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SriRangaSri List Archive: Message 00039 Jan 2005

 
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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












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