Day 30, Godha Weaves a Vow (English Poem)

You, the one
That churned the milky ocean so high
Where ships sail up in the sky
Oh Madhava, Oh Kesava !

The maidens of the cowherd clan
Their faces like the silvery moon
And their jewels glittering bright
In the land of Brindavan
They reached HIS lotus feet
Their wish for eternal service to Him
Did here they receive

Born to Periazhwar
With the fresh lotus garland
In this beautiful land of Srivilliputhur
Its Andal who has woven
In this count of thirty days
To feel its pulse
The garland of Sangam Tamil poems

Who on earth
Chants without fail
In this count of thirty days
Those arms like a huge mountain
That countenance shone with lotus red eyes
Godliness permeating His being
With the one beside her, the Goddess of wealth

At all places
And at any time shall those be graced
And His blissful joy shall they receive.

30 days of Andal's Thiruppavai - Andal & Rangamannar

Day 29, Godha Weaves a Vow (English Poem)

In this earliest hour of dawn
We come at your door
To salute you
To pay our surrender
At the altar of your beautiful lotus feet
We pray you pay heed

Born in the cowherd clan
Forbid us not at this eternal service
To you we come
Seeking service
Till such length of Time
That you reappear
With you we seek
Such eternal bond
That we may ever serve only you
Only so is our desire, Oh Govindha!

2009-10 Srirangam Andal Alankaaram

Day 28, Godha Weaves a Vow (English Poem)

Oh ‘Govinda’, the untouched one

Born though we are
In the cowherd clan,
As mortals of meagre learning
With the mundane purpose
To shoulder our bodily beings
And reach the woods behind the cows at feed
We have gained the gift of blissful deeds
That this birth has brought along
Oh our Seer, ‘ Kanna’.

None could untie the bond
Neither we nor You
Unaware but in the depth of love
The names we sang in praise
If you find them trivial
May you shed your wrath
And grant us the gift of servitude.

2009-10 Srirangam Andal Alankaaram

Day 27, Godha Weaves a Vow (English Poem)

The victor of even those

That surrender not to you

Oh ‘ Kanna’

One of such virtue

In your praise that we sing

We shall receive the gift

That freedom alone shall bring

This gift worthy of praise shall be

By one and all who on this land has a feet.

Bedeck ourselves shall we

With jewels

Offered by You and the one

With who You shall be

The bracelet around our wrist

The armlets surrounding our shoulders

The jewels that adorn our ear

The flower that pops out atop from where we hear

The anklet that tingles around the feet

And all such embellishments as these

Wear shall we

The garments that touched your being

Feed ourselves will we

Some porridge of rice in even measures of milk and ghee

And in all this

The gift of tender union shall we receive.

2009-10 Srirangam Andal Alankaaram

Day 26, Godha Weaves a Vow (English Poem)

Amidst those that serve your feet
You love to be
Oh the one, the gem in blue
That dwells on the merciful banyan leaf

May you hear from us
If so you will
The ‘margazhi’ rites that need be done
And those
That the greatest of men follow at vow.

May you blossom your blessings
With many conches
like that of your whitest Panchajanya
that could shake the earth
The divine disc as powerful as is the mysterious conch

The large drums that beat
Blessings On those that sing your praise
And for you a life that’s long
The auspicious lamps that are lit
And those forts and flags all along.

May you bless them all on us for this Marghazhi vow.

2009-10 Srirangam Andal Alankaaram

Day 25, Godha Weaves a Vow (English Poem)

At that very night of your birth
Oh the one, who is Devaki’s born
You were held so dear but as Yashoda’s morn
Then to be raised on your own and by your worth

The wretched Kamsa
To kill you he sweltered ahead
You left no trace of his
Burning like fire within him till you left him dead

To the one with such mysterious gifts as this
Here we come begging to you and at your door

If our wish you reach and make them real
We shall sing our bond and praise your might
Those that shall bloom your lover’s smiles
And give us bliss even away from miles.

2009-10 Srirangam Andal Alankaaram

Day 24, Godha Weaves a Vow (English Poem)

To you, the victor of three realms
Earth, Ether and Space
We offer our worship at your feet
That may live long

Our salutations to your valour
That triumphed over
The land Srilanka by name
May such valour remain ripe for ever

Kicked the evil’s Chakra
Did you
Such fame of yours
May it never fade

The feet that lifted
Like a slender stick
The calf in guise
May such feet feel ever so strong

The worth that carried its weight
The Govardhan hill
May it be praised
And may it live long

May long live
Your mystic spear
That puts to end
Which bitterness holds so dear

We relive your praise
In ways galore
Your slaves we come
At your door to seek
Freedom from fetters of earthly woe
Grace us with your mercy, Oh Lord.

2009-10 Srirangam Andal Alankaaram

Day 23, Godha Weaves a Vow (English Poem)

"Amidst the monsoon droplets
Within the mountain caves
Lost in deep tangle
Is the Lion and its mate
And with the longing realized
He, the lion shakes himself up
Wriggling his body
And raising his hair
He stretches and roars
To step out of its mountain cave

Just as this lion rising from
Its deepest desire

Oh Krishna
As soft as the ‘kaya’ flowers
Tread out from your abode
To place yourself on the waiting throne
May you then
See through us
To reach our call at your temple door
Have mercy
Oh Krishna ".

The maidens sing in praise
His name
And wish him length of life
While offering their longings at vow.

2009-2010 Srirangam Andal Alankaaram

Day 22, Godha Weaves a Vow (English Poem)

Like the monarchs of mortal might

Those that reigned kingdoms
So large that touched realms beyond our sight
Such mighty ones that trifled their pride
And along with the humble ones
Sat below your throne to reach your feet
We too are at your door, Oh Lord.

May you like the belled lotus yet to bloom
Open your eyes with tender care
Those reddish eyes
To cast on us your blessed sight.

With beautiful eyes such as yours
The ones like the shining sun
And the silvery moon
Free us from our evil deeds.

2009-2010 Srirangam Andal Alankaaram

Day 21, Godha Weaves a Vow (English Poem)

Nappinnai joins the maidens readying at vow

And appeals to the Lord

‘Krishna’ Himself –

Oh the one

Born to Nandagopar of the cowherd clan

Who crafted such cows as those

Whose udders know not when to end

That the milk pots remain full to brim

Oh ‘Krishna’ of such birth

Our appeal may you care to comprehend ?

You who owns the grace

To shelter those at your care

You the one worth of praise

Your reveal as the fiery light

Of this time and space

And that enemies shed their valour at your sight

Such is Oh Krishna your strength of might

In defeat, helpless they submit

At your divine feet

We are at your door

With glories sung in your name

Oh Krishna

We are in worship of the merciful you.

2009 Srirangam Andal Alankaaram

Day 20, Godha Weaves a Vow(English Poem)

Godha Weaves her vow - English poem

One that saves

Those demi gods thirty three

Arise , awake and ahead

You who sheathes

Those that submit at Your Feet

You are the one

Whose might fears the foe

Oh the purer than the purest of them all

I beg you to feel this call.

Nappinnai,

The one with golden nipples

As curved as the watery urn

The one who shall not bear

A moments parting from Him so dear

Oh the one with reddish lips

And waist so thin

The Goddess of wealth, Napinnai its you,

Wake up, I plead.

When you are up from rest

Part ye

With Him, the fan

And that looking glass

We need to fulfil our vow

Such distance as this from Him

So Nappinai bathe your beings from these deeds of yours.

2009 Srirangam Andal Alankaaram

Day 19, Godha Weaves a Vow(English Poem)

‘The lamp is lit on all sides

The bed elevated on ivory legs

So soft and pristine

And of such splendour and fragrance

That its freshness is so strongly felt

On such bed they rest

His broad shoulders

Beneath her swollen breasts

The one whose locks are rich with floral jewels

May you speak a word of mouth

And such that are only devout

Oh ‘Nappinnai’

Such beautifully darkened eyes as yours

That you don’t for a moment untie

From your partner on bed

This Nothing could belie

This is not fair

Nor does it befit you, the one so rare.’

2009 Srirangam Andal Alankaaram

Day 18, Godha Weaves a Vow(English Poem)

The young lass now wakes her up

Krishna’s spouse still at rest –

‘ Elephants of might

You could call your own

Hold such prowess

To face a war field’s plight

Oh partner to Nandagopan’s born

‘Nappinnai’, one with fragrant hair

Unleash the fetters

That hold you from this dawn.

The cocks call everywhere

The cuckoos coo on creeper beds, you see

One with fingers so curved for ‘Krishna’ to play

To sing your man’s praise in joy

With the tinkle of your bangles, and hands

Like the lotus flowers so red, undo the doors you may.

2009 Srirangam Andal Alankaaram

Day 17, Godha Weaves a Vow(English Poem)

The young lass

Now wakes up the blessed ones

To whom Lord ‘ Krishna ‘ was born.

‘Oh Nandaopar, the noble one,

You gave us virtues

Attired our bodily beings

Gave us food to feed

And water to quench our thirst

Arise, to you I appeal.

The torch of maidens so slender

And also our queen

Who is the kindled lamp

Of the cowherd clan, Oh Yashoda,

Realize and wake up, I appeal.

The king of the Kings

Who pierced the zenith of space

To gauge

Its depth, the three realms of life

May you undo your rest please.

Oh the one

Born with Him

Golden anklets adorn whose feet

‘Baldeva’ along with your brother’ Krishna’ so dear

May you wake up from your sleep.

2009 Srirangam Andal Alankaaram

Day 16, Godha Weaves a Vow(English Poem)

Having cajoled the maidens to join

She, the young lass,

Now turns to ‘ Krishna’s’ abode

And prays to the keepers at its door –

‘The sentries of our King ‘Nandgopan’s ‘ fort

That keep the gates

Jeweled with floral strings

May we beg, you open the padlock

Of the beautiful doors

For us,

The maidens of ‘Gokul’ as pretty as we.

The performer

Of splendid deeds

The one as prized as the blue gem

He has given His word

A day before

To give us the drums to beat

To plead that He may awake

From the bed on that He rests

To sing our prayers to Him

Here are we with our untouched selves

Oh Lord of ours

May you unlock the doors

With love for us yourself.’

2009 Srirangam Andal Alankaaram

Day 15, Godha Weaves a Vow(English Poem)

‘Oh the one

As youthful as the parrot so young

That many maidens are awake and at your door

You chose to rest yet so long ?’

The maiden that sleeps

Now voices her feel

To the ones that wake her

From her sleep so deep -

‘Irk me not

You the awakened ones

Arise I shall at my will

To join you at that you call.’

It is now those awake

That speak -

‘ You the one, clever in tongue

Aware are we

Your words of mouth, tough they are

Those you have spoken for years so long.’

Replies the one in sleep -

‘ Clever are those tongues

The ones that are your own

Now do enlighten me

On what needs to be done’.

To this the maidens at the door

Speak to the one

Who’s yet to come –

‘ Lift up yourself

From this bed you rest

Is there something, just for you

That pulls you more ?’

The maiden in sleep exclaims –

‘ Oh maidens that you are here

On what purpose do you come ?’

Say the others now

To the one that is yet at rest –

‘ He the one

With proven might

Who killed the elephant

And slained for good

The evil ‘ Kamsa’s’ clan.

To sing in praise

His mercy, Oh maiden

We have set our feet ahead

2009 Srirangam Andal Alankaaram

Day 14, Godha Weaves a Vow(English Poem)

The flowers of lotus

Those at your backyard pond

Have blossomed.

The ‘ ambal’ flowers

Have had their petals down to rest

The sages in saffron

Their teeth in sparkling white

Are readying to open the temple doors.

Maiden ye,

Word you lent

That you shall rise

And awaken us instead

Oh you the one of forsaken word

With as sweet a tongue

As the one you have

To sing in praise

For Him

In whose hands reign the disc and conch

For Him

Who is the lotus eyed one

Appeal to you, you wake up.

2009 Srirangam Andal Alankaaram

Day 13, Godha Weaves a Vow(English Poem)

‘Bahasura’ He slew

That appeared a crane in guise

Uproot the evil did He

The clan of‘ Ravana’, the demon in rise.

We sing of valour,

His glories galore,

Those maidens at vow

Who have reached there before

The mighty sun has risen to sight

Letting the moon to rest

For a while away from light

The birds have begun to fetch for food

Their flutter and noise, that you may hear.

Maiden of such eyes

Prettier than the beautiful flowers

The dainty one indeed

In this precious time

Of hope to unite

With ‘Krishna’

The vision of every sight

Lost in sleep so calm, ye dame

As if you are caught

In ‘ Krishna’s’ tricks of enthralling game

That you still rest on bed

And not join us in our bath

To rid of pains

That lay in our body’s path

Our thoughts are struck

With wonder oh Girl.

2009 Srirangam Andal Alankaaram

Day 12, Godha Weaves a Vow(English Poem)

The buffaloes

With calves so young

When to milk them they find none

Their udders flow unbound

With mercy on their born so dear

That the earth gets wet with milk far and near

Oh sister of the one

Who owns this fortune known to none,

Atop our heads do snowflakes fall

Yet we come to sing in praise

His glories

At your castle’s door

The one who having robbed of

His wealth of life

Ventures as far as south

To see his end

Ravana, the one that robbed His dearest wife.

He is the one

To fill us with virtuous thoughts.

Even a word of speech

You hold to self

Though know you

How much we are in your need

Yet you rest in this length of sleep

The neighbours, may you know

Are aware

We have reached your door

To awake you from this sleep so deep.

2009 Srirangam Andal Alankaaram

Day 11, Godha Weaves a Vow(English Poem)

Oh the one

Who is like a creeper in shining gold
You are that one born to those
That milk the cows and their younger ones
And those that fight their foe
Within their own might at hand

Oh the one
Who is like a peacock in blue
That meanders in the woods free of caret
The one like a serpent’s hood
That rests in the hill of ants
The one in hold of riches galore.

Rise from slumber

We have arrived
Together at your castle’s square
That we sing His names aloud
The one who like the dark clouds
Is rich in hue
Of what gain
Do you sleep so long
Without a word and without a care.

2009 Srirangam Andal Alankaaram