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Sankranthi means journey into another phase. Goda leads her friend Gopikas into the path of Bhagawan. When the Sun moves towards Makara Rashi, it is called Makara Sankranti. Goda is leading us from the darkness of ignorance to the bright path of Bhakti and love for the Supreme soul. Goda imagined herself as a Gopika; for her, Sri Villiputtur is Vrepalle; she worshipped Sri Ranganatha through Vatapatrasai as Krishna. She performed the Vrata for one month with one song each, which brought her friends along with her towards Krishna. It is a 30-step road-map to Sayujyam, the abode of Bhagawan. She sent messages of love to Ranganatha through the garlands after checking their beauty by decorating her person with them. She made another unique garland of 30 songs called Tiruppavai. Her Vratam resulted in Ranganatha himself sending the palanquin to Sri Villiputtur to bring the bride Goda to him. She won His heart. She proved that the icon is the incarnation of the Supreme personality.
Goda’s Tamil Pashuram 30
Vangak Kadal kadaintha Madhavanai kkesavanai
Thingal Thirumugatthu Seyizhaiyar Senru Irainji
Anga-p-paraikonda Vaatrai ani Puduvai
Paingamala Ththan Theriyal Battar Piran Kodai Sonna
Sangath Thamizh Maalai Muppadum Thappame
Ingi-p-parisuraippar Eeriirandu Maalvarai-th-thool
Sengam Thirumugaththu Selvaththirumaalaal
Engumthiruvarul Pettru Inburuvar Empaavaai
English Poem 30
Madhava Keshava helped churn of ocean of milk
For Dharma Worshipped by moon-like women,
Narrating the story of achieving Purushartha in
Divine Srivilliputhur; Daughter of Vishnuchitta
With gold-bright lotus garlands; Sang the 30 nectar-
flowing songs; If recited skipping none; Shall get
Blessings of Shriyahpathi with four-hill-like hands
For ever, For All, all through, Raining His bliss.
Sri Ranganatha heard the call of Goda, took all her messages through Manmatha, Tulasi, Flowers, and Pashurams and decided to bless her with the bliss of marrying her, as per her profound and strong wish. Ranganatha ordained in the dream the Pandya King Vallabh Raya (Some explain Vallabharaya as a disciple) to send a Palanquin in a royal way and bring her to Sri Rangam, and arrange for the marriage. Goda arrived along with father Periyalwar, and after marrying Him she is absorbed into Ranganatha, to the dismay of all, especially of her father, who could not stand the sudden disappearance of his lovely divine devotee daughter at the age of 16 years. She, an Ayonija, i.e., self-emerged, and just disappeared without Jara and Marana. As she enjoyed the supreme pleasure with Ranga, today is Bhogi- a soul-deep experience.
Goda is not selfish to achieve her goal and leave all like us for our fate. The ritual or Vrata is not an ordinary process, but a thirty-step plan to scale to the highest goal of abode of Paramaatma. As she attained Union with God through her own self-samarpanam of her life as a Tulasi Dalam basilica leaves or flower; she also laid the path for the achievement of Rangadhamam/Vaikuntadhamam through this Vrata of Tiruppavai. Not only friends of Goda, who were likened to Gopikas but anybody who performed this Vrata will reach Parandhaamam.
In this Pashuram Goda refers to and sings the glory of Ksheera Sagara Mathana – Churning of Milk Ocean. Becoming Koorma, Vishnu bears on His back the brunt of this churning, but He benefits from Lakshmi, who was born out of that churning. So is the case with those who churn the Vedantha Sashtra and bore the brunt of all kinds of hardship to reach the goal. Just as Vishnu gained Lakshmi through Sagara Mathana, Goda earned Ranganatha by churning through Vratha. This thirtieth and ultimate Pashuram not only achieves the goal but also explain the possible fruits that would result, Phala Shruthi.
The Gopiaks, with moon-like beautiful faces, obtained salvation, by surrendering to the Madhavan Kesavan, by churning the ocean of milk, under the leadership of Sri Andal who emerged in beautiful Sri Velliputhhoor with fresh fragrant golden-lotus flowers, as the daughter of the Vishnu Chitta. She sang these nectar-flowing 30 songs. Like Goda and Gopikas, all those who recite this thirty-poem-garland daily without missing any song, will gain grace and derive pleasures from Narayana, with merciful beautiful eyes, and shoulders that can stretch between two pairs of mountains, in association with beautiful Lakshmi.
After climbing 29 steps gradually, Goda is assuring the divine and serene goal of the Vrata – the phala-shruthi, the fruits of efforts of all these 29 days in worship of Narayana.
Stepping into divinity
Tiruppavai helps the devotees to complete the last month of Dakshinayana with Vratam and enter the divine Uttarayana singing the glory of Krishna. Since several centuries, Goda’sTiruppavai is moving millions of people all over India and wherever Indians spread out, towards the path of Saranagathi to Lord Krishna. She made Sankranti a very purposeful festival, in terms of getting closer to Paramaatma.
I remember my Peddamma, my mother’s elder sister, Andaalamma who taught me the entire Ramayana like a serial, when I was in bed due to typhoid in my childhood and when there were no TVs at home. My peddamma Andalamma is Godamma for me. I think in every household, there is a Guru like Goda who takes us to Sri Krishna. We need to discover and recognize.
The conversations between Goda and Govinda; Goda plus Gopikas and Govinda were filled in 30 Pashurams. In Dwapara Yuga, Krishna was the destination for Katyayani Vratam for one month performed by Gopikas, siad Vyasa, the rishi who created Bhagawatam. The Vratam was fruitful as they gained the God Himself. A similar Vratam is performed by Goda in Kaliyuga which leads to Ranganatha marrying Goda.
Govinda asks Gopikas a testing question: “Okay, I will accept your services, I want to ask you, whether you want others also to try and achieve success like you in this devotional endeavor?”
Goda and Gopikas: “We could get You after performing the Vrata strictly following its conditions and principles and singing the Songs for last one month. Like Gopikas in Vrepalle and we in Srivilliputtur, everyone who sings and follows the month-long Vratha will surely get the Bliss of Krishna. A mother cow, who lost her calf, looks at a grass-shaped calf toy that reminds her child, and it causes the spring of milk. Similarly, those who sing thirty songs without missing any, will surely gain the result expected.
Ksheera Sagara Madhanam, the churning of milk-ocean, a great event of a coordinated effort of Devatas and Rakshasas in the interests of the universe was referred in the last Pashuram. Vishnu descends in the form of a Tortoise and holds up on His back, the Mandhara Hill, to prevent it from drowning. God helps if people work together for the welfare of the Universe. Lakshmi emerges out of churning, and she reaches the chest of Vishnu. He became Madhava.
Goda referred to the event of this churning to pray to God to help us in churning and crossing the ocean of this worldly living exercise. Goda suggests singing all the 30 without skipping any because they are thirty ascending steps to reach the destination of God. Then Lord Krishna appears with His brilliant lotus-flower-like face and four strong arms to bless them with four Purushartha – Dharma-Artha-Kaama and Moksha. Thus, Goda explained Phalashriti, the fruitful result of the Vrata. (Concluded)
