आमुक्तमाल्यदा (विजयनगर सम्राट् श्रीकृष्णदेवराय - गोदा देवी आण्डाल भक्ति एवं साम्राज्य-नीति)

Goda Devi 35
indicate that she was endowed with the best auspicious signs among
all woman kind. As her attendants raised her face to apply collyrium
to her eyes, she appeared like the moon on the fourth day of the
lunar month. Indeed, was it not the moon that received its glow
from her face?
Krishnadeva Raya weaves an ingenious utpreksha alankara with
Goda Devi's face, the musk deer and the moon. This is followed by
another hyperbole: the large eyes with quickening glances appeared
as cupid's bow being readied for a strike. Further :
"The eyelashes were like the chains binding an elephant
from falling into a well being drunk, as the eyeballs looked
intoxicated".
Poetic apostrophes have a field day upon the palm-leaves in
Krishnadeva Raya's hands. Goda Devi's ears are like Lakshmi
(as the word Sri in Telugu script has the shape of an ear) ; the act
of putting on an ear-ring is seen in terms of the familiar idea that
a brother should not see his sister's undecorated ear (Lakshmi and
the moon are both ocean-born). The description that began with
the tresses (this is to be kesadi paada varnanam) now moves to the nose
which is likened to a champak blossom; the bees that get frightened
by the champak's scent are again attracted by her sweet breath
and take her teeth to be jasmine buds. Well, one can see the bees
reflected in the teeth! Though Goda Devi's neck was fashioned
like a conch by Brahma, it was constant application of sandal
paste in her youth that rendered it white.
Music was evidently a major occupation for Goda Devi and
her friends. The hymns composed by her are also meant to be sung
and she repeatedly refers to singing in the Tiruppavai. In the early
morning hours they go about singing the praise of the Lord (Kesa-
vanai paadavum, Pankaya kannanai paadelo) to wake up one another in
the Margasirsa month. The poet remembers this and gets ready a
meaningful compliment: the three folds on her throat signified her
ability to sing effortlessly in the three reaches of base, middle and
high. Lotus stalks were her hands while her chest was like the
nuptial crown tied by Cupid on the face of Rati Devi. The breasts
rebelled at the control imposed by the dress and grew close to each
other as the pair of chakravaka birds that had been released from
Rama's curse (Rama had cursed the chakravakas in the forest