As everyone leads their life in this world, there can be times when one wants to seek support of the divine plane at some point in life.
One reason could be when someone feels helpless and need help from either sickness, or other troubles in life (seeks help from God to come out of a trouble). It could be when one wants to fulfil a desire (seeks blessings from God to attain a goal). Other reason could be when one is tired of the materialistic pleasures and feels curious to know about what is beyond all the materials (seeks knowledge about God for his own happiness).
Another reason could be when one is in love for God either by nature or by guidance (seeks God out of love for Him).
In all the above cases, each one has a different need. Addressing the need of an individual is termed as rakshana, protection. The ultimate rakshana for a soul involves liberating one eternally from the bondage of karma and giving the original beautiful blissful state. Any rakshana involves giving the individual what is necessary and eliminating what is unnecessary: ista prapthi, anista nivrutthi.
I do not need rakshana from external source. I am fine by myself.
That is okay but remember that we are currently living in a body given by God, not something we chose. This body has its limitations, we can’t turn our own head 180 degrees backwards. We do not have control over how we leave this body at the time of death.
But we will leave this body some day in the future and may end up getting a body that cannot even think beyond the body. At that point, you will have no choice but to live to eat for the body and nothing else. At least in this human birth, there is an ability to think about the cycle of life and death and express a desire to reach the original blissful state free from the limitations of these bodies.
In that case, I would like to know how this rakshana is done?
Rakshana is done in two phases. Guru (called nandagopa, nanda = joyful gopa = careful) rules the first phase of rakshana where he guides one about who God is, how to approach God, what is the means to seek God, how to handle obstacles etc. God (Narayana, naara = all that exists ayana = supporter of) rules the second and final phase of rakshana where He addresses your need. That is why Goda Devi refers to Nandagopa in pasuram 16 and Krishna in pasuram 23 as the protectors of the koyil, the residence.
Pasuram 16
na:yagana:y ninra nandago:panudaya
ko:yil ka:ppa:ne: !, kodiththo:nrum tho:rana
va:sal ka:ppa:ne: !, manikkadavam tha:l thirava:y
a:yar sirumiyaro:mukku, arai parai
ma:yan manivannan nennale: va:y ne:r nda:n
thu:yo:ma:y vando:m thuyilezhap pa:duva:n,
va:ya:l munnamunnam ma:ththa:de: amma: ! ni:,
ne:sanilaik kadavam ni:kke:lo:remba:va:y
Goda Devi refers to Nandagopa (Guru) as being the protector of the koyil (this body where God resides with you)
Pasuram 23
ma:ri malai muzhanjil mannikkidand irangum
si:riya singam ariviththuth thi:vizhiththu
ve:rimayir pongaveppa:dum pe:rndudari,
mu:ri nimirndu muzhangip purappattu
po:daruma:po:le: ni: pu:vai pu:vanna: vun
ko:yil ninru ingane: po:ndarulik, ko:ppudaiya
si:riya singa:sanaththirundu, ya:m vanda
ka:riyam a:ra:yndarul e:lo:remba:va:i
Goda Devi refers to Krishna (God) as the protector of the koyil (this body where God resides
with you)
– From the discourse of HH Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji
– January 7 th 2021, Dhanurmasam at Vijaya Kiladri Hills
Jai sreeman narayana