JAHNAVA DEVI (CONSORT OF SRI NITYANANDA) – HISTORY – DIARY!
–> Jahnava Devi is believed to have appeared in the year 1409 or 1410.
–> Balaram’s wives Varuni and Revati became Vasudha and Jahnavi, the two wives of Sri Nityananda Prabhu, in Chaitanya-lila.
–> Both of them were the daughters of Surya Das, who was a dear associate of Mahaprabhu.
–> He was Kakudman, the father of Revati, in his previous birth.
–> According to another opinion, Jahnava was the incarnation of Ananga Manjari.
–> Jahnava’s mother’s name was Bhadravati.
–> Surya Das’s Shripata is in the village of Shaligrama, near Nabadwip
(SRI PURUSHOTTAMA DASA THAKURA – LIFE HISTORY – DIARY! READ HERE!)
–> Surya Das was the third son of Kamsari Mishra. He held an important post in the service of the king of Gauda, as a result of which he was given the title Sarakhela (‘commander’) and earned a large amount of money.
–> Bhakti-ratnakara 12.3875-8 says: Surya Das and his brothers were all very pure in their character and they had a spotless reputation. His virtues are innumerable. His daughters were Vasudha and Jahnava.
–> Chaitanya Charitamrita 1.11.25: Surya Das and Krishna Das were brothers who both had great faith in Nityananda and were filled with love for Krishna.
–> Bhakti-ratnakara 7.330-1: Surya Das Sarakhela was a magnanimous devotee whose brother was Gauri Das Pandit. Gauri Das took his permission to come and live in Ambika on the banks of the Ganges.
–> In the village of Ekacakra in Rarhadesha are a couple named Hariai Pandit and Padmavati Devi. They were Vasudeva and Rohini in their previous lives in Krishna-lila. Balaram has become incarnate as their son, Nityananda.
–> Bhakti-ratnakara 12.3908-10: In a dream, Surya Das also saw Nityananda as Balaram with Vasudha and Jahnava standing to his left and right in their forms as Revati and Varuni. Surya Das offered the two girls to Nityananda’s lotus feet, Nityananda Prabhu mercifully gave him the same vision directly. Surya Das fainted in ecstasy.
–> Bhakti-ratnakara 12.3983: The fortunate Surya Das Sarakhela gave his two daughters away to Nityananda Prabhu according to the religious rites and popular custom.
(History of Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami, Author of Sri Caitanya Caritamruta! READ HERE!)
–> Jahnava Devi herself had no sons, but Nityananda’s Shakti Vasudha Devi gave birth to Virabhadra (or Viracandra) Goswami and Ganga Devi, who are the incarnations of Kshirodakashayi Vishnu and the river Ganges, respectively.
–> According to the Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika (69), Ganga Devi’s husband Madhavacharya is an incarnation of King Shantanu.
JAHNAVA DEVI – PASTIMES:
–> Jahnava was present when Narottama Das Thakur put on a great festival at Kheturi village to install the deities on Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s appearance day.
–> Bhakti-ratnakara 10.686-7: Jahnava Ishvari rose early that morning in great delight and took her bath and did her mantra meditation. Then she began to cook innumerable vegetable preparations with great enthusiasm.
(SRI NITYANANDHA PRABHU -DIARY OF EVENTS WHEN HE APPEARED ON EARTH! READ HERE!)
–> Bhakti-ratnakara 1.429-34:
“All of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s personal associates from Bengal were very happy to see Narottama Das. Jahnava Devi, the daughter of Surya Pandit and wife of Nityananda Prabhu, worshiped by the entire universe, expert in the distribution of the pearl of prema, was delighted to hear his name. Her joy increased when she observed his uncommon love for Krishna and his renunciation. Out of her mercy, she came to Kheturi, satisfying everyone by being present there and giving her darshan to all. How can a fallen person like myself fully describe the compassionate nature of Srimati Jahnava Devi.”
Jahnava Devi’s Visit to Vrindavan:
–> When she arrived in Vrindavan, she saw the samadhi of Gauri Das Pandit which moved her to tears.
–> When in Vrindavan, the leaders of the Vaishnava community such as Jiva Goswami, Gopal Bhatta Goswami, Lokanatha Gosvami, Bhugarbha Goswami, Madhu Pandit, etc., all came to offer her their respectful greetings.
–> With all of them, she visited the principle temples of Vrindavan — Madana Mohana, Govinda and Gopinath — before going to Radha Kund. There she met Raghunath Das Goswami, who was engaged in constant chanting of the Holy Names, and whose body was emaciated by his austerities.
(SRI CAITANYA MAHA PRABHU LIFE HISTORY – DIARY AND SIKSASHTAKAM! READ HERE!)
–> Jahnava remained in Radha Kund for three days engaged in bhajana. She heard the sound of Krishna’s flute while sitting on the banks of the tank and had a vision of Sri Krishna which overwhelmed her with waves of divine love. The ghat where Jahnava bathed and had this vision is today known as Sri Jahnava Ghat.
–> She then took the company of Vaishnavas on a parikrama of Vraja-mandala. During this parikrama she heard Jiva Goswami discourse on Brihad-Bhagavatamrita.
–> After her visit to Braj, Jahnava returned to Gauda-desha where she visited numerous villages.
–> Srimati Jahnava Devi disappeared on the shukla navami tithi of Vaishakh.
–> Sri Virabhadra Goswami became Her direct initiated disciple.
(SRI ADVAITA ACHARYA – LIFE HISTORY – DIARY! READ HERE!)
–> Without the mercy of Sri Nityananda Prabhu’s energy, Srimati Jahnava Devi, no one is able to cross over the ocean of material life, nor can one obtain the service of Sri Nityananda Prabhu and enter into the loving service of His worshipable Sri Gaurhari and Sri Sri Radha-Krishna.
–> Srila Bhakti Vinode Thakur in his Kalyankalpatru:
“O Jahnava Devi! Be merciful today to your servant and deliver me from my pain. Give me a place in the boat of your lotus feet so that I can be sure to cross over the ocean of birth and death. You are Nityananda’s energy. You are devotion to Krishna and my guru. Please give this servant the desire tree of your lotus feet. How numerous are the fallen souls that you have saved? So this fallen beggar seeks a place at your feet.”
–> H.H.Radhanath Swami Says:
“After Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityanada departed from this world, Jahnava Devi, the consort of Nityananda Prabhu, was honored as the senior most acarya of Gaudiya sampradaya. Even the great goswamis worshipped her. On her trip to Vrindavan she was put through many challenges. The smarta brahmanas considered her to be a threat and wanted her to die. But in incredible ways, all these opposing parties surrendered unto her and became her disciples. Although she was honored by the great renunciates she would serve all the devotees by cooking for them and personally serving them.”
(Who are Pancha Tatvas? Whom they represent? READ HERE!)