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

From the Bhakti List Archives

V. Sadagopan • January 12, 1997 


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
****************************************************

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 
********************************************************

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