Vaishnava Women of India

ABOUT THE BOOK:- From pre-historic stages women have been tortured, raped, sold even to embrace death by committing suicide or accepting 'Sati' culture and were affected with other social and domestic violences. They were always considered as weakers than masculine world of muscles. Although in India; in the ages of the Vedas, women were equally participants in the rituals and also as composers of various hymns but gradually their stayals and activities were confined in domestic world. However, many of them came forward alone or with their counterparts to work for the development, to bring light in the darkness of the society. At the advent of Vaishnavism led by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu women, despite performing all their domestic duties were involved in spreading Vaishnavism and glorified it. The book, originally written in Bengali by Dr. Uma Bandopadhyay were in two parts elaborating the lives of Vaishnavite women. The present writer whose' Sri Chaitanyadev and Gadadhar fetched fame has chosen ranging from 3005 BC.(or 8th century AD) to 19th century. Vaishnava devotees translated in abridged and edited form of 108 lives of women in English. It is sure that thousands of women devotees still remain whom to be remembered. ABOUT THE AUTHOR:- Radhakrishna Goswami (Radhu Goswami) (B-1946) B. Com. M.A. (in Bengali) From Calcutta University is a known of short story writer in Bengali literature, finds his ease in researching on mythological and historic characters. He wrote many articles on various topics of Bengali and Indian Literature including on Raja Rammohan Roy, Rabindranath Tagore, Sri Aurobindo and specially on Lord Sri Chaitanyadev, Sri Gadadhar Pundit, Sri Nityanandaprabhu, Sri Adwaitaprabhu, Yaban Haridas and others, the followers of Sri Chaitanyadev for during the last more than four decades in different periodicals and self authored Books. In his book Mahasarathi Sri Goswami, analyzed the role and sentiments of Sri Krishna, in his Droupadi Ananya, he scanned the socio-literary value of Droupadi. His poignant reasoning explored newer dimensions in character analysis of the Mahabharta. He was honoured with Sahityasri and Bharat Bhushan titles in 1989 and 2002 respectively by ABBSS (Bhopal), Srila Vrindavandas and the best writer in Scriptures from Kolkata for restless researches on Sri Gouranga i.e., Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. The author is the fourth son of Sadhak Mukundalal Goswami. He probably was one of the 11th descendants of Ballav Chaitanya Goswami, one of the important associates of Lord Sri Chaitanyadev and His disciple of Pundit Sri Gadadhara. This author's mother Asha Rani was also only daughter among three sons of Gour Kishore Goswami who was one of the eleventh descendants of Sri Nityananada Prabhu. The author's the eldest maternal uncle Prankishore Goswami was a leading scholar, writer, eminent Srimad Bhagawata nattrator in India. So, the influence of Sri Nityanandaprabhu and of Sri Pundit Gadadhara in the blood of the author cannot be ignored. CONTENTS:- Aknowledgements . 11 Introduction . 13 1. Goda Devi (Devotee of Sri Ranganathji) . 15 (9th Century AD) 2. First Tribhuban-Maha Devi (A Devotee Wife of a King) . 23 (10th Century AD) 3. Kantimoti Devi (Mother of Ramanuja) . 25 (11th Century AD) 4. Bama Devi (Mother of Poet Joydev) . 29 (12th Century AD) 5. Padmabati Devi (Wife of Poet Joydev) . 31 6. Vedabati Devi (Mother of Bosudeva or Madhwacharya) . 35 7. Rami Rajakini (Devotion Partner of Chandidas) . 37 (13th Century AD) 8. Chintamoni (The lady who showed the Path to Billwamongal) . 40 9. Bhagyabati devi The Old Grand Mother of Uddharan Dutta . 43 (14th Century AD) 10. Mother of Upendra Old grandmother of Sri Chaitanyadeva . 44 11. Rama Devi (Grandmother of Sri Roop and Sanatan) . 45 12. Lachhima Devi (Wife of Raja Shiba Singha) . 46 (15th Century AD) 13. Abhoya Devi (Grand mother of Lochandas) . 48 14. Amita Devi Sakhi of Vishnupriya Devi . 49 15. Indumati Basu (Mother of Kavi Gunaraj Khan) . 50 16. Illamagaru (Mother of Ballavacharya) . 52 17. Kamalakumari (A Devotee of Sri Chaitanyadeva of the South) . 55 18. Kamala Devi (Wife of Lakshminath Lahiri) . 56 19. Kamala Devi (Mother of Suryadas Sarkhel) . 58 20. Kamalabati or Shova Devi (Grand Mother of Sri Cahaitanyadeva) . 60 21. Kanchanadevi (A Woman Mad for Lord Sri Krishna) . 63 22. Kalindidevi (Mother of Dhananjay Pundit) . 65 23. Kripamoyee (Mother of Balarama) . 67 24. Khersuti (Grandmother of Shankardeva of Assam) . 68 25. Gangadevi (Mother of Pundarik Vidyanidhi) . 70 26. Goyeedevi (Mother of Narahari Sarkar) . 71 27. Gouridevi (Mother of Haridas Thakur) . 73 28. Chandrakala (Wife of Raja Pratap Rudra) . 75 29. Chitralekha (Sakhi of Lakshmipriya) . 79 30. Jangali (Jungali) Dasi (Maid Servant of Sita Devi wife of Adwait Prabhu) . 82 31. Jai Durga Devi (Foster-mother of Madhabacharya) . 84 32. Janhabi Devi (Mother of Pundit Kashinath or Kashiswar) . 86 33. Tara Devi (Mother of Haribangsha) . 88 34. Tukka Devi (Daughter of Raja Pratap Rudra) . 90 35. Damayanti Devi (Sister of Raghava Pundit) . 92 36. Dukhini Devi (Wife of Jagadish Pundit) . 95 37. Nandini Dasi (Disciple of Sita Devi) . 98 38. Wife of Narasingha Nadial 39. Lava or Nava Devi (Mother of Adwaita Acharya) . 101 40. Narayani (Nurse-Mother of Sri Gouranga Mahaprabhu) . 104 41. The Widow Mother of a Certain Blessed Boy . 106 42. Padmamoni Devi (Mother of Ishan Nagar) . 107 43. Padmabati Devi (Mother of Sri Nityanandaprabhu) . 109 44. Padmabati Devi (Mother of Raja Pratap Rudra) . 112 45. Wife of Baninath (Baninath was the brother of Sri Gadadhar Pundit) .114 46. Vijaya Devi (The Grandmother of Vishnupriya Devi) . 116 47. Bidhumukhi Devi (Aunt of Vishnupriya Devi) . 117 48. Bimala Devi (Wife of Gouridas Pundit) . 119 49. Biswas Devi (A Woman Writer) . 121 50. Vishnupriya Devi (The Second Wife of Sri Gouranga Mahaprabhu) . 123 51. Bhadrabati Devi (The Mother of Sri Uddharan Dutta) . 132 52. Bhadrabati Devi (The Wife of Sri Suryadas Pundit) . 134 53. Bhagirathi Devi (The Mother of Sri Basudeva Sarbabhoum) . 137 54. Mahamaya (The Wife of Sri Uddharan Dutta) . 139 55. Maha Laxmi Devi (The Mother-in-law of Ganga Maa) . 141 56. Madhabi Devi (The Sister of Shikhi Mahiti) . 142 57. Manika Milkmaid (A Pious Woman) . 148 58. Malini Devi (Wife of Sri Sribaas) . 150 59. Malini Devi (Wife of AbhiramThakur) . 152 60. Mother of Mukunda . 154 61. Menaka Devi (The Mother-in-Law of Sri Adwaitaprabhu) . 156 62. Ratnabati Devi (The Wife of Pundarik Vidyanidhi) . 158 63. Ratnabati Devi (The Mother of Gadadhara Pundit) . 160 64. Laksha Hira (Blessed by Thakur Haridas) . 163 65. Laxmipriya Devi (The First Wife of Sri Gouranga Mahaprabhu) . 170 66. Sachi Devi (The Mother of Sri Gouranga Mahaprabhu) . 179 67. Sashikala Devi (The Sakhi of Chandrakala, wife of Raja Pratap Rudra) . 185 68. Wife of Sibananda Sen . 188 69. Shri Devi (The another Wife of Sri Adwaita Acharya) . 191 70. Mother-in-law of Sri Sribaas . 194 71. Shashti or Shati Devi (Daughter of Sri Sarbabhoum) . 196 72. Sadanandi Devi (Mother of Sri Lochandas) . 198 73. Sarbajaya Devi (Aunt of Sri Chaitanyadeva) . 200 74. Sarbani Devi (Nearer Lady of Sachimaa of Sri Chaitanyadeva) . 202 75. Sita Devi (Wife of Sri Adwaita Acharya –for whom he was called as Sitanath) . 204 76. Sita Devi (The Mother of Sri Raghunath Shiromani) . 211 77. Sita Devi (The Mother of Sri Lokenath Goswami) . 214 78. Sunila Devi (The Old Grandmother of Sri Ramai Goswami) . 216 79. Sulochana Devi (The wife of Preceptor of Mishra Family) . 218 80. The Mother of Swarup Damodar . 220 81. Haripriya Devi (The wife of Dhananjay) . 222 (16th Century AD) 82. Indumukhi Devi (Wife of Srila Byasacharya) . 224 83 Kanakpriyya Devi (Daughter of Srila Byasacharya) . 225 84. Krishnapriya Devi (Second Daughter of Sri Nibas Acharya) . 226 85. Ishwari Devi (The First Wife of Sri Nibas Acharya) . 228 86. Gourangapriya Devi (The Second Wife of Sri Nibas Acharya) . 230 87. Kanchanlatika Devi (The Youngest Daughter of Sri Nibas Acharya) . 232 88. Chandramukhi Devi (The Daughter-in-law of Sri Nibas Acharya) . 233 89. Indurekha (The Sakhi of Chandrakala Devi) . 234 90. Kadambamala (The Daughter-in-law of Birchandra) . 236 91. Ganga Devi (The Daughter of Sri Nityananda- Basudhamaa) . 237 92. Kanaklata-Aai Chaturbhuja (The Grand Daughter-in-law of Sri Shankardeva) . 240 93. Kanaklatika Devi (Narottam Shakha) . 242 94. Kanchana Devi (The wife of Lochandas) . 243 95. Mother of Kanhaiya (Vraja) . 245 96. Krishnadassi (The Wife of Haribansa) . 247 97. Gourangadasi (The Second Wife of Shyamanandaprabhu) . 248 98. Hemlata Thakurani (The Eldest Daughter of Sri Nivas Acharya) . 251 (19th Century AD) 99. Putlibai (Mother of Mahatma Gandhi) . 253 100.Meera Bai (A Lady who Loved Sri Krishna and Sang for Him) . 255 101.A Fortunate Lady of Odisha . 260 102.Narayani Devi (The Mother of Poet Sri Vrindabandas) . 261 103 & 104. Satya Bai & Lakshmi Bai . 263 (18th Century AD) 105. Annapurna Devi (The Mother of Harichand Thakur) . 267 106.Swarnamoyee Devi Thakurani (The Mother of Bijoykrishna Goswami) . 269 (16th Century AD) 107 & 108. Basudha Devi & Janhaba Devi (The wives of Sri Nityananda Prabhu) . 273 Index . 285 The Title 'Vaishnava Women of India written/authored/edited by Radhakrishna Goswami', published in the year 2019. The ISBN 9789353240783 is assigned to the Hardcover version of this title. This book has total of pp. 295 (Pages). The publisher of this title is Kalpaz Publications. This Book is in English. The subject of this book is Women Studies. Size of the book is 14.34 x 22.59 cms Vol:-