Glories of Srimati Jahnava Devi – Nityananda Swarupini

1. Identity and Divine Role

Srimati Jahnava Devi is the eternal consort of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, who is the manifestation of Lord Balarama in Chaitanya Leela. In the spiritual text Shri Gaura Ganoddesha Dipika by Kavi Karnapur, Jahnava Devi is identified as Revati, the divine consort of Balarama in Krishna Leela, while her co-wife Vasudha Devi is described as Varuni. Jahnava Devi is affectionately addressed by devotees as “Maa Jahnava” and is revered as “Nityananda Swarupini,” signifying that she embodies the very energy of Sri Nityananda Prabhu.

2. Her Role After the Disappearance of the Pancha Tattva
After the divine departure of the Pancha Tattva – Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Sri Nityananda Prabhu, Sri Advaita Acharya, Sri Gadadhar Pandit, and Sri Srivas Pandit – Srimati Jahnava Devi assumed a prominent role in the propagation of Krishna consciousness. With deep love and unwavering dedication, she preached the glories of the Holy Name and uplifted numerous fallen souls and non-believers, bringing them into the fold of Vaishnavism through her pure devotion.

3. Kheturi Festival: First Gaur Purnima Celebration
The first public celebration of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s appearance, now known as Gaur Purnima, took place in the village of Kheturi in present-day Bangal. This historic event occurred after the departure of the Pancha Tattva. During this festival, Srimati Jahnava Devi not only organized a massive Maha Hari Naam Sankirtan but also personally prepared and served prasad to thousands of Vaishnavas with her own hands. Witnessing this unparalleled level of devotion, it is said that both Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu manifested during the event, blessing all who were present.

4. Pilgrimage and Preaching Journey
After the Kheturi festival, Srimati Jahnava Devi undertook a sacred journey to various holy places with the intention of preaching and rejuvenating the sankirtan movement. Her first destination was Ambika Kalna, her maternal home. She then visited Sri Navadwip to take the blessings of Srimati Sachi Devi, the mother of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Continuing her journey, she again visited Kheturi and eventually moved to Vrindavan Dham, where she spent her time in divine remembrance and service.

5. Divine Vision of Shyamsundar
While residing in Vrindavan, Srimati Jahnava Devi experienced a divine vision while bathing in the sacred waters of the Yamuna. A dark-skinned hand gently held her garment, and upon looking, she saw it was none other than Lord Shyamsundar Himself. Lord Krishna revealed to her that she would find Him in the form of the Gopinath deity on the banks of the Ganga River. This mystical encounter further confirmed her intimate connection with the Lord.

6. Discovery of Gopinath Deity and Final Travels
Following the Lord’s divine instruction, Jahnava Mata resumed her journey. She traveled through Ekachakra Dham, the birthplace of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, and then reached Khardaha, the residence of her stepson Sri Veerbhadra. On the banks of the Ganga, in a village called Jirat in the Hooghly district of Bengal, she discovered the deity of Gopinath exactly as the Lord had promised. This sacred deity is still worshipped today and is cared for by the descendants of Ganga Devi, the daughter of Nityananda Prabhu.

7. Legacy and Worship
Srimati Jahnava Devi’s life remains a glowing example of divine service, humility, and empowered leadership in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. She played a crucial role in preserving and spreading the mission of Lord Chaitanya and Nityananda Prabhu. To this day, devotees seek her blessings to attain pure devotion, or shuddha bhakti, and consider her a motherly guide on the spiritual path. Her influence continues through sacred sites and the deity of Gopinath she unearthed, inspiring countless Vaishnavas across generations.

Conclusion

For those following the Gaudiya tradition, the life of Srimati Jahnava Devi remains a beacon of divine grace, humility, and empowered service. Remembering her glories is not only an offering of respect but a source of inspiration for anyone dedicated to the mission of Bhagavad Gita, Harinam Sankirtan, and the path of bhakti.

Also Learn – Mohini Ekadashi

The nine islands surrounded by Mother Ganga located in the Nadia district of Bengal are collectively known as Sri Navadvipa Dham, where Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared. The name of one of these nine islands is Jahnudvipa.

In the 13th chapter of Sri Navadwip Mahatmya by Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur, it is described that Sri Nityananda Prabhu, who is Sankarshan himself, tells here that the supreme ascetic Jahnu Muni performed penance in this island and received the darshan of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

The Story of Jahnu Muni & Mother Ganga – Why Ganga is Called Jahnavi

We all know that Mother Ganga takes away the sins of everyone and makes us free from sins. Once, Mother Ganga asks Shri Krishna that O Lord, in Kaliyug, sins will increase, then what will happen, in response to which Lord Shri Krishna says that in Kaliyug, sins will definitely increase and Mother Ganga will also have to wash the sins of the people, but when any pure Vaishnav takes a bath in Ganga ji, then Ganga ji will become more pure and will attain purity.

Conclusion

On this auspicious day, knowing Mother Ganga to be very dear to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the devotees offer respects and perform puja to Srimati Ganga devi to get her mercy and the mercy of Jahnu muni. In this way they may also be able to some day serve in the pastimes of Sri Gaurahari.

Hare Krishna. Every month, the Sun enters different zodiac signs. When it enters Aries, it is called Aries Sankranti and from here begins the Keshav month. That is, if someone worships Lord Madhusudan in this month, it is said that the person gets the fruits of worshiping God for the whole year. That is, for those who have not started Bhakti, this month is the best month to start Bhakti.

What to do is chant the holy name of lord, hear to the pastimes of God and especially install Lord Shaligram inside the Tulsi plant and hang an earthen pot or a brass pot on it and fill it with water which keeps falling drop by drop from 4 am to 9 pm and then fill the pot again the next day. In this way, the whole month in the summer areas where it is very hot and hot winds blow, special festival are done to provide pleasure to God, such as boat festival. Taking the Lordships around in a Boat, Chandan Yatra, Lord with sandalwood paste etc. to provide coolness to the body and also to serve the God by Jala Dana.

Why special Tulsi-Shaligram Jala Dana seva?

It is said that there was a story in Brahma Vaivarta Purana that there was a king named Dharamdhwaj who had a wife named Madhavi and they had a daughter who was named Vrinda. She was engrossed in penance since childhood and went to the Badrinath Ashram and did her penance. It is said that in summers she used to light a fire and sit around it and in winters she used to do penance by sitting in cold water. For the first 20,000 years she did penance by eating fruits. After that, she again did penance for 30000 years by eating leaves, after that for 40000 years she did penance by taking only air in her mouth and for the last 10000 years she did penance by standing on one leg without eating anything.

She did such a tough penance but what was her wish that Krishna should accept her as his wife or that she should get Krishna as her husband. So let us see that at the end of the penances when so many years had passed, Brahma ji came to her riding on his swan and said to ask for a boon. Then Vrinda told that I was one of the favorite gopis of Lord Krishna and Shrimati Radharani in Golok Dham whose name is Tulsi Gopi and I once tried to establish a very close relationship with Lord Krishna which Shrimati Radha Rani did not like and she said if you have so much desire then go and get a human body, do penance and get Shri Hari and Radha Rani sent me to this world, that is why I have done this penance. I want only one boon that I want to live with Lord Shri Hari as his wife. All these are called Leelas.

Leela Behind Tulsi Devi Marriage to the Demon Shankhchud

Due to Leela, Lord Krishna and Shrimati Radharani performed this type of pastimes. Brahma Ji gave her a mantra. She chanted it for 12 years and it is said that after that they were told that she will marry a person named Shankhchud or Jalandhar due to which she will get Shri Hari later. So with great joy she married Shankhchud i.e. Jalandhar who was a demon. He was a great ascetic. It is said that when he also did penance of Brahma Ji, he received a shield from Brahma Ji through penances which is called Krishna Kavach and there was so much power inside the shield that no one could cut it, even Krishna himself could not cut his shield.
After getting a very powerful armor, Shankhachud told Brahmaji that I am also a friend named Sudama in Golok Dham among the cowherd friends of Lord Krishna. I wanted to marry Tulsi, so Shrimati Radharani sent me to earth. Due to Leela, she said that you go down and get a human body and marry Tulsi. So this Shankhachuda got married to Tulsi and due to her chastity, no one could kill that Shankhachuda. Due to getting Krishna Kavach, he became more powerful than even the demigods. Lord Shiva was sent for him. The war between lord Shiva and Shankhachuda continued for a year but Shankhachuda could not defeat Lord Shiva and Lord Shiva could not defeat Shankhachuda.

Then Lord Shiva prayed to Lord Vishnu that you only do something Lord. God knew because all this was his Leela. Taking the form of a Brahmin, God went to Shankhchud and said, Shankhchud, I have come to ask for alms from you. He was a great lover of Brahmins. He was of demon nature but was a lover of Brahmins. He asked what do you want. And he asked for Krishna Kavach, which Shankhchud gave considering him to be a Brahmin. Lord Vishnu took his Kavach too and after acquiring his form, wearing it around his neck, Lord Vishnu reached his house to break the chastity of his wife Vrinda. When he went there and showed it to Vrinda, she was surprised to see, “Oh my husband has come, the war was going on for so many years, what happened, what was the result of the war, what were the results, Shankhchud says, sit down, sit down. He was Lord Vishnu only. Sit down, I will tell you everything now, Shivji went to his abode. Brahmaji explained to me that there is no need to fight, I have come.

As soon as He touched his wife Vrinda, she understood that you are not Shankhachud, who are you, come in your real form, you are a divine man, God showed his Narayan form, then Vrinda started crying and said what have you done, you have broken my chastity. He said there was only one way to kill Shankhachud. You were very devoted to your husband and due to your power Shankhachud was not being killed and it was your wish that you wanted to marry Me, then Vrinda understood and she sacrificed her life and God blessed her that this body of yours will be known as Gandaki river and your hair will be known as Tulsi tree and I will stay here in your Gandaki river as Shaligram rock.

Conclusion

So there is a worm called Vajrakit, which performs various types of arts inside the stones and presents several incarnations of God like Sudarshan Shaligram Shila, Gopal Shaligram Shila, Narasimha Shaligram Shila, many types of Shaligrams are found in the Gandaki river, so in this way people marry Tulsi and Shaligram, so Shaligram Jaldaan is done in this month. Tulsi Maharani is very purifying, it is said that the soil of Tulsi provides results like Vraj dust and the Shaligram Shila is God himself, if someone serves the Shaligram stone, then he has served Lord Krishna Himself. The stones of Shaligram Bhagwan do not require Pran Pratishtha, Vasudev who is the Jagatguru always resides inside it, so this is a very powerful month, serve Shaligram and Tulsi in this and get the blessings of the God and make your life blissful. 

Hare Krishna!

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