SRI LAKSMIPRIYA

 

 

A brahmana  pandit of  the name  Sri Vallabha  Acarya used  to live in Navadwip. He had  a very well  behaved and beautiful  daughter who was just like  Laksmidevi and  whose name  was Laksmipriya.  Thinking that the  time  for  her  marriage  had  arrived he called the match maker, Vanamali Acarya.

 

Vanamali Acarya considered Nimai Pandit to be the most suitable  match for Vallabha Acarya's  daughter and so  he came to  see Saci mata.  He spoke to her thusly:  "The time for your  son's marriage has come  but why is it that  you haven't thought to  arrange a nice bride  for Him? There is a  brahmana by the  name Sri Vallabha  Acarya, who is  from a very good  family and  who is  very well  behaved. There  is no  taint whatsoever on his name. He has a daughter who is just like the goddess of fortune  in beauty  and good  qualities. Why  don't you accept this proposal if you have a mind to." [C. B. Adi 10.54]

 

Sri Saci devi  replied, "My son  has no father.  Let Him get  a little older first.  Now he  is absorbed  in studies."  Vanamali was not very engladdened by Saci mata's reply and so, in a melancholy mood he  went away. However,  just by  chance, he  happened to  meet Nimai Pandit on the  way.  Nimai  inquired,  "Acarya  Mahasaya,  where  had you gone?" Vanamali replied, "I have just been to your house, to see your mother. You see, Ballabha  Acarya has a  very nice daughter  and he considered You to  be a  quite suitable  bridegroom in  this respect.   However I didn't  notice  any  enthusiasm  on  your mother's part regarding this matter. Therefore  I am  going home  now." Hearing  this, Nimai Pandit smiled. After  bidding farewell  to the  brahmana He  Himself returned home but kept completely silent.

 

His mother accosted Him,  "Nimai why are you  so grave today. You  are not speaking?"

 

Nimai replied, "Why couldn't you speak nicely with Vanamali  Pandita?" By this Saci Mata  could understand that Nimai  had a desire to  marry that girl. Therefore she sent  someone to call the match  maker again. This time she addressed him, "Vipra! That which you spoke to me  about yesterday  -  please complete the  arrangements quickly. I  am in full agreement with your proposal." [C. B. Adi 10.45].

 

Having  heard  this  latest  development,  Vanamali  went  to Vallabha Acarya's house. Seeing the cheerful face of Vanamali, Vallabha  Acarya could guess that his work had turned out successfully, and so his  own mind became filled  with joy. Receiving  him with all  due respects he seated him and inquired about the good news.  Vanamali replied,  "Very auspicious  news:  you  can  now  begin  the  arrangements  for   your daughter's marriage  to Nimai  Pandit. To  get a  boy like  this as  a

son-in-law is a matter of great fortune."

 

Having heard this happy news the household members of Vallabha  Acarya felt unlimited joy. Sri Ballabha  told Banamali, "If Krsna is  pleased with  me  and  if  Laxmi  devi  and  Gauri  devi are satisfied with my daughter, then such a son-in-law as this might be obtainable.   Please arrange everything as soon as possible."

 

"But the only thing is that I am not able to give a proper dowry. I am just a  poor brahmana.  I'll only  be able  to give  5 haritaki (dried fruits) as  a dowry  along with  my daughter.  You will  have to plead this on my behalf."

 

So Banamali came to Saci mata and spoke to her on this point. Sacimata replied,"Since she is a nice girl, we won't demand any dowry. Whatever he  gives,  we  will  be  satisfied  with  that." Vanamali returned to Vallabha  Acarya  and  informed  him   that  again  he  had   arranged everything satisfactorily.

 

Hearing those glad tidings the members of Vallabha Acraya's house were completely  delighted.  Meanwhile  Sacidevi  informed  Srivas  Pandit, Advaita Acarya  and the  other well  wishers of  her son about Nimai's impending marriage. Everyone was very  happy to receive this news  and requested her to complete everything as soon as possible.

 

Saci Mata then called  the astrologers (Bhat¬tacharya) and  re­quested them  to  ascertain  when  the  next  favorable  conjunction  of   the constellations  would  take  place.  Vallabha  Acarya  had  also  done likewise so  the two  families discussed  it together  and then  set a date for the wedding.

 With the wedding date finalized, Saci Mata, in joyful anticipa­tion of the  event,  now  sent  out  people  to personally invite the family's friends  and  relatives  to  the  preliminary ceremony, which would be held at  her house  before the  wedding. Having  received the  news of Nimai Pandit's  marriage, everyone  was very  happy and  began to look forward to the event.

 

On the morning of the  adhivas ceremony, the professional dancers  and musicians arrived  and by  their music  and dancing  created a festive atmo¬sphere. Meanwhile  the ceremonial  pavilion was  very nicely  and charmingly constructed, with  banana trees, mango  leaves, decora¬tive designs painted on  the ground with  rice flour, and  flower garlands. The  brahmanas  known  as  Bhattacarya  recited various hymns from the Vedas, such as  "Nandi Mukh" sraddha,  as the preliminary  rites. Then the  invocation  ceremony  began  as  Sri Ballabha Acarya arrived with many auspicious articles to present to the bridegroom. These  articles are waved before the bridegroom as  in an aroti ceremony, in order  to convey the blessings of the father upon his future son-in-law. As  the rituals  were  performed  the  musicians  filled  the  air  with   the vibrations  of  their  instruments  while  Sacimata  was  very busy in receiving the  many guests  with sweets  and plates  of pan leaves and betel. In this way the invocation ceremony was completed.

 Early the next morning preparations for the wedding ceremony began  as the friends and relatives of Jagannath Misra began to arrive. Sacimata received the ladies by annointing  their heads with oil and  arranging

their bath.  After arranging  their hair she placed the  vermilion dot between the eyebrows. Then by presenting them new cloths and offerings of puffed rice,  bananas and sweets,  etc., she satisfied  everyone to the fullest extent. They all felt  as though they were floating in  an ocean of happiness having been welcomed so nicely by Sri Sacimata.

On the morning of the  wedding, Sri Gaursundara, after taking  bath in the Ganges, first performed the  daily worship of Lord Visnu  and then worshipped his forefathers. In all  directions the sweet sound of  the musicians playing on their instruments  could be heard as the  singers and dancers began their activities. Demigods and Demigoddess from  the heavenly  planets,  having  disguised  themselves  as  ordinary  human beings,  arrived  in  anticipation  of  seeing  the  Lord's   marriage ceremony.

 Meanwhile,  Sri  Vallabhacarya  had  also  completed his duties on the evening of the  preceeding day by  conducting the invocation  ceremony and worshipping his forefathers. At his house also, the air was filled with the  sound of  singing and  dancing, playing  on instruments  and chanting auspicious hymns. During  the go-dhuli lagna Sri  Gaursundara set  out  from  his  house  with  a  huge crowd of friends, relatives, students and musicians,  after first offering  His salutations at  the feet of His mother and the other elders present.  To the accompaniment of  the  musicians  music  and  the  singers  and  dancers,  the party proceeded towards the Ganga.  There, Sri Gaursundara got down from His palanquin  and  offered  His  obeisances  to  Mother Ganges. Then they proceeded  along  the  banks  of  the  Ganges, finally approaching the house  of  Sri  Vallabha  Misra.  Vallabhacaryaji,  seeing  that   the bridegroom's party had arrived was completely in ecstasy and came  out to greet them. He very  respectfully led his future son-in-law  in the the courtyard  and seated  Him within  the wedding  pavilion. Then  he brought his  daughter, who  had been  decorated very  beautifully with ornaments and tilok markings on her  face, and seated her next to  Sri Gaursundor.

 

The ladies  all began  to yodel  while the  musicians made the heavens resound with  the sound  of their  instruments. After  Laksmipriya was seated on a  wooden seat, she  was picked up  along with the  seat and caused  to  circumambulate  Sri   Gaursundara  seven  times.   Finally Laksmidevi,  after  having  offered  water  at  the  lotus feet of her husband,  offered  her  obeisances  to  Him.  She  placed a garland of flowers around the neck of her Prabhu, Who, in placing His garland  on her neck, duly accepted her as  His wife. In this way Sri  Sri Laksmi- Narayana were united with auspicious shouts of joy.

 

Sri  Gaursundara  now  seated  Laksmipriya  on  His  left  side, after performing  the  Mukhcandrika  ritual.  Prabhu,  still in the bloom of youth, was defeating  the beauty of  Cupid himself.   With Laksmi­devi seated on His left side, Their radiant beauty increased manifold,  and the waves  of ecstatic  bliss which  were felt  at that  moment in Sri Ballabh Misra's house are beyond description. [C. B. Adi 10.102]

 

It was  late into  the night  when the  ladies completed their various family customs and social rites and rituals. Finally the Supreme  Lord along with His eternal consort Laxmidevi lay down on a bed of  flowers and slept.

 

In the  early morning  they rose  and completed  their morning duties. After spending the day at  Vallabha Misra's house, Sri Gaursundor  set out  for  His  own  house  during  the  go-dhuli lagna. At the time of bidding farewell to his  daughter and son-in-law, Sri  Ballabha Acarya along  with  his  family  members  became com­pletely overwhelmed. The divine couple,  having been  decorated with  sandalwood paste,  flower

garlands, ornaments, crowns  and eye shadow,  looked radiant, as  they were seated in the palanquin.

 

The people along the  path were very pleased  to see the newly  wedded couple and exclaimed, "This young girl must have worshiped  Hara-Gauri for a long time  in order to have  obtained such a handsome  husband." Admist  the  music  of  the  musicians  and the joyous shouts of those accompanying him,  Sri Gaursundara  entered the  courtyard of  His own house. Saci Mata  along with many  other brahmana ladies  received the couple by offering  aroti and many  auspicious articles. The  house of Sacimata  became  inundated  with  an   ocean  of  happiness  as   the musicians' music filled the sky.

 

In  this  way  the  marriage  of  Sri  Gaursundor  was  performed very auspiciously and thus the whole  world became filled with joy.  All of the  guests,  brahmanas,  dancers,  musicians  and  various performers received presents  of money,  cloth and  foodstuffs from  the Lord  as tokens of appreciation and as a means of bidding them farewell.

 

All of the desires  of Sacimata were thus  fulfilled and she began  to float in an ocean of happiness. Her house was as though filled with  a divine aura and  the scent of  lotus flowers emanat­ing  from the body of Laksmipriya. From  this Sacima could  under¬stand that the  goddess

of  Fortune,  Laksmidevi,  was  personal­ly  present  in  the  body of Laksmipriya.  Sacima  treated  her  with  great  affection,  as though Laksmipriya  was  dearer  to  her  than  her  own life. Laxmipriya was extremely well-behaved  and could  understand by  simple gestures what activities were to be  ac­complished by her. Sometimes  Sri Gaursundor would come and sit next to Laksmipriya when she was in the company  of Sacimata, simply to increase the happiness of His mother.

 

In  the  mornings,  Laksmi  would  clean  the  Deity  room,  make rice paintings on the floor, pick flowers and Tulasi leaves, and then begin to cook. Every day Mahaprabhu would invite some guests and serve  them in  his  house.  Mahaprabhu,  as  the  instructor  of  religion to the householders, taught  that their  main duty  is to  receive guests  in their house. Those who do not  serve guests are inferior to birds  and beasts. If  due to  one's previous  bad activities,  he has nothing to offer, then  he can  at least  offer a  grass mat  on the  ground as a sitting place and some water. [C. B.  Adi 14.21]

 

The  Lord  descends  to  this  world  to disseminate the principles of religion. He  is very  affectionate to  His devotees  and thus  enacts many pastimes for their pleasures. Laksmidevi, as His eternal consort, would act in such a way as to enhance these pastimes. "She was  always engaged  in  the  service  of  Tulasi  and  above and beyond that, her primary  attention  was  the  service  of  Sacimata.   Hearing  of the activities of his wife, Sri Gaursundor remained externally silent  but was very pleased within." [C.B. Adi 14.43]

 

After entering the grhastha  ashram, and accepting the  responsibility of maintaining others,  Sri Gaursundara decided  to go to  East Bengal as  a  teacher,  for  the  purpose  of  earning  some  wealth.   After submitting this proposal  to His mother  He instructed His  new bride, "During this  time you  should give  your full  attention to seving My mother." Thereafter, on an auspicious  day for begining a journey,  He set out for Bangadesh, with a small number of students. Gradually they reached the Padma River, as the news of Nimai Pandit's arrival  spread far and wide. Being invited to  stay in the houses of various  greatly fortunate householders, he would  hold classes which were  attended by thousands  of  students.  By  obtaining   the  sight  of  His   divine personage, the residents of that land became blessed.

 "Even to this day the virtuous  gentlemen and ladies of this land  are so fortunate that they still  sing the glories of the  Lord (Hari-nam- sankirtan).  This  is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  Lord  came  here and cast His merciful glance on this land." [Caitanya Bhagavat]

 

In  this  way  the  Lord  of  Vaikuntha  engaged  in  His  pastimes of scholarship while in  the land of  Bangadesh. Meanwhile, in  Navadwip, Laxmipriya had given up eating and sleeping due to intense feelings of separation from Mahaprabhu.  All the family  members tried to  console her but to  no avail. In  name only she  would place a  few morsals of food in her mouth and her  nights were spent simply crying. Unable  to bear separation  from the  Lord of  Vaikuntha, the  Goddess of Fortune relinquished her mortal  frame and went  to join her  eternal consort. As She is  the Supreme Goddess  of Fortune and  endowed with unlimited opulences, She  is capable  of accomplishing  anything. Giving  up her reflected  form  of  this  world,  she  went  to  join her Lord in her original form.  Her disappearance from this world was not like that of an ordinary human  being, however. For  her, separation from  the Lord was like a dose of strong poison; thus having taken this form, she was bit by the snake  of separation and being  unable to bear the  pain of that poison she gave up her existence in this world. [C.B. Adi 14.104]

 Seeing that  Laksmidevi had  left this  world, all  of the  family and friends were plunged into  grief. Sacimata became completely  immersed in sorrow. The all omniscient Lord became aware of everything and thus returned  home  in  the  company  of  many  students  and  with   many possessions earned through His  teaching profession. Arriving home  he came to  know of  Laxmipriya's deparure  and in  imitation of ordinary mortals he  displayed some  sorrow. Then  He consoled  His mother  and imparted many transcendental instructions to her.

 

Saci Ma  somehow tried  to restrain  her grief  while Sri  Gaursundara again engaged in His pastimes of scholarship.