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

50 Goda's Garland of Devotion
have no attachment to my body either. It is best I am rid of
this chandala form. To see heavens at close range is a happy
thought. Our good example is Emperor Sibi who exchanged
his body for Moksha. Is it not better to die for satisfying the
pangs of hunger of a fellow-being than be killed in an accident
or by sickness?"
Then the devotee proceeded to speak words of deep wisdom.
After all a Brahmarakshas is high-born and can think like humans.
What price murder! Indeed, what is the use of sustaining one's
body through killing others? Demons like Ravana and Hiranya-
kasipu had to go the way of all flesh. Yama takes charge of tor-
turing humans and demons alike, to match the sinful deeds per-
petrated by them on the earth. And our deeds are regulated by
sattva, rajas and tamas within us; these again are conditioned by
the kind of food we eat. The gods live long happily because they
eat the offerings poured into the fire of holy yajnas. One could go
on describing the importance of our gods and goddesses.
The demon laughed: "Don't talk to me of Vedas and Shastras!
Fie upon your old wives' tales! I am going to kill you!"
Mala Dasari changed the track of his speech and decided to
make one more attempt to persuade the Brahmarakshas to give
him a last chance to worship the Lord with his favourite raga.
The original tale of Mala Dasari occurs in the Varaha Purana.
Krishnadeva Raya has introduced a few changes to suit his plan of
expounding Visishtadvaita. Indeed, we soon forget that the episode
is a digression and we have been detained at an important point
in the tale of Goda Devi. Such is the power of the Raya's sublime
poetry.
When shastraic lore failed to convince the demon, Mala
Dasari said that having spent some time conversing under the
aswatha tree, a fraternal bond had been forged between the two.
Hence the demon should have some pity for the Dasari's desire
to fulfil a vow. Nearby was the temple of Kurungudi. He would
go there, fulfil his vow of offering musical worship and return to
the demon to be eaten. Because of the worship, the Dasari's body
would have become prasada. Surely such holy food would be wel-
comed by the Brahmarakshas!