Garga Bhagavatham : Golok khanda - Chapter 8
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Description of past meritorious deeds of Suchandra and Kalavati; Their descension as Vrishabhanu and Kalavati
Sri Garga says:- Shounak!
The heart of King Bahulashwa became filled with devotion. He had absolute faith
in Lord Hari. After hearing this episode, he paid his obeisance to Sage Narada,
who was the best among the learned men and was full of divine qualities;
and asked him thus.
King Bahulashwa
says:- Oh Lord! Through your fame, which is
eternally pure and eternally purifies everyone you come in contact with, and which is makes others blissful, you have made my lineage grateful! By the association of true
devotees of Lord Krishna even for a moment, ordinary mortals also become great
devotees (Mahatmas). There is not any need to elaborate on this. Oh sage of the Gods, Kindly explain to me the
various Leelas that were performed in Vraj by the complete Lord, Sri Krishna
along with Sri Radha. Through this nectarine episodes, kindly protect me from the
three fold sorrows that exist in this material realm.
Sage Narada says:- Great is your lineage, in which the great King Nimi, who
was an ardent devotee of Sri Krishna and a great King like yourself, who is
free from all material desires, are born. In your clan, there is not an ounce
of ungodliness. Now you listen to the pastimes of the Supreme Lord Sri Krishna,
which are full of auspiciousness and
purity. The Lord took the avatar not just to destroy the evil minded Kamsa, but
also for the upliftment of many pure-minded souls on the Earth. He ordained His
divine energy, Sri Radha to enter the womb of Queen Kirti, who was the wife of
King Vrishnabhanu. Sri Radha appeared in the beautiful temple located in a Nikunja(garden) on the banks of river Kalindi.
It was the month of Bhadrapada. It was the eighth day of Shukla paksha(waxing moon
phase) and also a Monday. It was noon and the sky was cloudy. The Gods were
showering divine flowers from the heavens. The waters in the rivers became pure
at the time of the birth of Sri Radhika. All the directions became pure and
blissful. The winds carried the sweet fragrance of lotuses in all directions.
Upon seeing her beautiful daughter, whose beauty could not be matched even by
hundreds of moons of Sharad Poornima, Mother Kirti was drowned in happiness. She
performed auspicious rituals for the well-being of her daughter and donated two
lakh well-nourished cows to Brahmins. That Divine mother, Sri Radhika, whose
tiniest glimpse is impossible even for great philosophers and great yogis, who
perform penance for thousands of years, became visible even to ordinary mortals,
while being held lovingly by mere cowherd girls in the house of Sri
Vrishabhanu. While being rocked by sakhis in a cradle made of sandalwood
studded with precious stones, Sri Radhika’s effulgence began to grow by the
day, just like the phases of the waxing moon. What is Sri Radhika – she is the
moon that enlightens the divine stage of Rasa leela, she is the Deepavali of
Sri Vrishabhanu’s palace, she is the necklace around the neck of Sri Krishna,
who is the crest jewel of Golokdham. I
(sage Narada) meditate on that divine energy of the Supreme Lord while wandering
in this material realm.
King Bahulashwa says:- Oh Lord! King
Vrishabhanu’s good fortune is unfathomable and indescribable because the Divine
Mother Herself descended in his household. What pious deeds did Kalavati and
Suchandra perform in order to become eligible for such a merit?
Sage Narada says:- Oh King! The great king of kings, Suchandra was the son of
King Nriga. The extremely handsome Suchandra was a great emperor. He was
considered as an amsha(part) of the Supreme Lord Himself! In the past, in the
lineage of Aryama-Prabhruti, three daughters appeared from the minds of their fore-fathers.
Their names were Kalavati, Ratnamala and
Menaka. By her own wish, the fore-fathers gave Kalavati’s hand in marriage to
the intelligent and valiant King, Suchandra. They gave Ratnamala’s hand in
marriage to the King Videha of Mithila. Menaka’s hand was given to King
Himavan. The marriages were performed
traditionally with auspicious rituals. Mother Sita appeared to Ratnamala and Mother
Parvati appeared through the womb of Menaka. The stories of these Goddesses
have been described in other Puranas. The great king, Suchandra along with
Kalavati proceeded to the forests of Naimisharanya on the banks of River
Gomati. They began to observe severe austerities to please Lord Brahma. The penance
went on for twelve Devata-years. (Timezone of the Gods). Pleased with their
penance Brahma appeared and offered them a boon. Ants and termites had built a mound
on the body of the King. Hearing the voice of Lord Brahma, the king assumed his
divine form and came out of the ant-hill. First, he bowed down to Lord Brahma and with
folded hands spoke thus, “ May I attain divine and unfathomable Moksha”.
Hearing the king’s words, Kalavati was filled with sorrow. With folded hands, she spoke to Lord Brahma thus, “Oh Pitamah! For a woman, her husband is the
first and foremost God. If my husband attains Mukti, what will become of me? I
cannot bear to live without him. If you give him Moksha, then being tormented
by separation from my husband, I will curse you”
Lord Brahma says:- Devi! I am afraid of the power of your curse. However, my
word will never go in vain. Hence you go to the heavens with your beloved
husband. After enjoying the divine comforts of Swarga for many ages, you will be
born again on the Earth. In Dvaparayuga, you will be born in Bharata-Varsha in
between the banks of River Ganga and River Yamuna. After the divine beloved of
Sri Krishna, Sri Radhika will be born to you and your beloved husband, you will
both attain Mukti together.
Sri Narada says:- Hence by the divine boon of Lord Brahma, Suchandra and
Kalavati were born again on the Earth. They came as Vrishabhanu and Kirti Devi.
Kalavati appeared out of the Yagya-Kunda (sacrificial fire) of King Bhalandan
in Kanyakubja (Kannauj). The divine maiden had complete remembrance of her past
lives. Suchandra was born in the house of Surabhanu and became famous by the
name of Sri Vrishabhanu. He also had complete remembrance of his past lives. He
was the best among Gopas and was as handsome as Kamadeva himself. The extremely
wise king, Nanda fixed the marriage of this divine couple. Being fully aware of
their past lives, they fell in love with each other and gave their consent to
this divine union. All humans who read this story of Sri Vrishabhanu and Kirti
Devi will become devoid of all their sins and will easily attain the world of
Sri Krishna at the end of their life.
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