Jayadeva’s father was Bhojadeva, and his mother’s name was Bamadevi. They lived in the Birbhum district of what is now West Bengal in a village called Kenubilva Gram. He was born at the beginning of the twelfth century AD.
Jayadeva Goswami’s wife was named Shri Padmavati. When he was the court pandit of Lakshman Sena, he lived on the banks of the Ganges. Approximately three hundred years before the appearance of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Shri Jayadeva Goswami lived in Bengal.
He was the author of Shri Gita Govinda, which is mentioned by Krishnadas Kaviraja Goswami in the Chaitanya Charitamrita as follows (CC ML 2/11): “Day and night, in the company of Svarupa Damodara and Ramananda Raya, Shri Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to hear with great ecstasy the songs of Vidyapati and Chandidas, as well as a drama composed by Ramananda Raya.
He also used to relish hearing the Krishna-Karnamrita and the Gita-Govinda. In his introduction, Jayadeva says that the Gita Govinda is a scripture describing the intimate pastimes of Shri Radha and Govinda. It may be worshiped and served by those who are extremely qualified in devotional piety.
For those who are constantly remembering the rasik pastimes of Shri Hari within their mind, Shri Jayadeva has composed this divine poetic song glorifying the Lord’s internal pastimes. He requests the topmost spiritually advanced souls to hear it with gravity and attention.
There is a difference of opinion about where Jayadeva Goswami left this body. Though some say he returned to Kendubilva, others claim it was Puri, and still others say that he went to Vrindavan.
Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Thakura has stated his opinion that Jayadeva Goswami left this world from Jagannatha Puri. Though some people say that Jayadeva Goswami returned to Kendubilva to spend his last days, there is no indication anywhere that he brought his Radha-Madhava deities with him.
It is said that these deities were taken by the king of Jaipur to a place named Ghati sometime after Jayadeva Goswami’s passing away and they are still being served in the Jaipur area. Jayadeva Goswami’s disappearance day is on the sixth day of the waning moon of the month of Paush.
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