In the Garga Samhita, Sri Narada Muni explains to Sri Bahulashva, the story of the demigoddesses that became gopis, a story that grants the four goals of life and increases one’s love for Lord Krishna.
In Malava-Desha there was a great gopa-king named Nanda-Divaspati. He was righteous and wealthy, and he had a thousand wives.
As he was going on pilgrimage, he arrived in Mathura. When he heard of Vraja’s King Nanda, he went to Gokul. He met King Nanda, and he saw the beauty of Vrindavana. With Nanda’s permission, the noble-hearted king made his residence there.
Having made a sixteen-mile place for his cows, King Divaspati and his relatives lived happily.
By Devala Muni’s words, all the demigoddesses were born as his daughters, daughters splendid like flames in a blazing fire.
When they saw handsome Krishna, they were bewildered with love for Him. To attain Him they performed the great vow of Magha-Vrata.
As they bathed at sunrise in the Yamuna, these girls of Vraja, who had fallen in love with Krishna, every day loudly sang of Lord Krishna’s pastimes.
The month of Magha (January-February) is very cold, they performed austerities bathing in cold Yamuna water, singing Lord Krishna’s pastimes to please Lord Krishna.
Pleased with them, Lord Krishna said to them, “Please ask for a benediction.” Slowly bowing down with folded hands, these girls spoke to Krishna.
The gopis said: “Even the great kings of the yogis cannot attain You. You are the master of all, the first cause of all causes. Holding a flute, and more handsome than Kamadeva, please always stay before our eyes.”
Lord Krishna said, “So be it.” He was always before them. He appeared in their heart and He appeared before their eyes as if they had just called Him.
Shri Krishna, and no one else is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead. Coming to this world to do one thing, He did millions of other things as well.
I worship most intelligent Krishna who, with a peacock-feather crown, swinging earrings, a yellow sash about His waist, and a stick and flute in His hand, is dressed as a graceful-shouldered dancer.
Shri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is conquered by love and devotion. These gopis are the proof of this. Although they never followed the paths of yoga or Sankhya, they attained Lord Krishna’s company.
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The Story of the Gopis that in the Holi Festival Displayed Three Transcendental Virtues
In the Garga Samhita, Sri Narada Muni explains to Sri Bahulashva, the story of some other gopis.
Born in Vraja, the Upanandas were: Vitihotra, Agnibhuk, Samba, Shrikara, Gopati, Shruta, Vrajesha, Pavana, and Shanta. They were all wealthy, handsome, learned, noble, virtuous, charitable, and the fathers of many children.
Following the orders of the demigods, these girls, endowed with three virtues, some from the celestial planets, and some not from the celestial planets, took birth in the homes of the Upanandas. Having performed many pious deeds, these gopis were born on the earth and became the friends of Shri Radha.
Noticing that Krishna was ready to celebrate the great Holi festival, these gopis approached Shri Radha, who was then filled with jealous anger, and spoke to Her.
The gopis said: “O moon-face, banana-tree thigh, sweet as honey Queen Radha, please hear these pleasing words. Shri Krishna, the ornament of Vraja, has come to Your forest to celebrate the Holi festival. His eyes rolling in the intoxication of glorious youth, His black locks resting on His cheeks and shoulders covered with a yellow shawl, He walks here, the anklets tinkling on His reddish feet.”
“Wearing glittering armlets, yellow garments, a crown like the rising sun, and shark earrings that eclipse lightning, He is splendid and glorious as a monsoon cloud and a rainbow. Eager to enjoy a rasa-dance with You, His body anointed with red kumkuma, and a sprinkler in His hand, He fixes His gaze on as You stay nearby in this courtyard-garden.”
“Give up Your jealous anger, and celebrate the glorious Holi festival. Go at once and get water mixed with red dye, sandal paste, and flower-pollen. Stand up! Go at once! O noble-hearted one, with Your friends go to where He is! An opportunity like this will not come again. Wash Your hand in the stream of the Holi festival.”
Then angry Radha put aside Her jealous anger, stood up, and, accompanied by Her friends, went to celebrate the Holi festival.
The girls of Vraja carried sprinklers filled with water mixed with sandal, aguru, musk, yellow turmeric, and red Kumkum. With red hands and yellow garments, and with songs and laughter, they sang about the glories of Holi.
Throwing fistfuls of red powder, they reddened the sky, the earth, and all the directions.
There were millions and millions of reddish fists. Millions and millions of times they threw fragrant red powder.
As lightning flashes surround a cloud in the month of Shravana (July-August), so the Vraja-gopis surrounded Krishna and held Him tightly with both hands.
With fistfuls of red powder, they anointed His face. With sprinklers of Kumkum-water they drenched Him.
Then the Supreme Personality of Godhead expanded into as many forms as there were Vraja-gopis. As a cloud touched by lightning in the rain, so Krishna was splendidly manifest with Radha in the Holi festival.
Taking a new upper garment, and His eyes now anointed by Radha’s hand, Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, left the gopis and went to King Nanda’s palace as the demigods showered flowers.
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The Story of the Gopis That were Residents of Rama-Vaikuntha, Shvetadvipa, Urdhva-Vaikuntha, Ajita-pada, and Shri Lokacala
Before reading my below article, I would like to request my viewers to read my other article first “The Story of the Personified Vedas” – material relationships are based on lust desire only which cannot be compared with Lord Krishna’s pastimes. Lord Krishna is free from material defects of possessiveness, false-ego and free of the modes of material nature. Lord Krishna serve his devotees in reciprocation according to their desires.
In the Garga Samhita, Sri Narada Muni explains to Sri Bahulashva, the story of the other gopis, a sacred story that removes all sins, and increases one’s love for Lord Krishna.
The six Vrishabhanus: Nitivit, Margada, Shukla, Patanga, Divyavahana, and Gopeshta, were born in Vraja. In their homes, by a benediction granted by Lord Narayana, were born the girls of Rama-Vaikuntha, Urdhva-Vaikuntha, Lokacala, and Ajitapada, who had all been born from the ocean of milk and who were all friends of the goddess of fortune.
Always thinking of Lord Krishna’s lotus feet, to gain His favor, they followed the vow of Magha-Vrata.
On the fifth day of the bright fortnight of the month of Magha (January-February), as springtime was about to begin, to test their love for Him, Lord Krishna went to these gopis’ homes
Dressed in a tiger skin, His hair matted, and His natural opulences concealed, by playing the flute he enchanted all the worlds.
Seeing Him on the path, the enchanted gopis were overcome with love. To gaze at Him, they came close. As they gazed at this very handsome yogi, the blissful gopis spoke among themselves.
The gopis said: “Who is this? Is this Nanda’s son or the son of a wealthy king? Is He renounced because His heart was broken by a woman’s harsh words or because He has performed many pious deeds? He is very handsome. His features are graceful and delicate. Like Kamadeva, He charms the hearts of the entire world. Ah! How can He live without mother, father, sister, and wife?”
Filled with wonder and love, the assembled girls of Vraja asked many questions.
The gopis said: “O yogi, who are You? What is Your name? O sage, where do You live? What do You do? What mystic powers have You attained? O best of eloquent speakers, please tell us.”
The perfect yogi said: “I am a Master of Yoga. I always stay at Mana-Sarovara. My name is Svayamprakasha. I never eat. My own mystic power keeps Me alive. O girls of Vraja, I have attained the great treasure of the Paramahamsas. I have spiritual eyes. I can see the past, present, and future. I know mantras that can ruin people, kill them, bewilder them, paralyze them, or bring them under My control.”
The gopis said: “O wise yogi, if You know the past, present, and future, then please tell us one thing: What are we thinking at this moment?”
The perfect yogi said: “The answer to this question I will now whisper in each girl’s ear, or, if you request, I will speak it aloud, so all may hear.”
The gopis said: “O sage, if it is true that You are a Master of Yoga, and if without doubt that You know the past, present, and future, and if by merely chanting a mantra You can actually bring others under Your control, then we think You must be the best of all mantra-chanters.”
The perfect yogi said: “Any impossible thing you ask, I can do. The words of saintly persons do not prove false. O girls don’t lament. Close your eyes and you will attain your wish.”
As the gopis stood with closed eyes, the Lord abandoned the form of a yogi and again became Krishna, the son of Nanda.
Opening their eyes, they happily gazed at Krishna, the son of Nanda. Delighted, filled with wonder, and now aware of His transcendental powers, the gopis fainted unconscious.
As Indra enjoys with the girls of Svarga Loka, so Lord Krishna enjoyed with these gopis in a great rasa-dance in sacred Vrindavana forest during the month of Magha.
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The Story of the Pulinda Women
Before reading my below article, I would like to request my viewers to read my other article first “The Story of the Personified Vedas” – material relationships are based on lust desire only which cannot be compared with Lord Krishna’s pastimes. Lord Krishna is free from material defects of possessiveness, false-ego and free of the modes of material nature. Lord Krishna serve his devotees in reciprocation according to their desires.
In the Garga Samhita, Sri Narada Muni explains to Sri Bahulashva, the story of the Pulinda Women that become gopis, a wonderful and sacred story that removes all sins and increases one’s love for Lord Krishna.
Living in the forests of the Vindhya Hills, many Pulinda highwaymen stole the king’s wealth, although they never stole from the poor. Very angry, the powerful king of Vindhya-Desha took two Akshauhini divisions of soldiers and confronted all the Pulindas.
For how many days can they fight with swords, kunta, and spears? To the Yadu-king Kamsa, the Pulindas sent a letter begging for aid. Kamsa sent a powerful demon named Pralamba.
He was sixteen miles tall, dark as a cloud, decorated with helmet and earrings, and garlanded with a serpent. With chains around his ankles, a club in his hand, a tongue moving to and fro, and a horribly ugly form, he looked like death personified. When he walked he flattened the hills and made the trees fall.
Staring at Pralamba, who was drunk with the idea of a fight, and who made the earth shake, the king and his army fled the battlefield as an elephant flees when it sees a lion. Then Pralamba took the Pulindas to Mathura.
The Pulindas and their families all became Kamsa’s servants. They lived at Kamagiri.
By Lord Ramachandra’s blessing, many Pulinda women took birth as their splendidly beautiful daughters. They were glorious and worshipable as the goddess of fortune herself.
Simply by seeing Lord Krishna, they were overcome with passionate love for Him. They embraced the dust that had touched His feet. They thought of Him day and night.
During the rasa dance, they attained the association of Lord Krishna, the perfect Supreme Personality of Godhead, the ruler of Goloka.
The great good fortune of these Pulinda girls is that they attained the dust of Sri Krishna’s lotus feet, dust that even the great demigods cannot attain.
A person who does not desire the post of Brahma, the post of Indra, a great royal kingdom, the kingdom of Patalaloka, mystic powers, or even freedom from the world of birth and death, but desires only the dust of the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s feet, is a true devotee of the Lord.
Aloof from material possessions and free from past karma, the sages and saintly devotees who love the dust of Lord Krishna’s feet say there is no real happiness in any other place.
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The Story of the Ayodhya Women
In the Garga Samhita, Sri Narada Muni explains to Sri Bahulashva the story of the Ayodhya women that became gopis, a story that grants the four goals of life and brings the company of Lord Krishna.
In Sindhu-Desha there was a city named Campaka. The saintly king there was Vimala. Like Kuvera he was wealthy. Like a lion he was noble and chivalrous. Like Prahalad he was a peaceful-hearted devotee of Lord Vishnu. However, King Vimala’s six thousand beautiful lotus-eyed wives were all barren.
He spent many years wondering, “What pious deed will bring me a child?”
One day Yajnavalkya, the king of sages, visited. The king bowed down, worshiped him, and stood respectfully before him.
Seeing the king was very anxious, the peaceful and all-knowing sage Yajnavalkya spoke.
Sri Yajnavalkya said: “O king, why are you distraught? What is the worry in your heart? I can see the seven limbs of your body are marked with all auspiciousness.”
Sri Vimala said: “O brahmana, what do you not know? Because you have spiritual eyes attained by great austerities, you know everything. Still I will tell you my worry. Because I have no child, I am filled with grief. O best of sages, please describe the austerity or charity that will bring me a child.”
Hearing this, the great sage Yajnavalkya for a long time closed his eyes. Meditating in trance, he looked into the past and future.
Sri Yajnavalkya said: “O best of kings, in this birth you will have no son, no son at all. You will have ten million daughters.”
The king said: “O king of sages, without a son no one in this world can become free of his many debts (to the sages, demigods, and forefathers) and become liberated. Without a son there is always trouble at home. Without a son there can be no happiness in either this life or the next.”
Sri Yajnavalkya said: “O king, don’t be unhappy. With a great dowry you will give all your daughters in marriage to Lord Krishna. O tiger of kings, by doing that you will be free of your debts to the demigods, sages, and ancestors, and you will attain liberation.”
Very happy to hear these words, the king asked Yajnavalkya Muni the following question.
The king said: “In what country will Lord Krishna appear? In what family? What will be His form? What will be His caste? How many years hence will He come?”
Sri Yajnavalkya said: “O mighty-armed king, in the Dvapara-yuga, when you have reigned for 115 years, in this (Bharata Varsha), in Mathura, the city of the Yadus, in the Yadu family, during the month of Bhadra (August-September), on a Monday that is the eighth-day of the dark-moon, in the middle of a very dark night, just as the moon is rising, when Taurus and the star Rohini are prominent, and when the stars are in Harshana-yoga, in Vasudeva’s palace, handsome Lord Krishna, dark as a monsoon cloud, decorated with a forest garland, and marked with Srivatsa, will appear in Devaki’s womb as fire appears in a yajna’s Arani sticks.”
“You will give your daughters in marriage to Lord Krishna, who has four arms, lotus eyes, and yellow garments. In this way you will attain the supreme goal of life.”
Then the great sage Yajnavalkya left. Vimala, the king of Campaka, was very happy.
Then the Ayodhya women blessed by Lord Ramachandra took birth as the very beautiful daughters of Vimala and his wives.
Seeing that his daughters had come to a marriageable age, and remembering Yajnavalkya’s words, King Vimala spoke.
Sri Vimala said: “O messenger, go to Mathura, enter Vasudeva’s palace, and look for Vasudeva’s handsome son. He is dark as a monsoon cloud, has four arms, is marked with Srivatsa, and wears a forest garland. If He is there, I will give Him all my beautiful daughters.”
Hearing these words, and going to Mathura, the messenger asked the great souls there if they had seen Vasudeva’s son.
Hearing these words, the intelligent people of Mathura, who were all afraid of Kamsa, took him to a secluded place and whispered in his ear.
The people of Mathura said: “Vasudeva’s many sons were all killed by Kamsa. Only a daughter, who went to the heavenly planets, survived. Now sonless, Vasudeva is unhappy at heart. Because of the danger of Kamsa, you should not repeat these words in this city. If in Mathura-puri someone speaks this story of Vasudeva’s sons, then Kamsa, the sworn enemy of Vasudeva’s eighth son, punishes him severely.”
After hearing the people’s words, the messenger returned to the city of Campaka and told the very surprising story to the king.
The messenger said: “Unhappy and childless, Vasudeva stays in Mathura. I heard that all his sons were killed by Kamsa. One a daughter who, slipped from Kamsa’s hand, went to the heavenly planets, remains. Hearing this, I slowly left the Yadus’ city. As I walked by the Yamuna’s shore in beautiful Vrindavana forest I saw a boy among some vines.”
“O king, He had all the features you described. He was handsome, dark as a monsoon cloud, marked with Srivatsa, and decorated with a forest garland. He was the midst of many cows and gopas. There is one difference. He had two arms and Vasudeva’s son had four arms. What should be done? Tell me, O king. It cannot be that the sage’s words are untrue. O master send me wherever you wish.”
As the king was thinking about what to do, Bhishma, on his way to conquer Sindhu-desha, came from Hastinapura.
After worshiping him and giving him many gifts, King Vimala asked a question of all-knowing Bhishma, the best of pious men.
Sri Vimala said: “Yajnavalkya Muni told me that Lord Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, will become the son of Vasudeva and Devaki in Mathura. Of this there is no doubt. Although the sage’s words cannot be untrue, the Supreme Personality of Godhead has not taken birth as Vasudeva’s son. To whom shall I give my daughters in marriage?”
“You are a great devotee. You know everything. Your senses are carefully controlled. From childhood you have been a heroic warrior. You are an expert archer and the best of the Vasus. O very intelligent one, please say what I should do.”
The great devotee philosopher Bhishma, who had spiritual vision, understood the truth of religion, and was fully aware of Lord Krishna’s glories, spoke to King Vimala.
Sri Bhishma said: “O king, please hear this secret I heard from Vyasa’s mouth, a holy and delightful secret that removes all sins. To protect the devotees and kill the demons, the Supreme Personality of Godhead has taken birth in Vasudeva’s home. Out of fear of Kamsa, Vasudeva took his son to Gokul and placed Him in Yashoda’s bed. Then to Mathura City he took Nanda’s and Yashoda’s daughter, who was the goddess Maya. As Krishna grew up in Gokul, no one understood His real identity.”
“Today the Supreme Personality of Godhead is living as a gopa in Vrindavana. He will stay there, carefully concealed, for eleven years and then He will kill the demon Kamsa and His true identity will be revealed.”
“Because they were blessed by Lord Ramachandra, many women of Ayodhya, took birth as the beautiful daughters born from you and your wives. Marry your daughters to the carefully concealed Supreme Personality of Godhead. Don’t delay. This body is subject to the ravages of time.”
All-knowing Bhishma spoke these words and then left for Hastinapura. Then King Vimala sent his messenger to Nanda’s son, Lord Krishna.
The messenger travelled from Sindhu-desha to the province of Mathura. Walking by the Yamuna’s shore in Vrindavana, he saw Krishna. In a secluded place, after bowing down before Lord Krishna and slowly circumambulating Him, the messenger repeated King Vimala’s words.
The messenger said: “I offer my respectful obeisances to You, the perfect Supreme Personality of Godhead, who are seen only by the saintly devotees, and who cannot be approached by performing even a great host of ordinary pious deeds. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, who are an ocean of transcendental virtues and who, to protect the cows, brahmanas, demigods, Vedas, saintly devotees, and principles of religion, and to kill the demons headed by Kamsa, have taken birth in the Yadu dynasty, even though You are unborn.”
“Supremely fortunate are the people of Vraja. Fortunate is the family of Your father, King Nanda. Fortunate is the village of Vraja. Fortunate is the forest of Vrindavana, where the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Hari, is now visible to our eyes. He who is the life of the gopis and the gloriously handsome jewel at Radha’s neck has entered the pathway of my eyes. How can I describe my own good fortune? Even though You are now pretending to be an ordinary cowherd boy, Your sacred fame, going everywhere, purifies the three worlds, as the perfume musk fills the directions with a sweet fragrance. As the Super soul You are the witness that looks into everyone’s heart. You know everything. Still, in this secluded place I will repeat King Vimala’s confidential message.”
“In Sindhu-desha is a city named Sri Campaka, which is glorious as Indra’s city Amaravati. Vimala, who is glorious as Indra, is the king of that city. His thoughts are always placed at Your lotus feet. For Your sake again and again He performs hundreds of yajnas, gives charity, performs austerities, serves the brahmanas, visits holy places, and chants sacred mantras. Because he is engaged in these spiritual activities, O Lord, please appear before him. Their large eyes like lotus flowers, his daughters have been long searching for You, their perfect husband. To be eligible to serve Your lotus feet, they have purified their bodies with many vows and austerities.”
“O Lord of Vraja, please give them your wonderful audience and accept their hands in marriage. Please consider what should be done, and then please quickly go and purify Sindhu-desha with Your presence.”
Pleased to hear the messenger’s words, Lord Krishna went with him to the city of Campaka, travelling there in a single moment. As King Vimala was performing a great yajna filled with the sounds of the Vedas, Lord Krishna and the messenger suddenly descended from the sky.
Seeing handsome, lotus-eyed Lord Krishna, dark as a monsoon cloud, dressed in yellow garments, decorated with a forest garland, and marked with Srivatsa, enter the place of the yajna, King Vimala suddenly stood up, his hands respectfully folded and the hairs of his body erect with joy. Then, overwhelmed with love, he fell at the Lord’s feet. After offering Him a seat on a throne of gold and jewels, offering prayers, and properly worshipping Him, King Vimala stood before the Lord.
As He glanced at the beautiful girls gazing at Him from the many windows, in a voice like thunder Lord Krishna spoke to King Vimala.
The Supreme Lord said: “O noble-hearted one, please ask a boon. Ask for whatever is in your heart. The words of Yajnavalkya have brought Me before you.
Sri Vimala said: “O Lord of lords, please make my heart a bumblebee always staying at Your lotus feet. I shall never have any desire but this.”
After speaking these words, King Vimala gave the Lord all the wealth in his treasury and all his elephants, horses, and chariots. He surrendered to the Lord with all his heart. After giving his daughters to Lord Krishna, the great devotee Vimala bowed down to offer his respectful obeisances.
Then the people shouted, “Jaya! Jaya!” and the demigods in the sky showered flowers.
Then King Vimala attained a spiritual form like Lord Krishna’s. Glorious as Kamadeva, and splendid as a hundred suns, the king illuminated the circle of the directions. As the people looked on, King Vimala and his wives offered respectful obeisances to Lord Krishna, climbed on the back of Garuda, and went to the spiritual world of Vaikuntha.
After granting him liberation, Lord Krishna took the king’s beautiful daughters to the circle of Vraja. There, in Kamavana forest, in a splendid palace, Lord Krishna’s beautiful wives stayed, passing the time by playing games. Expanding Himself into as many forms as there were wives, and delighting their hearts, Lord Krishna was splendidly manifest in the rasa dance.
As they enjoyed the happiness of the rasa dance, King Vimala’s daughters perspired. Their perspiration became Vimala-Kunda, the best of holy places. By seeing, drinking, bathing in, or worshipping that sacred lake, a person breaks a host of sins as great as Mount Meru and goes to Goloka.
A person who hears this story of the Ayodhya women goes to the supreme abode of Goloka, which even the great yogis cannot attain.
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The Story of the Yajna-Sitas and the Glories of Ekadashi
The Yajna-Sitas approached Rama to enjoy, but Lord Rama had vowed to accept only Sita as His wife, so he gave a benediction that they will become gopis in Vraja and their desires will be fulfilled. I have explained this pastime in Groups of Gopis.
In the Garga Samhita, Sri Narada Muni explains to Sri Bahulashva, the story of the Yajna-Sitas that became gopis, a sacred and auspicious story that fulfils all desires and removes all sins.
In the south is a country named Ushinara, where for ten years it did not rain. Fearful that it would never rain, the wealthy gopas travelled there, with their families and cows, to the circle of Vraja.
With the help of King Nanda, they made their homes in beautiful and sacred Vrindavana by the shore of the beautiful Yamuna. The yajna-sitas, who had received a blessing from Lord Ramachandra, took birth in their homes as beautiful gopis decorated with splendid youthfulness.
When they saw handsome Lord Krishna, they became bewildered with love for Him. To ask what vow they might follow to attain Krishna’s mercy, they approached Sri Radha.
The gopis said: “O Radha, O beautiful, lotus-eyed daughter of King Vrishabhanu, please tell us what vow we may follow to attain Lord Krishna’s favour. O Radha, You have made Lord Krishna, whom even the great demigods cannot approach, into Your submissive servant. You are the most beautiful girl in all the worlds. You have crossed to the farther shore of the deep meaning of all the scriptures.”
Sri Radha said: “To attain Lord Krishna’s mercy you should follow the vow of fasting on Ekadashi. In that way, You will make Lord Krishna into your submissive servant.”
The gopis said: “O Radha, please tell us the names of the different Ekadashis throughout the year. Month after month, how should the different Ekadashis be observed?”
Sri Radha said: “During the dark fortnight of the month of Margashirsha (November-December), in order to kill the demon Mura, the holy day of Ekadashi was born from the body of Lord Vishnu.”
Desiring your welfare, I will tell you the names of the twenty-six most sacred Ekadashis that appear in the different months.
There are also two more Ekadashis, both named Sarva-Sampat-Prada, during the extra month of leap-year. In this way, there are twenty-six Ekadashis in all. A person who chants the names of these twenty-six Ekadashis attains the result of following Ekadashi for one year.
O girls of Vraja, please hear the rules for observing Ekadashi. On Ekadashi, one should control the senses and sleep on the ground. On Dwadashi, one should eat only once.
During Ekadashi one should be pure-hearted and very clean, wear clean garments, drink water only once, rise at Brahma-muhurta, and bow down to Lord Krishna
Bathing with well-water is an inferior kind of bath. Bathing in a pond is better, bathing in a lake is better than that, and bathing in a river is better still. In this way, one should bathe. On Ekadashi day one should be free of greed and anger, and one should not talk to sinful people, atheists, and offenders.
A person who follows the vow of Ekadashi should not talk to liars, offenders of Brahmanas, sinners, debauchees, thieves, adulterers, and the ill-behaved and immoral.
In the home, one should, with devotion in the heart, worship Lord Krishna, and offer Him food and a lamp.
From the Brahmanas, one should hear the stories of Lord Krishna. One should offer Dakshina to them. One should keep a vigil, singing the glories of Lord Krishna throughout the night.
When Ekadashi is ended, and the Dashami day has come, one should avoid these ten things: 1. eating from a brass dish, 2. eating flesh, 3. masura dal, 4. kodrava grains, 5. chick-peas, 6. spinach, 7. honey, 8. and the food of others, 9. eating twice, and 10. sex. One should also avoid gambling, playing, sleeping and chewing betelnuts.
On Ekadashi, one should avoid harsh speech, slander, theft, violence, sex, anger, and speaking lies.
On the Dwadashi, one should avoid brass utensils, flesh, liquor, honey, oil, speaking lies, Pushti, Shashti, and masura. By following these rules, one should observe the great vow of Ekadashi and Dwadashi.
The gopis said: “O noble-hearted one, please tell us when the vow of Ekadashi should be observed. What is the result of following Ekadashi? Please tell us the glories of Ekadashi.”
Sri Radha said: “If Dwadashi starts within the first twenty-two hours of Ekadashi, one should not fast on Ekadashi, but on Dwadashi instead. As one avoids drinking a cup of Ganga water into which a drop of wine has fallen, so one should avoid fasting on such an Ekadashi. When Ekadashi goes to its completion, and Dwadashi arrives at the proper time, then one should fast on Ekadashi.”
O girls of Vraja, now I will tell you the result of following Ekadashi. Simply by hearing this description, one attains the result of performing a Vajapeya-yajna.
A person who follows the vow of Ekadashi and Dwadashi attains the same pious result one attains by feeding eighty-eight Brahmanas.
A person who follows Ekadashi attains a pious result thousands of times greater than the pious result attained by performing the ritual of mixing the earth and the ocean.
For they who are drowning in the ocean of repeated birth and death, an ocean muddy with many sins, the vow of fasting on Ekadashi is the best means of deliverance.
Even though contaminated with hundreds of sins, a person who keeps a night-time vigil while following the vow of Ekadashi never sees angry Yamaraja.
As a lotus leaf is never touched by water, so a person who worships Lord Krishna with Tulasi leaves on Dwadashi is never touched by sin.
The results of a thousand Ashvamedha-yajnas and a hundred Rajasuya-yajnas are not equal to even a sixteenth part of the result of fasting on Ekadashi.
A person who follows Ekadashi delivers ten generations of his mother’s family, ten generations of his father’s family, and ten generations on his wife’s family.
As a white cow and a black cow both give the same kind of milk, so the Ekadashi of the bright fortnight and the Ekadashi of the dark fortnight both bring the same result.
O gopis, a fire burns a great pile of cotton, so a single Ekadashi burns the great Mount Meru of sins committed in a hundred births.
O gopis, when, either following the proper method or not following it, and whether it is great or small, one gives charity on Dwadashi, that charity becomes as great as a Mount Meru of charity.
A person who on Ekadashi hears the stories of Lord Krishna attains the same pious result he would attain by giving great charity everywhere on the seven continents.
A person who bathes at Sankhoddhara-tirtha and gazes at the Deity of Lord Gadadhara there does not attain even one-sixteenth of the piety one attains by fasting on Ekadashi.
A person who makes four-hundred thousand pilgrimages to Prabhasa, Kurukshetra, Kedara, Badarikashrama, Varanasi, and Sukarakshetra during eclipses of the sun or moon and gives great charity there does not attain even one-sixteenth of the piety one attains by fasting on Ekadashi.
O gopis, as Lord Sesha is the best of serpents, as Garuda is the best of birds, as Lord Vishnu is the best of Deities, as the Brahmanas are the best of castes, as the banyan is the best of trees, and as a Tulasi leaf is the best of leaves, so fasting on Ekadashi day is the best of sacred vows.
A person who follows Ekadashi attains the result of performing austerities for ten thousand years.
O girls of Vraja, now I have described to you the result of following the vow of Ekadashi. Please follow the vow of Ekadashi at once.
After hearing from Sri Radha’s mouth, the glories of Ekadashi, the gopis that had been yajna-sitas, and who were now yearning to attain Sri Krishna, carefully followed Ekadashi.
Pleased by their observance of Ekadashi, Krishna enjoyed a rasa dance with these gopis on the full-moon night of the month of Margashirsha (November-December).
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The Story of the Kaushala Women
Before reading my below article, I would like to request my viewers to read my other article first “The Story of the Personified Vedas” – material relationships are based on lust desire only which cannot be compared with Lord Krishna’s pastimes. Lord Krishna is free from material defects of possessiveness, false-ego and free of the modes of material nature. Lord Krishna serve his devotees in reciprocation according to their desires.
In the Garga Samhita, Sri Narada Muni explains to Sri Bahulashva, the story of the Kaushala women that became gopis, which is a sacred story that removes all sins and is filled with the nectar of Lord Krishna’s pastimes.
By Lord Ramachandra’s blessing, they were born in the homes of the nine Upanandas. Decorated with jewel ornaments, they were married to various gopas.
They were young, glorious as full moons, delicate as lotus flowers, and graceful as swans. Their eyes were like lotus petals.
They had fallen passionately in love with Nanda’s handsome son Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They loved Him as a paramour.
Smiling, and tugging at their yellow garments, Krishna teased them and joked with them on the pathways of Vraja.
In the market selling yogurt, they did not call out, Yogurt! Yogurt!” Instead, they called “Krishna! Krishna!” Overcome with love for Krishna, they wandered the forests searching for Him.
When they looked at the different objects of the creation made of ether, air, fire, and water when they looked in the different directions when they looked at the luminaries in the sky, when they looked at trees, and when they looked at people, they did not see them. They only saw Krishna.
They were filled with love for Krishna. Krishna had stolen their hearts. They could not help but display many symptoms of love for Him.
Filled with love, they followed the path of the Paramahamsas. Filled with bliss, they ran along Vraja’s pathways.
Sometimes they were stunned, sometimes they could not understand that inanimate objects were not alive, sometimes they were silent, and sometimes they spoke on and on without care or shyness.
Rapt in thinking of Krishna, they attained the highest goal of life. Irresistibly attracted to Krishna, they could not help but kiss His lotus lips.
How can I describe the austerities they must have performed? Abandoning the path of what is ordinarily thought desirable in this world, with all their heart and senses they loved Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Overcome with love and placing an arm around His shoulders in the rasa dance, they made Krishna their surrendered servant. Even Lord Shesha with His many mouths cannot describe the austerities they must have performed.
Whatever good result may be attained by yoga, Sankhya, good deeds, or the study of logic and philosophy, is at once attained simply by loving Lord Krishna.
Love and devotion make Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, into one’s surrendered servant. The gopis are the proof. They followed neither Sankhya nor yoga. Only because they loved Him did they gain His company.
We can have paramour relationship with Lord Krishna only. The living entity is the fragmental part and parcel of the Supreme Lord – eternally. We must follow in the footsteps of Lord Ramachandra to live an ideal and perfect life. We must follow the instructions given by Lord Krishna to live an ideal and perfect life, we should never try to imitate Lord Krishna.
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In the Garga Samhita, Sri Narada Muni explains to Sri Bahulashva, the story of the demigoddesses that became gopis, a story that grants the four goals of life and increases one’s love for Lord Krishna.
In the Garga Samhita, Sri Narada Muni explains to Sri Bahulashva, the story of some other gopis.
Then angry Radha put aside Her jealous anger, stood up, and, accompanied by Her friends, went to celebrate the Holi festival.
Before reading my below article, I would like to request my viewers to read my other article first “
Before reading my below article, I would like to request my viewers to read my other article first “
In the Garga Samhita, Sri Narada Muni explains to Sri Bahulashva the story of the Ayodhya women that became gopis, a story that grants the four goals of life and brings the company of Lord Krishna.
The Yajna-Sitas approached Rama to enjoy, but Lord Rama had vowed to accept only Sita as His wife, so he gave a benediction that they will become gopis in Vraja and their desires will be fulfilled. I have explained this pastime in 
Before reading my below article, I would like to request my viewers to read my other article first “