Kirtan Ghoxa

The Kirtan Ghoxa (Assamese: কীৰ্তন ঘোষা) is a collection of poetical works, primarily composed by the medieval saint Srimanta Sankardev meant for community singing in the Ekasarana religion. Its importance in the religion is second only to the primary text, the Bhagavat of Sankardeva.

Texual history

The text of the kirtan ghoxa consists of twenty six sections and thirty one kirtans (or narratives of Krishna).^[1] Sankardev had instructed Madhavdev during his last visit to Patbausi to compile the kirtans that were scattered then at different places—and they were posthumously compiled into a single text by Ramcaran Thakur, the nephew of Madhabdev.^[2] All the kirtans were composed by Srimanta Sankardeva, except for one by Ratnakar Kandali and another by Madhabdeva. Two of Sankardeva's kirtans were later additions to Ramcharan Thakur's compilation. In some versions, there is an additional kirtan composed by Sridhar Kandali.^[3]

Texual description

Each kirtan consists of a ghoxa or refrain followed by a number of verses, called padas, written in different meters. Some of the meters used, with examples are:

Payara

Jhuna

Laghu payara

Dulari

Chabi

The Kirtans

1. Caturvimsati avatara varnana
2. Pasanda mardana
3. Namaparadha
4. Dhyana Varnana
5. Ajamilopakhyana
6. Prahrada carita
7. Haramohana
8. Balichalana
9. Gajendropakhyana
10. Sisulila
11. Rasa krida
12. Kamsa vadha
13. Gopi udhava samvada
14. Kujir vancha purana
15. Akrurar vancha purana
16. Jarasandhar yuddha
17. Kalyavana vadha
18. Mucukunda stuti
19. Syamanta harana
20. Naradar krishna darsana
21. Vipra putra anayana
22. Damodara upakhyana
23. Daivakir putra anayana
24. Veda stuti
25. Krishna lilamala
26. Srikrishnar vaikuntha prayana
27. Bhagavatar tatparya
28. Uresa varnana

Notes

External links

• Text of the Kirtan Ghosa, Naam Ghosa

References