- 8th Song of Tiruppavai
Keezhvanam vellendru erumai siruveedu
As east brightens, cattle started to graze tender grass
Meyvaan parandhanakan mikkulla pillaikalum
Moving along with birds, and young kids
Povaan pogindrarai pogaamal katthu unnai
Instead of calling each, we stoppedall to drive
Koovuvan vandhu nindrom kodhugalamudaiya
To Him and calling you, the God-loving girl
Paavai ezhundirai paadi p parai kondu
Awake dear and join us to get God’s gift of parai
Maavay pilandhanai mallaraia mattiya
Krishna, who tore Keshi mouth apart & killed Musthi-Chaanura
Devadi devanai sendru naam sevitthaal
Prostrate & Pray beforethe King of Gods,
Aavaa vendra rayndh arulelor empavai
O Girls, come He will bless us with all compassion
[Transliteration of 8th song followed by translation from Tamil (in bold)]
Awakening Nammalwar
Goda is awakening third Gopika and Nammaalwaar. She referred to Guru Mantra Asmat Sarva Gurubhyonnamah, saluting all Gurus. Having deep interest in Bhagavan, His devotees – Bhagavatottama, and in all who love Bhagavan, symbolise Nammaalwaar- when Goda says ‘Kodukula Mudai Paavaay’. In 7th song she referred to Kulasekhara Aalwaar and in 6th song her father Periyaalwar was reached.
Goda knocks door of a Gopika, who is inside her residence: With gradual rise of predawn brightness, the cattle started to graze the dew laden tender grass, along with young cowherds. Instead of calling all of them individually, we stopped them to divert them to Krishna’s place. We want you also join us and hence standing at your door. Krishna, the wonder boy has torn the mouth of Keshi, the demon in the form of Horse, defeated and killed wrestlers Musthi and Chaanura, the rogue elephant Kuvalayapeedam, and plucked out its tusks. Balaram and Krishna carried each tusk on their shoulders and entered Raja Sabha. Krishna pulled down Kamsa and killed himhis punches. He did all this in his teenage itself. I know you have deep interest in reaching Lord Krishna. Then. why don’t you get up, we all shall sing his praises and seek gift of Parai (Dakka- music instrument) as promised.
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Keshi is a Horse-demon sent by Kamsa to kill Bala Krishna. Horse was happy when Krishna put his hand into his mouth. Demon thought it was easy to eat out the hand. But Krishna increased size of the hand suffocating him to death. Some fools open mouth only to eat and do not open to ask for the knowledge. But Krishna can make it open to more than its size.Mushtikaasura is symbol of unsatiated desires while Chaanura represents Anger (Krodha). To get rid of two, God has to bless through Achaarya.
These are all wonderful and unimaginable deeds of Krishna, which appear to be impossible for any in that age. But for Him it is nothing. He does not remember those actions or bother about. Whereas the devotees, out of their abundant love and devotion, feel that they must pray for His protection and sing for safety for Him (Mangalashaasanam)
Upanishads say that five Indriyas 1. Vision (cakkh-indriya), 2.Hearing (shrot-indriya), 3.Smell (ghrān-indriya), 4.Taste (jivh-indriya), 5.Touch (kāy-indriya) are five horses of desires that pull the chariot of ‘human body’ into five different and opposite directions. If the reins of mind is placed in the hands of wisdom, chariot will reach the goal, if not break into pieces.
Also Read : The divine path shown by paramahamsas
Goda says determining to travel to reach God itself is a pleasant thought. Goal is good but the travel itself is a happy process. If the several travel together to reach God’s place, it will be a great pleasure. Godasays the journey of Jeevi after death towards the abode of God (Archiradi), Journey of Akrura to Nanda Vraja village to invite Sri Krishna to Mathura, and journey to Tirumala to have darshan of Lord Venkateswara are the pleasant journeys greater than the destination. The thought of journey or the determination (sankalpa) for journey gives great joy. Goda says such journey with a team is greater joy. She preaches in this ‘greater joy of going together for good deeds and for God.
Goda incorporated a meaningful conversation between Goda (or Gopika outside the door and another Gopika inside) in this Pashuram (song)
Goda: It is appointed time to meet Krishna. My team is asking how you can sleep in this hour.
Gopika: How do you know that such time arrived?
Goda: East is brightened, do not you see?
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Gopika: You are suffering separation from Krishna;you have strong desire to meet Him. You are always thinking about it. Your faces are bright like Sun, and you always like white curds and white milk. Hence you find everything around as bright and white.
Goda: Cattle started at early morning to graze on tender grass, along with kids of cowherds. If Krishna also goes with them, how can we meet Him? Can we survive without Him? Please wake up from your sleep and join us.
Gopika: Milch animal did not go for grazing. Your bright faces moved away the shadows which looked like the moving animals. The light is emanating from your bright faces, not sunrays. This is Anyatha Jnanam (the other knowledge, which means you are under illusion that clouds are animals). Thinking shadows or clouds as animals is Vipareetha Jnanam (Considering one as another, for example, believing serpent as rope and rope as serpent). The Brahma Muhurtha- pre-dawn time- is conducive for securing Yathartha Jnana with Sathwa Guna, Afternoon makes it easy to get Anyatha Jnana because of Rajo Guna, and at night with Tamo Guna gives Vipareetha Jnana)
Goda: Okay, ours is Anyatha or Vipareetha Jnana. As you have Yathartha Jnana, please tell me how you consider that it is still not the dawn?
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Gopika: We have 5 lakhs Gopikas in Brindavan, but not even a thousand came here.
Goda: They came and left.
Gopika: Then you may not need me. Or you do not care for me.
Goda: Not like that. They were all in a group and as they do not know whether you were here or already left. They might have gone to see you there. They care for you.
Gopika: Why did they go?
Goda: Those who are on the way to Shree Vaikuntham in Archiraadi route, or Akrura, who is travelling to Nanda Vraj to see Sri Krishna, or those going to Tirumala for Lord Venkateshwara’s Darshan. Going itself is their purpose, nothing else.
Gopika: When they left me behind, what is the use of coming now.
Goda: Now you know why they went. We told them that you are yet to come. Then they stood standstill with surprise. None ordered or asked them to be so. When they came to know that you did not arrive, they could not move at all. Then we asked them to stay there assuring that we would get you. As they thought glancing Lord Krishna was soul purpose, for use requesting you to come with us is our sole purpose. And came to your doorsteps. Please come. When Ram’s army of Vaanaraas reached Lanka, Vibheeshan came to meet Ram and stood in sky above this side of Ocean. The moment he saw Ram, he was standstill. We also stood without movement for you.
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Gopika: What is my greatness for all of you are waiting only for me.
Goda: Krishna Himself loves you and looks for you. Otherwise, we do not have any eligibility to come and invite you. As He loves you, we too want you. We want to see your grace and beauty as you walk towards us. Please give us credit of succeeding in inviting you and that you honoured our request.
Gopika: What is that we gain now…
Goda: We get again what we used to achieve from the graceful look of Krishna. Elders of village separated us from Him. We were only meditating Him and hiding the pleasure. Now they are permitting us to meet Krishna. Now we can sing his praises without any hesitation and enjoy. Let us prostrate Him as He told us in Bhagavadgeeta.
Gopika: Will Lord Krishna grant us boon of that music instrument Parai.
Goda: He killed all our enemies like demons in the form of Horse and many other, and offered Himself to our love, hence, he would surely give us that gift.
Gopika: Its an old story. Now He went to Capital City Mathura where he might have seen more beautiful women. He might have forgotten us long back.
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Goda: He killed Chaanura and Musthikasura and gave darshan of his lotus like face to women like us there. He will never forget us.
Gopika: He is praised as King of Gods, why should He bother about us.
Goda: Yes. He is Devaadideva, but for us he descended as one among us- cowherds. And if we go first on foot for Him, He will respect our effort and feel for giving us the trouble of walking to him. He will surely come to our rescue. As Rama arrived in Forest during exile, ascetics and Rishis went to Him seeking protection from demons. Rama felt guilty as He did not reach them first and gave them pain of reaching Him. He cannot tolerate the pain of His devotees. When Guha rushed to reach Him, Rama says you walked to meet me, what else one can do than this. He embraced Guha. Come let us go fast to see Him.
Also Read : Narayana-both the Process and Product
Goda sings this to inspire us to tread on the path of good, together in a group.
Also Read : Goda’s Tiruppavai
