You are here: SriPedia - Oppiliappan - Archives - Jun 2006

Oppiliappan List Archive: Message 00221 Jun 2006

Jun 2006 Indexes ( Date | Thread | Author )

[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next]


Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra Maadesikaya nama:

 

"Govinda! Govinda!"

 

A huge crowd had gathered in front of the building housing a finance company. 
Most of the people appeared agitated and the looks on their faces were 
murderous. I went near to find out what was wrong, with all the curiosity of a 
passerby and was surprised to find the Lord's name being uttered by many of 
them, but without the devotion or ecstasy that normally accompanies such 
chanting. In fact they appeared to be uttering the naama more in chagrin and 
pain, than in any joy or elation. 'Govinda!' was the glorious name emanating 
from their lips, irrespective of religious affinity. When I inquired, it 
transpired that after mobilising sizeable deposits from a large number of 
gullible investors, the finance company owners had done a vanishing act 
overnight, disappearing with crores of rupees of public money. While describing 
the loss of money, many in the crowd were saying 'Panam Govindaa thaan'. 
Anguish and sorrow engulfed me, less in commiseration with the plight of those 
who had lost the money, and more at the way Emperuman's tirunaamam was being 
misused to depict a case of cheating and misappropriation. And this naturally 
led me to thoughts of the glory of this particular name of the Lord, my mental 
rambling confirming the extreme inappropriateness of using such a hallowed name 
of the Lord under such circumstances.

 

If you really think about it, you would find the greatness of the Govinda naama 
such as to defy narration. If a competition were to be held among Bhagavan 
Naamaas, in terms of efficacy, sweetness, greatness, popular acceptance, 
handiness for repetitive use, etc., the Govinda naama would win hands down. 
This is no idle claim of an ignoramus like me, but a well-documented fact that 
is reiterated often in our Itihaasaas and Puranas.

 

Further, the Govinda naama is intertwined with our lives and finds use from the 
time we wake up till we go to sleep daily. One of the very first acts after our 
getting up from bed is to perform an Aachamanam. And during this Achamanam and 
every other that we perform on various occasions throughout the day, the name 
Govinda occupies a pride of place, chanted first while sipping the water and 
again while touching various parts of the body with our fingers. 
'Sarvaangaanaam Nayanam pradhaanam' say the Shastras, attributing primacy to 
the eyes among the various organs of the body. And it is perhaps an indication 
of the greatness of the Govinda naama that the prescribed part to be touched 
while uttering it is the eye. And before we eat too, after sanctifying the food 
with the Parishechana mantras and offering it to our Inner Dweller 
symbolically, it is the Govinda naama that we utter, before even a crumb passes 
our lips. And Shastras tell us that with each morsel of food intake, we should 
utter the Govinda naama-'Kapale kapale chaiva kuryaat Govinda keertanam'. 

At the beginning of every Sankalpam, which precedes any vaidika karma, we 
recite, "Sri Govinda! Govinda! Govinda! asya Sri Bhagavata: mahaa Purushasya.." 
This perhaps makes food tastier, healthier and more nourishing. Most of us, 
when we are past 40 and our limbs start giving us trouble, making us grunt and 
groan when we sit down and get up, involuntarily say 'Govinda', to ease the 
process. It is Govinda who protects those who play, the Mahabharata tells 
us-'Kreedantam paatu Govinda: sayaanam paatu Madhava:' Hence the Govinda naama 
appears to be the ideal one for athletes to utter. Thus, the use of the Govinda 
naama is widespread and is inextricably mingled with our daily routine, made so 
by Maharshis who have known and experienced the efficacy of this tirunaamam.

 

To talk of the efficacy of Bhagavan naamaas is perhaps sacrilegious-one holy 
name of the Lord is definitely as potent as another in destroying sin and 
conferring auspiciousness. However, some of these names have found much greater 
favour with devotees, on various grounds. For instance, though the Lord has a 
thousand names and more, there is no practice of chanting 'Nyagrodha:, 
Udumbara:, Amoorti:' etc., though these are doubtless a part of the 
Sahasranaama Stotram. Though these naamaas signify certain attributes of 
Emperuman, yet we do not go in for intensified chanting or japam of these 
names. Similarly, though there are divine names galore, devotees have preferred 
the Govinda naama as protection against evil and while appealing to Him for 
assistance during emergencies.

 

A classic case in point is Droupati. When all effort at protecting her modesty 
(from the intemperate Ducchaasana who was intent on disrobing her in pubic) 
fails, she puts up her hands in desperation and calls to a distant Krishna to 
rush to her aid. And in doing so, she couches her appeal in the following words-

 

'Shanka Chakra Gadaa paane! Dwaaraka nilaya! Achyuta!

Govinda! Pundareekaaksha! Raksha maam saranaagataam'

 

Readers may wonder-Droupati has definitely not given any primacy to the Govinda 
naama while crying out to Sri Krishna, prefacing the same with others like 
Achyuta, Dwaraka Nilaya, etc. So, where is the question of Govinda naama alone 
coming to her rescue? To find an answer to this, we have to look into the 
response of Sri Krishna to Droupati's appeal. Discussing the matter at Dwaraka 
with Sri Rugmini, the Lord tells Her that He had to rush to the distressed 
damsel's rescue immediately, because her calling Him 'Govinda' had struck a 
deep chord in His merciful heart and His sense of obligation to save her was 
multiplying every moment, much like a debt contracted at usurious rates of 
interest. Among all the other names she calls Him in her appeal, Emperuman 
particularly remembers and repeats the name Govinda, as being responsible for 
making Him feel extremely obliged-

 

'Govinda!' iti yat aakrandat Krishnaa maam doora vaasinam

Rinam pravruddham iva me hridayaat na apasarpati'

 

Sri Pillai Lokacharya declares that it was this Govinda naama, not even the 
Lord Himself, which protected Droupati from certain shame and 
ignominy-'Droupatikku aapattile pudavai surandadu tirunaamam ire'. The Acharya 
explains that even if Emperuman is far off, as He was at distant Dwaraka when 
Droupati (at Hastinapuram) appealed to Him, His glorious Govinda naama is 
always by our side and would protect us from peril, if only we choose to utter 
it-'avan doorastthan aanaalum idu kitti nindru udavum'. Hence the Acharya 
concludes that the Govinda naama in particular and all Bhagavan naamaas in 
general, are greater and more glorious than the Lord Himself-'Vaachya 
prabhaavam pol andru vaachaka prabhaavam'. 

 

We come across several devotees, especially at Tirumala, uttering this holiest 
of holy names differently--some say 'Goyinda', yet others 'Gohinda'. 
Etymologically, such pronunciations rob the word of all significance, making it 
probably meaningless. However, as far as the Lord is concerned, it is the 
devotion with which the name is uttered, rather than its grammatical 
perfection, which matters more. Whichever way the Govinda naama is uttered, 
rightly or wrongly, it offers comprehensive protection to its votaries, unlike 
most other mantras which require perfect pronunciation and intonation. This 
again is stated by Sri Pillai Lokacharya-'sollum kramam ozhiya sonnaalum than 
svaroopam keda nillaadu'.

 

Well, if it is all that exalted as is touted by Shastras, the purport of this 
tirunaamam must indeed be profound. What exactly does the name Govinda mean? 
According to the Sri Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram, the Lord is known as Govinda: 
as He is the (sole) recipient of wholesome words of praise by the 
Shruti-'Gavaam, Stuti Giraam vinda: Govinda: sa udaahrita:'. It is a 
universally accepted fact that all words of the immaculate Vedas are nothing 
but words of adoration and adulation addressed to Emperuman. At places, it may 
appear that the Shruti is heaping praise on various devatas like Agni, Vaayu, 
Varuna, Indra, Rudra, et al. However, all such paeans of praise are meant 
solely for the Universal Inner Dweller, the Paramatma. As such, Sriman Narayana 
is the only person entitled to be adulated ('Stavya:' says the Sahasranaamam) 
and to whom all words of admiration are addressed, thus making Him Govindan. 

 

Sri Parasara Battar interprets the naama as referring to Varaha Perumal-He is 
Govindan because He rescued and regained Mother Earth who had been spirited 
away by asuras and hidden deep under the ocean. In support of this, he quotes 
the Lord Himself, in the following Mahabhaarata slokam-

 

'nashtaam cha dharaneem poorvam avindam cha guhaa gataam

Govinda iti tenaaham devai: vaagbhi: abhishtuta:'.

 

This appears to be most authentic interpretation, since it comes from Emperuman 
Himself and is reiterated elsewhere too in Mahabharata-

 

'imaam hi dharaneem poorvam nashtaam saagara mekhalaam

Govinda  ujjahaara aasu Vaaraaham roopam aasrtita;'

 

The most obvious interpretation and the one which brings out in full the Lord's 
admirable trait of Accessibility or Soulabhyam, is of course to define Him as 
one who attains/protects/leads cows. Just think of it, the Supreme Paramatma, 
the omnipotent Parabrahmam coming down to earth and moving as one with the 
lowliest of lowly and engaging Himself in the humble occupation of a cowherd! 
The Lord is praised by Indra as being the leader of cows, in the following 
Harivamsa sloka-

 

'Aham kila Indro devaanaam, tvam gavaam Indratvam gata;

 Govinda iti lokaa: tvaam stoshyanti bhuvi saasvatam'

 

He knows each of the cows in Gokulam individually and inside out. And the cows 
know Him too, recognizing Him as the Supreme Lord and showering their love and 
affection on Him in abundant measure-- this too gives Him the name 
Govinda;-"Govindo vedanaat gavaam". And He is crowned by Indra as the King of 
Cows, in what is known as Govinda Pattaabhishekam, which followed the Lord's 
holding up the Goverdhana mountain for seven days with His little finger, as a 
protective umbrella for the cows and cowherds of Gokulam from the sleet, rain 
and storm let loose by an enraged Indra, denied his usual annual tribute. 
'Abhyashinchata Daasaarham"

 

There are several other subsidiary meanings of the Govinda naama arrived at by 
scholars who have immersed themselves in the beauty and glory of this hallowed 
name of the Lord.

 

It is interesting if you see how the Govinda nama is used by scriptures while 
denoting the Paramatma. To offer just one example, we know the famous 
Taittiriyopanishad dictum which tells us that all demigods perform their 
appointed work, prompted by fear of the Parabrahmam-"Bheeshaasmaat vaata; 
pavate, bheeshodeti Soorya: bheeshaasmaat Agnischa Indrascha, Mrityu: 
dhaavati'. That Paramatma, who is left nameless by the Taittiriyopanishad, is 
identified definitively as Govinda, by the Gopala Poorvataapini 
Upanishad-'Govindaat Mrityu: bibheti'. If Govinda is thus the source of fear 
("Bhaya krit"), He is also the one who destroys fear "Bhaya naasana:", we are 
told by Sri Mahabharatam-

"Atasee pushpa sankaasam peeta vaasasam Achyutam

Ye namasyanti Govindam na teshaam vidyate bhayam'

 

It is Govinda who is touted to be the holiest of the holy, the most auspicious 
of all that is held auspicious-

 

'Pavitraanaam hi Govinda: pavitram param uchyate

Punyaanaam api punya: asou mangalaanaam cha mangalam'

 

He might have a thousand and more names, but the name to which He answers with 
pleasure is of course the Govinda naama, because it reminds Him of His sojourn 
with cows and Gopas and Gopis, who are extremely dear to His heart. In fact, He 
is pained if addressed by any other name indicating His supremacy, which is why 
Sri Andal beseeches Him not to be annoyed at being called such names-'Siru per 
azhaittanavum seeri arulaade.' Again, to indicate the wantlessness of the 
Paramatma and to explain His having attained all that He desires, it is the 
Govinda naama that She resorts to-'Kurai ondrum illaada Govinda!'. Such is 
Andal's fascination and infatuation with the Govinda nama, that she trains even 
Her parrots to continuously call out only that tirunaamam -"Koottil irundu kili 
eppodum Govinda!Govinda! endru azhaikkum"

 

The greatness and glory of the Govinda naama are such that they are capable of 
instantly transforming hell into heaven, says Tondaradippodi Azhwar-"poriyil 
vaazh narakam ellaam pul ezhundu ozhiyum andre". Though there is no direct 
reference here to the Govinda nama, it is clear by inference, as Azhwar speaks 
earlier of the three-lettered name of the Lord-"Govinda"-- which conferred 
liberation on even a vile and wicked knave like Kshatrabandhu-"Moondru ezhutthu 
udaya peraal Katthirabandhum andre paraangati kandu kondaan". The same idea of 
Govinda nama being the sole panacea for all mundane ills is emphasized by 
Vishnu Dharmam too-

"Yadi samsaara nirvedaat abhivaanchasi sadgatim

  Tat aaraadhaya Govindam". 

Further, not only does Govinda not have any "Kurai" or wants, He makes His 
devotees too rid of any unrequited desires-for, a single utterance of the 
Govinda nama is capable of conferring merits which cannot be attained even by 
gifting a million cows during the auspicious eclipse period, by living for ages 
on the banks of the sacred Ganga at Kasi and Prayag, giving off gold in 
mountainous quantities to the needy and performing innumerable sacrifices 
ordained in the Vedas.

 

The famous Ambareesha Chakravarthy is another votary of the Govinda nama, as 
would appear from his response to Indra. The Emperor tells the chief of 
celestials that it is natural for Devas to place hurdles in the way of those 
whose devotion to Govinda is steadfast, for the celestials are envious of the 
devotees. And why should there be such envy? Because the votaries of Govinda 
would definitely rid themselves of Samsara and thus place themselves beyond the 
power of Devas. Here is the relative slokam from Vishnu Dharmam--

 

'Srooyate kila Govinde bhakti udvahataam nrinaam

Samsaaraarnava bheetaanaam tridasaa: paripanthina:'

 

Notwithstanding any such hurdle, the Emperor expresses his resolve never to 
forsake the worship of Govinda, for nothing else could be more auspicious-

 

'Govinda bhaktaadhikam shreyascha anyam na vidyate

Sa tvam prahara maa vaa mayi vajram Purandara!

Naaham utsrijya Govindam anyam aaraadhayaami bho:'

 

However, is the Govinda nama part of a potent mantra, like Narayana, Vishnu and 
Vasudeva, which respectively form the body of the Ashtaakshara, Shadakshara and 
Dvaadasaakshara mantras? Yes, the Upanishad tells us, calling it the 
five-lettered/worded formulation-"Govindasya pancha padam manum". To those who 
meditate on the Lord and surrender to Him using this Govinda mantra prefaced by 
Pranavam, He shows Himself in all His splendour, we are told-"teshaam asou 
darsayat aatma roopam tasmaat mumukshu: abhyaset nitya shaanti:" Apart from the 
Govinda mantra, this holy name also forms an integral part of the MahaSudarsana 
mantram. 

 

Govindan is described as a beautiful moorthi, distinct and different from other 
forms of Sriman Narayana. He is depicted with not one or two, but four bows in 
His four hands, all meant for aasrita rakshanam (protection of the devout), 
which sets Him apart as a Saviour par excellence. He is extraordinarily 
effulgent, His splendour not that of the scorching Sun, but resembling that of 
a thousand moons, cool, pleasant and inviting, instantly relieving us from the 
horrible heat of Samsara. Here is Swami Desikan's tribute to Govindan, in his 
Panniru Tirunaamam-

 

"Govinan endrum kulir madiyaagi kodiyavarai

  Evum dhanukkaludan terkkilum ul kazhutthilum

  Mevum tiruvarulaal vinai teertthu enai aandu arulum

  Poovan tozha atthi maa malai mel nindra punniyane"

 

                             When my ruminations drew to a close, I recollected 
what started off the train of thought-the habit of people uttering the Govinda 
nama, especially when they are cheated, looted or lose money otherwise. I 
realized, on second thoughts, that the habit is not as inappropriate as I 
originally concluded, but is indeed the losers' call to the Lord, just like 
Droupati, for assistance at a time of distress, due to the involuntary 
realization that it is to Govinda they must appeal,  at a time of anguish and 
pain. If the hills of Tirumala have been reverberating since time immemorial 
with the devotees' call of "Govinda!", despite Srinivasa having no apparent 
connection with the particular name, it speaks volumes about bhaktas' 
preference for the intoxicating elixir of the Govinda nama. Thus, while 
scholars prefer the name for its profound purport, the proletariat prefers it 
for its simplicity and sweetness, making this holy name one of universal 
acceptance and adulation. 

 

                                   Here are a few slokas I found in the course 
of my browsing, which sit sweet on the tongue, for your perusal and pleasure-

 

"Namo viggyaana roopaaya paramaananda roopine

  Krishnaya Gopeenaathaaya Govindaya namo nama:

 

Barhi peedaabhiraamaaya raamaaya aakuntta medhase

Ramaa maanasa hamsaaya Govindaya namo nama:

 

Kesava! klesa harana! Narayana! Janardana!

Govinda!Paramaananda!maam samuddhara Madhava!

 

Yata: Satyam yato Dharma: yato hree: aarjavam yata:

 Tato bhavati Govinda: yata: Krishna: tato jaya:

 

Go koti daanam grahaneshu, Kaasi Prayaaga Gangaa krita kalpa vaasa:

Yagyaayutam Meru suvarna daanam Govinda naamnaam na kadaapi tulyam".

 

 

Srimate SriLakshmiNrisimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana 
Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

dasan, sadagopan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vrindavane cha govindam


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> 
Get to your groups with one click. Know instantly when new email arrives
http://us.click.yahoo.com/.7bhrC/MGxNAA/yQLSAA/XUWolB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~-> 

 
Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Oppiliappan/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    Oppiliappan-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
 




[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index ] [Thread Index ] [Author Index ]
Home Page
http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia
oppiliappan-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
To subscribe to the list