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Seventh Day of Danur Maasam:

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V. Sadagopan • December 22, 1996 


SRI BHATTANAATHA SUREENDHRA 
MANASAAMBHOJA VAASINEH I
SRIMADH VATAMAHAADHAAMA
SWAMINEH NITYA MANGALAM II

After this salutation to VaTapathra Saayee , we will
offfer our salutations to AndAL's illustrious father ,
who established that Sriman NarayaNA as the 
supreme Tattvam(Para Tattvam ) in the court of the king :

SREEDHANVEE NAGARAADHEESA
MANGALAASAASINOH ANISAM I
NIRNEENATHA  PARATATVAAYA
VISHNUCHITTHAAYA MANGALAM II

On this seventh day of Marghazhi , let us reflect on 
greatness of the names of Godhai , given by 
Swami Desikan  to AndAL . 

Sri Summapatti KrishNa Iyengar has written an insightful
article on this subject and I will base this posting on 
mnay points assembled by him in  his essay .

GodhA Devi
*  *  *  *  *  *  *

In an earlier posting , I referred to one intrepretation
of Her name as " GAVAADHEEYATEH IDHI GODHAA ."
That intrepretation indicated that She was the one 
yielded by Bhumi Devi . This reference is associated with her birth
under the Tulasi plant in the Nandavanam of VishNuchitthar
at Srivilliputhur . I referred to her birth as being simiar to
that of SeethA Devi , who was discovered by king Janaka ,
when he ploughed the field to prepare for the Yaga SaalA 
at Mithilai . HanumAn has described SeethA's avathaaram as 
" UtthithA medhineem bhithvA " and saluted Her arrival 
as a result of splitting of  the earth and SeethA arising out of 
that clevage of Bhumi Pradesam .
 
GodhA's name in this context has again been intrepreted as
" GHAANDHYATHEETHI  GODHAA  " . The word  "Ghandhyathethi "
is equivalent to "Bhithvaa" or splitting of  the earth . Here again GodhA's
origin as the one arising from the clevage of earth as the incarnation
of Bhumi Devi is indicated . 

Vedic Origin of Godha's name
*********************************

Earlier I referred to the Taittiriya SamhitA manthram ,
" GruthEna SeethA-- " as being connected with Seetha and 
also GodhA because of their birth on the track created by the 
plough ( Laankala Paddhathi or  kalappai uzhudha vazhi  ) . 

The second  association of the name GodhA with the Vedic text
aises from her Prabhandhams , which sanctifies the jeevarAsis
through Her AnushTaana Purva Grantham , Thiruppavai . In this
context , The Name Godha has been understood as "GAA :
DHADHAATHI IDHI GODHAA " . The Vedic context , the  word
"GAA : " stands for Vaak and Vedam . Rig Vedic passage celebrates
this divine Vaak giving power this way :

" UPA NA : SAVANAAGMAHI SOAMSYA SOMAPAA: PIBHA I
GEETHAA IDHEVATHO PADHA : " --Rig Vedam 1st ashtakam, 1.7

In Svapadesam , this passage is connected to Thiruppavai
Nonbhu of GodhA , which is identical to the Soma Yagam 
of Vedic seers . The end is the Kshemam of the Universe .
GodhA Herself states in Thiruppavai , "SELVA THIRUMAALAAL 
ENGHUM THIRUVARUL PERRU INPURUVAR " .  She helps
the devotees of Her  Lord receive the bounteous gifts and 
divine wisdom and wealth as spontaneously as ripe fruit
from a loaded branch of a fruit tree .This thought is housed 
in yet another passage of Rig Vedam :

EVAAHY ASYA SUNRUTHAA VIRAPSI GHOMATHI MAHEE I
PAKKAA SAAKHAA NA DAASUSHEH II -- Rig Vedam 1.8. 8  

AndAL's Thiruppavai is indeed a ripe and delicious  fruit 
bursting with fragrance and nourishing values for spirtual
upliftment . One Taniyan for AndAL in this context salutes 
Thiruppavai as the seed of all VedAs (Vedam anaitthukkum 
vitthaahum ) . 

The observance of Thiruppavai Nonbhu and the continued
prayers of GodhA in NacchiyAr Thirumozhi to unite with Govindhan
as her Consort again has vedic significance and provides 
additional evidence to the Vedic connotation of the Name 
GodhA . In the ancient text of Rig Vedam , two pasages have 
been identified as being close to the Vratham of AndAL to
obtain  the blessings of  the Lord as her husband.

One passage prays to Agni Devaa to accept the Vedic seer's prayer 
just as the (eternal) youth accepts the prayerful wishes for union
with Him by young ladies of marriagable age (STHOYAM
JUSHETHAAM YUAVASEVA KANYAANAAM VISVEHA DEVAOU
SAVANAAYA GACCHATHAM ) .

Another Rig Vedic passage 
has the echo of the prayerful wish of  sporting with the Yamunai
Thuraivan through Jalakreetai . AndAL's indirect  prayer is " Koodiyirunthu
KuLirnthElOrempAvAi ". The Vedic passage refers to a Devan by 
the name of Soman( Govindhan ) playing with the young 
women (Gopis )  in the waters of the river :

YAABHI: SOMOH MODHATEH HARSHATEH CHA 
KALYAANIBHIRYUVATHIBHIRNAPARYA: I
THAA ADHVARYOH MODHATEH APOH ACCHAA
PAREHI YAHAASINCHAA OSHADHIBHI: PUNITHAATH II
----RIG VEDAM , 7TH ASHTAKAM, 7.24 RK

The Connection between GodhA and Soodi Koduttha NAcchiyAr
*********************************************************************

The Syllable "GOH" has also the meaning of Koondhal 
or the tresses of Hair of a lady . DHAA means one who gave.
AndAL of beautiful black tresses of Hair wore the garlands 
prepared by her father and then gave it to Vatapathra Sayee 
to wear it. In the grammatical context , "DHAA " also is 
connectable to " Dhaip Sodhaneh " . That leads onto a meaning of 
pure , sacred and beautiful (Thooymai , Azhagu ) . Swami Desikan
salutes this "Soodikkoduttha NaacchiyAr " at number of places
in his GodhA sthuthi :

1. DHATTEH NATHENA SIRASAA TAVA MOWKTHI MAALAAM 
2. SOWBHAGYA SAMPADHABHISHEKHA MAHAADHIKAARAM
3.MOWLISRAJAA TAVA  MUKUNDHA KIREETA BHAAJAA 

Hence , the name " Soodikkoduttha gandham kamazhum 
Thirukkuzhal NaacchiyAr " is an appropriate name for 
GodhA  Piratti .

GodhA : One who has been sanctified by Vedic way and 
**************************************************************
given as Kanyaa Dhaanam by PeriyAzhwAr :
***********************************************

The name GodhA also stands for " Odhi KodukkapattavaL ".
The word "Odhi " means sanctified by the Veda Manthraas.
AndAl herself describes her VivAham to Govindhan in
the proper Vedic Way in the VaraNamiyaram section 
of Nacchiyaar Thirumozhi this way :

1. " YENNAI MAGHAL PESI  MANTHIRITTHU  " --NT 6.3

2. VAAI NALLAAR  MARAI ODHI MANTHIRATTHAAL
PAASILAI NAANAL PADUTTHU PARIDHI VAITTHU
KAAICHINA MAAKALIRANAN YEN KAI PARRI 
THEE VALAM SEYAA KANAA KANDEHN -- NT 6. 7 

Here she refers to the Kanyaa VaraNam , PaaNi
GrahaNam and the SEVEN STEPS around the fire 
as described in the Rig Vedic section ( X .32.1 and X . 85)

May the Veda MathA , GodhA guide us further into the 
understanding of Her divine AruLiccheyalkaL .

Srimathyai GodhAyai NamO nama:

Oppilaippan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan