||    Name of Godhai, given by Swami Desikan to AndAL    ||

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

After this salutation to VaTapathra Saayee, we will offer 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 many points assembled by him in his essay.

GodhA Devi
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In an earlier posting, I referred to one interpretation of Her name as " GAVAADHEEYATEH IDHI GODHAA ." That interpretation 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 interpreted 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
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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 arises 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 spiritual 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 marriageable 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
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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 :
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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

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