tanents of Pushti Marg as envisioned by Shri Gusaiji is "Raga". Raga means, "attachment" and "musical modes".
Since the time of Shri Vallabhacharyaji, music was seen as one of the key components of daily worship. In his own time, He initiated the likes of Kubhandas, Surdas, Paramanandas and Krishnadas into the sect and entrusted the work of writing new devotional songs to them. As true visionaries, these great poet saints sung the lilas of the Lord as they witnessed them. These were no flights of fancy or imagination, but factual descriptions of what they saw the Lord doing in the wonderful world of spiritual Vraj. Simple, yet powerful, words of their poetry speak of this "eye-witness" nature of the padas.
Shri Gusaiji added four more poet saints to the original group of four ( Nanadadas, Chitswami, Chaturbhujdas, and Govindswami) and created the celebrated "Ashta chhap" group of 8 divine poets and singers of ShriNathji's court. Mirroring the equally celebrated gems of Akber's court, the Ashta Chhap were well known and respected by all their contemporaries. Emperor Akber was known to have invited a number of them to sing at his court. Indeed, one of the sons of Shri Gosaiji was a permanent member of the Imperial court and helped win a number of farmans (Imperial Proclamations) in favor of Pushti Marg and Hindus in general.
The Astha Chhap singers wrote truly inspirational devotional poetry. They mostly wrote in VrajBhasha and composed in traditional, classical ragas. The poetry composed by the Ashta Chhap is known as "pada". "Drupad" was favored mode of their music, hence "Drupad" style of singing is often considered to be synonymous to the "haveli" style of music.
Traditionally, all darshans in main Havelies of Pushti Marg are accompanied by poetry composed by the Ashta Chhap. Atleast one pada from the Ashta Chhap is sung at each darshan. Sadhan Dipika (by Shri Gopinathji), clearly states that all expressions of joy - singing and dancing included, should accompany seva and especially seva during festivals and special functions.
Padas are written in accordance with seasons, moods, times of day, bhavas etc. Each Nidhi svarup has padas written for it by the Ashta Chhap in accordance with the bhavas relating to the svarup. For example, Navnit Priyaji has padas written with vattsalya bhava (Lord viewed as a baby) - hence padas describe the Lord crawling on all fours on the floor of Shri Nadababa's palace. Other padas describe the Lord playing with his toys or being rocked in his cradle.
Reading these padas and indeed absorbing their mood is a highly spiritual experience.
© Bhagwat Shah
