Sunday, January 04, 2015

ఆముక్త మాల్యద: గోదాకళ్యాణము

So, having been captivated by the fresh beauty of Goda, Sri Ranganatha was unable to contain his love for her for even a moment longer. Therefore, he took away Goda to himself and, in her stead, placed an illusory female form in that palanquin, with which Vishnuchitta returned to his place of stay. When Vishnuchitta opened the palanquin, the illusory form was gone too. When he could not find his beloved daughter, Vishnuchitta ran back to the temple and began to lament thus:

శా. అబ్రహ్మణ్యము లోన వైచుకొనె నన్యాయంబున న్మత్సుతం
దా బ్రహ్మాదుల మేర నిల్పియు బ్రభుత్వం బూదియుం దోతురే\
యీ బ్రక్కం ద్విజు జూడరయ్య సభవారీ రంగభర్తంచు దుః
ఖాబ్రాశింబడి బాష్పకంఠుడు సముద్యద్దోఃపలాలుండునై.

Shame on him! He unlawfully abducted my daughter. After all, he is the supreme lord. He is lord over Brahma and all such gods. Is this the way to behave? To rob a poor Brahmin like me? Please bear witness, all you gentlemen, to this misdeed by the lord of Sriranga! Vishnuchitta was drowning in a sea of sorrow, his voice choking with tears.

శా. ఎంతే వేడుకయైన బెండ్లగుట కీనే దేహమున్ బ్రాణమున్
సంతానంబు నిశాంతమున్ ధనము సస్యంబుల్ పశుశ్రేణులే
కాంతస్వస్వజనార్చనంబునక కాదా కూర్చుటే మీ కయో
వింతే యీ బుడుతెంత నంగురుచ గావింపం దనున్మెత్తురే.

If he was so fond of her, wasn't I ready to give her in marriage? My body, life, progeny, home, wealth, harvests, and cattle - everything I possess is only meant for offering to him and the service of his devotees, isn't it? Oh my fate! See this horror! Such a small kid she is. He did this only to belittle me - who would praise him for doing like this?

ఉ. నెట్టన యల్ల లచ్చి యల నీళయు భూసతి యుండ నీకు నీ
నెట్టిక సీలపై మనసు నిల్చుట కేమనవచ్చు? వెర్రి యౌ
నట్టుగ బేద నన్ను బరిహాసము నేతకు దక్క వింతచూ
పెట్టిది? దిద్దు నెవ్వడిల నేరులవంకలు వారి డొంకలున్.

Oh Lord! You have Srilakshmi, Neela as well as Bhudevi, your dear wives readily waiting on you. After all, my young daughter has become so thin through severe fasting penance - how could you be enamored of her? You are only doing this so that my poor self is going to become the laughing stock - otherwise, what benefit is this to you? Who can correct the path of rivers and floods? (No one can offer corrections if the powerful go astray)

While Vishnuchitta was crying inconsolably in this fashion, the lord feared for the grief of his devotee. Deliberately, he brought a smile to his lips and addressed Vishnuchitta thus:

చ. ముది మది దప్పితోయి మునిముఖ్య భవత్తనయన్ గృహంబునన్
బదిలము జేసివచ్చి మరి బట్టబయ ల్వెడదూరు దూరె దా
సదన మికొక్క మాటరసి చంచలలోచన గానకున్న బో
రెదు మరి కాని బుద్ధి విపరీతత బొందక పోయి చూడుమా.

Oh leader among devotees! Looks like you lost your mind, perhaps from old age. You left your daughter at our residence, yet you come out like this and throwing all sorts of accusations on me. Please go and look for her at home one more time. If you still don't find her, then you can find fault with me. Don't let your mind be scattered! Go, go home and see!

Vishnuchitta thanked the lord and ran back home. Real Goda came out of the house and touched her father's feet in greeting. Vishnuchitta was overjoyed to see his daughter again, he gently kissed the top of her head and blessed her.

Then, Sri Ranganatha summoned his attendants like Vishvaksena and well-wishers like Brahma and Siva and requested them to go on his behalf and, following established tradition, seek Sri Goda's hand in marriage from her father. When the divine delegation approached Vishnuchitta, he replied thus:

కం. ధన్యుడనైతిం దనకీ
కన్యక నీగాంచి భృగువు గౌరవము బయో
ధిన్యాయము నొదవె నిటే
నన్యాయంబే చమూప హరవిధులారా
Oh great beings! I am blessed by this opportunity to present my daughter to the Lord. Much like the Sage Bhrigu and the Lord of the Sea were blessed when they presented Sri Mahalakshmi to Lord Srimannarayana (according to Vishnu Purana, when Sri Mahalakshmi was born from the churning of milky ocean). However, demanding a bride like this is quite improper.


కం. వినుడీ దగు సంబంధపు
టెనయిక గని మోచి తెచ్చి యిచ్చె ననరె చు
ల్కని నరులు గాన మాపుర
మునకు న్విజయంబు సేయ బుత్రిక నిత్తున్
Loose tongued people will gossip that this poor father brought along his daughter and gave her away in some far away place! Why give chance to such gossip? So, please listen to my prayer, come to our native village of Srivillibuttur and I will gladly perform the kanyadanam (giving away of the bride).

The great beings took this message back to Sri Ranganatha and he, in his limitless compassion towards his devotee, agreed to the proposal. On the auspicious day, Sri Ranganatha set out from his heavenly abode, surrounded by the entire divine community. His general, Vishvaksena led the magnificent procession through the star studded heavenly paths to Srivillibuttur. Visvakarma, the divine architect himself, made temporary residences for all the guests.

కం. శర్వాణీ వాణీ ముఖ
గీర్వాణీ కోటి జానకీరఘుకుల రా
ట్పూర్వా చరిత వివాహా
ఖర్వ సుగీతములు పాడగా విభవమునన్

Parvati, Sarasvathi and other goddesses sang wonderful melodies, recounting great weddings of the past such as that of Seeta and Sri Rama.
They performed all the prescribed preparatory rituals for Sri Goda and decorated her in bridal finery.

కం. కలికి తెలిగన్నుగవ గ
జ్జల రేఖలు దీర్చి మేన సారంగమదం
బలది లలామక మిడి చెం
గలువలు క్రొవ్వెదకు వేరొకర్తు ఘటించెన్.

To her bright eyes, they applied dark kohl, and daubed fragrant kasturi on her torso. They lined up a dangling hair ornament in her hair parting, and decorated her long dark hair with red waterlilies.

మ. కలధౌత ద్రవ చిత్రముల్ మెరయ ముక్తాస్యూత మౌ మేచకాం
చలపుం బెందెర వారి లగ్నము సమాసన్నంబుగా వేల్పు బె
ద్దలు వంపన్ గుడజీరకంబులు సముద్యత్ప్రేమ నన్యోన్య మం
జుల హస్తంబుల నుంచి రర్ధి గనుమించుల్ చిర్రుముర్రాడగన్.
Water in golden pots reflected strange twinkling lights. The curtain (held between the bride and the groom) with a black border, decorated with strings of pearls held by priests who proclaimed the approach of the auspicious moment in the wedding. The bright eyes of the divine bride and groom sparkled with mutual love for each other. The great beings like Siva and Brahma placed the auspicious mixture of jaggery and jeera in the hands of the bride and groom.

చ. మరి వనమాలి చూడమున మానిని ముత్తెపు బ్రాలు వోయుచో
మెరయు దదంగుళీ కిసల మేళన జక్రి చెమర్ప రాలె మై
నరిమురి ఘర్మ బిందువులు నమ్మణులున్ మొగులందునుండి డాల్
గిరిగొన జారు ధారలబలెన్ వడగండ్ల బలెన్ గనుంగొనన్.
The body of Sri Ranganatha was effulgent like a dark cloud. As Sri Goda poured the sacred rice (talambralu) on him, her tender finger tips gently grazed him, and the resulting excitement caused him to sweat. The sweat drops were like rain drops raining down from a rain cloud and the white rice particles looked like hail.

తే. ఇంతి దోయిట సేస బ్రాలెత్తుచోట
గుబ్బ పాలిండ్ల క్రేవ గ్రక్కున మురారి
కన్ను వేయుట గత లజ్జ గదుర బాహు
లెత్తక కరాగ్రములన పైకెగుర జల్లె.

To pour the sacred rice (talambralu) in Sri Ranganatha's head, Sri Goda gathered the rice in her palms and raised her arms. However, her breasts were uncovered in that act and she noticed her husband's gaze feasting on the delightful sight. Overcome by modesty, she lowered her arms and threw the rice up on to his head.

కం. గళమున గట్టెను హరి మం
గళసూత్రము పులక లతివ గాత్రము బొదువన్
నెలతయు బతియును గరముల
నలవరిచిరి కంకణంబు లన్యోన్యంబున్
Sri Ranganatha tied the sacred sutra around Sri Goda's neck, as her body rejoiced at his touch. The bride and groom tied wedding bracelets on each other's wrists.

Thus concluded the divine wedding of Sri Godadevi, daughter of Vishnuchitta and Sri Ranganatha, bringing to a close the masterful Telugu prabandha, Amukta Malyada.

Aum tat sat!