Seventh Day of Danur Maasam:

[Guest guest]

SRI BHATTANAATHA SUREENDHRA

MANASAAMBHOJA VAASINEH I

SRIMADH VATAMAHAADHAAMA

SWAMINEH NITYA MANGALAM II

 

After this salutation to VaTapathra Saayee , we will

offfer our salutations to AndAL's illustrious father ,

who established that Sriman NarayaNA as the

supreme Tattvam(Para Tattvam ) in the court of the king :

 

SREEDHANVEE NAGARAADHEESA

MANGALAASAASINOH ANISAM I

NIRNEENATHA PARATATVAAYA

VISHNUCHITTHAAYA MANGALAM II

 

On this seventh day of Marghazhi , let us reflect on

greatness of the names of Godhai , given by

Swami Desikan to AndAL .

 

Sri Summapatti KrishNa Iyengar has written an insightful

article on this subject and I will base this posting on

mnay points assembled by him in his essay .

 

GodhA Devi

* * * * * * *

 

In an earlier posting , I referred to one intrepretation

of Her name as " GAVAADHEEYATEH IDHI GODHAA ."

That intrepretation indicated that She was the one

yielded by Bhumi Devi . This reference is associated with her birth

under the Tulasi plant in the Nandavanam of VishNuchitthar

at Srivilliputhur . I referred to her birth as being simiar to

that of SeethA Devi , who was discovered by king Janaka ,

when he ploughed the field to prepare for the Yaga SaalA

at Mithilai . HanumAn has described SeethA's avathaaram as

" UtthithA medhineem bhithvA " and saluted Her arrival

as a result of splitting of the earth and SeethA arising out of

that clevage of Bhumi Pradesam .

 

GodhA's name in this context has again been intrepreted as

" GHAANDHYATHEETHI GODHAA " . The word "Ghandhyathethi "

is equivalent to "Bhithvaa" or splitting of the earth . Here again GodhA's

origin as the one arising from the clevage of earth as the incarnation

of Bhumi Devi is indicated .

 

Vedic Origin of Godha's name

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Earlier I referred to the Taittiriya SamhitA manthram ,

" GruthEna SeethA-- " as being connected with Seetha and

also GodhA because of their birth on the track created by the

plough ( Laankala Paddhathi or kalappai uzhudha vazhi ) .

 

The second association of the name GodhA with the Vedic text

aises from her Prabhandhams , which sanctifies the jeevarAsis

through Her AnushTaana Purva Grantham , Thiruppavai . In this

context , The Name Godha has been understood as "GAA :

DHADHAATHI IDHI GODHAA " . The Vedic context , the word

"GAA : " stands for Vaak and Vedam . Rig Vedic passage celebrates

this divine Vaak giving power this way :

 

" UPA NA : SAVANAAGMAHI SOAMSYA SOMAPAA: PIBHA I

GEETHAA IDHEVATHO PADHA : " --Rig Vedam 1st ashtakam, 1.7

 

In Svapadesam , this passage is connected to Thiruppavai

Nonbhu of GodhA , which is identical to the Soma Yagam

of Vedic seers . The end is the Kshemam of the Universe .

GodhA Herself states in Thiruppavai , "SELVA THIRUMAALAAL

ENGHUM THIRUVARUL PERRU INPURUVAR " . She helps

the devotees of Her Lord receive the bounteous gifts and

divine wisdom and wealth as spontaneously as ripe fruit

from a loaded branch of a fruit tree .This thought is housed

in yet another passage of Rig Vedam :

 

EVAAHY ASYA SUNRUTHAA VIRAPSI GHOMATHI MAHEE I

PAKKAA SAAKHAA NA DAASUSHEH II -- Rig Vedam 1.8. 8

 

AndAL's Thiruppavai is indeed a ripe and delicious fruit

bursting with fragrance and nourishing values for spirtual

upliftment . One Taniyan for AndAL in this context salutes

Thiruppavai as the seed of all VedAs (Vedam anaitthukkum

vitthaahum ) .

 

The observance of Thiruppavai Nonbhu and the continued

prayers of GodhA in NacchiyAr Thirumozhi to unite with Govindhan

as her Consort again has vedic significance and provides

additional evidence to the Vedic connotation of the Name

GodhA . In the ancient text of Rig Vedam , two pasages have

been identified as being close to the Vratham of AndAL to

obtain the blessings of the Lord as her husband.

 

One passage prays to Agni Devaa to accept the Vedic seer's prayer

just as the (eternal) youth accepts the prayerful wishes for union

with Him by young ladies of marriagable age (STHOYAM

JUSHETHAAM YUAVASEVA KANYAANAAM VISVEHA DEVAOU

SAVANAAYA GACCHATHAM ) .

 

Another Rig Vedic passage

has the echo of the prayerful wish of sporting with the Yamunai

Thuraivan through Jalakreetai . AndAL's indirect prayer is " Koodiyirunthu

KuLirnthElOrempAvAi ". The Vedic passage refers to a Devan by

the name of Soman( Govindhan ) playing with the young

women (Gopis ) in the waters of the river :

 

YAABHI: SOMOH MODHATEH HARSHATEH CHA

KALYAANIBHIRYUVATHIBHIRNAPARYA: I

THAA ADHVARYOH MODHATEH APOH ACCHAA

PAREHI YAHAASINCHAA OSHADHIBHI: PUNITHAATH II

----RIG VEDAM , 7TH ASHTAKAM, 7.24 RK

 

The Connection between GodhA and Soodi Koduttha NAcchiyAr

*********************************************************************

 

The Syllable "GOH" has also the meaning of Koondhal

or the tresses of Hair of a lady . DHAA means one who gave.

AndAL of beautiful black tresses of Hair wore the garlands

prepared by her father and then gave it to Vatapathra Sayee

to wear it. In the grammatical context , "DHAA " also is

connectable to " Dhaip Sodhaneh " . That leads onto a meaning of

pure , sacred and beautiful (Thooymai , Azhagu ) . Swami Desikan

salutes this "Soodikkoduttha NaacchiyAr " at number of places

in his GodhA sthuthi :

 

1. DHATTEH NATHENA SIRASAA TAVA MOWKTHI MAALAAM

2. SOWBHAGYA SAMPADHABHISHEKHA MAHAADHIKAARAM

3.MOWLISRAJAA TAVA MUKUNDHA KIREETA BHAAJAA

 

Hence , the name " Soodikkoduttha gandham kamazhum

Thirukkuzhal NaacchiyAr " is an appropriate name for

GodhA Piratti .

 

GodhA : One who has been sanctified by Vedic way and

**************************************************************

given as Kanyaa Dhaanam by PeriyAzhwAr :

***********************************************

 

The name GodhA also stands for " Odhi KodukkapattavaL ".

The word "Odhi " means sanctified by the Veda Manthraas.

AndAl herself describes her VivAham to Govindhan in

the proper Vedic Way in the VaraNamiyaram section

of Nacchiyaar Thirumozhi this way :

 

1. " YENNAI MAGHAL PESI MANTHIRITTHU " --NT 6.3

 

2. VAAI NALLAAR MARAI ODHI MANTHIRATTHAAL

PAASILAI NAANAL PADUTTHU PARIDHI VAITTHU

KAAICHINA MAAKALIRANAN YEN KAI PARRI

THEE VALAM SEYAA KANAA KANDEHN -- NT 6. 7

 

Here she refers to the Kanyaa VaraNam , PaaNi

GrahaNam and the SEVEN STEPS around the fire

as described in the Rig Vedic section ( X .32.1 and X . 85)

 

May the Veda MathA , GodhA guide us further into the

understanding of Her divine AruLiccheyalkaL .

 

Srimathyai GodhAyai NamO nama:

 

Oppilaippan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan