15. Goda Govinda Geetham
Goda is waking up oneGopika who is immersed in meditating the Bhagawaan. Th team of Gopikas led be Goda wanted the inside Gopika to join them so that they have association with one who is close with the Bhagawaan. They ask her to come out and count them if she wants to ascertain whether all joined to praise Krishna. This is with an intention that she would spend more time with them, and that divine association with her will clear of all hurdles between them and Sri Krishna. Ultimate aim is to praise Krishna, who once saved an Elephant in Gajendra Mokshanam, and punished another Elephant that was commissioned by Kamsa to attack Him. People in Madhura saw the way Krishna killed the Kuvalayapeedam, Chanura and Mushtika, and finally the cruel king Kamsa. These victories were made Madhura people to worship Krishna and surrender to Him. They felt punishing these arrogant rogues will cause good to the world than saving one Elephant. Kuvalayaapeedam is the symbol of the Ego that attacked Krishna, whereas the in Gajendra Moksham, the elephant was proclaiming her surrender to Vishnu. This elephant was devoid of ego, and hence was saved by Krishna. Chaanura represents Kaama, Musthika is embodiment of Krodha. Ahankaara (ego), Kaama (desire), Krodha (anger) are the natural elements in each praani, and impediments in reaching the ultimate. The God Himself has to generously eliminate them from us. Krishna does it.
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Goda and other Gopikaas were waiting outside the house of a beautiful and clever lady, who heard all singing of Krishna. She started humming those tunes. It was very sweet to listen to that tune. Hence outsiders calledIlanKiliye. In Tamil Kile, means the parrot. Ilan means very young. This Paashuramalso is composed of conversation between Goda outside and Gopika. In other Paashurams conversation is partial, whereas here it is total from beginning to end. It goes on like this:
Goda: “O young parrot, we have all come for you; You know that. Are you still sleeping?” She and her colleagues wanted this Gopika to join them so that they get access to Krishna easily. They were praising her.
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Gopika inside: “O friends, don’t shout with chilling effect, I say, I am unhappy as I am separated from all of you, and it is not proper for you to praise me”. She assessed that Gopikaas and Goda might be suspecting presence of Krishna with her.
Goda: “You are a perfect personality, we know”.
Gopika: “No, not at all. Krishna is not with me. You are perfect persons, not me…Fine, I am coming to join you anyway”.
Goda: “You are very clever and adept at sweet talk. We know about your satire and hard-hitting words for long”.
Gopika: “Not me, you are very clever, you are calling me efficient, but I am unhappy as Krishna is far away, whereas you are all planning to reach Sri Krishna. I know it is my mistake that I did not join you in time. Ok you are right that I am a hard-nut”.
Goda: “Okay, then come. Do you have any other purpose?”
Gopika: “Have all of them come?”.
Goda: “Yes, if you want, come and count. We want to see you, dear.”
Gopika: “What shall we do together?”
Goda: Krishna, that wonderful person with surprising adventures, who killed Kuvalayapeedam, the rogue elephant of Kamsa, by pulling out its tusks and killing it with the same as weapons. He is a mysterious hero, who can defeat all the mischievous manipulations of enemies. He can kill the enmity among enemies. Let us all sing together about that wonderful little angel, Krishna.
Also read: Rama first kills ego of Raavana
Parrot indicates Acharya
They refer to Acharya as a parrot. When a person is immersed in meditation onParaamatma, even the sweet voice of Parrot irritateshim. Hence, she asks them not to make chilling sound. Immediately she says that it was her mistake not to have joined them in time. They surrender, consider them as lower or subordinate to the others. They shed the ego and tolerate the insulting words. Humility without ego is the character of a real Vaishnava.
Vaishnavas generally greet others with ‘Sarvaaparaadhini”, I am the one who committed so many mistakes…. Bharatha says, “it was my mistake, my actions in earlier Janma that caused Raama to go for exile, the mistake was neither my mother’s, nor king’s, nor Mandhara’s, but mine”.
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Seetha repents
Seetha also says she is suffering in Sri Lanka because of her own wrongs. I did a small and very big sin. Her small wrong was when Raama was disinclined to take Seetha along with him into the exile, she provoked Raama saying ironically “My father thought that he was giving his daughter to a male person”. Her big mistake was to hurtLakshmana with her harsh words and allegations for not going to the rescue ofRaama after hearing the words “Haa Seetha, Haa Lakshmana…” mimickingRaama’s voice. She feels: I am suffering in Lanka for the last ten months because of this major mistake against the devotee of Raama. Abusing Bhagawatha is a worse crime than abusingBhagawan Himself.
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Kurattaalwar’s devotion
Devoted disciple of Raamanuja, Kurattalwar goes to Srirangam. It was then under the control of King Chola, who hated Vishnu and Vaishnavism. He ordered not to allow into Ranganath Temple anyone related to Raamanuja. The soldiers there explain this order to Kurattalwar but they were ready to allow him into the temple if he abandoned his relation with Raamanuja. Kurattalwar refuses to enter the temple if the entry costs him his association with BhagavatottamaRaamanuja. He never adopted anything that is against Bhagavata’s (relating to devotees of Bhagawan) even if that is about Bhagawan.
Goda also narrates the importance of devotees in this Paashuram. Here Parrot means the Acharya who gains the same form as of Bhagawan. Sweet sounds of Parrot mean those who have great love for devotees. Goda calls Gopika inside to join them for association with the devotees.
In this part of the song, Goda pays tributes “SrimatheSathagopayanamah”. The tenth Alwar that was waken up is Tirumangai Alwar, who followedNammalwar, as a parrot did. Tirumangai Alwar also confirms this saying Nammalwaar known as Sathagopa, taught him Tiruvaimozhi. Tirumangaislept for years, hence the reference also points to him. He was considered a divine incarnation of Shaarnga, Vishnu’s bow.
Also read: GodaGovindaGeetham, 10
Goda coined the Hello type word first
The 15th song starts with word “Elle” which is an expression like ‘hello”, a greeting in English. Hello is a greeting word credited to Thomas Edison. Graham Bell used Ahoy, generally used on ships, as his telephone greeting. Holla means ‘stop’, and that must have modified into hallo and then became hello. Much earlier Goda, of7th Century called “Elle” as a starting word to conversation, in 15thPaashuram. Goda is the inventor of Elle that gradually became Hello.
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Madabhushi Sridhar
