Godha Sthuthi by Vedantha Desika

Godha Sthuthi

By

Srimat Vedantha desika

(This great prayer    was composed by  one of the great saints of Vaishnavism, Swami  Vedantha Desika     wjen he visited the temple of AandaL (Godha) at   Srivilliputhur. The   words  of these prayer   can be interpreted in very many ways  and are difficult to easily   follow.  My translation is based on the peripheral understanding   of the prayer   after    reading the learned    commentary     given in

http://www.kirtimukha.com/Vanamali1/azhwars/godas.html .  I am sure   that  my translations is inadequate    and may contain mistakes,. I humbly request all the scholars    and devotees    r to pardon me for them and if  possible   send the corrections to me,. You can hear the stuthi sung by Smt.Veda Valli   by  clicking  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V84R23YRcmo )

1.Sri Vishnu chitha   kula nandana kalpa valleem,

Sri Rangaraja  harichandana   yoga   drusyaam,

Saakshaath  kshamaam   karunayaa  kamalamivaanyaam,

Godham ananya  sarana   saranam prapadye.

1.Oh wish giving tree  in the garden of Joy  of Vishnu Chitha,

Who  along with Rangaraja  looks like   the  harichandna tree  ,

Who is real patience and in her  pity to others  she is like Goddess  Lakshmi  ,

As I do not  have any one to surrender , I  seek  Godha as my only   refuge.

2.Vaidesika  sruthi giramapi  bhooyaseenaam,

Varneshu maathi  mahimaa na hi madrusaam they,

Itham vidandham api maam saha saiva  Godhe,

Mounadruho   mukarayanthi   gunas thwadheeya.

2.Your   greatness   are beyond the understanding   of the Vedas,

And so even one  aspect of your greatness  is beyond the  understanding  of other prayers,

And Oh Godhe , because  of this  I am   keeping quiet ,

But   your  characters have  broken open the  gate of my silence.

3.Thwath preyasa   sravanayor   amruthaya  manasam,

Thulyaam   thwadheya   mani  noopura   sinchithaanaam,

Godhe  thwameva janani  thwath  abheeshtavaarham,

Vacham  prasanna  madhuraam  mama  samvidehi.

3.Oh mother  Godha  ,  please give  me  the  power of sweet speech  ,

Which   is  made   according   to your   desire  ,

Which  is equal to the jingling sound of   your anklets  ,

So that   it would taste like  nectar to the ears  of your  dear Lord.

4.Krishnanvayena dadadheem   Yamuna anubhavam,

Theerthai   yadhavadha avagahya   saraswatheem   they ,

Godhe  vikaswara ithi   yam  bhavathee  kadakshaath,

Vacha sphuranthi  makarndha  mucha  kaveenaam.

4.Oh Godha  , You by giving  accounts of Krishna   gave us  the   experiences of  Yamuna ,

And entering in  to that river   gave us   the deep  understanding  of your intellect  ,

And   your kind glances   made   us  blossom forth   in to luster,

And our words   flowered   like the nectar  like words  of poets.

5.Asmadrusaam apakruthou   chira  deekshithaanaam,

Ahnaayaa   devi  dayithhe   yadhasou Mukunda,

Than nischitham   niyamitha sthava mauli  dhamnaa,

Thanthree ninnadha   madhuraischa  giraam nikumbai.

You having taken    a vow  to do only actions not favoured,

Oh goddess  , this morning the lord   decided to show  his mercy,

A s that commander is helpless  as  he was  tied  on his head  by whatever has been done,

And also    your  voice sounding melodious   like the   sound  arising out of Veena.

6.Sona adharepi   kuchayorapi    thungabhadra ,

Vaachaam pravaaha nivahe api  saraswathi thwam,

Aprakruthair api  rasair    virajaa  swabhaavaath ,

Godhe api devi  kamithur nanu  narmadhasi.

6.With your   lips red like  waters of sona river , with  your  breasts like  Thungabhadra ,

With  your  flowing speech   like  the  swift  flow  of river Saraswathi,

And with  your  compositions , purifying     like Viraja river of Vaikunta 

Oh Goddess Godha   , you are gracious like  the river  Narmadha.

7.Valmikatha  sravanatho  vasudhath manasthe,

Jatho babhuva sa  muni Kavi sarva  bhouma  ,

Godhe  kimadbhutham  idham yadhami svadanthe  ,

Vaktharavindha   makarandha   nibhaa  prabandha

7.The Vedas  declare    that the ant hills are  ears of the earth,

And the great sage   poet    was born   out of them,

Oh Godha  , what  is wonderful   is    that  the  great works ,

Which arose   from your mouth  are like  divine  nectar .

8.Bokthum  thava priyathamam  bhavadheeva   godhe,

Bhakthim nijaam  pranaya bhavanaya grunantha,

Ucha vachair  viraha  sangamajai  ruthanthai  ,

Srunkarayanthi hrudhayam  guravas thwadheeya.

8.Oh Godha  ,  you enjoyed   your lover as     your own

But   yours was   a sense of devotion   which you altered  in to a  feeling of love  ,

But your elders  filled their with   sentiments of love , expressed  their devotion,

In loud voices   and expounded their pain of separation    with Him.

 9.Matha samdhitha vathim   adhi Vishnu chitham,

Visvopa jeevyam amrutham   vachasaa   duhaanaam,

tHapachitham   himarucher iva  moorthy manyaam,

Santha payodhi  duhithu    sahajaam   vidhusthvaam.

9.Oh mother   you were  born  out of Vishnu Chitha( also mind of Vishnu),

And like the nectar  made  the world live   you did it through your works,

And those   who do penance your    form being similar   to the moon,

And consider   you  as the one   who was born  along with  Goddess Lakshmi   like him.

10.THatha sthu  madhuptha   sthuthi lesa  vasyaadh,

Karnamruthai   sthuthi sathair anavabdha  poorvam,

‘Thwan mouli gandha   subhagaam   upahruthya maalaam,

Lebe  mahathara padaa anugunam prasaadham.

10. Your father   had already attracted him by   honey like praises,

And those hundreds of praises did not attract him much earlier,

But when he presented him with garlands worn by you  having your scent  ,

He rewarded him   a very  revered position  as he was greatly pleased.

11.Dik  dakshinaapi   parimakthrima punya labhaath,

SArvotharaa bhavathi   devi thavaa  avathaaraan,

Yathraibva ranga pathina  bahumana  poorvam,

Nidhrana naapi  niyatham  nihithaa  kadaakshaa.

11.The southerm direction has ripened   due to Pinyam (blessed deeds)  it got,

Due to your  birth   oh Goddess   , due to your hallowed birth,

And also due   to Lord of  Sri Rangam   seeing it with respect,

Even he was   sleeping under  influence of Yoga b nidhra.

12.Praayena   devi   bhavathi   vyapadesa yogaath,

Godavari jagadhidham  payasaa  puneethe,

Yasyaam  samethya  samayeshu  chiram nivaasath,

Bhagirathi   prabrudhayo   bhavanthi punyaa.

12.Most probably oh Goddess because  of having connection to you,

The river Godavari   has  been called as   the sacred river of the world,

And  the  rivers  like  Ganga had   to live  long time,

In that  to get the status of a  sacred river.

13.Naagesaya suthanu  pakshiratha  kadham they,

Jaatha   swayam   vara pathi  purusha  puraana,

Evam vidhaa samuchitham  pranayam bhavathyaa ,

Sandasyanthi   parihaasa  gira   sakheenam.

13.Oh Godha  , how is if that this primeval man  ,

Sleeping on a snake   and riding  on a bird became your  chosen lord,

And  by  the way your love   has   happened   properly,

Your lady friends   would keep  on teasing you.

14.Thawad buktha  maalya    surabhi krutha   charu maule,

Hithwaa   bujanthara gathaam api  vaijayanthim,

Pathyu sthava   easwari mitha prathigathaa   lola,

Barhaatha  pathraa  ruchim aacharayanthi brungaa.

14.Oh Goddess , thy lord  who though ruling  all over  the world  ,

Is under   your control   as he  is infatuated   with you  ,

Possibly  because he wears   the garland which you wore over  your head,

In to which all the bees   which were on his vaijayathi garland shifts.

15.AAmovadhya api   sadaa hrudayanaga maapi,

Ragaa anvtithaapi   lalithaapi  gunotharaapi,

Mouli  sraja thava  Mukunda kireeda  bhaaja ,

Godhe  bhavathya aadarithaa   kalu  vaijayanthi.

15.Oh Godha  ,   though the Vaijyanthi garland of  your lord,

Is always fresh  , always  caressing  his heart  ,

Possessed of prettiness  and is of   great  quality ,

The garland of yours is worn  over  his  head  because of its superiority.

16.THwath mouli   dhamani   vibho sirasaa   gruheethe  ,

Swachandha kalpitha   sapeethi rasa  promodhaa ,

Manju swanaa  madhuliho   vidathu   swayam they  ,

Swaayam   varam kamapi  mangala thoorya  gosham.

16. The garland worn by    you were born  by the lord on his head,

And the bees    are attracted   to the honey in that  garland  come to drink it  ,

And they   themselves   produce a    humming tingling sound ,

Which sounds  like the  auspicious  music played for your wedding with him.

17.Viswaayamaana rajasaa  kamalena nabhou  ,

Vakshasthala cha kamala sthana  chandanena  ,

AAmodhithopi  nigamair   vipbhurangri yugme,

Dathe nathena    sirasaa thava  mouli  maalaam.

17.The pollen from the  lotus  on his belly spreads  throughout   the world,

And  so does the perfume from the  breasts of sandal of lakshmi  who is on your chest,

And he also enjoys    the  divine fragrance of great  tamil works of his devotees,

But he seems to eagerly wait  for the garland given  by you that he wears on his head.

18.Choodaa  padena   parigruhya  thava  uthareeyam,

Maalam api   thava dalakai   rathivaasya dathaam,

Praayena Ranga  pathiresha bhibhrathi  godhe  ,

Saubhagya   sampath  abhishekamahaadhikaaraam,

18.He wears  with great  affection your upper cloth on his  head,

And also  wears there the  garlands  that were  associated  by your lovely tresses,

And Possibly oh Godha,  the  lord Ranga raja  increases  his auspiciousness  ,

And gets   the   greatness  associated   with  luck and prosperity.

19.Thungai   rakruthrima raha swayam uthamangai,

Yam  sarva gandha ithi saadharam udhvahanthi,

AAmodham anya adhi gachathi  maalikhabhi,

Soapi   thwadheeys  kutila alakaa vaasithaabhi.

19. The great  naturally created   head of the  Vedas   declare  ,

That   the head of your lord   is full of all sweet scets  ,

And possibly this is due to    his wearing  afterwards  with great joy   the garlands,

Which once decorated  the    curly   hairs of your head.

20.Dhanye   samastha jagadaam   pithru uthamange  ,

Thwath mouli   malayaabhara sambharena  bhooya,

Indeevara   srajamiva  dhadheethi  thwadheeyaani,

AAke karaani   bahumana   vilokithaani.

20.Oh blessed one , the   father  of all  the universe   wears,

On  his head, the garland that you wore   earlier on your head,

And  when you  glance at him    using your bee like blue  eyes

It appears as if    an addition ble garland has been laid on it out of respect.

21.Rangeswarasya thava cha praanayanu   bandaath,

Anyonya maalya   parivruthi  mabheeshtu vantha  ,

Vaachalayanthi vasudhe   rasikaa strilokim,

Nyoonaa  dhikathva    samastha vishayai vivadhai.

21.Oh  lady earth , those  fortunate  ones of the three  worlds,

 Who with great   desire   watched  the exchange of garlands 

Between you and Lord Ranganatha  during your wedding filled with love ,

Fill the earth   with sound  of debates  regarding your individual superiorities.

22.Dhoorva dala prathimaya    thava  deha kaanthyaa,

Gorochanaa ruchirayaa  cha  ruchendhiraaya ,

Aaseed anujitha shika vala  kanda   shobham,

Mangalyatham  pranamathaam madhu vairi gaathram.

22.Filled with green colour  of grass due to the reflection  of the luster of your body,

And the golden yellow    colour of musk    from the body of Goddess Lakshmi,

The body    of enemy of Madhu shines like   the neck   of a peacock  and that luster ,

Confers   all   auspiciousness  on your  devotees.

23.Archyam samarchya niyamair  nigama prasoonair  ,

Nadham twayaa  kamalaayaa  cha sameyivaamsaam,

 Matha   chiram   nirvisan  nija madhi rajyam,

Maanyaa manu  prabruthayopi  maheekshithasthe .

23.Oh mother Manu and other    great  kings   ruled  this  world  ,

For a long time  only   because   of your grace ,when they worshipped   

Your lord   along with you   and    goddess  Lakshmi,

According   the rules with  flowers prescribed by Vedas.

24.Aardhra paradhini jane abhyayir kshanaartham ,

Rangeswarasaya ramayaa  vinivedhyamaane  ,

Paarsve   paarthra  bhavathi   yadhi    thathra  naaseeth,

Prayena devi vadanam parivarthithaam   syaath.

24.When Goddess  Lakshmi  pleads   with  God Ranganatha ,

For pardoning    the trespassing   errors   committed by   the souls ,

If you were not there  pleading for them   when he   turns his head,

Possiblly he   would not have turned  again  and acceded to requests of Lakshmi

25.Godhe  gunair apanayan   pranath aparaadhaan,

Brukshepa yeva   thava   bhoga  rasanukoola,

Karmanubandhi   phala dhana rathaaya  bharthu,

Swathanthrya   dur vyasana  marmabithaa  nidhanam.

25.Oh Godha when your lord   is about to punish  the erring souls .

You knit  your eye brows in such a way and make him melt in love  ,

And the lord then instead   of punishing   them according to their karma ,

And thus  make his  thought not  independent and save those   suffering   souls.

26.Range thadith   gunavatho ramyaiva   godhe,

Krishnambudhasya   gadu ithaam   krupayaa   suvrushtyaa,

Dhourgathya   durvisha vinasa sudhaa nadhim thwam,

SAnthaa  prapaadhya samyanthya chirena  thaapaan.

26.Oh Godha ,  good virtuous  Lakshmi is the streak  of Lightning ,

Inside    the dark   rich rain   bearing cloud  called  Ranga,

And you    are   the river of nectar   created by  it,

Which destroys   bad fate   and evils    and   stifles  ,

 The sorrow  to those   who worship   your peaceful feet.

27.Jathaa apararadham api  maam anukampya  Godhe ,

Gopthree yadhi  thwamasi   yukthamidham   bhavthyaa,

Vathsalya   nirbharathaya janani  kumaram,

Sthanyena vardhayathi  dashta   payodharaapi.

27.Oh Godhaa, though I have commited many crimes  , you have been merciful to me,

As you are   my protector,  and I think  it is proper  for  a mother ,

Who is filled with affection   to protect  the   boy   who ,

Bites her   breast   and  continue to give   milk to  him.

Dhyana  Slokam

28.Satha makha  mani neelaa  charu kalhara  hasthaa,

Sthanabhara  namithangi, saandra vathsalya   sindhu,

Alaka vinihithaabhi  sraghbhir   aakrushta  naathaa,

Vilasthu   hrudhi godhaa   Vishnu chithaathmaja  na .

28. Our  hearts   are  occupied   by Godha   who is daughter of Vishnu Chitha,

Who holds the Indra neela gem in her hand , Who holds a pretty lotus  flower in other hand,

Who is slightly bent because  of her heavy breasts, who being an ocean of  deep love ,

Who wore   the garlands  on her head to see  weather   she was pretty enough  to her Lord.

Phala sruthi

29.Ithi vikasitha bhakther uttitham  Venkatesath,

Bahu guna   ramaneeyam    vakthi godha  sthuthim ya,

Saa bhavathi   bahumanya  srimatho  Ranga barthu,

Charana  kamala  sevaam  saasvatheem  abhyupaishan.

29.This   which opened  like a flower  due to devotion of Venkatesa,

Is  very  pretty with very many sweet characters  praising Godha   and if read,

Would  get him  permanently  the   service of the  lotus like feet .

Of  The Lord Venkatesa   who is  her consort whom she respects.