GodhA Sthuthi: Part VIII: SlOakm 5

[Guest guest]

Namo Narayanaaya !

 

Dear BhakthAs:

 

In the Fourth slOkam , Swami Desikan referred

to the many ThuRaikaLs by which we can descend

down to enter the cool waters (Prabhandhams )of

Godhai and quench our samsAric thApams (sufferings).

In the fifth slOkam , Swamy delves deeper into the

miracle of Godhai's KatAksham , which enables even

great sinners to receive the anugrahm of Her Lord.

He reveals the two approaches that Godhai takes

to win Her Lord to our side .

 

Fifth SlOkam :

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asmAdhrusAM apakruthou chira dhIkshithAnAm

ahnAya Devi dhayathE yadhasou Mukundha:

Tanniscchitham niyamithstava MouLidhAmnA

tanthrI ninAdha madhuraisccha girAm nigumbhai:

 

(Meaning): Oh GodhE ! We are well known for

Saasthra Ullankanam ( trespassing the Saasthraic

injunctions of Your Lord, who is SaasthrapANi).

We offend Him and generate His anger at us. It appears

that we have this long term vow not to obey His

Saasthrams and thereby generate heaps of Bhagavath

and BhAgavatha apachArams .Your Lord forgives even

us with such abundant bundles of ancient paapams . When we

reflect on why our Lord suddenly blesses us inspite of

our powerful offenses, two reasons for His transformation

--from erstwhile nigraham to the present anugraham state--

become clear. The twin reasons are: (1) He is under

Your spell as a result of the way in which You have bound

Him with Your flower garlands that You Yourself have

worn first as Soodikkoduttha NaacchiyAr (2)Further , Your

eulogy of Him with Your sweet prabhandhams holds Him

tightly in Your grip; when He hears Your delectable Vaak ,

which are like the captivating naadham arising from

the VeeNA strings , He has no way to free Himself from

Your spell. Therefore , He accepts Your appeals on our

behalf and forgives us for our trespasses. This for Sure!

 

The tribute here is to Godhai as PoomAlai Soodikkoduttha

NaacchiyAr and PaamAlai paadikkoduttha NaacchiyAr .

 

First Paadham: asmAthdhrusAm apakruthou chira DhIkshithAnAm

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Here, Swami Desikan refers himself as belonging to

the assembly of those , who abandon kruthya-KaraNam

and devoutly relish in perfoming akruthya-KaraNam .

SevA Swamigal comments that Kruthis (actions) are of

two kinds:apakruthi(unfavorable ones ) and Upakruthi

(Favorable Ones recommended by the SaasthrAs). Apakruthi

is PrAthikoolyam and has to belong to the catgory of

varjanam ( to be avoided); Upakruthi is Aanukoolyam

and has to be sought after. Swamy has us in mind and

says that "asmAdhrusAm apakruthou chira DhIkshithAnAm".

For people like us apakruthi is the most natural one

to practise and we have been experts in the performance

of apakruthis for long , long times. Our taste for

akruthya KaraNam is deep . It appears that we have taken

a DhIkshA (vow) to perform ceaselessly all the acts

prohibited by the SaasthrAs.We are not only DhIkshithALs

in this regard , but "chira DhIkshithALs" ( vowed to

do apakruthis over aeons).The end is not in sight for

our apakruthis and that angers our Lord.

 

Second Paadham: ahnAya Devi dhayathE yadhasou Mukundha:

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That angry Lord disgusted over our repeated

offenses suddenly shows His dayA to us. That

happens over the time period of one morning

(AhnAya dayathE).His shower of DayA engulfs us.

Here Swamy Desikan , who has been addressing

the daughter of VishNuchitthA as "GodhE" until

now switches and addresses Her as " Devi".

Seva SwamigaL points out that Swamy Desikan

wants to hint at Her Leela Rasa Pushti

(strength of Her as BhOga Moorthy for her Lord).

The Lord of Hers , who showers the DayA on

the offenders is addressed as "Mukundhan".

He is the one , who has been defined as

the conferrer of Mukthi and Sukham in this

world ( Mum cha Kum cha DhadhAthi ithi Mukundha:).

The One who had turned His face away from us in

disgust over our incorrigible nature suddenly looks

at us with compassion and blesses us. That is a miracle

made possible by the power of Godhai, His Devi.

 

Third Paadham: Tanniscchitham niyamitha: tava MouLi dhAmnA

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This is for sure ( Tanniscchitham)! He has been

bound by the flower garland that GodhA had worn

earlier on her tresses.Under that influence,

Mukundhan is helpless and obeys Her commands

without resistance.DhAmnA means the rope. She

had the garland tied on Her head ; the One who

got tied next with that fragrant and enchanting

"rope" is Mukundhan. Our Lord , who is the SarvaLoka

NiyanthA (Commander) has now been bound by Godhai

and is helpless.

 

Fourth paadham: TanthrI ninAdha Madhuraisccha girAm nigumbhai:

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The Lord was also tied by another factor : The sweet

naadham of Goddhai's Vaak sounding like the melodious

Naadham arising from the strings of the VeeNA tied Him down

further. He( Sarva Loka NiyanthA) became niyamithah

by the power of the assembly of Vaak (girAm nigumbhai:)

arising from Godhai.Seva SwamigaL poins out the Use of

NishAdha Sabdham (Svaram) thrice by Swami Desikan

in the third and the fourth Paadhams of this slOkam:

Niscchitham, Niyamitham , NinAdham and Nighmubhai:

NishAdham has close ties to Veda Naadham .Godhai's

Vaak is the essence of VedAs.

 

ANDAL ThiruvadigaLE saraNam ,

Daasan, Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SatakOpan