- Tiruppavai -5
We, in our mediation, give a shape to what we think the God will be. It is the ‘moorthy’ – the statue. If you can offer your hearts as flowers, sincerely, that is worship. If you invoke Him with love, they are mantras and that is called Archaa Rupam of Bhagavan. Goda explains this with her symbolic poetry, full of Rupaka Alankara studded sentences. The God has several addresses. As per her first poem He resides in Naaraayana Tatwa, the first abode. Naaraayana is everything. In second Pashuram, Vyuha i.e., Ocean of Milk is explained as His place. In third, His third place is referred as Vibhavam (His descendent forms – Avatara), fourth is Antaryami (explained in Fourth song), and fifth location of God is Archaswaroopam, the statue we created for our convenience.
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Fifth Pashuram
Maayanaimannuvada Madurai maindhanai
Krishna – the mysterious boy of Mathura in north
Thooyaperuneeryamunaiththuraivanai
On the serene banks of sacred Yamuna river waters
Aayarkulathinilthondrum ani-vilakkai
The brilliant effulgence of Yadava clan
Thaayai k kudalvilakkamseydhaDamodaranai
Who surrendered to Yashoda’s abundant lovebond
Thooyumaivandhu naam thoomalarthoovithozhudhu
We reach you with flowers of our hearts -pure with affection
Vayinarpadimanathinaalsindhikka
Meditate Krishna before singing Him
Poyapizhaiyumpugutharuvannindranavum
to burn the past sins, present misdeeds & future wrongs
Theeyinilthoosagumcheppelorempavai
like a sparkle of fire turns piled up cotton into ashes
(Eight lines transliterated into English each followed by translation (Red in colour) from Tamil)
Also Read : Bhagavan lives in Narayana Tatva
Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand are abodes of Gods- Rama and Krishna. Among cities, Mathura is that of Krishna, one who enjoys on the banks of River Yamuna, a brilliant light of Yadava clan, innocent cowherds. Yashoda got vexed with the mischief and mystery of Little Krishna, and wanted to punish Him. Though Krishna has shown the 14 Universes to mother in her little mouth, Yashado could not realize the NaaraayanaTatwa of Krishna, as he spread His Maya (illusion) over her. She wants to tie him down with ordinary thread.
Now onwards I am Damodara!
One who surrenders only to love, has stood before lovely mother offering her to tie him down. Every time she finds the rope short of required length, and the mischievous boy keeps on smiling. But He is the Ocean of Kindness, Karuna Samudra, Daya Saagara- hence allows the sufficient length of the rope. She is now successful in binding him to the heavy stone made grinder. He pulls them out of House, goes between two long trees, which fell to release two Gandharvas, relieving them from the curse. Later the mother finds the marks of rope around his stomach and tears roll down on to her cheeks. Krishna wipes out smilingly tells, Dear Mother they remain on my person as marks of your love and from now onwards I am Damodara. (Dam = marks on Udara- stomach). Goda reminds us in this Pashuram of this wonderful Damodara Leela, which Vyasa in Bhagavatam and Pothana in Telugu Bhagavatam explains in beautiful way. If not for love, is it possible for anyone to bind the Naaraayana who contains the 14 Universes in his stomach, who resides as Vaasu Deva in all beings, to a tiny piece of rope?
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Offering hearts like flowers
Goda says we all shall meditate about his deeds in Brindavan, sing the same, like Gopikas, who purified their hearts and minds with serene waters of Yamuna, and offer our hearts as flowers at his feet. Someone doubted, do you think this will happen, there could be many obstacles to this effort. You remember, Dasaratha fixes muhurath for the crowning of young prince Rama, whole Ayodhya people rejoiced at that good news, but what happened ultimately, Mandhara and Kaikeyi prevailed and Rama must be banished to exile for fourteen years. She answers all such doubts in this song.Certain things are pre-destined as consequences of past deeds. A bee finds itself closed as lotus petals were folded at the sunset. Bee cannot escape till the sun rays open the petals. Reconciled to such reality, Bee rests with a hope to get freedom at dawn. Meanwhile a rogue elephant desires to take bath early hours and throws out the lotus, destroying it along with the Bee.
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In this pashuram five, Goda refers to two great episodes from Ramayan and Bhagavatam. Rama’s exile and Krishna’s Damodara Leela. Goda in first five pashurams, sets the agenda, prescribes procedure and in Song 5, assures the sweet result of Vrata.
Love Him unconditionally
Goda tells them reassuringly not to doubt, have complete faith in Naaraayana, love him, without worrying of your past, present and future misdeeds that might not allow you to break the vicious cycle of birth-death-rebirth. If you love Him unconditionally, that is enough, he will burn all your sins, the heaps of sins and misdeeds go away in fire like piled up cotton is burnt just by a sparkle of fire. He is benevolent enough to accept your love, provided you offer your mind and heart.
Also Read : Goda’s Tiruppavai
Shri Krishna is found all times on the banks of river Yamuna, as if He is ready to take those who want to cross the river of Samsara, the mundane world. Yes, He is ready. Are we ready? Whether we are pure enough?
What are the flowers that Vishnu liked most?
Then what is purity? Krishna never talked about strict requirement of external bodily purity but always showed us that He would be ready to help you if you invoke him with pure heart, wherever you are and whatever condition you are in. Draupady was in her monthly period of Rajaswala, but when she cried for His help in Kaurava Sabha where Dussasana was disrobing her, Krishna is the only one to rescue her from such a humiliation. Offer your hearts like flowers. You need not decorate the flowers into garlands or place meticulously according to some prescription. If you throw the heart like flower, enough for Him. One Namaskara is enough for him to vanish your sins. What are those flowers Vishnu liked most? Non-violence, Control over desires, Love for all living creatures, tolerance, wisdom, penance, meditation, and Satya – the Truth.