Godha Sthuthi - Part 2 (Slokas 8 to 13)

January 8, 2008

Dear Bahagavatas:We proceed to enjoy a few more snippets from Swami Desika's Godha Sthuthi. In this posting, we cover from Slokam 8 to 13. We will continue in the next posting.DasohamAnbil Ramaswamy=================================================================================

SLOKAM 8:

Swami Desiika hints in this SlOka that even Andal’s predecessors like her father and Nammaazhwar were longing for the love towards the Lord but because they were men, they could at best simulate “Naayaki Bhaava”. It was after Andal came on the scene exhibiting her bridal love to its fullest extent because she was a woman herself to whom such “anubhavam” came in naturally, that they took a leaf from her life to learn the ”art of love”.

Swami seems to have a dig at her father saying how strange that a father-in-law was attempting to become a competitor (ChakkaLathi) for his own daughter by trying to share with her the love of the Lord that was exclusively her’s. See how he starts with “Tava priyatamam” and proceeds to exclaim “Bhavateeva GodhE”- your very own!

Not satisfied with only this, he gave a clarion call to all and sundry (men like himself) to engage in similar exercise of becoming ChkkaLathis to Andal by saying “Vandu MaNNUm MaNamum koLmin”. Swami wonders “What kind of father is he?” If others were Azhwaars, your father indeed is “Peria Aazhwaar”!

He probably justified this strange behavior on the part of Periyaazhwar remembering “SarvE itaraa: sthree svabhaavaa: (That except for the PurushOTtama, the Lord - all else are effeminate in relation to him) and in this light, there was nothing wrong in his endeavor, as did the Sages in Srimad Ramayana who longed for similar experience but were offered such a chance to become Gopis in KrishNa Avataara.

SLOKAM 9:

maatah samutthitaavateem adhi VishNuchittam”: She was born as daughter of VishNuchittar. This can also be interpreted as the one who appeared as the daughter of VishNuvchittar as per the Sankalpam (Chittam) of VishNu. That is why he uses the word “samutthavateem” instead of “uthitavateem”

“viswOpajeevyam amrutam vachasaa duhaanaam”: The amrutam that came out of the milky ocean was ‘DevOpajeevyam” for the benefit of celestials. The amrutam coming forth from the mouth of Andal is for the benefit of all “lOkOpajeevyam”

“santahpayOdhi duhituh sahajaam vidustvaam”:

Andal is considered to be the sister of Lakshmi. Laksmi and moon were born from the milky ocean and therefore they were siblings. Andal was also a sibling in the sense that she was born like the moon (Chandramaa manasO jaatah) and she was born out of “vishNuchitta”, “Chitta” also means “manas”

SLOKAM 10:

The earlier SlOkam started with “maatah” (mother).This starts with “taatah” (father)

Swami says that her father, VishNuchitta sang hundreds of nectarine (madhubidhah) songs in praise of the Lord but the Lord did not seem pleased in spite of the fact that He becomes charmed by the slightest words of praising him (stuthilEsa vasyaat),. Is he not known as “sthavapriyan”?

It was only after you offered the garland worn by you that the Lord was pleased to confer the title of “Periyaazhwaar”, which title he had not conferred earlier!

In Lakshmi kalyaaNam, samudraraja became “mahaan”; In Sita kalyaaNam., Janaka was hailed as “mahaan”; In RukmiNi kalyaaNam, Vidarbha adhipati came to be called “mahaan” says Suka brahmam; Likewise, it was after Andal’s kalyaaNam that Vishnuchittar came to be known as Periyaazhwaar (mahaan - While Pey Azhwar is also called “mahadaahvayar” indicating that he was also “mahaan”, the credit goes to “Periyaazhwaar” not only because of his “Periyaazhwaar Tirumozhi” but also because he became the father-in-law of PerumaaL.

SLOKAM 11:

Dik dakshiNaapi pari paktrima puNya labhyaat sarvOttaraa bhavat dEvee! Tava avataaraat”; Says Swami: “Due to the appearance of Andal in the south (DakshiNa), it had become elevated to the highest (Sarva Uttara)”.

Seva Swami narrates an interesting anecdote in this connection. When he had gone to North India for a discourse, someone in the audience asked him why there has been no avataara at all in the South since all Avataarams had taken place only in North India. Swami quoted Bhagavad-Gita.

“yadaa yadaa hi dharmasya gLaanir bhavati Bhaarata!/

Abhyuhaanam adharmasya tadaatmaanam srujaamyaham” (BG 4.7)

“Whenever there is danger for Dharma and uprise of adharma, I recreate myself”. Obviously, this has been happening only in North India and not in South India that necessitated the frequent appearance of the Lord there!

yatraiva Rangapatinaa bahumaana poorvam”: Swami says that the lord has more regard for the South because of the birth of Andal there. It should be noted that “Bahumaana” (respect) is more powerful than “abhimaana”(affection)

It is this intense love, affection and regard for Andal that Lord Ranganatha is constantly looking at not only her birthplace, Srivilliputtur but also the very direction which it had sanctified.

It is worth noting that of all the DivyadEsams consecrated by Azhwars only three retain the prefix of “Sri” (the northern Sanskrit word) to their names, instead of “Tiru” (the Southern Tamil equivalent) namely, “Srirangam” , “Srivilliputtur” and “Sri VaikunTam” (Paramapadam)- all closely associated with Andal and her spouse, thus making “DakshiNa” as “Uttara”

SLOKAM 12:

Here, Swami describes how the very name of “gOdha” has purified the River “gOdavari” and how on account of this “gOdaavari” makes it possible for other Rivers get purified by commingling with her waters.

“gOdaavaree jagad idam payasaa puneetE”: “Sabdakalpadrumamam” says that the word “gOdha” itself means waters of “gOdaavari”. Hence, “payasaa”. These waters purify not only the places where this river flows directly but also the entire world. (jagad idam) indirectly.

It is believed that taking bath in “puNya theertams” like “Ganga” cleanses the person of all sins. Where do these sins go? These rivers take them over. How do they get rid of the sins thus acquired? By themselves taking bath in a much purer waters of another river. “gOdaavari” is the purest of rivers that can cleanse the sins of even such rivers like the Ganga. “bhaageerathee prabrutayOrapi bhavanti puNyaah”

This they do during “Pushkarams” that take place once in 12 years when all other rivers converge in “gOdavari” to cleanse themselves. The question arises, “Will not “gOdavari” get polluted with the collective sins of all rivers? The answer is: No. How did it acquire this pristine status? The answer is that it is only because of its being named after “gOdha”, says Swami. “praayeNa dEvi! bhavatee vyapadEsa yOgaat, Yasyaam samEdhya samayEshu chiram nivaasaat”

SLOKAM 13:

Swami here refers to the way Andal’s friends make fun of her for choosing Ranganatha to be her husband. The peers ask her -

“naagEsaya: sutanu”: How come the man you seek to marry has a snake for bed? Even a snake charmer does not lie with the snakes in the basket. And, you have to share this bed! Brides normally like to lie on “Panchasayanam”, never a snake. It seems that he will not get sleep if he does not have his snake bed! Did he not take his snake bed with him, when the Azhwar asked him to quit Kanchi? (Painnaagappai suruTTik koLL)

“Pakshi ratha:” What vehicle does he have to take you out? If you want to go out, you have to ride on a bird with him. You are slender. Will you not get scared of falling off when the bird flies so fast? Did you not tell AnjanEya that you were scared of falling off when he offered to carry you on his shoulders? (vEgO maam mOhayEth tava). Is not GaruDa speedier when airborne?

“jaatah svayamvara pathi: purushah: puraaNa;”: You are so young. How come you chose such an old man for husband? They say that none knows his date of birth.

“YEvam vidaa: samuchitam praNayam bhavatyaa:parihaasa giraah”: By “yEvam vidaa:”, Swami implies that the fun did not stop with these three aspects but many others too like his stealing butter and getting caught red handed and bound etc.

“Sandarsayantiparihaasa giras sakheenaam”: When “darsayanti” is enough, why use “sandarsayanti”? This is to show that her choice was most appropriate: He is the parama purusha who reclines in Ksheeraabdi on AdisEsha; His bird, GaruDa takes him fast to relieve the trauma of his devotees; He is indeed “PuraaNa purusha”- the Parama purusha- the Supreme purusha (sarve itaraah sthree svabhaavaa:)

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