Vidyapati: The Great Maithili Poet

Mithila is known as a mysterious, miraculous and marvelous part of Nepal. Once upon a time Janakpur was the capital of Mithila. Janakpur is named after Janak who was the sage king. Mathili is the second most spoken language in Nepal. Vidyapati was the pioneer poet of Maithili Literature.

He also wrote many poetic works in Sanskrit which are very famous like Bhooparikrama, Purush Pariksha, Likhnawali, Shaiva Sarvaswasar, Ganagavakyabali, Bibhagsar, Daan Vakyabali, Gayapatalak, Durgabhakti Tanangini and Varsakritya.

He also wrote two books in Abahatta language-Kritilata and Kirtipataka but he became famous for his poetic wrote in Maithili. He composed only one verse book which made him immortal and at the same time popular. That’s why he is called Mathil-Kokil “Nightingale of Mithila” The name of the book is Vidyapati’padabali (Verses of Vidjapati).

It is said that Vidyapati also stayed in Nepal for sometimes and wrote some lyrical verses. Some of his manuscripts are still available in the National Archives. Their authenticity has been verified by many research scholars.

Vidyapari is a poet of love and passion. He is well-versed in depicting varied moods of Lord Krishna and his beloved Radha. His verses are very sensuous and sentimental. Sometimes they are termed as vulgar and erotic in their nature but it is not correct.

His songs are sung all over Mithila on various auspicious occasions. They are sung by males and females even today on different occasions. They are very melodious. That’s the reason they are extremely popular.

Vidyapati is a poet of immense and eternal beauty of Radha in her youth. She is a xanthic flower in human garden. She attracts Krishan towards herself. She is aexpert in the art of love. So she became successful in making Krishna her life-long partner.

She enjoyed her conjugal life with him very comfortably and happily but she was compelled to suffer the pangs of separation because of Krishna’s betrayal. He went to Dwarika after leaving her alone to weep after her own fate.

She became victim of circumstances because he could not keep his word of meeting her again. He forgot her and began to love Kubja. So Radha wept her whole life in separation.

Vidyapati ha described her sorrow of separation very successfully in most of his verses. He is very versatile in depicting the various moods of the lover and the beloved. He painted various pictures of love-story of Radha and Krishana. He emphasized on true love. For this reason he is considered an immortal poet of love and beauty.

Dr. Grierson ha called him a poet of devotion but it is not true. All critics with one voice have termed him as a poet of vigor, youth, love and beauty. That’s why he could move from a court poet to status of public poet.

Since Vidyappati was a court poet of king Siva Singh, he was supported to praise him and his beautiful queen Lakhima Devi. He won the hearts of the royal couple by his melodious and lyrical songs. He tried his best to please them by praising their love for literature and their vigorous deeds.

He was especially a poet of the Shringaar Ras. He spent most of his time inside the four walls of the royal palace and sang for his favorite king and queen. He possesses deep psychological perceptions and a subtle vision. So he depicts the different mental states of Krishna and Radha in love affairs.

Vidyapati has painted many rosy pictures of love affairs of Radha while they were together on many occasions. He also presented many magnificent pictures of gloomy painful days of Radha when she was compelled to spend those lonely and long periods of separation.

Radha is mad over Krishna. She has true love for her lover Krishna. She has total dedication and devotion for him. She proves herself as a true beloved of Lord Krishna throughout her whole life.

Vidyapati proved himself a versatile genius for presenting the colorful and suitable atmosphere for free meeting of Radha and Krishna in many of his poems. He was also blamed for describing the very vivid, naked, voluptuous and romantic gestures and postures of Radha and Krishna.

He is criticized and at the same time acclaimed and appreciated for this in the poetic world. The agony and anguish of Radha has reached its climax in some of his painful songs. She was compelled to suffer extremely in the absence of Krishna.
She has been depicted as a coy mistress of Krishna. So she is jealous of Koobja, a co-wife of Krishna who ha allured him. Vidyapati pays much attention to the physical and fleshy love of Radha and Krishna.

He has presented beautiful pictures of the pains and pleasures of the love and the beloved in many poems. He is an expert in expressing their love and passion, hopes and despairs. So he is considered unparallel poet of love and passion.

Vidyapati was quite aware of the social evils of his age. He passes satirical remarks on child marriage. He is not a poet of the court only but also a public poet. He has inside, vivid vision and broad outlook towards the burning problems of his age.

Vidyapati also composed devotional songs which are very popular and sung throughout Mithila. He celebrated the Ganges and repented for not worshiping her in his youth. He became a true devotee of Lord Shiva in his old age. He wrote his devotional songs like Maheshvani and Nachari which are sung in the early hours of day. He was true devotee of Goddess Kali. He also wrote some lyrical devotional songs devoted to Kali.

Vidyapati lived in Nepal for a long period. He prepared two manuscripts of Kirtilata and Kirtipataka rescpectively in a small village Banauli near Janakpur, the center of Maithili culture.

He stared the literary tradition of Maithili culture and literature in Nepal. Consequently, Maithilu literature flourished during the period the Malla ruled the Kathmandu Valley. The whole credit goes to this great poet of Mithila.

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