Cover Story

Cover Story Tulasī Devī, Beloved of Kṛṣṅa

Cover Story Tulasī Devī, Beloved of Kṛṣṅa

One of Kṛṣṅa's most intimate servants comes in a special form to bless us with extraordinary fortune.

By Govinda Dāsī

Devotees of Kṛṣṅa worship a little tree. But she’s not an ordinary tree. She’s Tulasī Devī, Kṛṣṅa's favorite plant.

Tulasī has delicate purple and green leaves, flower tassels like miniature temple spires, and an arresting, sweet fragrance famous for attracting the minds of yogīs to Kṛṣṅa's service.

Tulasī’s wood is carved into the japa beads on which devotees chant Kṛṣṅa's name. Devotees wear strands of Tulasī beads around their necks. Her leaves and flowers decorate the Deity of Kṛṣṅa in the temple and are placed on food offered to Him. She has taken the form of a tree so that everyone, even the poorest person, can offer something wonderful to Kṛṣṅa.

MY FASCINATION with Tulasī Devī began very soon after meeting Śrīla Prabhupāda in 1967. I searched Indian stores all over New York City to find a set of Tulasī japa beads. One clever man sold me rosewood beads, assuring me they were Tulasī. When I presented them to Śrīla Prabhupāda, he held them and looked at them with scrutiny, then simply said, “No, not Tulasī.” But he chanted on them anyway.

Later, in 1968, as I was cleaning Śrīla Prabhupāda's room I found his Tulasī japa beads lying near his bead bag on his cushion. As I carefully put them back into their bag, I was mesmerized by their smooth touch and golden glow. They were large, round beads, shiny from years of use, with a mystical quality that still sticks in my mind.

In 1969, Śrīla Prabhupāda sent me to Honolulu to open a temple. I spent much time at the research library of the University of Hawaii’s East-West Center. I found many ancient texts from India, some by Śrīla Prabhupāda's guru and other Vaiṣṅava saints. And I found information on Tulasī Devī—her botanical names, her history, and ways to grow her. My desire to grow Tulasī became an obsession, and somehow I got seeds from India.

The first set of seeds did not grow. I daily worshiped a thin green sprout until it became painfully evident that it was a blade of grass. The second batch of seeds proved fruitful, however, and tiny heart-shaped seedlings spread their delicate leaves in our Honolulu home. That was the beginning.

I still didn’t know why growing Tulasī was important to Śrīla Prabhupāda or his mission. But when I later presented two small Tulasī plants to him in Los Angeles, he was delighted. He held one of the small pots in his hand for a long time, gazing at the seven-inch seedling, noting that she was indeed Śrīmatī Tulasī Devī.

Prabhupāda talked on and on about the glories of Tulasī Devī, and he was in such joyful spirits! Śrīla Prabhupāda's servant, Kārtikeya Dāsa, was astonished. He later told me that he had not seen Śrīla Prabhupāda so light-hearted and happy in over a year.

At one point, Śrīla Prabhupāda told us that Tulasī Devī was a great devotee of Lord Kṛṣṅa, and that her husband, a demon, was killed by Kṛṣṅa. Then Prabhupāda stopped short and became thoughtful. My intuition was that he had given us as much as we could then understand.

So my understanding became quite basic: somehow, growing Tulasī made Śrīla Prabhupāda very, very pleased. That was enough. I proceeded to cultivate Tulasī plants on a large scale. I wrote a booklet entitled “How to Grow Tulasī Devī,” sent seeds and booklets to every temple, and tried to offer advice and assistance to devotees in their efforts to cultivate Tulasī.

Later, I came across the following purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (4.8.55):

It is specifically mentioned herein that tulasī leaves are very dear to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and devotees should take particular care to have tulasī leaves in every temple and center of worship. In the Western countries, while engaged in propagating the Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement, we were brought great unhappiness because we could not find tulasī leaves. We are very much obliged, therefore, to our disciple Śrīmatī Govinda Dāsī because she has taken much care to grow tulasī plants from seeds, and she has been successful by the grace of Kṛṣṅa. Now tulasī plants are growing in almost every center of our movement.

Only then did I become truly aware of the importance of cultivating Tulasī plants. I realized that my initial attraction to Tulasī and my obsessive desire to grow Tulasī plants, though not inspired by a direct instruction from Śrīla Prabhupāda, were communicated from within the heart by the Lord to please and assist Śrīla Prabhupāda in his mission. I felt humbled and joyful that even in my ignorance I had been given an opportunity to serve him in this way.

Learning Respect for Tulasī

In 1968, before Tulasī made her appearance in the West, Śrīla Prabhupāda sometimes talked about her. I recall him saying that in India every-one considers Tulasī plants sacred, and no one will cut or uproot them. Even non-Hindus, he said, will not destroy Tulasī to build a house on a spot where she is growing—they’ll look for a place not inhabited by Tulasī. When Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura discovered the birthplace of Lord Caitanya, it was so overgrown with Tulasī that no one had settled there, thinking it to be a sacred place. Even non-Hindus considered that disturbing Tulasī plants would bring ill fortune.

When Prabhupāda came to Hawaii in 1971, he admired our lush Tulasī garden in front of the entrance to the temple. Because these Tulasīs had grown far larger than we had expected (some nearly seven feet tall and with stalks two inches in diameter), we had a problem. The Tulasī branches were beginning to cover the entrance, and people unavoidably brushed up against her. We pointed this out to Śrīla Prabhupāda and asked his permission to trim some of the branches. He became alarmed and exclaimed, “You cannot cut Tulasī—that is the greatest offense! You must never cut her. But you can tie back the branches obstructing the entrance.”

Even after tying back the branches, Tulasī kept growing, and the problem continued. When we told Śrīla Prabhupāda that people had to bend down when passing through the Tulasī archway on the way into the temple, he was delighted. He smiled, his eyes sparkled, and he said, “That’s good. It is good that they have to bow to Tulasī before entering Kṛṣṅa's temple.”

When Śrīla Prabhupāda came for a later visit, he carefully entered the Tulasī archway by going through sideways to avoid brushing against her leaves and branches. And while walking along the walkway to the temple, which was lined with more Tulasī plants, he told his secretary, Śyāmasundara, “Don’t step on her shadow.” In these ways Śrīla Prabhupāda showed great respect for Tulasī Devī.

In his books, too, Śrīla Prabhupāda called attention to the exalted position of Tulasī Devī. He writes in a purport to the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.16.21):

The goddess of fortune, Lakṣmī, is sometimes envious of the tulasī leaves which are placed at the lotus feet of the Lord, for they remain fixed there and do not move, whereas Lakṣmījī, although stationed by the chest of the Lord, sometimes has to please other devotees who pray for her favor. Lakṣmījī sometimes has to go to satisfy her numerous devotees, but tulasī leaves never forsake their position, and the Lord therefore appreciates the service of tulasī more than the service of Lakṣmī.

In The Nectar of Devotion, Śrīla Prabhupāda quotes from the Skanda Purāṅa:

Tulasī is auspicious in all respects. Simply by seeing, simply by touching, simply by remembering, simply by praying to, simply by bowing before, simply by hearing about, or simply by sowing this tree, there is always auspiciousness. Anyone who comes in touch with the tulasī tree in the abovementioned ways lives eternally in the Vaikuṅṭha world.

Śrīla Prabhupāda taught us never to think of Tulasī as an ordinary plant. She is a great devotee standing before us in the form of a small tree. She appears as a delicate tree in this world to serve the Lord and uplift human society.

Tulasī Devī can be used in many ways to please the Supreme Lord, but never for gratifying one’s senses. To offer Tulasī Devī with a material incentive—to destroy one’s enemies, to remove anxieties, to make medicine—will be the bridge by which one enters the hellish regions.

Tulasī Devī has come to the West to give us the opportunity to serve her for our benefit. If we care for her nicely, she can grant us love for Kṛṣṅa.

Serving Tulasī’s Home

In November 1989, I met “Vṛndā Kuṅḍa Bābā,” or Mādhava Dāsa, a renowned scholar and Vaiṣṅava saint, and a great devotee of Śrīmatī Tulasī Devī. He had spent years in Vṛndāvana working to restore and develop Vṛndā Kuṅḍa, the eternal home of Vṛndā Devī, the cowherd-girl form of Tulasī Devī. Mādhava Bābā’s knowledge of the scriptures, especially those relating to the glories of Tulasī Devī, was vast. Not surprisingly, I felt an immediate connection.

Because Bābā had become old and ill, he wanted to leave his work to reliable people who were also devoted to Tulasī Devī. Somehow, by the divine arrangement of the Lord, he ended up at ISKCON’s Krishna-Balarām temple.

On meeting him, I felt a strong urge to assist him and began by helping with his medical expenses. Later, when he became bedridden in February and March of 1990, I worked with Vidyā Devī Dāsī, Muralīdhara Dāsa, and Mohana Dāsa to help provide nursing and medical care for him in his final days.

At that time, I was inspired to paint a picture of Vṛndā Devī. Mādhava Bābā knew all the scriptural references to Vṛndā Devī, and he carefully supervised the tiniest details of this painting. The scriptures describe Vṛndā Devī as having a beautiful complexion like molten gold, a shimmering golden effulgence, and an enchanting pearl on her nose. A gentle smile decorates her lips.

She wears blue garments and is decorated with pearls and flowers. Her right hand is raised in blessing the devotees, and on her left hand she holds her yellow parrot, Dakṣa, who has thousands of parrot disciples of various colors: red, green, yellow, blue, white. The parrots serve Vṛndā Devī by carrying messages to various parts of Vṛndāvana.

Vṛndā Devī is in charge of the Vṛndāvana līlā—the pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṅa. She decides which flowers will bloom, which birds will sing, which songs will be sung, which breezes will blow, which food will be served, which games will be played, which musical instruments will be played.

Lord Kṛṣṅa and Śrīmatī Rādhārāṅī have given Vṛndā Devī her role as queen of Vṛndāvana. Vṛndā Devī may be likened to a grand director or choreographer of the Vṛndāvana līlā, and her parrots are her communication service. She always stays in Vṛndāvana, absorbed in love for Rādhā and Kṛṣṅa. Her great yearning is to expertly arrange Their meeting, and by doing this she feels the greatest joy.

When the painting was finished, I would hold it up before Bābā daily, and he would chant his prayers to Vṛndā Devī, his worshipable deity. Often he would cry when he saw her.

Once he looked up at me and very humbly said, “Thank you, Mātājī. You have made just the exact replica of Vṛndā Devī.”

I told him, “Bābā, because you are now unable to walk and go see your beloved deity, Vṛndā Devī has arranged to come to see you.”

We pressed Bābā to tell us his life story so we could tape it for future publication. He was reluctant.

“No Mātājī, I don’t want name and fame.”

We persisted, imploring him that it would be a necessary part of continuing the development of Vṛndā Kuṅḍa. We pleaded that name and fame would come after he had left this world. He finally agreed, for the service of Vṛndā Devī, and we began documenting his life story and the story of the development of Vṛndā Kuṅḍa.

Śrīla Prabhupāda had told us that Vṛndāvana is named after Vṛndā Devī. It means “forest of Tulasī.”

Bābā explained, “This Vṛndāvana-dhāma belongs to Śrī Kṛṣṅa. It is the shining crest jewel of all the Vaikuṅṭhas, and Śrīmatī Rādhārāṅī, the daughter of King Vṛṣabhānu, has made Vṛndā Devī the ruling monarch of Lord Kṛṣṅa's opulent and auspicious abode of Vṛndāvana.”

Every day Bābā talked to us of the glories of Vṛndā Devī as described in the Skanda Purāṅa, Brahma-vaivarta Purāṅa, Padma Purāṅa, Garuḍa Purāṅa, Nārada Purāṅa, and other Vedic texts. He carefully translated the Vṛndā-devyaṣṭakam by Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, and he told us about the mercy of Lord Caitanya. We learned that the Lord would have a Tulasī tree carried before him in His saṅkīrtana party.

During this time, I visited Vṛndā Kuṅḍa. There is a small, simple temple there, and a lovely pond lined with Tulasī trees. The atmosphere was surcharged with a unique spiritual essence. I sat quietly and chanted and meditated beside Tulasī Devī. In my mind I had a fleeting “glimpse” of a beautiful palace, with winding crystal staircases and shimmering decor. I wondered at this, and when I saw Bābā I asked him about it. He began to describe such a palace from various scriptural quotations. I was stunned.

In a miraculous way that only Lord Kṛṣṅa could have designed, this aged saint, who was born in a highly situated brāhmaṅa family and who had spent his entire life as a sādhu, was now being cared for by a small crew of American and European disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda. Witnessing his love and devotion for Vṛndā Devī was our greatest gift. It was as if Śrīla Prabhupāda had arranged for us to receive further instruction and opportunity to serve Śrīmatī Tulasī Devī by sending Bābā into our midst.

A Divine Soul Departs

Bābā’s passing away was glorious. It was early, just after maṅgala-ārati, on March 27, 1990. Vidyā and I were in the temple making Tulasī garlands when Bābā’s nurse rushed in, telling us to come quickly. On the way to his room I grabbed the painting of Vṛndā Devī to take to him.

As I entered the room, I was a bit shaken by the hanging presence of impending death. Death is a powerful, compelling force, hard to describe, yet almost tangible.

I held the painting for Bābā to see and said, “Vṛndā Devī has come.”

He focused on the beautiful form of Vṛndā Devī and tried to say his Sanskrit prayers to her. His last audible words were “Kṛṣṅa! Kṛṣṅa!”

We sat beside his bed and chanted Hare Kṛṣṅa on our beads. Dīnabandhu Dāsa arrived and began playing the harmonium and singing. It was a soft and gentle kīrtana, penetratingly sweet and melodious. The whole room was filled with a golden glow. Bābā’s eyes were fixed on Vṛndā Devī, and when he could no longer see externally, his eyes were shining in ecstasy and focused on some other world. It was as if he was clearly seeing Kṛṣṅa and his beloved Vṛndā Devī.

A beautiful smile was on his lips. His breath came in tiny gasps, and with each breath his ecstasy increased. His face shone with a remarkable radiance. Then he was gone. It was a moment of incredible awe and ecstasy! We were seeing a divine soul depart for the realm of Goloka, and we cried for joy.

Bābā’s departure left on indelible imprint on my mind. I saw the energy of death in action—compelling, relentless, moving forward like a bulldozer, pushing the soul out of the body. It was fierce and final, frightening and overwhelmingly real. This was the essence and inner meaning of time. I tasted the divine words of the Gītā: “I come as death.”

Then I saw the devotee’s response to death: full surrender at the Lord’s lotus feet with pure love and trust. And I witnessed the Lord’s divine protection of His devotee. What may be fearful and horrible for others was for Bābā a joyous reunion with his beloved Lord. Kṛṣṅa came and filled the room with His love and radiance, and Bābā left with Him to eternally serve Vṛndā Devī at her home in Vṛndā Kuṅḍa.

Bābā’s work at Vṛndā Kuṅḍa was left unfinished. I believe it was his gift to us, Śrīla Prabhupāda's generations of disciples. Because of Śrīla Prabhupāda's efforts in spreading the glories of Tulasī Devī all over the world, Vṛndā Devī led Bābā Mādhava Dāsa to choose ISKCON to continue her service at Vṛndā Kuṅḍa.

The small crew of us who cared for Bābā all feel deeply committed to carrying on his work at Vṛndā Kuṅḍa. By Kṛṣṅa's grace, the daily worship of Vṛndā Devī is still going on. We promised Bābā that a compound wall will be built around Vṛndā Kuṅḍa and other improvements will be made. Through this work, our spiritual strength will be increased and our understanding of kṛṣṅa-bhakti will become mature. There is great spiritual merit accrued from caring for holy places. And of all holy places, Vṛndā Kuṅḍa is one of the most auspicious.

Govinda Dāsī became a disciple of Śrīla Prabhupāda in 1967 in San Francisco. She now lives in Hawaii.

Our thanks to Mañjarī Devī Dāsī of Oakland, California, for her help in putting together this article.

Worshiping Tulasī Devī

The following list was compiled from scriptures and from Śrīla Prabhupāda's instructions.

• Tulasī’s body is spiritual. Although Tulasī appears as many individual trees, she is one person, and she comes wherever she sees devotion to Kṛṣṅa.

• Every morning devotees should water and pray to Tulasī Devī and circumambulate her three times.

• Worship Tulasī with nice food, flowers, incense, a ghee lamp, and other traditional articles of worship.

• Protect the delicate Tulasī seedlings from birds and insects. It is an offense to turn the seedlings back into the soil.

• In places where Tulasī cannot survive the winters when planted in the ground, provide a suitable house for her.

• Every day provide Tulasī fresh air, water (as needed—be careful not to water too much), and sunshine (or plant lights).

• Neglecting to care for or water Tulasī properly is a great offense. Do everything carefully.

• When picking Tulasī leaves, chant the following mantra:

tulasy amṛta-janmāsi sadā tvaṁ keśava-priyā keśavārthaṁ cinomi tvāṁ varadā bhava śobhane

“O Tulasī, you were born from nectar. You are always very dear to Lord Keśava. Now, in order to worship Lord Keśava, I am collecting your leaves and mañjarīs. Please bestow your benediction on me.”

Pick only the leaves that grow next to the mañjarīs (flowers) and the leaves that are ready to drop—they will turn a pale color—not the new, green ones. Pick the mañjarīs as soon as they blossom. Avoid letting them go to seed, which takes much energy from the plant that can be used to make more leaves and flowers for Kṛṣṅa's service. Pick the leaves one at a time with your fingertips. Don’t shake or stroke the branch and damage healthy leaves. Pick with care and attention. Avoid using cutting tools.

• Never cut or prune Tulasī Devī. This is a great offense. Remove dead branches if absolutely necessary. If branches obstruct a passageway, tie them back, but don’t cut them.

• Pick Tulasī leaves and flowers in the morning, never at night (from sunset to sunrise).

• Never use chemical sprays on Tulasī.

• Collect leaves once in the morning for worshiping Kṛṣṅa and for putting on the plates of food to be offered to Him. Put at least one leaf on each preparation. Never pick Tulasī leaves for any other purpose than to offer to the Lord.

• Lord Kṛṣṅa likes garlands of Tulasī leaves. Tulasī leaves mixed with sandalwood pulp and placed on the lotus feet of the Lord is the topmost worship. Do not place Tulasī leaves on the feet of anyone other than Lord Viṣṅu in His various forms. Śrīmatī Rādhārāṅī can be given a Tulasī leaf in Her hand for offering to Lord Kṛṣṅa.

• Kṛṣṅa accepts even dry Tulasī leaves.

• Tulasī wood (taken after a plant has fully dried naturally) can be used to carve worship paraphernalia, such as beads. Place leftover Tulasī wood within the earth.

• Never use Tulasī leaves or flowers to make teas or juices, even after they’ve been offered to Kṛṣṅa. It is a great offense to cook or heat Tulasī, or to use her for mundane purposes, such as medicines and ointments.

• Never cut down or pull up living Tulasī plants. This is a great offense.

• Avoid stepping on Tulasī Devī’s shadow.

• Tulasī Devī is very, very dear to the Lord. Therefore, most important is to serve her with love and devotion.

Benefits of Worshiping Tulasī Devī

Although we can never fully describe the glories of Tulasī Devī, an eternal associate of Lord Kṛṣṅā, the scriptures give us a hint of the value of worshiping her. The following list comes from the Padma Purāṅa.

—Tulasī is the essence of all devotional activities.

—The leaves, flowers, roots, bark, branches, trunk, and shade of Tulasī Devī are all spiritual.

—One who with devotion applies the paste of Tulasī wood to the Deity of Kṛṣṅa will always live close to Kṛṣṅa.

—One who puts mud from the base of the Tulasī tree on his body and worships the Deity of Lord Kṛṣṅa gets the results of one hundred days’ worship each day.

—One who offers a Tulasī mañjarī to Lord Kṛṣṅa gets the benefit of offering all other varieties of flowers, and he goes to the abode of Kṛṣṅa.

—One who sees or comes near a house or garden where the Tulasī plant is present gets rid of all his sinful reactions, including that of killing a brāhmaṅa.

—Lord Kṛṣṅa happily lives in the house, town, or forest where Tulasī Devī is present.

—A house where Tulasī Devī is present never falls on bad times, and it becomes purer than all holy places.

—The fragrance of Tulasī Devī purifies all who smell it.

—Lord Kṛṣṅa and all the demigods live in a house where mud from the base of the Tulasī tree is found.

—Without Tulasī leaves, Lord Kṛṣṅā does not like to accept flowers, food, or sandalwood paste.

—One who worships Lord Kṛṣṅa daily with Tulasī leaves attains the results of all kinds of austerity, charity, and sacrifice. In fact, he has no other duties to perform, and he has realized the essence of the scriptures.

—One who puts into his mouth or on his head Tulasī leaves that have been offered to Lord Kṛṣṅa attains Lord Kṛṣṅa's abode.

—In Kali-yuga, one who worships, remembers, plants, keeps, or performs kīrtana before Tulasī burns up all sinful reactions and quickly attains Lord Kṛṣṅa's abode.

—One who worships Lord Kṛṣṅa with Tulasī leaves releases all his ancestors from the realm of birth and death.

—One who remembers the glories of Tulasī or tells others about them will never take birth again.

The Tulasī Ārati Prayers

Śrīla Prabhupāda gave his disciples the following prayers for worshiping Tulasī Devī.

Śrī Tulasī Praṅāma

(Recite when bowing to Tulasī.)

vṛndāyai tulasī-devyai priyāyai keśavasya ca kṛṣṅa-bhakti-prade devi satyavatyai namo namaḥ

“I offer my repeated obeisances unto Vṛndā, Śrīmatī Tulasī Devī, who is very dear to Lord Keśava [Kṛṣṅa]. O goddess, you bestow devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṅa and possess the highest truth.”

Śrī Tulasī Kīrtana

(Sing during the ārati. This song is in Bengali.)

namo namaḥ tulasī! kṛṣṅa-preyasī rādhā-kṛṣṅa-sevā pābo ei abhilāṣī

je tomāra śaraṅa loy, tāra vāñchā pūrṅa hoy kṛpā kori’ koro tāre bṛndāvana-bāsī

mor ei abhilāṣ, bilās kuñje dio vās nayane heribo sadā jugala-rūpa-rāśi

ei nivedana dharo, sakhīr anugata koro sevā-adhikāra diye koro nija dāsī

dīna kṛṣṅa-dāse koy, ei jena mora hoy śrī-rādhā-govinda-preme sadā jena bhāsi

“O Tulasī, beloved of Kṛṣṅa, I bow before you again and again. My desire is to obtain the service of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa.

“Whoever takes shelter of you has his wishes fulfilled. Bestowing your mercy on him, you make him a resident of Vṛndāvana.

“My desire is that you will also grant me a residence in the pleasure groves of Śrī Vṛndāvana-dhāma. Thus, within my vision I will always behold the beautiful pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṅa.

“I beg you to make me a follower of the cowherd damsels of Vraja. Please give me the privilege of devotional service and make me your own maidservant.

“This very fallen and lowly servant of Kṛṣṅa prays, ’May I always swim in the love of Śrī Śrī Rādhā and Govinda.’ ”

Śrī Tulasī Pradakṣiṅa Mantra

(Sing while circumambulating Tulasī.)

yāni kāni ca pāpāni brahma-hatyādikāni ca tāni tāni praṅaśyanti pradakṣiṅaḥ pade pade

“By the circumambulation of Śrīmatī Tulasī Devī all the sins one may have committed are destroyed at every step, even the sin of killing a brāhmaṅa.”

Eight Names of Vṛndā Devī

Vṛndā Devī: She has thousands and thousands of sakhīs (associate maidservants).

Vṛndāvanī: She never leaves Vṛndāvana.

Viśvapūjitā: The whole world worships her.

Viśvapāvanī: She is the sanctifier of the whole world.

Puṣpasāra: She is the essence of all flowers.

Nandinī: She gives happiness to everyone.

Tulasī Devī: She has an incomparable form.

Kṛṣṅa-jīvanī: She is the life and soul of Lord Kṛṣṅa.

Serving Vṛndā Kuṅḍa

In a letter requesting contributions for Vṛndā Kuṅḍa, Mādhava Bābā once wrote, “Vṛndā Devī is known as Śrīmatī Tulasī Devī and is worshiped by all Sanātanists. The worship of Tulasī Devī is the life of Sanātana Dharma. Negligence of Tulasī sevā means the negligence of entire religion.… Śrī Vṛndā Devī Temple and its twin Kuṅḍas (Vṛndā Kuṅḍa and Gupta Kuṅḍa) are glorified in sixty ancient Sanskrit and Bengali books.”

The following are plans for the upkeep and development of Vṛndā Kuṅḍa:

• Build a boundary wall around the two-acre site.

• Build a samādhi (tomb) for Bābā Mādhava Dāsa.

• Build a good road to the site.

• Level the site.

• Build steps around the Kuṅḍa.

• Deepen the Kuṅḍa.

• Renovate and expand the temple.

• Dig for fresh drinking water.

• Plant trees.

• Buy land for growing vegetables and keeping cows for self-sufficiency.

• Build guestrooms for pilgrims.

To contribute for this work, please write to:

Vrinda Trust

1504 Riverton Road

Cinnaminson, NJ 08077

USA

or

Vrinda Trust

Śrī Krishna-Balarām Mandir

Bhaktivedanta Swami Marg

Raman Reti, Vrindavan, UP India

Śrī Vṛndādevy-aṣṭaka

“Eight Prayers Glorifying Śrī Vṛndā Devī,” by Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Translation by Bābā Mādhava Dāsa

(1) gāṅgeya-cāmpeya-taḍid-vinindi- rociḥ-pravāha-snapitāyma-vṛnde bandhūka-bandhu-dyuti-divya-vāso vṛnde namas te caraṅāravindam

O Vṛndā Devī, I offer my respectful obeisances to your lotus feet. You are bathed in your own splendor, which defeats the effulgence of lightning and the golden campaka flower. The luster of your transcendental garments is the friend of the leandhilia flower.

(2) bimbādharoditvara-manda-hāsya- nāsāgra-muktā-dyuti-dīpitāsye vicitra-ratnābharaṅa-śriyāḍhye vṛnde namas te caraṅāravindam

O Vṛndā Devī, I offer my respectful obeisances to your lotus feet. Your face is illuminated by the splendor of the pearl decorating the tip of your nose, and by the extraordinary gentle smile on the two bimba fruits which are your lips. You are enriched by the beauty of the amazing and colorful jewels and ornaments you wear.

(3) samasta-vaikuṅṭha-śiromaṅau śrī- kṛṣṅasya vṛndāvana-dhanya-dhāmni dattādhikāre vṛṣabhānu-putryā vṛnde namas te caraṅāravindam

O Vṛndā Devī, I offer my respectful obeisances to your lotus feet. Śrīmatī Rādhārāṅī, the daughter of King Vṛṣabhānu, has made you the ruling monarch of Lord Kṛṣṅa's opulent and auspicious abode of Vṛndāvana, which is the crest jewel of all the Vaikuṅṭha planets.

(4) tvad-ājñayā pallava-puṣpa-bhṛṅga- mṛgādibhir mādhava-keli-kuñjaḥ madhv-ādibhir bhānti vibhūṣyamāṅā vṛnde namas te caraṅāravindam

O Vṛndā Devī, I offer my respectful obeisances to your lotus feet. Because of your order, the groves where Lord Mādhava performs His pastimes appear very splendid, decorated with blossoming flowers, bumblebees, deer, and other auspicious animals, flowers, and birds.

(5) tvadīya-dūtyena nikuñja-yūnor atyutkayoḥ keli-vilāsa-siddhiḥ tvat-saubhagaṁ kena nirucyatāṁ tad vṛnde namas te caraṅāravindam

O Vṛndā Devī, I offer my respectful obeisances to your lotus feet. Who can describe your good fortune? You were the messenger who brought about the perfection of the amorous pastimes of Rādhā and Kṛṣṅa, the youthful couple, who enthusiastically sport in the groves of Vṛndāvana.

(6) rāsābhilāṣo vasatiś ca vṛndā- vane tvad-īśāṅghri-saroja-sevā labhyā ca puṁsāṁ kṛpayā tavaiva vṛnde namas te caraṅāravindam

O Vṛndā Devī, I offer my respectful obeisances to your lotus feet. The living entities who attain the service of the lotus feet of your Lord reside in Vṛndāvana. And the desire to understand the Lord’s amazing pastimes of the rāsa dance is only by your mercy.

(7) tvaṁ kīrtyase sātvata-tantra-vidbhir līlābhidhānā kila kṛṣṅa-śaktiḥ tavaiva mūrtis tulasī nṛ-loke vṛnde namas te caraṅāravindam

O Vṛndā Devī, I offer my respectful obeisances to your lotus feet. Those who have studied the Sātvata-tantra glorify you. You are Lord Kṛṣṅa's potency for performing pastimes, and you are known as Tulasī Devī in the human society.

(8) bhaktyā vihīnā aparādha-lakṣaiḥ kṣiptāś ca kāmādi-taraṅga-madhye kṛpāmayi tvām śaraṅaṁ prapannā vṛnde namas te caraṅāravindam

O Vṛndā Devī, I offer my respectful obeisances to your lotus feet. Those who are devoid of devotion to Lord Hari, and who are thrown by their offenses into the waves of lust and other inauspicious qualities, may take shelter of you.

(9) vṛndāṣṭakaṁ yaḥ śṛṅuyāt paṭhed vā vṛndāvanādhīśa-padābja-bhṛṅgaḥ sa prāpya vṛndāvana-nitya-vāsaṁ tat-prema-sevāṁ labhate kṛtārthaḥ

O Vṛndā Devī, I offer my respectful obeisances to your lotus feet. Let a person who becomes like a bumblebee at the lotus feet of Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa, and who reads or hears these eight verses describing the glories of Vṛndā Devī, eternally reside at Goloka Vṛndāvana. He attains devotional service in pure love of Godhead, and all his spiritual aspirations become fulfilled.