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

Goda Devi 55
posed to live in the lotus); her thick tresses have certainly
brought joy to the peacock (which dances when the rain
clouds gather); her lotus-feet have become the refuge of bees”.
The Divine’s ways are inexplicable. In a moment Goda Devi
had been taken inside the inner apartments of the Lord; and a
deceptive figure like hers was left near Vishnuchitta. Vishnuchitta
received temple honours and returned home with the surrogate
figure (sambari tanu sambahavam) in the palanquin. However, when
they reached home, the figure of Goda Devi vanished. Returning
to the temple, Vishnuchitta cried out:
“Alas! Inspite of being the guardian-lord, Ranganatha
has stolen my daughter. Who will come to my aid in relieving
me of this wrong? If he had fallen in love with her, I would
myself have arranged the marriage. My body and my earn-
ings are meant for Him. Goda Devi is no exception. Why
then should He belittle me so? Just because He is worshipped
by mighty powers like Shiva, Brahma and Indra, He should
not insult poor people like me. Lakshmi Devi is my witness.
May Vaishnavas speak on my behalf! With Sri, Bhu and
Neela beside you, why have you sought to take away this girl
grown wafer-thin because of severe penance? Who can cor-
rect the zig-zag course of rivers and the path of water-ways?”
Ranganatha was seemingly taken aback by Vishnuchitta’s
passion. A smile lighting up the makara-earrings, the Lord said
that Vishnuchitta had certainly grown senile. Goda Devi was safe
in Vishnuchitta’s house! He must go back and search the place
well. Going back, the Villipputtur Brahmin found his daughter safe.
Tears streaming down his eyes, he blessed her.
Meanwhile Ranganatha sent Brahma, Rudra, Saraswati and
Parvati, along with Vishwaksena, to Vishnuchitta with a formal
proposal for Goda Devi’s hand. Vishnuchitta was delighted, but
would agree to the marriage only if Ranganatha assented to
getting married in Villipputtur. That way, he would be honoured
by the whole community. The message was communicated to
Ranganatha. The Lord agreed. Vishnuchitta returned to Villip-
puttur with Goda Devi.
Villipputtur put on a festival look for the approaching Goda
Kalyanam. Vishnuchitta’s home built by Viswakarma was deco-
rated with festoons. Ranganatha came riding the Garuda, and was