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.
Jaya Shri Krishna
Great! Jai Shree Krishna.