Andal and Govinda

[Guest guest]

Sri:

 

SrimatE Gopaladesika MahadesikAya Namaha,

 

 

Dear Bhaktas,

 

As we approach the conclusion of the Marghazhi mAsam, adiyen wishes

to share a few reflections on the 30 delectable Tiruppavai verses

composed by Andal. Testimony to the sacredness of Marghazi masam can

be found in Lord Krishna's Bhagavad-gIta declaration " mAsAnAm

mArghashIrshOham " (among the months I am the MargashIrsha).

Therefore, Andal found it most appropriate to bless us with the

Tiruppavai (Bhagavati Gita) during this month. Perhaps the Lord

himself favored this month in anticipation of His Union with Andal

at the conlusion of the Tiruppavai verses.

Tiruppavai is rightly considered as the seed of the Vedam due to the

fact that the first 17 verses encapsulate the entire karma khAndam

of the Vedam, while the latter 13 verses succinctly embed the jnAna

khAndam (Upanishads).

 

In the nAchhiyar tirumozhi, Andal elaborates upon the wedding

ceremony in the VaraNam ayiram verses. Specifically, the Sapthapadhi

(7 steps), an important part of the wedding ceremony are discussed

with respect to the following points:

 

(1) May Lord VishNu bless the newly wed bride so that She brings

a doubling in the grains and food in her husband's household

(2) May Lord VishNu bless the bride so that she ensures good

health (the ability to partake of the food), thus summarizing the

Upanishadic message " AshishtO drudiShtO baliShta:

(3) May Lord Vishnu bless the bride to ensure that festivities

such as Rama Navami, Sri Jayanthi, Acharya Tirunakshtram et. al are

celebrated with great pomp and splendour

(4) May Lord VishNu be with the bride so that members of her

husband's household live in harmony-even if there is a conflict may

the bride bring about reconciliation

(5) May Lord VishNu bless the bride so that she ensures an ample

supply of milk, butter, ghee, and yoghurt, through the presence of

healthy cows that are milked everyday in her husband's houshold

(6) May Lord VishNu bless the bride so that all the fruits and

vegetables growing in the six seasons are available in plenty in her

husband's household

(7) May Lord VishNu bless the bride so that yagas involving

Ritviks, Hotas, Udgatas, and Brahma (the priests well versed in the

Rg, Yajur, Sama, and AtharvaNa Vedam, respectively) and Agnikaryam

are performed in the household without interruption.

These 7 points are a consummate illustration of the Vedam

declaration " yathra nAsthi daDhimanThana GhOShA svAhA kruthEnA

havishA BhakArasthathralupyathE "

(A household bereft of the sound of churning butter and AgnikAryam

arising from the sound of svAhA is verily a forest-Bhavanam stripped

of the aksharam Bha).

 

In the Tiruppavai, Andal succinctly embeds the 5 angas and one angi

of SharaNagati, which is a loftier vivaham, i.e., Atma vivaham,

which are outlined below:

 

(1) anukUlasya sankalpa: I shall act only in ways pleasing to

Lord Narayana

(2) prathikUlasya varjanam: I shall avoid everything that

displeases him

(3) rakshishyathi vishvAsO: Lord Narayana will protect me at all

times under all circumstances

(4) kArpaNyam: I am entirely dependent on Lord Narayana for

everything

(5) gOpthruthva varnam: Without Lord Narayana I am a destitute

 

These aspects are emphasized in the Tiruppavai

salutations " nArayaNanE namakkE paratharuvAn " and " unakkE

nAmAcchaIvOm "

 

Firm adherence to the 5 angas and formally performing the Atma

nivedanam to Lord Narayana is angi of Prapatti. This is described by

Andal as nam pavai in the Tiruppavai.

 

The subject of SharaNagati invariably brings to the forefront Lord

Srinivasa standing majestically on top of the Venkatachalam hill-

raining his Daya on Bhaktas. Ten out of the twelve Azhwars have

rendered verses in praise of Lord Srinivasa. A common theme of their

outpourings is that of unconditional total surrender to His Lotus

Feet- the most poignant of them being the formal SharaNagati of

Swami NammAzhwar (Prapannajana kootasthar) through the famous

aghalaillEn salutation. Andal follows the path laid down by Swami

NammAzhwar through her Tiruppavai declaration of " mElayAr

seyvanagal " . In this context Andal refers to the Lord of Seven Hills

as Govinda, which can be found in 3 places of the Tiruppavai

1. kUdArai vellusIr Govinda, where Andal brings out an

evocative summary of the feast in Her Wedding (Atma Vivaham to Lord

Narayana)

2. kurai onrum illAdha Govinda in the Karavigal Pinsendru verse

3. andrugAn Govinda in the first Sarrumurai verse

 

Let us focus on the beautiful Govinda namam. The term Govinda arises

from " gauh vindhayathIthi Govinda " . The root gauh has several

meanings as is described below

 

1. Gauh denotes water. In the Matsya avataram, Lord Narayana

demonstrated the Vedam rk " NarayanE pravarthanthE " and " NarayanE

pralIyanthE " by creating and tiding over the waters of praLaya.

2. In the kUrma avataram, the Lord took on the form of a turtle

to support the Mandara mountain in the milky ocean. Therefore, he

inherited the name Govinda

3. The Upanishad pays its tribute to the Lord as Varaha, who

brought back BhUmi Devi from the depths of the ocean through the

Rk " udhruthAsi varAhENa krishNEna shatha bAhunA " . Since the word

gauh denotes the earth, Varaha's upakaram for BhUmi Devi begets him

the sobriquet Govinda

4. As Narasimha, the Lord of the Vedam, He was glorified by

Prahlada and the other Devas. Gauh also denotes Vedam. Therefore,

Bhagavan Nrusimha begets the name Govinda.

5. As Trivikrama, the Lord measured the entire earth with His

Foot. As a result every sentient and insentient being on the earth

was graced with the touch of His sacred Foot, which exuded the

fragrance of Vedam. Swami Alavandar and Swami Desikan wax eloquent

about this aspect in the Stotra Ratnam and Daya Shatakam,

respectively. Due to this the Lord earns the title Govinda

6. As Parashurama, the Lord traveled the length and breadth of

the earth to rid Bhumi Devi of 21 generations of Kshatriyas.

7. As Balarama, he enhanced the beauty of the earth through his

many acts, which included dragging the Kaurava city of Hastinapura

near the river water in a fit of rage. Therefore, he begets the name

Govinda

8. In the Krishna avataram, the Lord protected the cows and the

residents of Gokulam from the fury of Indra by carrying the

Govardhana mountain on his little finger. As a result of this act,

he received the title Govinda (protector of the cows)

9. In the yet to occur Kalki avataram, Lord Narayana is

described in the VishNu purANam as one who traverses the length and

breadth of the earth riding a horse and holding a sword in his hand

as He establishes " Dharmam kArthayugam "

10. In the Rama Avataram, the Lord received numerous astras from

vishwamitra as described by Swami Desikan in the MahavIra Vaibhavam

salutation " bahumatha mahAsthra sAmarthya " . The term gauh also

denotes weapon. Since Rama received instruction in the use of

numerous weapons, he fits the description Govinda

11. The term Govinda also refers to Lord VishNu, who was

responsible for Indra receiving the Vajra weapon made from the bones

of the rishi dadhichi. The Lord himself declares in the Bhagavad

gIta " AyuDhAnam aham vajram " and hence, inherits the name Govinda

12. The term Govinda also denotes the Lord who grants mOksham

and thus befits Lord Narayana, whose sole privy is the granting of

Moksham.

 

We may remeber that the 7 khAndams of Vedam transformed themselves

into the 7 hills that bear the Lord's Feet.

Andal beautifully captures these aspects in the Tirppavai

salutations outlined above. May the Lord of Seven Hills (Govinda),

edify, enrich, ennoble, and elevate all of us.

 

Namo Narayana,

 

SriMuralidhara Dasan