Thuppul PiLLai- 38- GodhA sthuthi- Hymn on SrI GodhA (ANdAL)

[Guest guest]

SrI:

SrImathE Nigamantha Mahadesikaya namah:

SrImAn venkatanAthAryaH kavitArkika kesarI |

vedAntAcArya-varyo me sannidhattAm sadA hRdi ||

 

May the glorious Venkatanatha, the greatest of teachers of Vedanta, and the

lion among poets and debaters, reside forever in my heart.

 

Dearest Srivaishnavas,

Let us begin to enjoy the sthOthra granthas of Swamy Desikan [in

alphabetical order]

Sri Goda Stuti - Hymns on Sri Andal

 

Sri Goda Stuti is a sweet and mellifluous lyric of 29 Verses on Sri Goda

Devi(Andal). She has a unique place in our religion and Philosophy as one of

the twelve Alwars (Tamil Vaishnavaite Saints) and as a loving Consort of

Bhagavan. On the day of the star of poorva-phalguni (pooram) in the month

of Aadi(kataka) in the Tamil Year Nala centuries before she appeared as a

baby in the basin of a Tulasi Plant in the sacred garden of Sri

Vishnu-citta(Perialwar) in Srivilliputhur in South Tamil Nadu. She was taken

home by Perialwar and brought up in an atmosphere of devotion and godly

love. When she heard from him the story of Sri Krishna and His divine

exploits, she was drawn towards Krishna more and more. As she grew, her

devotion also to Him grew and brought about a complete change in her. She

was a Gopi-girl in love with Krishna, the Gopa-lad; her girl-friends were

Gopi-girls for her, Srivilliputhur became Gokula., the local temple

Nandagops’s mansion d the god within Sri Krishna Himself. In short, she

lived, moved and had her being in Sri Krishna. She was happy when she felt

He was with her and pined in separation. Her two poetical

compositions-Tiruppavai, a lyric in 30 songs. The Naacciar Tirumozhi a

ballad in 143 verses-give us a real and Soul-stirring picture of Andal in

various moods of love-joy and sorrow, hope and disappointment. She observes

a penance in the month of Maargazhi, she sends the cloud as a messenger to

Krishna, makes an appeal to the cuckoo and the parrot to bring Him to her.

The intense love lands her in a dream in which she marris Sri Krishna. She

passes through the various rituals in a marriage in South India in that

dream- the reception, the bridal costume, tying of the sacred thread, the

exchange of garland, going round the fire holding the hand of the groom, the

touching of the stone- slab by the bride’s foot, the offering of fried rice

in the ceremonial fire with her hands placed right on the groom’s hands and

the final procession of the happy married couple on a caparisoned elephant

to the tune of music and drum.

 

The tradition is that under the command of Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam,

Perialwar took Andal in the bridal costume in a palanquin. On reaching the

City and the temple, Andal moved swiftly towards Sri Ranganatha in the

Sanctorum. The Lord extended his arms to receive and embrace His long-

expected bride. Andal entered into Sri Ranganatha and became one with Him

to the enjoy of Perialwar that his foster-daughter Andal’s desires were

fulfilled and that the status of being the God’s father-in- law has been

conferred on him.

 

That is the story of Andal, the beautiful divine creeper in the

Tulasi-garden of Perialwar which became entwined with the fragrant tree of

Haricandan, Sri Ranganatha. Sri Vedanta Desika says that out of this

reverent reverie of his about devout life and god – love of Sri Andal rose

Sri Goda Stuti, the lyric of lovely rhyme and rhythm.

 

Sri Andal is the incarnation of the Bhoodevi and chose Sri Ranganatha, in

the Arcaavatara as her Consort, like Lakshmi who chose Bhagavan in Milk

Ocean in the Vyooha form and like Bhoomi who chose Varaha in the Vibhava

form. Sri Desika extols the greatness of Andal in weaving two kinds of

garlands, a garland of songs and a garland of flowers (Paa-malai and

Poo-malai) by both of which she was able to bind Sri Ranganatha so that He

may become inclined to pardon our sins and redeem us. By the paa-malai (in

6 slokas from 4-9) she pleased His ear and mind, and by the poo-malai (in 11

slokas 5, 10and 14 to 20) which she wore first and then adorned His body, a

gift He was longing to get. The hymns of the masculine Alwars in a bridal

form may be said to be a facsimile of the songs of Andal, the real bride.

Sri Desika also describes the marriage of Andal with Sri Ranganatha in

several verses. He concludes by praying that she should be pleased to dwell

in our hearts and that the reciters of this Stotra will be honoured by all,

including Lord Ranganatha Himself.

 

There is some difference of opinion about the place where the Goda Stuti was

composed. A Guruparampara states that it was in Srirangam. When Sri Vedanta

Desika was in Srirangam, one day as usual, he went to the Temple to worship

Sri Ranganatha. It was the day of Tiru-Aadi-Pooram,the Jayanti day of Sri

Andal. Familiar as he was with the life history of Andal and well-versed as

he was in her hymns, his mind was filled with them and he had a mental

vision of the Divine Couple, Sri Andal and Sri Ranganatha and the highly

beautiful Goda Stuti flowed out of the devotion-full Sri Desika as he

himself says in the last sloka for our enjoyment and redemption. (“Utthitam

Venkatesaat bahu-guna-ramaneeyaam Goda Stutim”)

 

There is some propriety in saying that the Goda Stuti was sung in

Srirangam. The poem begins and ends with a reference to Sri

Ranganatha(Verses 18, 21, 24 and 26). When we read the verse

Rangapathir-Esha (This Ranganatha before us)

we feel we stand before the Lord of Srirangam.

 

There is a popular tale current in Srivilliputhur even today with

reference to the Goda Stuti. In the course of his pilgrimage to worship

Bhagavans in the various shrines in South India, Sri Vedanta Desika came to

Srivilliputhur, the birth place of Sri Andal . The ever-green sacred Tulasi

garden of Perialwar, and the Divine Couple, Sri Andal and Sri Rangamannar

filled him with devotion and the verses of Goda Stuti flowed out of him with

out his conscious effort. Sri Andal was so much pleased that she immediately

commanded the temple servants and the public to commemorate the birth of

Goda Stuti from Sri Vedanta Desika in a suitable manner in the form of a

festival every year known as Goda Stuti Utsavam by name. It is conducted in

a special pavilion even today while Goda Stuti is sung.

 

Srirangam or Sri Villiputhur, whatever may be the place of birth for Goda

Stuti, it presents to us a beautiful picture of the queen Sri Andal attended

by Sri Ranganatha standing beside her with pride and delight by the fragrant

garland of flowers and the sweet worded garland of verses(poo-malai and

paa-malai).

[From the Life and works of Sri Nigamantha Mahadesikan- by Prof Sri A

Srinivasaraghavan]

 

Swamy Desikan ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

Regards

Namo narayana

dAsan

kavi-tArkika-simhAya kalyANa-guNa-SAline |

Srimate venkateSAya vedAntagurave namaH ||

 

Salutations to Sri Venkatesa, in whom all perfections reside, who is the

teacher of Vedanta and the lion among poets and debaters

 

_______________

Get 10mb of inbox space with MSN Hotmail Extra Storage

http://join.msn.com/?pgmarket=en-sg