Shri Lalita Shashti

September 4, 2003

Srimati Lalitadevi's Appearance Day - 2nd Sept 2003 - Lalita Sasthi

Sri Lalita devi's characteristics

Of the eight sakhis, Lalita-devi is the foremost. She is a very dear friend of Radha-Krsna and she is 27 days older than Srimati Radharani.

(Radha-Krsna-ganoddesa-dipika)

Lalitadevi is well-known for her transcendental contradictory and hot tempered nature. Her complexion is the color of gorocana (bright yellow pigment prepared from the urine of a cow) and her garments are the color of peacock feathers.

Her mother is Saradi-devi and her father is Visoka. Her husband is Bhairava who is a close friend of Govardhana-gopa (husband of Candravali).

Rupa manjari (Rupa Goswami) is the assistant and follower of Lalita-sakhi; thus all who consider themselves as Rupanuga bhaktas (followers of Rupa Goswami) are ultimately the servants of lalita-devi and thus through the media of the parampara should always be longing to engage in the service of her lotus feet. When that day comes that we are able to please her, she will engage us in the intimate loving service of Sri Sri radha-Krsna according to our heart's desire.

Lalita-sakhi incarnated as Svarupa Damodara in the pastimes of Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu and acted as his personal secretary. In fact, no one could approach or present anything to Gauranga Mahaprabhu without his sanction.

"Sri Svarupa Damodara was the personification of ecstatic love, fully cognizant of the highest transcendental mellows in relationship with Lord Krsna. He directly represented Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu as His second expansion.

If someone wrote a book or composed verses and songs and wanted to recite them before Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Svarupa Damodara would first examine them and then correctly present them. Only then would Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu agree to listen."

Lalita-sakhi and her assistants incarnate from time to time in the material realm to propogate the topmost mood of serving Radha-Krsna, namely to become a maid-servant of Srimati Radharani.

Srimati Lalita-devi's Appearance Day

Sri Lalita devi's characteristics

Srimati Lalita-devi's Appearance Day

Mother's Name: Saradi

Father's Name: Visoka

Husband's Name: Bhairava

Complexion: Like gorochana, a type of yellow pigment

Cloth: Sikhi-piccha, like peacock feathers

Grove: Her kunja to the North of Radha-kunda, named Lalitanandada, is colored tadid i,e, like lightening, with many ruby-studded features.

Service: Her special seva is serving tambula, betel-nuts.

Age: In the Nikunja-lila, her eternal age is 14 years, 8 months, 27 days; she is the eldest sakhi.

Birthday: Sravana Sukla Ekadasi, the 11th day of the waxing moon in the month of Sravana.

Mood: Her bhava is khandita, or a jealous heroine who chastises her beloved. This pure mood is never manifest in relation to herself, however but only when there is a delay in the meeting of the Divine Couple.

Temperament: Vama-prakhara, contrary and hot-tempered to enhance the pastimes of Radha & Krsna.

Favourite Instrument: Vina

Favourite Tune: Raga bhairava-kalingada

Maidservant: Her chief assistant is Sri Rupa-manjari.

Girlfriends: Her 8 closest sakhis are Ratna-prabha, Rati-kala, Subhadra, Bhadra-rekhika, Sumukhi, Dhanishtha, Kala-hamsi, Kalapini.

Special Talents:

(1) The leader of all the sakhis of Srimati Radharani

(2) Very magnanimous like her father

(3) The instigator of most pastimes

(4) Always displays contrariness to Krsna's suggestions

(5) Frequently becomes angry and speaks outrageously insolent retorts to increase the intensity of the loving affairs between Radha & Krsna.

(6) Brilliant in composing and and understanding riddles

(7) Unparalleled in fashioning things with flowers including awnings, dancing areans, umbrellas, couches, bowers

(8) Expert in permorming magic tricks and juggling.

Identity in Gauranga-lila:

148-150 Srila Svarupa Damodara Gosvami has also confirmed that the goddess of fortune, who appeared in Vrndavana and was very dear to Lord Krsna, has now appeared as Sri Gadadhara Pandita, who is filled with love for Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Lalita-gopi always follows Srimati Radharani, and therefore she is known as Anuradha (Radha's follower). When Srimati Radharani appeared as Gadadhara Pandita, Lalita followed her, entering the body of Gadadhara Pandita. Therefore, Gadadhara Pandita is the incarnation of both Srimati Radharani and Lalita-gopi. This is described in the following statement of Caitanya-candrodaya-nataka.

151. "Gadadhara, the best of the brahmanas, is the incarnation of both Srimati Radharani and Lalita-gopi. These two are the transcendental potencies of the Lord, and since the Lord is in one sense not different from His potencies, it may be said that He is present wherever His potencies go. For this reason it may be said that Lord Hari is also present in the body of Gadadhara Pandita. Gadadhara is therefore the incarnation of three persons: Srimati Radharani, Lalita-gopi, and Lord Hari."

152. Some say that Dhruvananda Brahmacari is the incarnation of Lalita-gopi. This opinion is also correct, for Lalita-gopi appeared as both Gadadhara Pandita and Dhruvananda Brahmacari.

122-124 From all this we may conclude that Ramananda Raya is the incarnation of Lalita-gopi, Arjuniya-gopi, and Pandava Arjuna.

(From Gaura Gannodesa Dipika by Srila Kavi Karnapura)

Some say that Svarupa Damodar Goswami is an incarnation of Lalita-devi.

Prayer:

gorocana-ruci-manohara-kanti-deham

mayura-puccha-tulita-cchavi-caru-celam

radhe! tava priya-sakhim ca guru sakhinam

tambula-bhakti-lalitam lalitam namami

Whose enchanting complexion is just like yellow gorocana pigment

Whose lovely dress is the aura of peacock tail-feathers

O Radhe! Who is Your dear girlfriend and the guru of all the gopis

Who is so graceful in her devoted service of betel nuts

I humbly bow at the lotus feet of that Srimati Lalita Devi.

From Sri Radha Krsna Gannodesa Dipika by Srila Rupa Goswami

THE CLASSIC PRAYER TO LALITA-DEVI BY RAGHUNATHA DASA GOSWAMI

(in tune of the Sad-goswami-astaka)

sAndra-prema-rasaih plutA priyatayA prAgalbhyam AptA tayoh

prAna-prestha-vayasyayor anudinam lilAbhisAram kramaih

vaidagdhyena tathA sakhim prati sadA mAnasya shiksAm rasair

yeyam kArayatiha hanta lalitA grhnAtu sA mAm ganaih

Flooded with the nectar of intense love for her two friends (Sri Sri Radha-Krsna), who are more dear to her than her own life, affectionately arrogant in Their presence, and daily arranging for Their rendezvous, Lalita-devi expertly teaches her friend Radha the art of jealous anger. I pray Lalita-devi will one day accept me as one of her associates.

(translation by Kusakratha prabhu)

Let us all sing this today and pray for the mercy of Srimati Lalita-devi.

SRI LALITASTAKAM by Srila Rupa Goswami

1. I offer my obeisances to Lalita devi, who has many wonderful qualities. She worships the perspiration of Sri Sri Radha-Mukunda's lotus feet and acts boldly, out of intense feelings of friendship for Them.

2. I offer my obeisances to Lalita devi, who has many wonderful qualities. Her face defeats the beauty of the ambrosial corona of the full moon, her eyes are like those of an alarmed deer and she is expert in the art of decorating Sri Radhika.

3. I offer my obeisances to Lalita devi, who has many wonderful qualities. She wears a wonderful silk dress colored like a peacock with outstretched feathers, as well as a nice blouse, and her complexion defeats the golden splendour of gorocana.

4. I offer my obeisances to Lalita devi, who has many wonderful qualities. She teaches Sri Radhika the art of a left-wing heroine saying: "Radhe! Firmly reject this shrewd son of the king of Vraja, O immoral girl! Listen! Don't be weak! I'm saying it for Your own good. Don't submit to Him!"

5. I offer my obeisances to Lalita devi, who has many wonderful qualities. Her eyes become red with anger if she sees the son of the king of Vraja cheating Sri Radhika even slightly, then she will promptly embarrass Him with her clever words.

6. I offer my obeisances to Lalita devi, who has many wonderful qualities. She is the abode of affection for the Queen of cowherders, Yasoda, she is the teacher of the art of friendship for all the sakhis and her love for Sri Radhika and Krsna is equal.

7. I offer my obeisances to Lalita devi, who has many wonderful qualities. She requests every girl in Vraja to join the party of Vrsabhanu's daughter and who fulfills all desires of that girl (or of Sri Radhika).

7a. I offer my obeisances to Lalita devi, who has many wonderful qualities. All her desires were at once fulfilled when she saw the path of Sri Radha in Vraja being blocked by a certain person.

8. I offer my obeisances to Lalita devi, who has many wonderful qualities. She always enjoys the festival of Radha and Vrajendrasuta's meeting and she is the chief of all Radha's dear girlfriends in Gokula.

9. Anyone who recites these prayers praising Lalita's wonderful qualities with a pure vision will be lovingly counted amongst her own (friends or maidservants) by Sri Radhika, the brilliant desire vine of the family of the Lord of Kirtida (King Vrsabhanu).

End of Lalitastakam.

SRI LALITA KUNDA

We can offer our obeisances to Sri Lalita Kunda with the following mantra:

namo pataka-vighna-aghnau

lalita-mohanau subhau

snapaye-ham vimoksaya

kundau nira-manoharau (Skanda Purana)

I offer my obeisances to Sri Lalita Kunda which is most beautiful with sparkling water, which grants liberation to the bather, which is most auspicious manifestation of Lalita Devi's love for Sri Krishna and which destroys all the obstacles on the path of pure devotional service.

Lalitadevi had along with Mohan (Krsna), called 68 tirthas (holy places) to come & reside in her kunda and afford everyone the benefit of becoming free from the six types of hatya (murder): bhrna-hatya (abortion), krimi-hatya (killing of worms & insects), go-hatya (cow slaughter), brahma-hatya (killing of brahmans), svana-hatya, atma-hatya (suicide).

Ofcourse this pastime was in preparation for the appearance of Radha Kinda which took place when Krsna killed Aristasura (a demon in the shape of a bull). After Krsna killed Arista, He took a dip in Lalita Kunda to free Himself of the sin of gohatya. The internal reason being that He wished to get the association of Srimati Radharani and enjoy the pastime of creating Their kundas (Radha Kunda & Shyama Kunda). And to attain Radharani's association, He has to first please and get help of Lalitadevi, who is the dearmost friend and guardian of Srimati Radharani. What to speak of an ordinary living entity, even Lord Krsna has to approach Lalitadevi first and by her blessings He could have His desire fulfilled.

When Krsna met Radharani that night, She told Him that due to His having killed a bull, he would have to go and bathe in all the holy places first to become purified. Krsna informed Her that He had bathed in Lalita's kunda which purified one of the sins of six kinds of murder due to the presence of the major tirthas. Radharani's sakhis challenged Him that they did not see, feel or hear those tirthas enter Lalita's kunda so how could they possibly accept. Then Krsna, in front of all of them called all the holy places in person and had them introduce themselves before entering into His kunda, so that later the gopi girls could not challenge Him. When Lalita saw all that fun, she took some of the waters of Radha-kunda and Shyama-kunda and poured them into her own kunda, after ehich the water of Shyama-kunda burst through the embankment to mingle with the water of Lalita-kubda in divine union.

In the same way Radha-kunda and Shyama-kunda are non-different to Radha Krsna, so Lalita's kunda is her liquid form. Lalita-kunda is all merciful and by coming in contact with her water, bowing down to offer prayers and remebering her, onw will very quickly attain the mercy of Radha-kunda and be able to get an eternal residence close to her.

Srimati Lalita-devi's Appearance Day Ki Jai!