Meaning of Kaaguthaa - One of the names of Lord Rama

One of the numerous names of Lord Rama is Kaakutsa. The thamizh equivalent of this is "kaaguththan". Azhwars have used this name in many of their pasurams. Swami Sri.U.Ve.Velukudi Krishnan explains this very clearly.

Ikshawaku was a glorious king in the times of yore. He was the son of Manu. Ikshwaku was very righteous and he led by example. He was one of the foremost in "Surya vamsam" that had many great kings in the likes of Raghu, Bhagirathan, Dasarathan and the one and the only Lord Rama. This clan is also called as "Ikshawaku kulam". The kings in this clan were mighty powerful that whenever there was a war between the devas and the asuras, the devas would often times seek out the help of the kings in this clan. They were very much renowned for the valor, righteousness and honesty.

Once upon a time, much before the times of Dasarathan, there broke a fierce war between the devas and the asuras. Indra, the chief of the devas, came and requested the help of the then king in that solar dynasty. The king agreed to help Indra and devas, upon a condition. The king told Indira, " I am ready to come and help out you guys, if you take a form of a bull, where by I could sit on top of you in the hump area and do war with the asuras". Indira agreed to the request of the king happily and he transformed himself to a bull . The king sat on the hump of the bull and fought the war for Devas and earned them victory.

The hump part of the bull (or any cattle) is referred to as "kakuth". The thamizh name for this place of the cattle is called "thimil". Since the king made the "kakuth" part of the cattle as his place ("sa")  in the war, he was referred as "kakuthsa". The suffix "sa" connotates to "place", "be with" "in place together", as we see in names like "Srivatsa" that means "Sri, who lives in the chest of Perumal as her place forever". When this suffix "sa" is preceeded by "t", we need to pronounce it properly. In some parts of India, people mispronounce this name by swapping the position of "t" and "s" and say "Srivasta" or "Shrivasthava" etc, which is not right and not the original intent of the name. Sometimes, people also say "Usthavam" and not "Uthsavam". "Kaakuthsa" should end and rhyme with "uthsa" as in the word "uthsavam".

So, back to our story, the king was then called "kakuthsa". Since, Lord Rama came in the same dynasty as the king, he was been referred to as "kaakuthsa". The "thamizh"ised equivalent of this is "kaaguththan".  A couple of Nammazhwar's pasurams we can enjoy that has this name of Lord Rama :

(a) From "kangulum pagalum" padhigam about Srirangam in Thiruvaimozhi (7.2.3)

வட்கிலள் இறையும்  மணிவண்ணா! என்னும்  வானமே நோக்கும் மையாக்கும்

உட்குடை  அசுரர் உயிரெல்லாம் உண்ட ஒருவனே! என்னும் உள்ளுருக்கும்

கட்கிலீ! உன்னைக் காணுமாறு அருளாய்  காகுத்தா! கண்ணனே! என்னும்

திட்கொடி மதிள்சூழ் திருவரங்கத்தாய்!  இவள்திறத்து என் செய்திட்டாயே?

vatkilaL iRaiyum  maNivaNNaa!  ennum  vaanamE nOkkum maiyaakkum
utkudai achurar uyirellaam uNta  oruvanE!  ennum uLLurukum
katkilee! unnaik kaaNumaaRu aruLaay  kaaguththaa! kaNNanE!  ennum
thitkodi mathiLchooz thiruvarangaththaay!  ivaLthiRaththu en_ cheydhittaayE?

(b) This one is from Thiruvaimozhi 5.4.3, "Oorellam thunji" padhigam:

நீயும் பாங்கல்லைகாண்  நெஞ்சமே! நீளிரவும்

ஓயும் பொழுதின்றி ஊழியாய் நீண்டதால்

காயும் கடுஞ்சிலை என் காகுத்தன் வாரானால்

மாயும் வகை அறியேன் வல்வினையேன் பெண் பிறந்தே

neeyum baaNGgallaikaaN nenchamE! neeLiravum
Oyum pozhudhinRi oozhiyaay neendathaal
kaayum kadunchilai en kaaguththan vaaraanaal
maayum vagai aRiyEn val vinaiyEn peN piRandhE