Dasaratha, though Rama’s father, did not attain moksha, the ultimate state of liberation. Instead, he reached Swarga, heaven.

The reason for this was that he failed to recognize Rama as the incarnation of the Lord in human form. Instead, he always referred to Rama as “my Rama” (me: ra:maha), seeing him merely as his son.

Similarly, during the Lord’s incarnation as Krishna, very few, like Bhishmacharya and Akrura, truly recognized and understood Krishna as the Supreme Lord’s divine incarnation. Whether the Lord incarnates in a moving form, like Rama or Krishna, or in a non-moving form, such as a vigraha (deity), there will always be those who believe and recognize His divine nature, and those who will never accept it.

Great Acharyas like Ramanujacharya contemplated the teachings and devotion of Goda Devi, and they felt that her devotion surpassed even the wisdom of the Vedas and Upanishads.

But why is she considered so special, to the point of surpassing the Vedas and Upanishads?

The reason lies in the fact that Goda Devi belongs to the realm of the heart, not the intellect. While the intellect seeks logic, the heart is driven purely by love. Goda Devi’s love for the Lord, who reclines majestically as Sri Ranganatha in SriRangam, was profound. She yearned for His grace and longed for eternal union with Him. This pure love transcended the capacity of intellect.

How did she accomplish such a magnanimous task?

Sage Para:sara eulogized mother Goda Devi for the way she accomplished the magnanimous task with the following verses, revealing the greatness in Her thoughts and wisdom…

ni:la:thunga sthanagirithati: supthamudhbo:dhya krushnam

Like a mother who gently convinces a frustrated father to soften his stance toward a child’s immature and egoistic behavior, when the Lord seemed to “walk away” from His efforts to protect us, Goda Devi “awakened” the Lord (udbo:dhya), guiding Him to soften the distant, strict fatherly relationship He had with the souls. She urged Him to move toward a more compassionate approach.

Through her profound love, she led Him to a middle ground, asking Him to erase the accumulated karma, at least for those who seek Him, or for anyone who has done even the smallest good deed.

pa:ra:rthyam svam sruthi satha sirassidhdham adhya:payanthi:

Goda Devi taught the Lord that the true purpose of anyone’s existence, including His own, is pa:ra:rthyam—to be of service to others. The souls must exist in service to Him, and He must exist in support of the souls. Through her love, she “reminded” and “enlightened” Him of the eternal bond between the soul and God.

svo:chchishta:ya:m sraji nigalidham ya:bala:thkruthya bhunkthe:

Goda Devi’s love for the Lord was so profound that she did not hesitate to adorn herself with a garland, simply to “check” how it looked before offering it to Him. She took joy in singing His name every day, savoring it herself before offering it to Him as prayer. Just as one might prefer a guava eaten by a parrot, the Lord preferred that garlands be offered only after they had been worn by Goda Devi.

Similarly, while we may not mind using honey produced by bees, who mouth the substance before it reaches us, there are exceptions to accepting ucchishtam (leftovers). Goda Devi’s songs and garlands are not only accepted as ucchishtam, but are actually preferred by the Lord because of the pure and complete love she has for Him.

So, yes, while Dasaratha did not attain moksha, we all have the opportunity to. Let us follow the example set by Goda Devi during this Dhanurmasam, and strive to deepen our love and devotion.

-From the discourse of HH Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji
-19^th Dec 2024, Mangalagiri
– Dhanurmasam