The story of Brinjal - धीर समीरे यमुना तीरे

Once an old woman was singing in a melodious voice the sweet verses of Gitagovinda “rathi suka saare gathamapi saare” while plucking brinjals in the thorny brinjal field at the last quarter of the night. Her sweet voice enchanted the senses and was most pleasing. All of a sudden there came floating rhythmically in the air sweet and charming notes of flute from the distant fields in perfect harmony with the singing voice of the woman. Surprised indeed was the old woman and on looking back she saw a lovely and lustrous youth excelling the blue clouds in color and complexion and clothed in yellow apparel following her dancing and playing upon the flute rhythmically with the song. The sweet fragrance of musk and sandal paste filled the surroundings. Who is the youth? The voice of the old woman was chocked in utter astonishment. The heavenly youth disappeared from sight. The old lady returned home with strange emotion.

In the morning the priests on opening of the door of Shri Jagannath temple, observed with great wonder and sorrow the yellow apparel of Lord Jagannath stuck with thorns and reported the matter to the emperor Gajapati Prataprudra Dev. The emperor giving up food and drink surrendered himself to the Lord and begged for Nirupama Tripathy his compassion. At night Lord appeared before him in dream and told “O king, I cannot control myself on the throne the moment the sweet melody of Gitagovinda reaches to my ear. Being fascinated by the song of the old lady, I was following her in the thorny brinjal field”. The royal councellors searched for the old lady and the Emperor received detailed information about her. Since that day singing of Gitagovinda was forbidden at public places and it was given the status of National Anthem in Utkal. There is a legend prevailing among the Oriyas that if one sings Gitagovinda standing, Lord Jagannath listens to it in sitting position and one sings it sitting He listens to it in standing position. Even today the common house holders of Orissa sing the melodious verses of Gitagovinda every morning and evening in their prayer.

रतिसुखसारे गतमभिसारे मदनमनोहरवेशम् ।
न कुरु नितम्बिनि गमनविलंबनमनुसर तम् हृदयेशम्
गोपी पीनपयोधरमर्दनचंचलकरयुगशाली 
धीर समीरे यमुना तीरे वसति वने वनमाली - धृवम्॥ 

नामसमेतम्कृतसंकेतम्वादयतेमृदुवेणुम् ।

बहुमनुतेननुतेतनुसंगतपवनचलितमपिरेणुम्॥ 

पततिपतत्रेविचलतिपत्रेशन्कितभवदुपयानम् ।
रचयतिशयनम्सचकितनयनम्पश्यतितवपन्थानम्॥ 

मुखरमधीरम् त्यज मन्जीरम् रिपुमिव केलिषुलोलम् 
चल सखि कुन्जम् सतिमिरपुंजम् शीलय नीलनिचोलम्॥

उरसिमुरारेरुपहितहारेघनैवतरलबलाके ।
तटिदिवपीतेरतिविपरीतेराजसिसुकृतविपाके॥

विगलितवसनम् परिहृतरसनम् घटय जघनमपिधानम्
किसलयशयने पङ्कजनयने निधिमिव हर्षनिदानम्॥

हरिरभिमानीरजनिरिदानीमियमपियातिविरामम् ।
कुरुममवचनम्सत्वररचनम्पूरयमधुरिपुकामम्॥

श्रीजयदेवे कृतहरिसेवे भणति परमरमणीयम्।
प्रमुदितहृदयम् हरिमतिसदयम् नमत सुकृतकमनीयम्॥