The Story of the Women of Barhishmati-Pura, the Apsaras, and the Women of Sutala and Nagendra
In the Garga Samhita, Sri Narada Muni explains to Sri Bahulashva, the story of the Women of Barhishmati-Pura, the Apsaras, and the Women of Sutala and Nagendra
In Vraja lived a righteous and wealthy gopa named Nanda, who had been the king of Shonapura. He had five thousand wives.
He had many daughters. Some had previously been born from the milk-ocean and had been the goddess of fortune’s friends, and now were born as gopis by Lord Matsya’s benediction, and others had been the plants the sprouted when the earth was milked.
Some had been the women of Barhishmati-Pura. They remembered their previous birth. Others had been apsaras and became gopi by the blessings of Narayana Rishi
Some had been the women of Sutalaloka and became gopis by the blessings of Lord Vamana. Others had been the daughters of the king of the Nagas and they became gopis by the spiritual blessings of Lord Shesha.
Durvasa Muni gave them the wonderful Krishna-Pancanga method of worship. Following it, they worshiped the Yamuna and attained Lord Krishna as their husband.
Once, during the month of Caitra (March-April), Lord Krishna, who is more charming than Kamadeva, enjoyed a swing festival with these gopis in a Kadamba Kalpa-Vriksha tree in a beautiful and secluded place in beautiful Vrindavana forest, a place filled with trees and Madhavi vines, buzzing bees, cooing cuckoos and cranes, and a gentle breeze from the nearby Yamuna.
As the Yamuna was filled with waves, these gopis, deeply in love with Krishna, enjoyed pastimes on a swing.
As Kamadeva shines with Rati by His side, so in Vrindavana forest, Lord Krishna shone with Kirti’s daughter Radha, who was more beautiful and glorious than millions of moons, by His side.
All these gopis attained Nanda’s son, Lord Krishna, the perfect Supreme Personality of Godhead, as their lover. Who can describe the austerities they must have performed?
During the beautiful month of Caitra (March-April), by the Yamuna’s shore, the beautiful gopis that had been the daughters of the Naga-king attained Lord Balarama, as their lover.
Shri Narada Muni said: “Now I have told you the beautiful and sacred story of the gopis, a story that removes all sins. What more do you wish to hear?”
Shri Bahulashva said: “O sage, please describe to me the Pancanga method of worshiping the Yamuna that Durvasa gave to the gopis and that they followed to attain Lord Krishna.”
Shri Narada said: “Simply by hearing this ancient story one becomes free of all sins.”
As glorious Mandhata, the king of Ayodhya was hunting, he wandered into Saubhari Muni’s auspicious ashrama, which was in beautiful Vrindavana forest by the Yamuna’s shore. Bowing down before his son-in-law, the respectful king spoke to Saurabhi.
Shri Mandhata said: “O Lord, O best of the all-knowing, You are like a second sun that lights up the darkness of the worlds. Please tell me how in this life I may attain a great kingdom and in the next life a spiritual form like that of Lord Krishna.”
Shri Saubhari said: “I will describe to you the Pancanga method of worshiping the Yamuna. This worship brings all perfection. It gives one a spiritual form like that of Lord Krishna. This worship brings one a kingdom that lasts for as long as the sun rises and shines in the sky. This worship makes Lord Krishna into one’s submissive servant.”
The wise know that the five parts of Pancanga Worship are : –
In my next articles, I will explain each one in detail.