28th Day of Marghazhi : Part 1 -- GodhA Sthuthi

[Guest guest]

Dear Members of the Prapatthi Group :

 

Tomorrow is Bhogi Pandigai and the day after is

Makara SankarAnthi . On Bhogi Pandigai day ,

AndAL ThirukkalyANam is going to be celebrated at

Nangai Nallur , Srivilliputthur,

Srirangam , Thiruvenkatam and every Divya Desam

and in homes all around DakshiNa desam . On this

sacred occasion , I will meditate on Her holy paadAravindham

and reflect on selected verses of GodhA Sthuthi composed

by Swami Desikan at Srivilliputthur in front of Her .

May She bless us with health and happiness and

sathsangam throughout the year beginning with

Bhogi Pandikai and Makara Sankaranthi !

 

Ubhaya Vedantha DhyAnam : Tribute in Tamizh

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Azhahiya MaNavALa PerumAL nayanAr summed up in a

beautiful verse the substance of what GodhA Piratti taught us :

 

etttezhutthin iNaipporuLum irandain poruLum

iyal valitthEr arucchunanakku Iraivar tammaith--

totttu vaittha maRai iruthipporuLai yellaam

tOnrum vahai PuduvairkOn Godhai

kavi paadal poruL teriyakkAttinALE

 

(Meaning ) : The daughter of the seer of Srivilliputthur

revealed to us through Her paasurams , the meanings

(rahasyaarthams ) of the AshtAkshari , Dvayam and the

Sarama slokam given to the Mahaarathi , ArjunA by our

Lord Parthasaarathy .

 

Ubhaya Vedaantha DhyAnam : Tribute in Sanskrit

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The Sanskrit DhyAnam for GodhA Piratti is the28th slokam

of Swami Desikan's GodhA sthuthi .It so happens that today is

the 28th day of Margazhi . Our great AcharyA chose the beautiful MAALINI

metre for the dhyAnam of Soodikkoduttha NaacchiyAr . The genius

of Swami Desikan in choosing the Maalini meter for one , who

wore the MAALAIS constructed by Her father first and then had it

presented to Vatapathra Sayee is striking . Swami Desikan's extraordinary

sense of appropriateness in selecting the MAALINI metre for GodhA

Piraatti can not but amaze us regarding this KavithArkika Simham's

scholarship in ALankAra Saasthrams and his deep devotion to GodhAi .

 

In all the 862 slokams of His 28 sthotra Granthams , Swami Desikan

used MAALINI Metre 34 times. In Godha Sthuthi , He invoked this metre

twice . Once for the Dhyana Slokam and then once more for the Pala Sruthi

slokam ( 29th verse ) . The 29 th day is Bhogi Pandigai day and it is

the day of the Srivilliputthur MAALINI "s MAALAI SOODAL day ,

where she exchanges garalnds with Sri RanganAthA during Her

VIVAAHA MAHOTSAVAM . Swami Desikan chose thus the Maalini

metre twice in His GodhA sthuthi meaningfully . Rest of the 27 verses

GodhA sthuthi are set in the most beautiful metre of Vasantha Tilakam ,

which reminds us of the Vernal ( Vasantha Ruthu ) beauty of

the Soodikkoduttha NaacchiyAr . She is indeed the Spring's

abundance , Richness , promise and beauty .

 

Swami Desikan standing in front of Soodikkoduttha Naacchiyar on

a Pradhosham day at Srivilliputthur was so overpowered by Her

unexpected Darsanam that he did not lose His concentration in the

enjoyment of Her beauty and KalyANa GuNAs and stayed with

One metre (Vasantha Tilakam ) for the entire Sthuthi ; when

the time came for completing Her Dhyana slokam , he continued on

with the same MAALINI Metre for the next slokam ( the final Pala sruthi slokam )

..

I think Marghazhi has 29 days in the calendar and therefore ,

the choice of 29 verses for the Godha Sthuthi

by Swami Desikan seems is appropriately thought out .

 

We have to remember the 28th verse of Thiruppavai is " KaravigaL pin

chenru Ghaanam sernthuNpOm ; the 29 th verse is the most meanigful

" ChiRRamchiRukAlE vandhunnai Sevitthu " . Here AndAL speaks

about Her request to the Lord to listen to the meaning of Her

eulogy of His lotus feet ( PoRRaamaRai adhiyE poRRum poruL

kELaai ) .

 

Swami Desikan states the fruits of reciting GodhA sthuthi

and reflecting on the MAALINI Of Srivilliputthur this way :

 

sa bhavathi bahumaanya : SrimathO Rangabharthu:

CHARANA KAMALA SEVAAM SAASVATHEEM ABHUPAISHYAN

 

The coincidence in the choice of PoRRAmarai Adhi by AndAL and

CharaNa Kamalam of Sri RanganathA by Swami Desikan in their

tweny ninth verses is amazing indeed . Now we will come back to

the DhyAna Slokam of Godha (28th one of GodhA sthuthi )

given to us by Swami Desikan :

 

sathamakamaNineelA charukalhArahasthA

sthanabharanamithAngi saandhravaatsalya sindhu : I

aLkavinihithAbhi: sragbhirAkrushta naathA

vilasathu hrudhi GodhA VishnuchittAthmajA na : II

 

(Meaning ) : GodhA PirAtti , who incarnated as the daughter

of PeriyAzhwAr has the hue of the blue gem , Indra Neelam ;

She stands sporting a beautiful Senkazhuneer ( Chaaru KalhAra

HasthA ) in Her hand . She is slightly bent from the weight of

Her breasts. She is the One , who showers Her DayA on us

and forgives our trespasses . She is the One , who presented to

the Lord the garlands worn by Her first on Her beautiful tresses

and overpowered Him by Her beauty and got Him under Her control .

May Godha Piratti of these celebrated auspiciousness reside

in our hearts always .

 

The portion of the Dhyana slokam , "Sragbhi : aakrushta nAthA "

reveals that She as the Maalini , overpowered ( aakrushta ) Her

Lord with the garlands worn on Her Kondai ( aLaka vinihithAbhi :

Sragbhi : ) . The word Srag stands for Maalai . Through the power

of those Soodikkoduttha Maalais , She made Sri Ranganatha

utterly dependent on Her and married Him in Srivilliputthur

and continues to reside there with Her consort (RangamannAr )

at Her father's house .

 

I will continue with my salutation to selected verses of GodhA

Sthuthi in the subsequent posting (s) .

 

Soodikkoduttha NaacchiyAr ThiruvadigalE SaraNam .

 

Oppikliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan