# Woman/Women Devotee(s) *Female saints and devotees in Vedic literature* ## The Gopis of Vrindavan ### Radharani - [[index/entries/radharani|Radharani]] - Supreme female devotee - Greatest example of conjugal devotion - Heart of Krishna's pastimes - Personification of Krishna's internal potency ### Eight Principal Gopis (Ashta-sakhis) - Lalita, Vishakha, Chitra, and others - Most intimate companions of Radha - Exemplars of devotional service ### Other Gopis - Hundreds of cowherd girls - Varying degrees of closeness to Krishna - Example of group devotion ## Queens and Princesses ### Devaki - [[index/entries/devaki|Devaki]] - Mother of Krishna - Suffered imprisonment for Krishna's sake - Pure maternal devotion - Protected the divine child ### Draupadi - [[index/entries/draupadi|Draupadi]] - Common wife of Pandavas - Dignity in trials - Surrender to Krishna - Exemplar of fortitude ### Kunti - [[index/entries/kunti-prtha|Kuntī (Pṛthā)]] - Mother of the Pandavas - [[index/K#kuntī|Kuntī]] - Queen of Hastinapura - [[index/K#kuntī cited on kṛṣṇa|Kuntī cited on Krishna]] - [[index/K#kuntī quoted|Kuntī quoted]] - [[index/K#kuntī queen pṛthā|Kuntī, Queen (Pṛthā)]] - [[index/K#kuntīdevī|Kuntīdevī]] - [[index/K#kuntīdevī quoted on kṛṣṇa|Kuntīdevī quoted on Krishna]] - Composed prayers of praise ### Gandhari - [[index/entries/gandhari|Gāndhārī]] - Mother of the Kauravas - Blindfolded herself in devotion - Symbol of wifely devotion - Mother's grief personified ### Sita - [[index/entries/sita|Sītā]] - Wife of Rama - Perfect chastity - Devoted to dharma and husband - Model of feminine virtue ### Rukmini - [[index/R#rukmiṇī|Rukmiṇī]] - Krishna's chief queen - [[index/R#rukmiṇī kṛṣṇa devotees worship|Rukmiṇī Krishna worship]] - [[index/R#rukmiṇī kṛṣṇa kidnapped|Krishna kidnapped Rukmini]] - Incarnation of Lakshmi ### Satyabhama - [[index/S#satyabhāmā|Satyabhāmā]] - Krishna's queen - [[index/entries/satyabhama-queen|Satyabhāmā, Queen]] - Brought Parijata tree from heaven - Incarnation of Bhumi-devi ### Subhadra - [[index/entries/subhadra|Subhadrā]] - Krishna's sister - [[index/S#subhadrā kṛṣṇas sister|Subhadrā (Krishna's sister)]] - Wife of Arjuna - Mother of Abhimanyu ### Uttara - [[index/entries/uttara|Uttarā]] - Wife of Abhimanyu - Mother of Parikshit - Protected by Krishna - Example of faith ### Rohini - [[index/entries/rohini|Rohiṇī]] - Mother of Balarama - Wife of Vasudeva - Raised Krishna and Balarama - Foster mother in Vrindavan ### Kausalya - [[index/K#kauśalya|Kauśalya]] - Mother of Rama - Queen of Ayodhya - Exemplar of maternal virtue - Patient and devoted ### Mandodari - [[index/M#mandodarī|Mandodarī]] - Wife of Ravana - Virtuous despite husband's sins - Tried to guide Ravana - Example of righteous counsel ### Himavati - Wife of King Himavat - Spiritual companion ## Saintly Women ### Yasoda - [[index/entries/yasoda|Yaśodā]] - Foster mother of Krishna - [[index/entries/yasoda-mother|Yaśodā, Mother]] - Supreme example of maternal love - Bound Krishna with her love ### Devahuti - [[index/entries/devahuti|Devahūti]] - Mother of Kapila - [[index/D#devahūti lord kapila|Devahūti, Lord Kapila &]] - Received Sankhya philosophy - Example of spiritual inquiry ### Sati - [[index/entries/sati|Satī]] - Wife of Shiva - [[index/entries/sati-wife-of-siva|Satī (wife of Śiva)]] - Daughter of Daksha - Sacrificed herself for honor ### Suniti - [[index/entries/suniti-queen|Sunīti, Queen]] - Mother of Dhruva - [[index/entries/sunitha-queen|Sunīthā, Queen]] - Guided son to devotion - Example of spiritual motherhood ### Women Mystics - Holy women who renounced family - Devoted to meditation and service - Teachers of spiritual wisdom ### Female Acharyas - Teachers and spiritual guides - Andal among the Alvars - Other female spiritual leaders ## Characteristics of Women Devotees - Surrender and service orientation - Emotional depth of devotion - Courage in adversity - Family-centered dharma - Pure love as motivation - Various rasas (emotional relationships) ## Types of Women's Devotion ### Maternal (Vatsalya-rasa) - Yasoda, Devaki, Kunti, Suniti - Protective and nurturing ### Conjugal (Madhurya-rasa) - Radharani and gopis - Intimate and highest rasa ### Marital (Stri-dhana-bhakti) - Queens devoted to husbands and Krishna - Balance of duties ### Service (Dasya-rasa) - Women devoted to Krishna's service - Temple attendants and helpers ## Related Topics - [[index/personalities/gopis|Gopis]] - Cowherd girl devotees - [[index/personalities/royal-devotees|Royal Devotees]] - Queens and princesses - [[index/personalities/devotees|Devotees]] - All categories of devotees - [[index/personalities/acaryas|Acaryas]] - Female teachers --- *This index is under development. Additional entries from Śrīla Prabhupāda's books, lectures, conversations and letters will be added as the indexing work progresses.*