The most confidential residence of Kṛṣṇa is Goloka Vṛndāvana. It is there that He stays with His father, mother and friends, exhibits His transcendental relationships and bestows His mercy amongst His eternal entourage. There yogamāyā acts as His maidservant in the rāsa-līlā dance.
Maidservant (CC and other books)
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Adi-lila
In the kingdom of God, the Lord's servants and maidservants, His consorts, His father and mother and everything else are all transformations of the spiritual existence of sandhinī-śakti.
CC Adi 4.65, Purport: Kṛṣṇa is always all-spiritual. Aside from the parents of the Personality of Godhead, all the other paraphernalia of His existence are also essentially a manifestation of sandhinī-śakti, or a transformation of viśuddha-sattva. To make this more clear, it may be said that this sandhinī-śakti of the internal potency maintains and manifests all the variegatedness of the spiritual world. In the kingdom of God, the Lord's servants and maidservants, His consorts, His father and mother and everything else are all transformations of the spiritual existence of sandhinī-śakti. The existential sandhinī-śakti in the external potency similarly expands all the variegatedness of the material cosmos, from which we can have a glimpse of the spiritual field.
CC Adi 6.65-66, Translation:
Even the beloved girlfriends of Lord Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana, the gopīs, the dust of whose feet was desired by Śrī Uddhava and who are more dear to Kṛṣṇa than anyone else, regard themselves as Kṛṣṇa's maidservants.
CC Adi 6.67, Translation:
"O Lord, remover of the afflictions of the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana! O hero of all women! O Lord who destroy the pride of Your devotees by Your sweet, gentle smile! O friend! We are Your maidservants. Please fulfill our desires and show us Your attractive lotus face."
CC Adi 6.68, Translation:
"O Uddhava! It is indeed regrettable that Kṛṣṇa resides in Mathurā. Does He remember His father's household affairs and His friends, the cowherd boys? O great soul! Does He ever talk about us, His maidservants? When will He lay on our heads His aguru-scented hand?"
CC Adi 6.69-70, Translation:
What to speak of the other gopīs, even Śrī Rādhikā, who in every respect is the most elevated of them all and who has bound Śrī Kṛṣṇa forever by Her loving attributes, serves His feet as His maidservant.
CC Adi 6.71, Translation:
"O My Lord, O My husband, O most dearly beloved! O mighty-armed Lord! Where are You? Where are You? O My friend, reveal Yourself to Your maidservant, who is very much aggrieved by Your absence."
CC Adi 6.72, Translation:
In Dvārakā-dhāma, all the queens, headed by Rukmiṇī, also consider themselves maidservants of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
CC Adi 6.74, Translation:
"Knowing me to be performing austerities with the desire to touch His feet, He came with His friend Arjuna and accepted my hand. Yet I am but a maidservant engaged in sweeping the floor of the house of Śrī Kṛṣṇa."
CC Adi 6.75, Translation:
"Through austerity and through renunciation of all attachments, we have become maidservants in the home of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is satisfied in Himself."
CC Adi 10.9, Translation:
Their two brothers were named Śrīpati and Śrīnidhi. These four brothers and their servants and maidservants are considered one big branch.
CC Adi 10.25, Translation:
Rāghava Paṇḍita's sister Damayantī was the dear maidservant of the Lord. She always collected various ingredients with which to cook for Lord Caitanya.
CC Adi 10.137, Translation:
Mādhavīdevī, the seventeenth of the prominent devotees, was the younger sister of Śikhi Māhiti. She is considered to have formerly been a maidservant of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu considered Mādhavīdevī one of the maidservants of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī.
CC Adi 10.137, Purport: In the Antya-līlā of Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Chapter Two, verses 104–106, there is a description of Mādhavīdevī. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu considered her one of the maidservants of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Within this world, Caitanya Mahāprabhu had three and a half very confidential devotees. The three were Svarūpa Gosāñi, Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya and Śikhi Māhiti, and Śikhi Māhiti's sister, Mādhavīdevī, being a woman, was considered the half. Thus it is known that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had three and a half confidential devotees.
CC Adi 13.114, Translation:
Riding in a palanquin covered with cloth and accompanied by maidservants, Sītā Ṭhākurāṇī came to the house of Jagannātha Miśra, bringing with her many auspicious articles such as fresh grass, paddy, gorocana, turmeric, kuṅkuma and sandalwood. All these presentations filled a large basket.
CC Adi 14.50, Translation:
Addressing the girls, the Lord would say, "Worship Me, and I shall give you good husbands or good benedictions. The Ganges and goddess Durgā are My maidservants. What to speak of other demigods, even Lord Śiva is My servant."
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu blessed a maidservant named Duḥkhī with the name Sukhī.
CC Adi 17.18, Purport: Some devotees call this exhibition of ecstasy by the Lord sāta-prahariyā bhāva, or "the ecstasy of twenty-one hours," and others call it mahābhāva-prakāśa or mahā-prakāśa. There is a description of this sāta-prahariyā bhāva in the Caitanya-bhāgavata, Madhya-khaṇḍa, Chapter Nine, which mentions that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu blessed a maidservant named Duḥkhī with the name Sukhī.
CC Madhya-lila
CC Madhya 10.178, Translation:
Brahmānanda Bhāratī concluded, "'Although I was worshiped by those on the path of monism and initiated into self-realization through the yoga system, I have nonetheless been forcibly turned into a maidservant by some cunning boy who is always joking with the gopīs.'"
When Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī enjoyed the company of Kṛṣṇa, Her maidservants were very pleased.
CC Madhya 14.96, Purport: In His vṛndāvana-līlā, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu conceived of Himself as the assistant of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. When Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī enjoyed the company of Kṛṣṇa, Her maidservants were very pleased. One should not compare Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's vṛndāvana-vihāra in the garden of Jagannātha with the activities of the gaurāṅga-nāgarīs.
CC Madhya 14.130, Translation:
The maidservants were carrying water pitchers, cāmara whisks and boxes for betel nuts. There were hundreds of maidservants, all attractively dressed and wearing valuable necklaces.
CC Madhya 14.132, Translation:
When the procession arrived, the maidservants of the goddess of fortune began to arrest all the principal servants of Lord Jagannātha.
CC Madhya 14.133, Translation:
The maidservants bound the servants of Jagannātha, handcuffed them and made them fall down at the lotus feet of the goddess of fortune. Indeed, they were arrested just like thieves who have all their riches taken away.
All the principal servants of Lord Jagannātha are then arrested by the goddess of fortune's maidservants, brought before her and forced to fall down at her lotus feet.
CC Madhya 14.133, Purport: When Lord Jagannātha starts His car festival, He gives assurance to the goddess of fortune that He will return the next day. When He does not return, the goddess of fortune, after waiting two or three days, begins to feel that her husband has neglected her. She naturally becomes quite angry. Gorgeously decorating herself and her associates, she comes out of the temple and stands before the main gate. All the principal servants of Lord Jagannātha are then arrested by her maidservants, brought before her and forced to fall down at her lotus feet.
CC Madhya 14.135, Translation:
When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's associates saw such impudence exhibited by the maidservants of the goddess of fortune, they covered their faces with their hands and began to smile.
CC Madhya 14.207, Translation:
"Then the maidservants of the goddess of fortune said to the servants of Lord Jagannātha, 'Why did your Lord Jagannātha abandon the great opulence of the goddess of fortune and, for the sake of a few leaves, fruits and flowers, go see the flower garden of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī?'"
CC Madhya 14.209, Translation:
"In this way all the maidservants of the goddess of fortune arrested the servants of Jagannātha, bound them around the waist and brought them before the goddess of fortune."
CC Madhya 14.210, Translation:
"When all the maidservants brought Lord Jagannātha's servants before the lotus feet of the goddess of fortune, the Lord's servants were fined and forced to submit."
CC Madhya 14.211, Translation:
"All the maidservants began to beat the Ratha car with sticks, and they treated the servants of Lord Jagannātha almost like thieves."
CC Madhya 14.221, Translation:
"Vṛndāvana-dhāma is made of transcendental touchstone. Its entire surface is the source of all valuable jewels, and the cintāmaṇi stone is used to decorate the lotus feet of the maidservants of Vṛndāvana."
CC Madhya 16.57, Translation:
The Lord's favorite vegetables were cooked by Mālinīdevī, the wife of Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura. She devotedly considered herself a maidservant of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, but in affection she was just like a mother.
In his previous life Nārada Muni was born of a maidservant. Although he was not born into a prestigious position, his mother was fortunately engaged in rendering service to some Vaiṣṇavas.
CC Madhya 19.151, Purport: How one can become this fortunate can be seen in the life of Śrīla Nārada Muni. In his previous life he was born of a maidservant. Although he was not born into a prestigious position, his mother was fortunately engaged in rendering service to some Vaiṣṇavas. When these Vaiṣṇavas were resting during the Cāturmāsya period, the boy Nārada took the opportunity to engage in their service. Taking compassion upon the boy, the Vaiṣṇavas offered him the remnants of their food. By serving these Vaiṣṇavas and obeying their orders, the boy became the object of their sympathy, and by the Vaiṣṇavas' unknown mercy, he gradually became a pure devotee. In the next life he was Nārada Muni, the most exalted of Vaiṣṇavas and the most important guru and ācārya of Vaiṣṇavas.
CC Madhya 21.44, Translation:
"Vṛndāvana is the storehouse of Kṛṣṇa's mercy and the sweet opulences of conjugal love. That is where the spiritual energy, working as a maidservant, exhibits the rāsa dance, the quintessence of all pastimes."
CC Madhya 21.53, Translation:
"The abode of the external energy is called Devī-dhāma, and its inhabitants are the conditioned souls. It is there that the material energy, Durgā, resides with many opulent maidservants."
In the external energy, goddess Durgā carries out the orders of the Supreme Lord as His maidservant.
CC Madhya 21.53, Purport: Because he wants to enjoy the material energy, the conditioned soul is allowed to reside in Devī-dhāma, the external energy, where goddess Durgā carries out the orders of the Supreme Lord as His maidservant.
CC Madhya 24.50, Translation:
"'Dear Kṛṣṇa, we have simply surrendered ourselves as Your maidservants, for we have seen Your beautiful face decorated with tresses of hair, Your earrings falling upon Your cheeks, the nectar of Your lips, and the beauty of Your smile. Indeed, because we have also been embraced by Your arms, which give us courage, and seen Your chest, which is beautiful and broad, we have surrendered ourselves.'"
CC Madhya 24.133, Translation and Purport:
"'Although I was worshiped by those on the path of monism and initiated into self-realization through the yoga system, I have nonetheless been forcibly turned into a maidservant by some cunning boy who is always joking with the gopīs.'"
This is a verse written by Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura.
CC Antya-lila
CC Antya 3.266, Translation:
What is the wonder if the maidservant of Kṛṣṇa, His external energy, begs for love of Godhead? Without the mercy of a devotee and without the chanting of the holy name of the Lord, love of Godhead cannot be possible.
CC Antya 5.20, Translation:
Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya used to act in that way because he thought of himself in his original position as a maidservant of the gopīs. Thus although externally he appeared to be a man, internally, in his original spiritual position, he considered himself a maidservant and considered the two girls gopīs.
"Because Rāmānanda Rāya always placed himself in the position of a maidservant of the gopīs, his rehearsal with the girls was actually on the spiritual platform."
CC Antya 5.20, Purport: "Because the gopīs are worshipable personalities, Rāmānanda Rāya, who considered the two girls gopīs and himself their maidservant, engaged in their service by massaging their bodies with oil to cleanse them completely. Because Rāmānanda Rāya always placed himself in the position of a maidservant of the gopīs, his rehearsal with the girls was actually on the spiritual platform."
CC Antya 15.42, Translation:
When they still received no reply, the gopīs thought, "'These plants are all Kṛṣṇa"s maidservants, and out of fear they will not speak to us.'"
CC Antya 15.70, Translation:
"'Dear Kṛṣṇa, by seeing Your beautiful face decorated with tresses of hair, by seeing the beauty of Your earrings falling on Your cheeks, and by seeing the nectar of Your lips, the beauty of Your smiling glances, Your two arms, which assure complete fearlessness, and Your broad chest, whose beauty arouses conjugal attraction, we have simply surrendered ourselves to becoming Your maidservants.'"
CC Antya 15.71, Translation:
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, “After conquering the moon and the lotus flower, Kṛṣṇa wished to capture the doelike gopīs. Thus He spread the noose of His beautiful face, and within that noose He placed the bait of His sweet smile to misguide the gopīs. The gopīs fell prey to that trap and became Kṛṣṇa's maidservants, giving up their homes, families, husbands and prestige.
CC Antya 15.74, Translation:
"On Kṛṣṇa's chest are the ornaments of the Śrīvatsa marks, indicating the residence of the goddess of fortune. His chest, which is as broad as a plunderer's, attracts thousands upon thousands of damsels of Vraja, conquering their minds and breasts by force. Thus they all become maidservants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
CC Antya 16.128, Translation:
"The nectar of Your lips and the vibration of Your flute join together to loosen our belts and induce us to give up shame and religion, even before our superiors. As if catching us by our hair, they forcibly take us away and deliver us unto You to become Your maidservants. Hearing of these incidents, people laugh at us. We have thus become completely subordinate to the flute."
CC Antya 17.46, Translation:
"The transcendental vibration of Kṛṣṇa's flute disturbs the hearts of women all over the world, even if they hear it only once. Thus their fastened belts become loose, and these women become the unpaid maidservants of Kṛṣṇa. Indeed, they run toward Kṛṣṇa exactly like madwomen."
CC Antya 18.102, Translation:
"In Vṛndāvana, the trees and creepers are wonderful because throughout the entire year they produce all kinds of fruits and flowers. The gopīs and maidservants in the bowers of Vṛndāvana picked these fruits and flowers and brought them before Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa."
"We are all naturally His maidservants. Does He not remember us?"
CC Antya 19.107, Purport: "Kṛṣṇa is now living like a gentleman at the gurukula in Mathurā, forgetting all the gopīs of Vṛndāvana. But does He not remember the sweet house of His father, Nanda Mahārāja? We are all naturally His maidservants. Does He not remember us? Does He ever speak about us, or has He forgotten us completely? Will He ever forgive us and once again touch us with those hands fragrant with the scent of aguru?"
"We are simply maidservants. How can we worship Him, who speaks sweet words but never fulfills our desires?"
CC Antya 19.108, Purport: "O swan, you have come here so happily! Let us welcome you. We understand that you are always Kṛṣṇa's messenger. Now while you drink this milk, tell us what His message is. Has Kṛṣṇa said something about us to you? May we inquire from you whether Kṛṣṇa is happy? We want to know. Does He remember us? We know that the goddess of fortune is serving Him alone. We are simply maidservants. How can we worship Him, who speaks sweet words but never fulfills our desires?"
CC Antya 20.47, Translation:
"Let Kṛṣṇa tightly embrace this maidservant who has fallen at His lotus feet, or let Him trample Me or break My heart by never being visible to Me. He is a debauchee, after all, and can do whatever He likes, but still He alone, and no one else, is the worshipable Lord of My heart."
CC Antya 20.48, Translation:
"I am a maidservant at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. He is the embodiment of transcendental happiness and mellows. If He likes He can tightly embrace Me and make Me feel oneness with Him, or by not giving Me His audience, He may corrode My mind and body. Nevertheless, it is He who is the Lord of My life."
CC Antya 20.56, Translation:
"If a gopī envious of Me satisfies Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa desires her, I shall not hesitate to go to her house and become her maidservant, for then My happiness will be awakened."
The brāhmaṇa desired to enjoy the company of a prostitute, and therefore his wife went to her and became her maidservant, just to draw her attention for his service.
CC Antya 20.57, Purport: The Āditya Purāṇa, Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa and Padma Purāṇa tell about a brāhmaṇa who was suffering from leprosy but had a very chaste and faithful wife. He desired to enjoy the company of a prostitute, and therefore his wife went to her and became her maidservant, just to draw her attention for his service.
CC Antya 20.59, Translation:
"My happiness is in the service of Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa's happiness is in union with Me. For this reason, I give My body in charity to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, who accepts Me as His loved one and calls Me His most beloved. It is then that I consider Myself His maidservant."
CC Antya 20.60, Translation:
"Service to My lover is the home of happiness and is more sweet than direct union with Him. The goddess of fortune is evidence of this, for although she constantly lives on the heart of Nārāyaṇa, she wants to render service to His lotus feet. She therefore considers herself a maidservant and serves Him constantly."
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Teachings of Lord Caitanya
One who wants to be elevated to the transcendental stage of perfection should follow in the footsteps of the damsels of Vraja as an assistant maidservant of the gopīs.
Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 30: No common man can understand the ecstasy of transcendental love between Rādhārāṇī and Kṛṣṇa, nor can he understand the transcendental flavor of the transcendental love between Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs. Yet if one tries to follow in the footsteps of the gopīs, he may become situated in the highest stage of transcendental love. Thus one who wants to be elevated to the transcendental stage of perfection should follow in the footsteps of the damsels of Vraja as an assistant maidservant of the gopīs.
Nectar of Devotion
It is stated that as the personal attendants and maidservants of a queen follow the queen with all respect and obeisances, similarly the joys of religiousness, economic development, sense gratification and liberation follow the devotional service of the Lord.
Nectar of Devotion 1: It is stated that as the personal attendants and maidservants of a queen follow the queen with all respect and obeisances, similarly the joys of religiousness, economic development, sense gratification and liberation follow the devotional service of the Lord. In other words, a pure devotee does not lack any kind of happiness derived from any source. He does not want anything but service to Kṛṣṇa, but even if he should have another desire, the Lord fulfills this without the devotee's asking.
If one develops unalloyed devotion to the Lord, liberation will follow the devotee as his maidservant.
Nectar of Devotion 14: If we are engaged in the execution of all the items of devotional service, as was Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, then the perfection of devotional service is guaranteed from each one of these items. With the first complete engagement, one becomes automatically detached from material contamination, and liberation becomes the maidservant of the devotee. This idea is confirmed by Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura. If one develops unalloyed devotion to the Lord, liberation will follow the devotee as his maidservant.
"I have now become misled by a naughty boy—one who is very cunning, who is very much attached to the gopīs and who has made me His maidservant."
Nectar of Devotion 35: Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura, in his book Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta, says, "Let the impersonalists be engaged in the process of transcendental realization by worshiping the impersonal Brahman. Although I was also initiated into that path of Brahman realization, I have now become misled by a naughty boy—one who is very cunning, who is very much attached to the gopīs and who has made me His maidservant. So I have now forgotten the process of Brahman realization."
Mother Yaśodā once told Mukharā, her maidservant...
Nectar of Devotion 43: In this connection mother Yaśodā once told Mukharā, her maidservant,"Just look at Kṛṣṇa looking stealthily toward all sides and slowly stepping forward from the bushes. It appears that He is coming just to steal the butter. Don't expose yourself or He may understand that we are looking toward Him. I want to enjoy the sight of His eyebrows moving in this cunning way, and I want to see His fearful eyes and beautiful face."
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who controls all the movements of great demigods like Brahmā, was now dancing to the indications of an old maidservant.
Nectar of Devotion 45: When tears from the eyes are added to the smiling and the shoulders are shaking, the smile is called apahasita. When child Kṛṣṇa was dancing in response to the singing of the old maidservant Jaratī, Nārada was astonished. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who controls all the movements of great demigods like Brahmā, was now dancing to the indications of an old maidservant. Seeing this fun, Nārada also began to dance, and his shoulders trembled, and his eyes moved. Due to his smiling, his teeth also became visible, and on account of the glaring effulgence from his teeth, the clouds in the skies turned silver.
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
The followers of the queen are called maidservants, but actually they act as friends of the queen.
Krsna Book 1: The kṣatriya system of marriage, still current in India, dictates that when a kṣatriya is married, a few dozen of the bride's young girlfriends (in addition to the bride) go to the house of the king. The followers of the queen are called maidservants, but actually they act as friends of the queen.
Once upon a time, seeing that her maidservant was engaged in different household duties, mother Yaśodā personally took charge of churning butter.
Krsna Book 9: Once upon a time, seeing that her maidservant was engaged in different household duties, mother Yaśodā personally took charge of churning butter. And while she churned butter, she sang the childhood pastimes of Kṛṣṇa and enjoyed thinking of her son.
"We do not wish to ask You to accept us as Your wives. Simply accept us as Your maidservants."
Krsna Book 29: "We have left our homes with the hope that we shall completely devote and dedicate our lives to Your service. We are simply begging to be engaged as Your servants. We do not wish to ask You to accept us as Your wives. Simply accept us as Your maidservants."
"Although we are also attracted by Your chest, which is always embraced by the goddess of fortune, we do not wish to take her position. We shall simply be satisfied by being Your maidservants."
Krsna Book 29: "Dear Kṛṣṇa, we have simply been captivated by seeing You with tilaka and with earrings and by seeing Your beautiful face covered with scattered hair and bearing Your extraordinary smile. Not only that, but we are also attracted by Your arms, which always give assurance to the surrendered souls. And although we are also attracted by Your chest, which is always embraced by the goddess of fortune, we do not wish to take her position. We shall simply be satisfied by being Your maidservants."
"I am nothing but Your most obedient maidservant."
Krsna Book 30: "When Kṛṣṇa was spoken to in this way, He might have told Rādhārāṇī, 'All right, better get on My shoulder.' But immediately Kṛṣṇa must have disappeared, and now Rādhārāṇī must be lamenting for Him, 'My dear lover, My dearest, You are so fine and so powerful. Where have You gone? I am nothing but Your most obedient maidservant. I am very much aggrieved. Please come and be with Me again.' Kṛṣṇa, however, is not coming to Her. He must be watching Her from a distant place and enjoying Her sorrow."
"We are simply Your maidservants and slaves; please, therefore, accept us by showing us Your beautiful lotuslike face."
Krsna Book 31: "Dear Kṛṣṇa, You are the killer of all the fears of the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana. You are the supremely powerful hero, and we know that You can kill the unnecessary pride of Your devotee, as well as the pride of women like us, simply by Your beautiful smile. We are simply Your maidservants and slaves; please, therefore, accept us by showing us Your beautiful lotuslike face."
"We gopīs of Vṛndāvana, having left our homes, friends and relatives, have become Kṛṣṇa's maidservants, but He is neglecting us and going away."
Krsna Book 39: "We gopīs of Vṛndāvana, having left our homes, friends and relatives, have become Kṛṣṇa's maidservants, but He is neglecting us and going away. He does not even look upon us, although we are completely surrendered unto Him. Now all the young girls in Mathurā will have the opportunity."
"My dear Śyāmasundara, dear beautiful dark boy, You may know that I am engaged as a maidservant of Kaṁsa."
Krsna Book 42: The woman replied to Kṛṣṇa, "My dear Śyāmasundara, dear beautiful dark boy, You may know that I am engaged as a maidservant of Kaṁsa. I am supplying him pulp of sandalwood daily. The King is very much pleased with me for supplying this nice thing, but now I see that there is no one who can better be served by this pulp of sandalwood than You two brothers."
"I am sure He must sometimes sing about us, who served Him just like maidservants, without any payment."
Krsna Book 47: "Please let Me know how Kṛṣṇa is faring in Mathurā. Tell Me if He still remembers His foster father, Nanda Mahārāja, His affectionate mother, Yaśodā, His cowherd friends and His poor friends like us, the gopīs. I am sure He must sometimes sing about us, who served Him just like maidservants, without any payment."
"I know that You are the husband of the goddess of fortune and are very kind toward Your devotees; therefore I have decided to become Your eternal maidservant."
Krsna Book 52: "Any girl, though not yet having left her home, or even any woman of the highest chastity, would desire to marry You, being captivated by Your unprecedented character, knowledge, opulence and position. I know that You are the husband of the goddess of fortune and are very kind toward Your devotees; therefore I have decided to become Your eternal maidservant."
In the kitchen of the demon was a maidservant whose name was Māyāvatī. This woman had formerly been the wife of Cupid, called Rati.
Krsna Book 55: When Pradyumna was thrown into the sea, a big fish immediately swallowed him. Later this fish was caught in the net of a fisherman, and the fish was later sold to the Śambara demon. In the kitchen of the demon was a maidservant whose name was Māyāvatī. This woman had formerly been the wife of Cupid, called Rati. When the fish was presented to the demon Śambara, it was taken charge of by his cook, who was to make it into a palatable fish preparation.
When a kṣatriya prince is married, at least a dozen maidservants of similar age are given along with the bride. Royal princes maintained such menservants and maidservants with all provisions, as if they were their own children or family members.
Krsna Book 58: First of all he gave them 10,000 cows and 3,000 well-dressed young maidservants, ornamented up to their necks. This system of dowry is still current in India, especially for kṣatriya princes. When a kṣatriya prince is married, at least a dozen maidservants of similar age are given along with the bride. After giving the cows and maidservants, the King enriched the dowry by giving 9,000 elephants and a hundred times more chariots than elephants. This means that he gave 900,000 chariots. And he gave a hundred times more horses than chariots, or 90,000,000 horses, and a hundred times more menservants than horses. Royal princes maintained such menservants and maidservants with all provisions, as if they were their own children or family members. After giving this dowry, the king of Kośala Province bade his daughter and great son-in-law be seated on a chariot and allowed them to go to their home, guarded by a division of well-equipped soldiers. As they traveled fast to their new home, the King's heart was enlivened with affection for them.
Although each and every queen had thousands of maidservants engaged for her service, the queens were all personally attentive in serving Kṛṣṇa.
Krsna Book 59: In their dealings as husband and wife, Kṛṣṇa and His queens would smile, talk, joke, embrace and so on, and their conjugal relationship ever-increasingly developed. In this way, Kṛṣṇa and the queens enjoyed transcendental happiness in their household life. Although each and every queen had thousands of maidservants engaged for her service, the queens were all personally attentive in serving Kṛṣṇa. Each one of them used to receive Kṛṣṇa personally when He entered the palace. They engaged in seating Him on a nice couch, worshiping Him with all kinds of paraphernalia, washing His lotus feet with Ganges water, offering Him betel nuts and massaging His legs. In this way, they gave Him relief from the fatigue He felt after being away from home. They fanned Him nicely, offered Him fragrant essential floral oil, decorated Him with flower garlands, dressed His hair, asked Him to lie down to take rest, bathed Him personally and fed Him palatable dishes. Each queen did all these things herself and did not wait for the maidservants. In other words, Kṛṣṇa and His different queens displayed on this earth an ideal household life.
Kṛṣṇa was sitting on the bedstead of Rukmiṇī, and the maidservants were fanning Him with cāmaras.
Krsna Book 60: Once upon a time, Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the bestower of all knowledge upon all living entities, from Brahmā to the insignificant ant, was sitting in the bedroom of Rukmiṇī, who was engaged in the service of the Lord along with her assistant maidservants. Kṛṣṇa was sitting on the bedstead of Rukmiṇī, and the maidservants were fanning Him with cāmaras (yak-tail fly-whisks).
In this situation, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa sat very comfortably and enjoyed the service of Rukmiṇījī, who was assisted by her maidservants.
Krsna Book 60: The palace of Rukmiṇī was wonderfully furnished. Hanging from the ceiling were many canopies with laces bedecked with pearl garlands, and the whole palace was illuminated by the effulgence of valuable jewels. There were many flower groves of mallikā and cāmeli, which are considered the most fragrant flowers in India. There were many clusters of these plants, with blooming flowers enhancing the beauty of the palace. And because of the exquisite fragrance of the flowers, little groups of humming bees gathered around the trees, and at night the pleasing moonshine glittered through the network of holes in the windows. There were many heavily flowered trees of pārijāta, and the mild wind stirred the fragrance of the flowers all around. Incense burned within the walls of the palace, and the fragrant smoke leaked out of the window shutters. Within the room were mattresses covered with white bedsheets; the bedding was as soft and white as milk foam. In this situation, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa sat very comfortably and enjoyed the service of Rukmiṇījī, who was assisted by her maidservants.
Rukmiṇī wanted to serve the Lord personally and took the handle of the cāmara from the hand of a maidservant and began to move the fan.
Krsna Book 60: Rukmiṇī was very eager to get the opportunity to serve her husband, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. She therefore wanted to serve the Lord personally and took the handle of the cāmara from the hand of a maidservant and began to move the fan. The handle of the cāmara was made of gold and bedecked with valuable jewels, and it became more beautiful when taken by Rukmiṇī because all of her fingers were beautifully set with jeweled rings.
Each and every wife had hundreds and thousands of maidservants, yet when Kṛṣṇa entered the palaces of His thousands of wives, each one of them used to receive Kṛṣṇa personally.
Krsna Book 61: Lord Kṛṣṇa and His queens remained together as husband and wife, and Kṛṣṇa, as an ideal husband, treated them in such a way that at every moment there was an increase of transcendental bliss in their smiling exchanges, talking and mixing together. Each and every wife had hundreds and thousands of maidservants, yet when Kṛṣṇa entered the palaces of His thousands of wives, each one of them used to receive Kṛṣṇa personally by seating Him in a nice chair, worshiping Him with all requisite paraphernalia, personally washing His lotus feet, offering Him betel nuts, massaging His legs to relieve them of fatigue, fanning Him to make Him comfortable, offering all kinds of scented sandalwood pulp, oils and aromatics, putting flower garlands on His neck, dressing His hair, getting Him to lie down on the bed and assisting Him in taking His bath. Thus they served always in every respect, especially when Kṛṣṇa was eating. They always engaged in the service of the Lord.
Those brāhmaṇas who were not married were given wives, maidservants, grain, silver, utensils, garments, jewels, household furniture, chariots, etc.
Krsna Book 64: A real brāhmaṇa never hoards money for a luxurious life, like the kṣatriyas or the vaiśyas, but always keeps himself poverty-stricken, knowing that money diverts the mind to materialistic ways of life. To live in this way is the vow of a qualified brāhmaṇa, and all of these brāhmaṇas were well situated in that exalted vow. They were well learned in Vedic knowledge. They executed the required austerities and penances in their lives and were liberal, meeting the standard of qualified brāhmaṇas. They were equally friendly to everyone; above all, they were young and quite fit to act as qualified brāhmaṇas. Besides the cows, they were also given land, gold, houses, horses and elephants. Those who were not married were given wives, maidservants, grain, silver, utensils, garments, jewels, household furniture, chariots, etc. This charity was nicely performed as a sacrifice according to the Vedic rituals.
For Lakṣmaṇā's dowry, Duryodhana first gave 1,200 elephants, each at least 60 years old; then he gave 10,000 nice horses, 6,000 chariots, dazzling just like the sunshine, and 1,000 maidservants decorated with golden ornaments.
Krsna Book 68: Duryodhana, being affectionate toward his daughter Lakṣmaṇā, had her married to Sāmba in great pomp. For her dowry, he first gave 1,200 elephants, each at least 60 years old; then he gave 10,000 nice horses, 6,000 chariots, dazzling just like the sunshine, and 1,000 maidservants decorated with golden ornaments. Lord Balarāma, the most prominent member of the Yadu dynasty, acted as guardian of the bridegroom, Sāmba, and very pleasingly accepted the dowry.
There were many maidservants, all of whom were decorated with gold necklaces, bangles and beautiful saris.
Krsna Book 69: These residential quarters numbered more than sixteen thousand, and a different queen of Lord Kṛṣṇa resided in each of them. The great sage Nārada entered one of these houses and saw that the pillars were made of coral and the ceilings were bedecked with jewels. The walls as well as the arches between the pillars glowed from the decorations of different kinds of sapphires. Throughout the palace were many canopies made by Viśvakarmā that were decorated with strings of pearls. The chairs and other furniture were made of ivory and bedecked with gold and diamonds, and jeweled lamps dissipated the darkness within the palace. There was so much incense and fragrant gum burning that the scented fumes were coming out of the windows. The peacocks sitting on the steps became illusioned by the fumes, mistaking them for clouds, and began dancing jubilantly. There were many maidservants, all of whom were decorated with gold necklaces, bangles and beautiful saris. There were also many menservants, nicely dressed in cloaks and turbans and jeweled earrings. Beautiful as they were, the servants were all engaged in different household duties.
Even though there were many thousands of maidservants equally beautiful and qualified and of the same age, Rukmiṇīdevī personally was engaged in fanning Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Krsna Book 69: Nārada saw that Lord Kṛṣṇa was sitting with Rukmiṇīdevī, the mistress of that particular palace, who was holding the handle of a cāmara whisk. Even though there were many thousands of maidservants equally beautiful and qualified and of the same age, Rukmiṇīdevī personally was engaged in fanning Lord Kṛṣṇa.
After delivering His instructions to the kings and princes, Lord Kṛṣṇa immediately arranged for their comfort and asked many servants and maidservants to take care of them.
Krsna Book 73: After delivering His instructions to the kings and princes, Lord Kṛṣṇa immediately arranged for their comfort and asked many servants and maidservants to take care of them.
The brāhmaṇa's wife was fully decorated with a gold necklace and ornaments, and while standing among the maidservants she appeared like a demigod's wife just alighting from an airplane.
Krsna Book 81: The brāhmaṇa's wife appeared so beautiful that it seemed as if the goddess of fortune herself had come to receive him. As soon as she saw her husband present before her, tears of joy fell from her eyes, and her voice became so choked up that she could not even address her husband. She simply closed her eyes in ecstasy. But with great love and affection she bowed down before her husband, and within herself she thought of embracing him. She was fully decorated with a gold necklace and ornaments, and while standing among the maidservants she appeared like a demigod's wife just alighting from an airplane. The brāhmaṇa was surprised to see his wife so beautiful, and in great affection and without saying a word he entered the palace with her.
"My father submitted the jewel and me at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, and thus I was accepted as His maidservant and wife."
Krsna Book 83: "My father was very much ashamed and sorry for accusing Lord Kṛṣṇa of his brother's death. After getting back the Syamantaka jewel, he thought it wise to rectify his mistake, so although he had promised others my hand in marriage, he submitted the jewel and me at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, and thus I was accepted as His maidservant and wife."
"Lord Kṛṣṇa was also present in that meeting, and He accepted me as His maidservant by defeating all the princes there."
Krsna Book 83: After this, Mitravindā said, "My dear Draupadī, there was a great assembly of princes at my svayaṁvara ceremony (the personal selection of a husband). Lord Kṛṣṇa was also present in that meeting, and He accepted me as His maidservant by defeating all the princes there. He immediately took me away to Dvārakā, exactly as a lion takes its prey from a pack of dogs. When I was thus taken away by Lord Kṛṣṇa, my brothers wanted to fight Him, and later they were defeated. Thus my desire to become the maidservant of Kṛṣṇa life after life was fulfilled."
"On the way back, He was assaulted by many princes, but Lord Kṛṣṇa defeated all of them, and thus I have the privilege of serving His lotus feet as a maidservant."
Krsna Book 83: "My father was very much pleased and married me to Lord Kṛṣṇa with great pomp, giving as my dowry many divisions of soldiers, horses, chariots and elephants, along with hundreds of maidservants. Thus Lord Kṛṣṇa brought me to His capital city, Dvārakā. On the way back, He was assaulted by many princes, but Lord Kṛṣṇa defeated all of them, and thus I have the privilege of serving His lotus feet as a maidservant."
When my father understood these feelings of mine, he personally arranged for my marriage, inviting Lord Kṛṣṇa to marry me and giving Him in dowry one akṣauhiṇī, or division of armed forces, along with many maidservants and other royal paraphernalia.
Krsna Book 83: After this, Bhadrā began to speak. She said, "My dear Draupadī, Lord Kṛṣṇa is the son of my maternal uncle. Fortunately, I became attracted to His lotus feet. When my father understood these feelings of mine, he personally arranged for my marriage, inviting Lord Kṛṣṇa to marry me and giving Him in dowry one akṣauhiṇī, or division of armed forces, along with many maidservants and other royal paraphernalia. I do not know whether I shall be able to have the shelter of Lord Kṛṣṇa life after life, but still I pray to the Lord that wherever I may take my birth I may not forget my relationship with His lotus feet."
"When I accepted Lord Kṛṣṇa as my worshipable husband and He accepted me as His maidservant, there was a tumultuous roaring among the disappointed princes..."
Krsna Book 83: "My dear Draupadī, when I accepted Lord Kṛṣṇa as my worshipable husband and He accepted me as His maidservant, there was a tumultuous roaring among the disappointed princes. All of them were very agitated because of their lusty desires, but without caring for them, my husband, in His form as the four-handed Nārāyaṇa, immediately took me on His chariot, which was drawn by four excellent horses. Expecting opposition from the princes, He armored Himself and took up His bow, named Śārṅga, and then our celebrated driver, Dāruka, drove the beautiful chariot, without a moment's delay, toward the city of Dvārakā. Thus, in the presence of all the princes, I was carried away very quickly, exactly as a deer is carried away from the flock by a lion."
"In my previous life I must have performed some wonderfully pious activity, and as a result I can in this life be one of the maidservants in the house of the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
Krsna Book 83: "I have already told you that my father was very affectionate to me, so when he saw that my desire had been fulfilled by my getting Lord Kṛṣṇa as my husband, in great happiness he began to distribute to friends and relatives various kinds of gifts, such as valuable garments, ornaments, bedsteads and sitting carpets. Lord Kṛṣṇa is always self-sufficient, yet my father, out of his own accord, offered my husband a dowry consisting of riches, soldiers, elephants, chariots, horses and many rare and valuable weapons. He presented all these to the Lord with great enthusiasm. My dear Queen, at that time I could guess that in my previous life I must have performed some wonderfully pious activity, and as a result I can in this life be one of the maidservants in the house of the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
After the performance of the different sacrifices, Vasudeva offered ample riches, clothing, ornaments, cows, land and maidservants to the priests.
Krsna Book 84: After the performance of the different sacrifices, Vasudeva offered ample riches, clothing, ornaments, cows, land and maidservants to the priests. Thereafter, all the wives of Vasudeva took their avabhṛtha baths and performed the part of the sacrificial duties known as patnī-saṁyāja. After finishing the offering with all the required paraphernalia, they all took their baths together in the lakes constructed by Paraśurāma, which are known as the Rāma-hrada. After Vasudeva and his wives took their baths, all the garments and ornaments they had worn were distributed to the subordinate persons engaged in singing, dancing and similar activities.
To please the newly married couple Lord Balarāma arranged to send a dowry consisting of an abundance of riches, including elephants, chariots, horses, menservants and maidservants.
Krsna Book 86: Lord Kṛṣṇa was in favor of Arjuna; therefore, along with other members of the family, He tried to pacify Balarāma by falling at His feet and begging Him to pardon Arjuna. Kṛṣṇa convinced Lord Balarāma that Subhadrā was attached to Arjuna, and thus Balarāma became pleased to know that she wanted Arjuna as her husband. The matter was settled, and to please the newly married couple Lord Balarāma arranged to send a dowry consisting of an abundance of riches, including elephants, chariots, horses, menservants and maidservants.
Renunciation Through Wisdom
"O Lord! If our devotion to You is undeviating, then Your ever-youthful form will spontaneously manifest within our heart. At that time liberation personified will serve us like a maidservant, and religiosity, economic development, and sense gratification (the other three goals of the Vedas) will humbly await our bidding."
Renunciation Through Wisdom 2.13: And in the Kṛṣṇa-karṇāmṛta (107), Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura states:
- bhaktis tvayi sthiratarā bhagavān yadi syād
- daivena naḥ phalati divya-kiśora-mūrtiḥ
- muktiḥ svayaṁ mukulitāñjali sevate 'sṁān
- dharmārtha-kāma-gatayaḥ samaya-pratikṣāḥ
"O Lord! If our devotion to You is undeviating, then Your ever-youthful form will spontaneously manifest within our heart. At that time liberation personified will serve us like a maidservant, and religiosity, economic development, and sense gratification (the other three goals of the Vedas) will humbly await our bidding."
| Page Title: | Maidservant (CC and other books) |
| Compiler: | Labangalatika |
| Created: | 27 of Jul, 2010 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=53, OB=39, Lec=0, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 92 |