Godā Stuti, 24

ārdrāparādhini jane ’py abhirakṣaṇārthaṃ
raṅgeśvarasya ramayā vinivedyamāne |
pārśve paratra bhavatī yadi tatra nāsīt
prāyeṇa Devi vadanaṃ parivartitaṃ syāt || 24 ||

When even those people
        who have committed offenses recently
communicate their desire for protection
to the Lord of Śrīraṅgam through Lakṣmī

You, o Lady,
stand by Him on the other side;

if You weren't there,
He would likely turn His face away!


Notes
In the Śrīvaiṣṇava tradition, Lakṣmī is given the all-important role of intercessor. Nārāyaṇa, as Supreme Being, metes out justice impartially, but it is Lakṣmī who turns Him towards mercy. In this verse, Śrī Vedānta Deśika extends this idea to argue that even for those people who appeal to Lakṣmī to intercede on their behalf with Viṣṇu, it is in facy Godā's presence next to Viṣṇu that softens Him enough to grant mercy.


This is an innovative way of addressing the eternal theological question of justice versus mercy: an All-Merciful God cannot typically be just, whereas an All-Just God cannot really show mercy. The Viṣṇu-Lakṣmī-Godā complex is able to navigate these complicated waters.