9th day of Danur Maasam: GovindhA's names--Part 2

[Guest guest]

Dear Govindha Premis :

 

On this ninth day of Margazhi Month , We will

continue to focus on the significance of the name

GovindhA for the Lord . We shall continue with the insights

provided by Sri S.KrishNa Iyengar of SummApatti .

 

Earlier , we indicated that the name Govindha is

renowned for its Vedic Connotations , just as the

name GodhA . For instance , the name has been

understood as " GObhi: Veda Vaakhthya: vEdyatE

ithi Govinda : " (i-e)., He is the one that is understood by

the Veda mantrAs . Another meaning for the name can be

found in the statement : " SarvE vedA yadh padhamAmananthi ",

(i-e) He is the one at whose lotus feet all the VedAs long

to be at . Yet anothe r definition of the name of GovindhA

is : Sarve VedA yathrai kam bhavanthi (i-e) ., The one in

whom all the Vedas become happy through their union.

Ka means Brahman in the Vedic terminology . The literal

translation that the Vedas become Brahman suggests that

they merge with Him as His svAsam . Such a Veda Purushan

is Govindhan . In His own words , the GeethAcharyan has

revealed that he is the one to be known by all of the Vedas

( Vedaisccha Sarvai : ahameva Vedha : ) .

 

Govindhan is the reason for his name because all the

praise/sthothram reach Him amd Him only . All archanAs

like the one ArjunA did for Lord Siva arrived at His feet .

This si indicated by the following verse :

 

gowrevaishA tathaa vANi taam cha yath vindatE bhavAn I

Govindasthu tathO Deva munibhi : kathyatE BhavAn II

 

( Meaning) : Gow : means all sounds or words or Vedic salutations.

Since Govindhan receives all these salutations independent

of whomever they are addressed to as eulogies , the sages declare

Him to be Govindhan .

 

In the Vaarthikam of PaNIni's suthrAs on grammar , it is said

that the word GovindhA is the indicator or sign or code (SamjnA )

for Sriman NaarayaNA .

 

Thirumazhisai has celebrarated the Sabdha Vaasyatvam of

Govindhan this way : " SollinAl thodarchi nee, sollapadum

poruLum nee" . There is nothing in this world that is outside

His creation and they are linked together with Him as Sarira -

Saariree tatvam .

 

Even though there are thousands of names for Sriman NarAyaNA ,

the one name that is chosen unfailingly for Sankeerthanam is

"GovindhAn ". The hills of Thirupathi echo with the sounds of

"GovindhA , GovindhA " as Karpooratthi for Lord SrinivasA is made.

In the lower Thirupathi , the Lord's name accordingly

is GovindarAjan .

 

One of the two key parts of the name Govindha is the gO sabdham.

This sabdham has many meanings : (1) Moksham (2) speeding Arrow

(3) ow (4) Divine speech (5) VajrA weapon (6) JnaankkaNN (7) sight

(8) Flame/JwAlai (9) Bhumi (10) victory .

 

The second part of the name Govindhan is Vindhan and the latter is

derived from the root (DhAthu ) Vidh. This root has the following four

meanings : (1) Arithal or Cognition (2 ) Adaithal or obtainment

(3) Irutthal or being there and (4) Vicharitthal or inquiring .

 

When the two roots are united to form the Govindha Naamam ,

it stands for the one who is the Moksha Pradhan ( One who can

bless us with Moksham or release from the cycles of births and

deaths ) or Veda Vedyan ( One who is understood by the manthrAs

of the VedAs ) , one who gave the Vajra weapon to IndrA and who

incarnated as the DasAvathara murthys .

 

There are also additional meanings for the Govindha Naamam .

One of the meanikngs of gO sabdham is Jyothi or resplendent flame.

Unlike other flames , this flame is svayam Jyothi (NaarayaNa parO jyothi

according to Vedam ) . That is why nammAzhwAr addresses Him as

" Paramjyothi GovindhA " .

 

GidhOpanishad and GodhOpanishad

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

 

In the previous posting and this posting , we covered the many

esoteric meanings of the name of the Lord's consort, GodhA

and the Lord eulogised by the name of GovindhA . Their aruLiccheyalgaL

ar eknown as GodhOpanishad and gitOpanishad respectively

and are intended for our salvation . They practise Ekaseshithva Yogam .

GodhA states in one of Her Upanishads ( Naacchiyar Thirumozhi ) :

" uNbathu sollil ulagaLanthAn Vaaiamudham " . She was addressing

the divine Panchajanyam (conch ) and asking about the nature of

the taste of the Lord"s lips and mouth, where it rests during

the time of battle . She herself guesses it and describes it in the above

manner. The inner meaning of this Paasuram passage is : For the mind

of the BhagavathAs , the most delectable and desirable item is

the nectar that flowed form the Lord's lips and mouth

as the Rahasya Trayam .

 

The Taittiriya Prasnam states in this conrext : " EKAAKSHARAM

DWIPADHAM SHATPADHAAM CHA VAACHAM DEVAA

UPAJEEVANTHI VISWE VAACHAM DEVAA UPAJEEVANTHI VISWE"

(I-E) ., Om is the Ekaksharam or PraNavam . The dwi padhams are

the syllables "NamO " and NaarayaNAya ". This is the first rahasyam

or Moola Manthram . The sacred Dvayam has six syllables and

is the second rahasyam . This is known as the Manthra rathnam .

The third Rahasyam is indicated by the letter cha in the above Upanishadic

passage and stands for the Sarama skokam taught for the benefit of

Arjuna and us by GeethAchAryan. These three rahasyams are the

means for the life and the well being of all prapannAs

( SarvE devA ; Upajeevanthi ). By the Rahasya Traya

anusandhAnuAnam , GodhA is very pleased with the PrapannAs

as suggested by the Veda Mnathram : SaanO havam JushathAm

Indrapathnee ". Indra Pathnee or IndrA is the name of Bhu Devi

indicated in Bhu Sooktham and Godha is the incarnation in kali

Yugam of Bhu Devi at Srivilliputthur as the daughter of PeriyAzhwAr .

 

There are 700 verses in Srimadh Bhagavadh GitA . There are only

30 Paasurams in Thruppavai. In GitA , the Lord pointed out the

Siddha Dharma with the words, Sarva DharMaan Parithyajya

Maamekam charaNam vrja.e indicated the means for our

salvation in th form of command ( AjnA rupam ). AndAL

followed that SaraNAgathi Dharmam to set us an example .

She had the Aacharam to practise this AjnA of Her Lord on

their earth . This according to the learned people is a

demonstration of the superiority of AchAram over AjnA as

revealed by AndAL through Her GodhOpanishad.

 

She is both "our father and mother and AchArya" . Let us

salute Her and her inseparable consort and conclude this

section of the special postings for Marghazhi month .

 

GohA--Govindha divya dampathyai Namo Nama:

 

Sri VaishNava Daasan ,

Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan