Gracefully raining knowledge equally on all

• Tiruppavai-4

Transliteration

Aazhi Mazhaik kanna ondru nee kai karavel

Aazhi ullpukku mugandhu kodaarththeri

Oozhi mudalvan uruvam pol mey karuthu

Paazhiyan tholudai p padmanabhan kaiyyil

Aazhi pol minni  valampuri pol nindr adhirndhu

Thazhadhe sarngam  udiatha  saramazhai p pol

Vazha ulaginil peydhidaay nangalum

Margazhi neerada magizhndelor empavai.

Translation from Tamil

Rain God Varuna, continue to shower

Sweep down to usurp ocean water into cloud

Dark cloud pregnant with water, like Krishna

Lotus in navel, weapons in His two strong hands

Lightning Disc and Thunderous Conch

Like his bow fast releasing stream of arrows

Rain and rain to enrich and rejuvenate the world

Come on friends, let us bathe in Margali Rain

Goda repeats her sermon about bathing in Margali month. Tiruppavai is called Snana Vrata, the mission with many baths at early hours, without fearing the morning cold and shedding the laziness to praise and pray God not for any selfish gains but for rains to help whole countryside to prosper.

We do not sing “Rain Rain go away”, but we invite rain to come again and rain. Dark clouds are like Krishna. He is described as Neela Megha Shyama. Vishnu Sahasra Naama described Him as Megha Varnam and Gagana Sadrusham.

Also Read : Bhagavan lives in Narayana Tatva

Goda says, no, the cloud is God Himself, God of Cloud or Varuna. Be benevolent and rain on all without any short of your kindness. God of Cloud, you go nearer to Ocean, will grasp the salty water, move in sky, and as Vishnu bears on his two strong arms – on right, the lightning Chakra – the Disc and on the left -thunderous Shankha (Conch), while His Shaaranga, the powerful Bow, releasing arrows, shower the streams of rain.

The Vishnu’s navel is the place of a lotus, wherefrom the Brahma emerged. Being God of Gods, Vishnu rains all over.  Goda calls for her friends to take Margali bath in sacred water rained by Vishnu.  Rain is the real source of wealth of all villages. Rain does not make any difference between and haves and have not, higher or lower caste or status. It equitably rains on all without discretion.

Also Read : No perfect being on this earth: says Seeta and Goda

The Goda first compares the cloud with Krishna and then explains the characteristics of a true teacher- Acharya by comparing him with Naaraayana and the dark cloud. As the cloud takes unconsumable salt water from the sea and converts it into drinkable good water showering as rain, the teacher Acharya studies the complex Shastra and converts into knowledge of easy understanding. Acharya rains the knowledge equally on all like Ramanuja climbs on to the top of Temple and discloses the divine knowledge of Tirumantra to all, without any discrimination, like a Cloud.

Naaraayana and Achaarya, like dark cloud rains benevolence and knowledge on all. Lightning spreads light of thinking with huge sound like the thunder through Sankha. so that everyone can hear the knowledge lessons.

Also Read : Narayana-both the Process and Product

Gopikas never desired material things but prayed for welfare of all. She sang and danced in praise of God. Goda approached the ultimate God, who appointed different Devathas with specific and separate duties like Brahma to create, Shiva to destroy, Gods of eight sides (Astha Dikpalaka) were also entrusted with specific duties. All these assigned Gods report to Paramatma with responsibility. They also fear the devotees who chant the name of Paramaatma.

Third, fourth and fifth Paashurams symbolise the Sandhya Vandan at three times in a day. Great preacher Sri Bhashyam Appalacharya says, pray Mitra in the morning, Varuna in the evening and the Sun in the noon times. Chinna Jeeyar says Goda penned Tiruppavai poetry to awaken the good qualities among the people and inspire them to work together for betterment of society and the country. Goda wanted the nation to be prosperous, peaceful, and people help each other, with the grace of God, His equal showering of kindness and the knowledge. When Gopikas prayed with all these qualities and with all sincerity, Cloud God rained enough of sacred water as if a good boon was granted to devotees.

Also Read : Goda’s Tiruppavai