suddhabhakti

The forest of Bahulavana was named after a cow called Bahula. She had observed a fast on Ekādaśī throughout the day. To understand the story of Bahula, we must go back a little further. On the morning of Dvādaśī, after observing the Ekādaśī fast, Bahula gave birth to a calf. Immediately after giving birth, she became extremely thirsty. Ordinarily, she would have taken care of her newborn calf and fed him her milk. However, because of her intense thirst, she ran off in search of water. As she went in search of water, a tiger emerged from the forest. Seeing Bahula, the tiger thought, "Oh! Here is my breakfast!" He, too, was about to break his Ekādaśī fast. When Bahula saw the tiger, she realized that her life was in danger. There was no way to escape. She began to plead with the tiger. "Please, I have just given birth to my calf. I was extremely thirsty, so I left him behind without even feeding him my milk. Please allow me to return and feed my newborn calf first." (...

  Bahulastami Appearance day of Sri Radha Kunda in Material World Radha-Kuṇḍa is as dear to Lord Kṛṣṇa as Srimati Radharani is. It was in this lake that Lord Krishna performed His pastimes with Radharani with great pleasure.  Radha Kund and Shyam Kund represent the eyes of Sri Giriraj Govardhan, which is in the shape of a peacock.   Radha Kunda manifested from the Spiritual world on this earth on the 8th day of the waning phase of the moon in the month of Kartik 5000 years ago.  When Lord Krishna killed Aristasura (demon disguised as a bull), all the Gopis chastised Him and told that he should bath in all sacred rivers to purify himself of the sin of killing a bull. Krishna immediately dug a kund and invited all the rivers to fill it with their waters. He named it Shyam Kund Then to tease the gopis, He started boasting about the glory of Shyam Kund. Not to be outdone by Krishna, Radharani broke her bangles and along with other gopis started digging the ground ne...

  It is related in the Adi-Purana how Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda first appeared in the spiritual world. One day in Goloka Vrndāvana, Their Lordships Śrī Śrī Rādha and Kṛṣṇa were sitting in a forest kuñja on a jeweled throne attended by the gopis. Deeply absorbed in the pleasure of Rādhārāṇi's company, Kṛṣṇa suddenly began to manifest symptoms of intense love. So intense were Krsna's feelings, that He began to take on the mood of Rādhārāṇī. As that mood increased even further, Kṛṣṇa took on Rädha's very own form. In that form and mood, The Lord began shedding tears and calling out the name of Kṛṣṇa again and again; then out of desperation, ran into the nearby forest in search of Himself. Seeing Krsna in Her own form and mood, disappear into the nearby forest, Radharani also entered into a mood of intense love. So intense were Her feelings that She took on the mood and form of Krsna. Shedding torrents of tears, She began crying out the name of Rådhå over and over again. Obse...

  The Story of Dhaneshwar Adapted from Padma Purāṇa, Sixth Canto, Chapters 113–114 Lord Krishna tells a story to His wife Satyabhama Devi to illustrate some of the glories of following Kārttika-vrata, specific vows performed for the pleasure of Lord Vishnu during the month of Kārttika. Previously, there was a Brahmin named Dhaneshwar who lived in the city of Avanti. He had fallen from the status of a Brahmin, was addicted to sins, and was very wicked. He sold liquor, blankets, hides of animals, and behaved falsely. His mind was addicted to stealing, prostitutes, drinking, and gambling. Once, while traveling about to sell his wares, Dhaneshwar arrived in the city of Mahismati on the bank of the sin-destroying Narmada River. Dhaneshwar stayed there for one month. During that time, he observed many men who had come from different directions to stay in Mahismati to follow vows for the month of Kārttika. While daily walking on the bank of the Narmada selling his goods, Dhaneshwar saw Br...

  The Mouse, the Lamp and the Queen A Puranic History Srila Jiva Goswami writes in Bhakti-sandarbha , anuccheda 153: astu tāvat śuddha-bhakty-ābhāsasya vārtā, aparādhatvena dṛśyamāno 'py asau mahā-prabhāvo dṛśyate. It is seen that the activities of pure bhakti when performed even without a devotional attitude are still very powerful. Srila Jiva Goswami then cites an example from the Viṣṇudharmottara Purāṇa of an ordinary mouse who became a devotee and a queen due to some superficial contact with the Lord. A similar story is also found in the Padma Purāṇa . In the Viṣṇudharmottara (1. 167), Markandeya Rishi relates the following to King Vajra. In the country of Vidarbha there lived a king named Chitraratha. He had one hundred and fifteen sons, but only one daughter, whose name was Lalitika. She was endowed with all good qualities and possessed matchless beauty. Her father gave her in marriage to the righteous king of Kashi. That law-abiding king of Kashi had three hundred wi...