Govinda - A not-so-innocent story doing the rounds and its analysis

There is a not-so-innocent story doing the rounds in social media. It is not-so-innocent because it seems to be driven by an agenda to delink a Samskṛta pada from its roots and attribute to it Telugu roots with also an intention to attribute longer history to Telugu than what is accepted today. Reproduced below is the story with an analysis following it.

Do you know the secret behind as to why Tirupati Balaji is called ‘GOVINDA’?

There is a wonderful and very interesting story ....

SWAMY…..GOVU ….INDA ………….!!!!!

A lovely incident happened when Lord Vishnu came to Bhuloka in search of Mahalaxmi …..when he entered Bhuloka as usual, he got human qualities like thirst and hunger, this following incident is conversation between Lord Srinivasa and Sage Agastya Muni..…

Lord Srinivasa once went to the hermitage of Sage Agastya and said "Munindra, I have come to Bhu Loka (Earth) on a particular mission and going to stay here till the end of the Kali Yuga.... I'm very fond of Cow milk and need one for my daily needs. I know you have a large Gosaala with many Cows. Can you offer me one Cow for my needs.”

Sage Agastya smiled and said "Swamy, I know very well that you are Lord Sri Maha Vishnu in the human form of Srinivasa. I'm so happy that the creator and the ruler of this universe has come to my hermitage and seeking a favor from me. But, I also know your maya, Swamy and know that you have come all the way to test my devotion.”

“So Swamy, please allow me to follow the rules. The holy Cow should only be gifted to a man who comes and seeks it along with his wife. I shall certainly be happy to gift a Cow to you but will only be able to do so when you come to my hermitage along with my Mother Goddess Lakshmi and ask for it. Until then You will have to forgive me Swamy.”

Lord Srinivasa smiled and said, ”Ok Munidra, I shall certainly do what you wanted me to do. ”and returned to his place.

Later Lord Srinivasa married Goddess Padmavathi. Some days after their marriage, Lord Srinivasa came to Sage Agastya maha muni’s hermitage along with His divine consort Padmavathi to seek the holy Cow. But the Sage was not there in the hermitage. His disciples who do not know who Lord Srinivasa is asked Him....

“Who are you and what can we do for you?..”

The Lord replied, ”My name is Srinivasa and she’s my wife Padmavathi. I asked your acharya to offer me a Cow for my daily needs. But he wanted me to come along with my wife and take it. So I have come now. Will you please inform your acharya that I have come.” said Lord Srinivasa.

“Our Acharya is not there in the ashram (hermitage) right now. So please come again later to collect your Cow.” said the humble disciples of Sage Agastya.

Lord Srinivasa smiled and said, ”I agree. But I'm supreme ruler of this entire place so you can trust me and offer me one Cow. I cannot come again"

“Maybe you are the ruler of this place or may be this entire universe. But our divine acharya is supreme to us and we shall not do anything that displeases him and also without his knowledge and permission" replied the stubborn disciples.

Smiling gently, the holy Lord said, "I value your respect towards your acharya. Please convey him when he returns, that Srinivasa had come from Gnanadri hills along with his wife to seek the Cow from him.” 

Saying so Lord Srinivasa turned back and started walking towards the seven hills of Tirumala.

Exactly after a couple of minutes, Sage Agastya returned to the hermitage and was extremely disappointed when he heard from his disciples about the arrival of Lord Srinivasa during his absence.

Thinking loudly, ”how unfortunate really I'm  not to be there at the hermitage when Sri Mahanarayana himself graced along with my divine mother Lakshmi”, the holy sage immediately rushed into the Gosala (Cow shed); took a Govu (Telugu word meaning Cow) and started running in the direction Lord Srinivasa and Goddess Padmavathi were going.

After running a few paces He found at a long distance, Lord Srinivasa going along with His divine consort Padmavathi. Running behind them the holy sage started shouting in Telugu language...

“Swamy, Govu Inda (Govu in Telugu means cow and Inda means take and telugu is a local language where tirupati is suituated)

Swamy, Govu Inda.. Swamy, Govu Inda.. Swamy, Govu Inda..”

But the Lord didn’t turn back. Increasing the speed of his running, the Sage Agastya started shouting further more loudly and very devotionally

“..Swamy, Govu Inda.. Swamy, Govu Inda.. Swamy, Govu Inda.. (Swamy, take this Cow).. Swamy, Govu Inda.. Swamy, Govu Inda.. Swamy, Govu Inda.. Swamy, Govu Inda.. Swamy, Govu Inda.. ( oh my lord take this cow ) Swamy, Govu Inda..” but still lord didn't turned back ……

Hurriedly increasing the speed of his shouting, the holy sage from here on started involuntarily saying the following sacred words.. The noble sage thought he was saying ‘Swamy Govu Inda’ but see what it turned out to be..

“…Swamy Govinda.. Swamy Govindaa.. Swamy Govindaa.. Swamy Govinda.. Swamy Govindaa.. Swamy Govindaa.. Swamy Govinda..Swamy Govindaa.. Swamy Govinda.. Swamy Govindaa.. Swamy Govindaa.. Govinda.Govinda.. Govindaa.. Govinda.. Govinda..

Govindaa.. Govinda.. Govindaaaa..”

After some more shouting from the holy sage, a smiling Lord Sri Venkateswara and Goddess Padmavathi turned back and then while accepting the holy Cow from him, said,

“Priya Munindra, knowingly or unknowingly you have by now recited my most favorite name Govinda 108 times.. I'm going to reside in Eka Murthy idol form on this sacred GNANADRI hills until the end of the 28th Kali Yuga.. As long as I'm residing here in Bhu Loka in this idol form I shall be called by this name by all my devotees..”

“A Temple would be constructed here for me on these sacred seven hills and devotees would keep coming in large numbers to see me every day. These devotees, either while climbing these hills or while they are in front of me in the Temple would call me by this name”

“Please remember Munindra, every time I’m called by this name you are remembered too. If any devotee for whatever reason is unable to come to my Temple I shall still grant him whatever he rightfully deserves if he recites just this name GOVINDA as many times as he’s comfortable chanting”.

“I shall also grant salvation (moksha) to all those devotees who recite this sacred name at least 108 times while climbing the seven hills”.

Now we all know as how this name “Govinda” originated. 

Let us all chant HIS Holy name *Govinda, Govinda, Govinda* 🙏"

This apocryphal story is not innocent. There are political interests who want to delink deshiiya bhaaShaas from samskRRitam to finally achieve division of bhaarata.

Ṛṣi Agastya is a mantradraṣṭā. To claim that he would call bhagavān that way (without knowing the greatness of govindanāma and talking in an apabhraṃśa to address bhagavān) is not logical because it will go against veda. And thereby reduce the Ṛṣi's stature too.

Veda says "तस्माद्ब्राह्मणेन न म्लेच्छितवै नापभाषितवै" i.e. a brāhmaṇa should neither talk mlecchabhāṣā nor apabhraṃśa (non vaidika non samskRRita language).

Coming to the story itself, it beats one's imagination as to why agastya will say "govu" at all. In telugu gomtātā is called āvu.

So, it is clear that it is to take advantage of a happenstance (govinda sounding like govu indā) to forward a narrative of govinda not being a samskṛta word or to attribute ignorance to the ṛṣi.

Coming to the word itself, it is a sādhupada in samskṛtam which has the following meaning -
गा विन्दतीति गोविन्दः = the one who keeps indriyas under control.
गोभिरेव वेद्यः = one to be known through vedavākya.
गां विन्दतीति = one who raised bhūmi (also named "go")  from pralayasamudra.

Hence the word doesn't need the crutches of a different language to stand on.

Such being the greatness of govindanāma, the story referred to here reduces the greatness of govindanāma and hence the theory peddled by the story is fit to be discarded.