Jahnava Mata Goswamini was one of the most important women in the history of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Her life and devotion to Nityananda Prabhu inspired thousands of devotees and helped expand Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's movement.
Family Background
Jahnava's father was Suryadasa Pandita, and her mother was Bhadravati Devi. Suryadasa had five brothers: Damodara, Jagannatha, Gauri Dasa, Krishna Dasa, and Nrisimha Chaitanya. His father's name was Sri Kamsari Mishra, and his mother's was Sri Kamala Devi.
Suryadasa was from a brahmana family, and the Muslim ruler of Gaudadesha gave him the title Sarakhel because he kept the accounts of the King of Gaudadesha very exemplarily.
Jahnava Devi was the younger daughter of Suryadasa Sarakhela. The other, elder daughter was named Vasudha. In Gaura Ganodesha Dipika it is said that both sisters are expansions of Revati and Varuni, and Suryadasa himself is Kakudmi – an expansion of King Raivata.
Suryadasa, together with his other five brothers, were all faithful devoted servants of Lord Nityananda. One of them, Gauridasa, was especially dear to the Lords. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, before accepting sannyasa, gave Gauridasa an oar from a boat and a copy of the Bhagavad Gita written in His own hand.
Marriage to Nityananda Prabhu
1519 Nityananda Prabhu marries Vasudha, Jahnava's sister.
1521 Nityananda Prabhu's marriage to Jahnava Mata.
Suryadasa Pandita was very worried that it was time for his daughters to get married. One night he had a dream that he was giving his daughters, who stood like Revati and Varuni, to Lord Nityananda, who appeared like Lord Balarama.
Suryadasa's Dream
"I saw in a dream that Nityananda Prabhu is none other than Baladeva. The effulgence of His body radiated in all directions, and His body was decorated with various ornaments. On both His sides stood my daughters like Varuni and Revati. Now, if I fail to marry my daughters to Nityananda Prabhu, I will have no peace."
Telling everything to his friend, Suryadasa sent him to Srivasa Thakura in Navadvipa. The brahmana told everything accurately to Srivasa Thakura, who at the appropriate time told Nityananda Prabhu. Nityananda Prabhu assured the brahmana that He would undoubtedly fulfill Suryadasa's request, and sent him back to Shalagrama.
In the village of Boragachi lived Sri Krishna Dasa, the son of Raja Hari Hora, who was a faithful follower of Lord Nityananda. He offered to cover all the wedding expenses and wanted the wedding to take place in his home.
The Wedding Ceremony
Srivasa Pandita, Sri Advaita Acharya, Sri Chandrashekhara, Sri Murari Gupta, and many other devotees gathered and began Harinama Sankirtana.
When Suryadasa saw that Lord Nityananda had arrived with the devotees, he went out to welcome them with great joy and invited them inside, where he offered his dandavats to Lord Nityananda. His eyes filled with tears of ecstatic love.
Lord Nityananda, smiling sweetly, embraced Suryadasa with love. Suryadasa was always merged in great bliss. Who can understand his personality?
In this way, a very auspicious wedding ceremony took place, and Nityananda Prabhu stayed for a few days in Shalagrama, together with his young wives. Afterwards He traveled to Krishna Dasa's home in Boragachi, where He also stayed for a few days. Then He left for Navadvipa.
Together with his two wives, He offered obeisances to Mother Sachi. Sachi Mata was very happy to see them and showed great affection to the new brides. The other Vaishnavas were also very affectionate to them.
Thereafter, bidding farewell to Sachi Mata, Nityananda Prabhu arrived at Advaita Acharya's home in Shantipura. Sri Sita Thakurani drowned in bliss upon seeing Vasudha and Jahnava Devi. Seating them on her lap, she showed her affection to the brides.
Adoption of Kanai Thakura
In 1531, Kanai Thakura was born, whose father was Gopala Purushottama Dasa, and mother was Jahnava Devi of Shuklasagara. Since both their names were similar, Nityananda's wife was friends with Gopala Purushottama Dasa's wife, and when she passed away after childbirth, leaving the baby alone, Jahnava Devi adopted the infant. Nityananda named the child Krishna Dasa, and Jiva Goswami named him Kanai Thakura.
After Nityananda's Departure
In 1541, Nityananda Prabhu left the world.
After the passing of Sri Advaita Acharya, Sri Nityananda Prabhu, Srivasa Pandita, and other associates of Sri Gaurasundara, three especially empowered manifestations of the Lord's mercy: Srinivasa Acharya, Narottama Thakura Mahashaya, and Shyamananda Prabhu continued to flood the land in waves of Harinama Sankirtana.
They requested Nityananda Prabhu's shakti Sri Jahnava Mata to participate in their festival organized at Kheturigrama, whose patron was Narottama Thakura Mahashaya's cousin Raja Santosh Datta.
Journey to the Kheturi Festival
With them was Jahnava's uncle Sri Krishna Dasa, as well as other devotees: Minaketana Ramadasa, Murari Chaitanya, Jnana Dasa, Sri Paramesvari Dasa, Balarama Dasa, Sri Vrindavana Dasa Thakura, and other dear associates of Lord Nityananda Prabhu.
The Journey Route
- → First she arrived at her uncle Gauridasa Pandita's temple in Kalna, where she was wonderfully received by Hridaya Chaitanya Prabhu.
- → When she came to Navadvipa, realizing that she would no longer see Sachi Mata, she became very sad and wept piteously.
- → In Shantipura Sri Achyutananda and Gopala tried to console her when she learned that Advaita Acharya and Sita Thakurani had left the world.
- → Then on her way to Kanthak Nagara she stopped at Teliya Budhuri, where she was received with great respect by Sri Govinda Kaviraja.
When they reached the banks of the Padma River, they saw that Raja Santosh Singh had already arranged everything to cross the river. On the other side of the river, a palanquin was already waiting to take her to Kheturi.
Journey to Vrindavana
After the Kheturi Festival in 1583, Jahnava Mata decided to go to Vrindavana.
There she met the acharyas Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami, Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami, Lokanatha Swami and Bhugarbha Goswami, Gopala Bhatta and Jiva Goswami.
Story of the Gopinatha Deity
One day she was bathing in the Yamuna and suddenly a small black hand grabbed her clothes as she was getting out of the water. But when she looked around, there was no one. Then Gopinatha said to her:
"I want to go with you and stay together. When you bathe one day in the Ganges, I will come and join you."
Spending a few days in Vrindavana with great joy, Sri Jahnava Mata traveled back to Gaudadesha (Bengal). First she arrived at Kheturi, and then at Bhudarigrama, where she organized the wedding of Bor Ganga and Sri Hemalarta, Daughter of Shyamadasa Chakravarti. After the wedding, Sri Ishvari (Jahnava) entrusted the worship of Sri Shyamasundarji to Borganga Dasa.
When she was bathing one day in the Ganges, something touched her body in the water. She lifted the object out of the water and saw the beautiful form of Sri Gopinathaji. Tears of love streamed from her eyes.
This Deity is still worshiped to this day by the descendants of Nityananda Prabhu's daughter Ganga Devi in Jirat, Hooghly.
Installation of Radhika Deity
In 1583, Vasudha's son Virachandra married two daughters of Yadunandana Chakravarti, Srimati and Narayani. Here Gopinatha in a dream ordered Jahnava to send a Deity of Radhika from Gauda and install Her together with the Gopinatha Deity.
In 1584, Jahnava Mata sent the Deity of Radhika to Gopinatha in Vrindavana. She was accompanied by Paramesvari Dasa and others. On the way, King Vira Hamvira secretly donated a thousand coins to them to cover the installation expenses.
Manifestation of Four Arms
Sometimes Jahnava Thakurani would manifest four arms (Jahnava Thakurani is the eternal energy of Lord Nityananda. Nityananda has two energies: Jahnava and Vasudha).
Vasudha's son Virabhadra is an incarnation of God. He was searching for a spiritual master and was recommended to take shelter of Jahnava Thakurani. However, he thought: "She is my mother. How can she be my guru?"
One early morning, after her morning duties, Jahnava stood by the well half-naked, preparing to bathe, as is customary for Indian women. Virabhadra came and, seeing her in such a state, became ashamed. However, she immediately manifested two more arms and covered her breasts with them.
Thereafter Virabhadra offered his pranamas to her and accepted initiation from her.
Legacy
The Deity of Jahnava is worshiped in Chandura village to this day.
QUESTIONS
Biographical Details
- Year of Birth: 1509, in Ambika Kalna (Gaudadesha)
- Parents: Suryadasa Pandita (Father), Bhadravati Devi (Mother)
- Marriage: 1521 to Nityananda Prabhu
- Personality: Expansion of Revati and Varuni
Self-Check Questions
- What is her contribution to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's movement?
- In which era did she live?
- How did Jahnava's marriage to Nityananda Prabhu take place?
- Tell the story of the discovery of the Gopinatha Deity.
- Why did Virabhadra accept initiation from Jahnava Thakurani?