Who is Tulsi? In Krishna lila? In Gaura lila?

krsna · November 10, 2005

Gaudiya Vaisnavas worship the plant Tulsi. They worship the plant with aroti and kirtan, use the wood for neck beads and chanting beads, use her leaves for offering food.

Why? Who is Tulsi? In Krishna lila? In Gaura lila? What is her connection to Radharani, our main worshipable deity? How is her worship connected to our goal of Radha-dasya?

Pankaja_Dasa · November 10, 2005

My Mother serves Tulasi devi. She has been to Vrindavana along with my Father..

Posted Image

www.flickr.com/photos/nityananda/

Pankaja_Dasa · November 10, 2005

Posted Image

Tulasi devi, with Sunshine.

govindarupini · November 11, 2005

In answer to your question, here are the words to a prayer to Vrnda devi.

Sri Vrnda-Devyastakam

by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura

O Vrnde, your bodily complexion mocks the luster of gold, campaka flowers, and lightning. Fully devoted to Sri Radha-Krsna, you shine with the brightness of Their seva, which you mercifully shower upon devotees who worship you. Your splendid red dress shines like the red bandhuka and bandhu flowers - I offer pranama unto your lotus feet.

O Vrnde, a gentle smile emanates from your red bimba-fruit-like lips,the luster of the pearl which adorns the tip of your nose illuminates your entire face, and your jeweled ornaments further enhance your extraordinary beauty - I offer pranama unto your lotus feet.

O Vrnde, the daughter of Vrsabhanu Maharaja, Radhika, has given you dominion over Sri Krsna's most glorious Sri Vrndavana-dhama, which is the crown-jewel of all the Vaikuntha planets. - I offer pranama unto your lotus feet.

O Vrnde, on your order the leaves, flowers, bees, deer, peacocks, parrots and all the other living entities in Vrndavana beautifully decorate the wondrous kunjas where Sri Madhava enjoys His playful loving pastimes (keli-vilasa) in the perpetual spring season - I offer pranama unto you lotus feet.

O Vrnde! You send your messengers who cleverly make all arrangements so that Sri Radha-Krsna can unite for Their keli-vilasa. You yourself also act as messenger, overcoming difficult obstacles to Their meeting. Because you are helping in these lilas, Their meetings must be successful! Who in this world could possibly describe your peerless good fortune? Therefore, I worship you and offer pranama unto your lotus feet.

O Vrnde, By your mercy only the devotees attain residence in Sri Vrndavana, render service to the lotus feet of your beloved Sri Radha-Mahdhava, and directly enter into the rasa-lila - I offer pranama unto your lotus feet.

O Vrnde, in the bhakti-tantras, highly expert panditas have declared you to be Sri Krsna's pastime potency (lila-sakti), and in this world you assume the form of the renowned tulasi tree - I offer pranama unto your lotus feet.

O merciful Vrnda-devi, devoid of devotion and guilty of unlimited offences, I am being tossed about in the ocean of material existence by the turbulent waves of lust, anger, greed and other inauspicious qualities. Therefore, I take shelter of you as I offer pranama unto your lotus feet.

Those who, like bumblebees at the lotus feet of the royal couple of Vrndavana, hear or recite this astaka describing Vrnda-devi's glories, will obtain eternal residence in Vrndavana where they will become fulfilled, being immersed in loving service to Sri Sri Radha-Govinda.

Hare Krsna

Govindarupini dd

govindarupini · November 11, 2005

I found some more information on Vrnda devi.

"...Vrndavana is expertly served by Sri Vrnda-devi and is densely filled with many types of seva-kunjas and keli-kunjas. Vrnda-devi, eternally reigning and residing here, is the protector, nourisher and forest goddess (vanadevi). of Sri Vrndavana. All the trees, creepers, birds and animals of Vrndavana are under her jurisdiction, and they are dependent upon and obedient to her. She constantly engages countless gopis in service in the kunjas. She is therefore the adhistatri-devi of kunja-seva.

It is important to understand Yogamaya (samastibhuta svarupa-sakti), Paurnamasi (parakhya maha-sakti) and Vrnda-devi and their different functions. Bhagavati Paurnamasi is the lila-avatara of Yogamaya; in other words, when Yoga-maya takes a tangible form, she becomes Paurnamasi. Paurnamasi's function is to attend to all the details of the various pastimes in the forest and gosthas. Vrnda-devi, on the other hand, who is the personification of Sri Krsna's lilakhya maha-sakti and also a manifestation of Yogamaya, makes all the arrangements for Radha and Krsna's nikunja-vilasa, rasa-vilasa and so on.

Vrnda-devi's father is Candrabhanu, her mother is Phullara Gopi and her husband is Mahipala. All of them eternally reside in Vrndavana. Vrnda is the most important among all the duti sakhis, or messengers, like Vrndarika, Maina and Murali. Her function is to skilfully arrange the meeting of the Divine Couple through various means and, therefore, she is the vanadevi of Vrndavana. Vrnda-devi has dedicated her kingdom of Vrndavana, which she wonderfully serves, protects and nourishes, at the lotus feet of Vrsabhanu-nandini Srimati Radhika, who is mahabhava svarupa, the embodiment of mahabhava. Therefore, Srimati Radhika is truly Vrndavanesvari, the Queen of Vrndavana.

The Puranas state that the following personalities are all kaya-vyuha svarupa, bodily expansions, of sarva-saktimayi Srimati Radhika: Maharaja Kedara's daughter who is described as Vrnda-devi; king Kusadhvaja's daughter whom the Brahna-vaivarta Purana describes as Tulasi, the wife of

Sankhacuda; and Vrnda, or Tulasi, the beloved of Hari who appears in the form of a plant on the earth planet. They eternally reside in Vrndavana and are the partial manifestations (kala-svarupa) of Vrnda-devi, who is always engaged in the service of the Divine Couple in the nikunjas of Vrndavana. Indeed, Vrndavana is known by the name of this Vrnda-devi.

This was taken from "Sri Braja Mandala Parikrama" by Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja

Govindarupini dd

govindarupini · November 11, 2005

Dhana Ghati

This place is situated in the middle of Govardhana on the present-day road between Mathura and Kamyavana. Even today, a toll must be paid to cross through here.

'Once, on the bank of Govinda Kunda, Sri Bhaguri Rsi was performing a yajna for the pleasure of Bhagavan. The gopas and gopis were bringing ingredients for the yajna from distant places. From the other side of Dana Ghati, Srimati Radhika and Her sakhis were also bringing yogurt, milk, butter, rabadi, and many other kinds of milk-sweets. Sri Krsna, along with Subala, Madhumangala and other sakhas, obstructed the path and forcibly demanded dana (toll), and the sakhas and gopis began to taunt each other with sarcastic remarks.

Standing in His tribhanga-lalita form, Sri Krsna asked mischievously, "What are you carrying?"

"Milk, yoghurt and butter for the yajna of Bhaguri Rsi," the gopis replied.

Hearing the word 'butter', Madhumangala"s mouth started to water. He promptly said, "Quickly pay the dana and move on."

Lalita, filled with sarcasm, asked, "What dana? We have never paid any dana before."

But Sri Krsna was insistent. "You can pass only after paying dana."

Srimatiji asked Him, "Since when have You become the dani here? Did You inherit this place from your father?"

"Don't be so insolent!" He replied. "I am Vrndavanesvara, the ruler of the kingdom of Vrndavana."

"How is that?"

"Vrnda is My wedded wife," Krsna asserted, "The property of the wife is also the property of the husband. Vrndavana is the kingdom of Vrnda-devi, therefore it is My kingdom."

"Accha?" Lalita answered haughtily. "We have never heard anything about this. Let us inquire form Vrndaji about this right now." At once, she turned towards Vrnda and smilingly asked, "Vrnde! Is this 'black one' your husband?"

Vrnda flared up in disgust: "Never! We have no relation with this lying debauchee. Yes, this was my kingdom, but I have handed it over to Vrndavanesvari Srimati Radhika." All the sakhis burst out laughing and Sri Krsna become a little embarrassed, but He was nonetheless determined to collect the dana. After this prema-kalaha, or love-quarrel, the gopis exchanged the dana of prema at Dana Nivartana Kunda, some distance for Dana Ghati

Also from the same "Braja Mandala Parikrama" book