||   Govindha Naama Sankeerthanam of GodhA Piratti    ||

Yesterday, we enjoyed the many meanings of "GodhA". She was born in Srivilliputthur. She considered her birth place as Gokulam and joined with Her friends -as Gopis did- and sang the praise of Govindhan and sought Him as Her husband.

Of Srivilliputthur, it is said:

"Godhai piranthavoor
Govindhan Vaazhumoor ".

Here He came and wed her and stays there even now in His father-in-law's house as RangamannAr. On a Eka Peetam, he lets us enjoy his SubhAsrayam with his dear Godhai and Garudan.

It is important therefore for us to reflect on the greatness of the name of Govindhan and engage in Govindha Naama Sankeerthanam on this day , which is the 8th day of MarghaZhi and reminds one of the Lord's Ashtakshara Manthram.

Govindha Naama Vaibhavam
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The following VishNu Sahasra naamam section reveals the vaibhavam of Govindhan:

mahEshvAsO maheebirthA Srinivaasa: sathAm gathi : I
Aniruddha: SurAnandhO GovindhO GovidhAm pathi: II

Eight Sahasra NaamAs close to "GovindhA" are covered in this section of ShasraNaamam , once again reminding one of the significance of the number eight ( Mula manthram ).

The first name , " MaheshvAsa: " refers to RamAvathAram. The ChaNda KodhaNda MaNdhitha Raghuveeran discharging great arrows is invoked by this Naamam. Literally, this name refers to the One great VillALi (Sree Dhanur NagarAdheesan-Sri VILLI putthur Vatapatra Sayee), who stood facing RavaNA in the battle field and cut off the ten heads of the latter with his sharp and powerful arrows discharged by Kodhandham.

" Mahee barthA " is the second of the eight names. This literally means the bearer or the holder of this Earth. He bore Bhumi Devi on his tusk as a Boar during His VarahAvathAram. It has also been intrepreted as referring to KurmAvathAram, since he is supporting this earth as Kurma BhagaVan . I prefer to interpret this name as Varaha Murthy coming out of the PraLayA waters holding Bhumi Devi on his tusk like teeth. Our most merciful mother asked him at that time for forgiveness of the erring chetanAs out of her role as mediatrix and He in response to his
dear consort's request gave us the Varaha Sarama Slokam referred by the 45th Jeeyar of Ahobila Mutt in his Nangai Nallur upanyAsam. We are now connected through this name to AndAL (Bhumi Piratti) as well as Her husband Govindhan as VarAha PerumAn.

The third of the eight names is Srinivasan . This Lord of Sri presides over the seven hills , which echo with Govindha Naama Sankeerthanam every day.

The fourth namA is SathAm gathi:. He is the refuge of the pious. AndAL's anushtAnam of Paavai Nonbhu is to illustrate the unbreakable relationship between the righteous (sathAm) offering SaraNAgathi at His Lotus feet and the power of Purushakaaram of AndAL that makes that SaraNAgathi effective at the target (Gathi) of Govindhan.

The fifth name is Aniruddha:. This namaa indicates that the Charms of Govindhan are irresistible. Why is he Irresistible asks Niruktham and answers " Anantha CheshTa yukthathvAth Aniruddha: ". His limitless pranks and leelAs make him adorable and irresistible. PeriyAzhwAr fell for those Anantha CheshTaas and took on the form of mother YasOdhA to enjoy them. His daughter fell in love with them too and NammazhwAr and all the other AzhwArs were not spared from the overpowering charms of Govindhan saluted by the dasama skhandham of Srimadh Bhagavatham.

The name AniruddhA also stands for the HamsAvathaaram of the Lord. In this AvathAram, He reinstructed BrahmA about the VedAs , since BrahmA had forgotten about them at one time due to his egotism. Hamsa Murthy is the Veda Purushan. Hamsam also stands for Parama Hamsa ParivrajakA AcharyAs, who have chosen SanyAsAsramam. This avathAra is also saluted as HAMSAGREEVAN. Both Hamsagreevan and Hayagreevan are closely associated with the four VedAs. As Hayagreevan is the Lord who recovered the Vedas from the two AsurAs , who stole them from BrahmA.

The sixth name is SurAnandha:. He is the source of delight to all of the Gods , who need his protection. IndrA was taught a lesson by the Govardhana Giridara Govindhan. IndrA learnt his lessons and performed Govindha PattAbhishekam. BrahmA recognized his mistake and understood the power of this Maayan is limitless and bewildering.

All of these six names lead to the most meaningful seventh name, (Viz)., Govindhan . Literally the meaning of the name has been translated as " the recipient of the words of praise ". The eulogies and doxologies originate from the Gods and pious Men and Women. Even AndAL is included here based on her Naama Sankeerthanam in Thiruppavai as compiled by Sri VeNugopaala Naicker :

KoodArai Vellum seer GOVINDHAA !
Uhn tannai paaadi parai kondu GOVINDHAA !
Yaam perum Sanmaanam GOVINDHAA !
Naadu pukazhum GOVINDHAA !
ParisinAl nanrAha GOVINDHAA !
SoodahamE tOLvaLaiE GOVINDHAA !
ThodE sevippoovE GOVINDHAA !
PadahamE yenranaya GOVINDHAA !
palkalanum yaam aNivOm GOVINDHAA !
Aadai uduppOm GOVINDHAA !
Athan pinnE paal soru GOVINDHAA !
Mooda ney peythu GOVINDHAA !
Muzhankai vazhivaraikku GOVINDHAA !
KOODI IRINDHU GOVINDHAA !
KULIRNTHELOREMPAAVAAI GOVINDHAA !

AndaL sings thus about the "KuraivonrumilAtha GOVIDHAN" in Her Thiruppavai.

The eighth Sahasran namAm assocated with this section is " GOVIDHAAM PATHI " . He is saluted here as the protector of those, who know the "words". The Goh sabdham here refers to those who know the words of the VedAs ( Arya or Dhramidi Vedam like Thiruppavai and other Divya Prabhandhams ).

Parasara Bhattar takes Niruktham as his source to intrepret this name : Veda VidhpadhO Manu : ". He also quotes another source referring to Jnana Yogam practiced by Parama HamsAs . This souce states: " One should meditate upon the AtmA as the HamsA incarnation , who enjoys the knowlege of sacrifice (JnAna Yagnam) offered to Him (Govindhan).

On this ninth day of Margazhi Month, We will continue to focus on the significance of the name GovindhA for the Lord. We shall continue with the insights provided by Sri S.KrishNa Iyengar of SummApatti.

Earlier , we indicated that the name Govindha is renowned for its Vedic Connotations , just as the name GodhA. For instance, the name has been understood as " GObhi: Veda Vaakhthya: vEdyatE ithi Govinda : " (i-e)., He is the one that is understood by the Veda mantrAs. Another meaning for the name can be found in the statement: " SarvE vedA yadh padhamAmananthi ", (i-e) He is the one at whose lotus feet all the VedAs long to be at . Yet anothe r definition of the name of GovindhA is: Sarve VedA yathrai kam bhavanthi (i-e)., The one in whom all the Vedas become happy through their union. Ka means Brahman in the Vedic terminology. The literal translation that the Vedas become Brahman suggests that they merge with Him as His svAsam. Such a Veda Purushan is Govindhan . In His own words, the GeethAcharyan has revealed that he is the one to be known by all of the Vedas ( Vedaisccha Sarvai : ahameva Vedha : ) .

Govindhan is the reason for his name because all the praise/sthothram reach Him amd Him only. All archanAs like the one ArjunA did for Lord Siva arrived at His feet . This is indicated by the following verse:

gowrevaishA tathaa vANi taam cha yath vindatE bhavAn I
Govindasthu tathO Deva munibhi : kathyatE BhavAn II

(Meaning): Gow : means all sounds or words or Vedic salutations. Since Govindhan receives all these salutations independent of whomever they are addressed to as eulogies, the sages declare Him to be Govindhan .

In the Vaarthikam of PaNIni's suthrAs on grammar, it is said that the word GovindhA is the indicator or sign or code (SamjnA) for Sriman NaarayaNA .

Thirumazhisai has celebrarated the Sabdha Vaasyatvam of Govindhan this way: "SollinAl thodarchi nee, sollapadum poruLum nee". There is nothing in this world that is outside His creation and they are linked together with Him as Sarira -Saariree tatvam .

Even though there are thousands of names for Sriman NarAyaNA , the one name that is chosen unfailingly for Sankeerthanam is "GovindhAn ". The hills of Thirupathi echo with the sounds of "GovindhA , GovindhA" as Karpooratthi for Lord SrinivasA is made. In the lower Thirupathi , the Lord's name accordingly is GovindarAjan .

One of the two key parts of the name Govindha is the gO sabdham. This sabdham has many meanings : (1) Moksham (2) speeding Arrow (3) ow (4) Divine speech (5) VajrA weapon (6) JnaankkaNN (7) sight (8) Flame/JwAlai (9) Bhumi (10) victory .

The second part of the name Govindhan is Vindhan and the latter is derived from the root (DhAthu ) Vidh. This root has the following four meanings: (1) Arithal or Cognition (2) Adaithal or obtainment (3) Irutthal or being there and (4) Vicharitthal or inquiring.

When the two roots are united to form the Govindha Naamam , it stands for the one who is the Moksha Pradhan ( One who can bless us with Moksham or release from the cycles of births and deaths ) or Veda Vedyan ( One who is understood by the manthrAs of the VedAs ) , one who gave the Vajra weapon to IndrA and who incarnated as the DasAvathara murthys.

There are also additional meanings for the Govindha Naamam. One of the meanikngs of gO sabdham is Jyothi or resplendent flame. Unlike other flames , this flame is svayam Jyothi (NaarayaNa parO jyothi according to Vedam). That is why nammAzhwAr addresses Him as " Paramjyothi GovindhA ".

GidhOpanishad and GodhOpanishad
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In the previous posting and this posting, we covered the many esoteric meanings of the name of the Lord's consort, GodhA and the Lord eulogised by the name of GovindhA . Their aruLiccheyalgaL ar eknown as GodhOpanishad and gitOpanishad respectively and are intended for our salvation. They practise Ekaseshithva Yogam GodhA states in one of Her Upanishads ( Naacchiyar Thirumozhi ): " uNbathu sollil ulagaLanthAn Vaaiamudham ". She was addressing the divine Panchajanyam (conch ) and asking about the nature of the taste of the Lord"s lips and mouth, where it rests during the time of battle . She herself guesses it and describes it in the above manner. The inner meaning of this Paasuram passage is: For the mind of the BhagavathAs, the most delectable and desirable item is the nectar that flowed form the Lord's lips and mouth
as the Rahasya Trayam .

The Taittiriya Prasnam states in this conrext: " EKAAKSHARAM DWIPADHAM SHATPADHAAM CHA VAACHAM DEVAA UPAJEEVANTHI VISWE VAACHAM DEVAA UPAJEEVANTHI VISWE" (I-E) ., Om is the Ekaksharam or PraNavam. The dwi padhams are the syllables "NamO " and NaarayaNAya ". This is the first rahasyam or Moola Manthram. The sacred Dvayam has six syllables and is the second rahasyam. This is known as the Manthra rathnam. The third Rahasyam is indicated by the letter cha in the above Upanishadic passage and stands for the Sarama skokam taught for the benefit of Arjuna and us by GeethAchAryan. These three rahasyams are the means for the life and the well being of all prapannAs (SarvE devA; Upajeevanthi). By the Rahasya Traya anusandhAnuAnam, GodhA is very pleased with the PrapannAs as suggested by the Veda Mnathram: SaanO havam JushathAm Indrapathnee ". Indra Pathnee or IndrA is the name of Bhu Devi indicated in Bhu Sooktham and Godha is the incarnation in kali
Yugam of Bhu Devi at Srivilliputthur as the daughter of PeriyAzhwAr.

There are 700 verses in Srimadh Bhagavadh GitA. There are only 30 Paasurams in Thruppavai. In GitA, the Lord pointed out the Siddha Dharma with the words, Sarva DharMaan Parithyajya Maamekam charaNam vrja.e indicated the means for our salvation in th form of command (AjnA rupam). AndAL followed that SaraNAgathi Dharmam to set us an example. She had the Aacharam to practice this AjnA of Her Lord on their earth. This according to the learned people is a demonstration of the superiority of AchAram over AjnA as revealed by AndAL through Her GodhOpanishad.

She is both "our father and mother and AchArya". Let us salute Her and her inseparable consort and conclude this section of the special postings for Marghazhi month.

GohA--Govindha divya dampathyai Namo Nama:

Sri VaishNava Daasan ,
Oppiliappan Koil Varadachari Sadagopan

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