Asht Sakhas
Each Asht sakha has two other swarups in different birth cycles; as Shree Thakurjee’s sakha and sakhi; always residing on Girirajji in ShreeNathji’s seva.
Asht sakha are the eight main gwal bal sakha (friends) of ShreeKrishn Chander from His earlier incarnation in Dwapar yug, thousands of years ago, who took birth again in the14th century; and were known as the great singer poets; the “Asht chaap kavi”.
With divine prerna (motivation) they were granted sakshat (direct) darshans of Thakurjee and His Divine Leelas on this earth. With the divyata (divineness) granted by Shreeji Himself they were able to compose perfectly whatever ShreeNathji desired and enjoyed. This particular sangeet has come to be known as Haveli sangeet and is sung only for ShreeNathji’s anand.
Four Asht sakha were Shri Mahaprabhuji sevak and four Shri Gusainji sevak.
Presenting here is a brief historical description with present day photos of the designated eight doors for the Asht sakha at ShriGovardhan.
Asht sakha took birth to do ShreeNathji’s ashtyaam kirtan seva.
The names of the Aasht Sakha kavi as the original Shree Krishn’s Gwal friends in the earlier incarnation thousands of years ago are,
Krishn, Rishabh, Arjun, Bhoj, Tok, Subala, Vishala, Shri Dhama
In their later birth they are Shri Sur Das, Shri Kumbhan Das, Shri Parmanand Das, Shri Chatrabhuj Das, Shri Krishn Das, Shri Nand Das, Shri Chettar Swami, Shri Govind Das.
All the eight Jhankis (darshans) of ShreeNathji have a special Bhao and the kavya rachnas (Bhajans) of the Asht Chaap Kavi have also been selected accordingly. These bhajans were written with bhao of various seasons, festivals, bhakti moods. It was first introduced by Shri Gusainji at Shri Girirajji Mandir and is followed till today perfectly in Nathdwara at every darshan.
श्रीनाथजी के अष्टछाप (अष्टसखा ) कवि
हर अष्ट सखा के दो और लीला स्वरूप हैं, श्री ठाकुरजी के सखा और सखी के रूप में। जो हमेशा श्री गोवर्धन में श्रीजी के सेवा के लिए विराजते हैं।
द्वापर युग के अवतार के समय श्री कृष्ण के आठ ग्वाल बाल सखा थे, जो अब अष्ट सखा के रूप में श्रीनाथजी की सेवा के लिए आए।
यह अष्टसखा के अष्ट द्वार श्री गिरिराज जी में है।
