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By Om Vishnupad 108 Tridandi Swami Sri Srimat Bhakti Sravan Tirtha Goswami Maharaj

 

Bilvamangal Thakur was a wealthy South Indian Brahmin and belonged to a cultured family. But he got attracted to a prostitute named Chintamani due his past karma. As it happens when we get attached to worldly enjoyment, we lose our intelligence and subsequently, our dignity.

Information about the date of birth of Shri Bilvamangal is not available, but it is popularly held that he was born in South India in the 8th century in a well-to-do Brahmin family.  

Spiritual Initiation

Shri Bilvamangal took initiation in the Vishnuswamy sect from Somagiri, who was his spiritual master. Somagiri gave him the name ‘Lilashuk’.

Previous Life

In his previous life, Bilvamangal was a sanyasi and a great devotee of Lord Krishna. He was at the level of Bhava (having intense love for Krishna). He was fond of organizing Bhagavatam katha festivals after which he would distribute prasad to all the people who participated.

Once while organizing the festival, he spent all his money. He needed more money to feed the devotees. So he went searching for money. Walking around he saw the cremation of a young princess who had died at the age of 18. Her grief-striken father, mother and many citizens were there. The father lit the fire and then everyone left. The princess was burning with many precious golden ornaments and gems still on her body.

The Sanyasi (Bilvamangala Thakur) saw all this and thought, “What is the use of all this valuable jewellery to the dead body of a princess? Better take all this and use it in the service of Lord Krishna and devotees.”

So He approached the dead body and tried to take the ornaments but then he heard a voice, "Stop ! Don't take this!" It was the voice of the dead princess. The sanyasi was shocked. "If you need wealth then go to my father the King. Tell him that I have sent you. Under my bed, there is a box with great treasure. Ask my father for that wealth and use that to serve the devotees and Lord Krishna", thus spoke the dead princess.

Bilvamangala went in haste to the King and revealed what had happened. The King looked and really found a treasure box under the bed of the princess. The King gladly donated the wealth to the sanyasi.

Bilvamangala went and spent all the wealth on the Bhagavatam festival. But in the end, again there was a shortage of money. So he went once again to the cremation place of the princess and took the diamond necklace. As he was going he heard the voice of dead princess, "You have made a great mistake by taking this necklace. I curse you that although you are so advanced in love for Krishna, you will have to take birth one more time and live an immoral life."

In his next life, the sanyasi was born as someone who is greatly attached to women. The princess also took birth again as the prostitute Chintamani.


Context of Shri Bilvamangal and Chintamani

Bilvamangal was a very rich man and very much sensuous. He kept a prostitute named Chintamani. He was so much devoted to her that once when he was performing his father's death ceremony, he kept telling the priest, "Please, make haste. Hurry up! I have to go. I have to go." (He had to go to Chintamani’s house) Then there was the ceremony of feeding people. He selected the best foodstuff and putting it in a bag, prepared to go to Chintamani’s house. But when he came out of his home, it was raining torrentially. He didn't care for the rain. He went to the river but there was no boat and the river was raging with tumultuous waves. He thought "How can I go to the other side?" Somehow, fixing his mind on his paramour he swam across the river and reached the other side.

Chintamani thought, "Oh, it is raining today, Bilvamangal may not come." So she closed the gate and went to sleep. When he came to the house he saw the gate was closed and it was raining still. So he climbed over the wall by holding on to a snake (mistaking it for a rape in the darkness), and went to the prostitute. She was astonished at seeing him and asked "How did you come here?" Bilvamangal described everything. 

Chintamani said, "My dear Bilvamangal, if you would have loved Krishna as much as you love me, you would have attained supreme bliss."

These words of Chintamani struck him. He immediately left and went away.


Going to Vrindavan

Hearing the taunting words of Chintamani, Bilvamangal became disinterested in the world and decided to go and live in Vrindavan and worship Shri Krishna. But on the way he saw a beautiful woman and bound by habit, he started following her. Then he thought “What am i doing?! I am going to Vrindavan to worship Krishna and here I am going after another woman”. Thinking this, he became alert and went towards Vrindavan.

On the way he was again attracted by another woman. So he followed her. That woman belonged to a respectable family. When he came to the gate of the house of that woman, she told her husband, "Oh, this man is following me. Please ask him, 'Why is he following me? What does he want”?

So the husband asked, "My dear sir, you appear to be a sadhu and from your appearance I can see that you belong to an aristocratic family. What do you want? Why are you following my wife?"

Bilvamangal said, "Yes, I am following your wife because I want to embrace her." "Oh, you want to embrace her? Alright, come in. You are welcome”. The husband ordered his wife, "Oh, here is a saint. He wants to embrace you. So please decorate yourself nicely so that you can serve him."

The good wife followed her husband’s instructions. When Bilvamangal came inside before the woman, he thought "This husband and wife are pious householders, yet they are ready to sacrifice everything for the sake of the service of a saint; and even after being a monk, forgetting Krishna, I came here after this woman. Shame on me!"

Thinking thus, he said, "My dear mother, will you kindly give me your hairpins?" The woman said "Yes. But why?" Bilvamangal said, "I need them for something."

The woman gave him her hairpin. He took it and at once pierced his own eyes and became blind. Blood started flowing from his eyes. The husband and wife panicked and wanted to take him to a vaidya. But Bilvamangal said "I am all right. These eyes were my enemy, now I shall not get disturbed anymore."


Blind Bilvamangal in Vrindavan

With his eyes bleeding and sightless Bilvamangal left for Vrindavan. He was crying constantly, remembering Krishna. He was repenting and this was his penance. Somehow he reached Vrindavan. He had not eaten anything for many days.

By His sweet will Krishna came in the form of a Brajwasi boy and said. "Oh, my dear Sadhu Maharaj, why are you starving? Why don't you take some milk?"
Bilvamangal said, "Who are you, my dear boy?"
Krishna said "I live in this village. I am a cowherd boy. My name is Gopal. If you like, I can bring you some milk daily."
Bilvamangal said "All right."

So Krishna used to give him milk everyday and they both became friends. Krishna used to sit beside him when Bilvamangal used to write verses. Bilvamangala used to sing for Krishna, who used to come and listen.

Gopal used to sit next to him like a well-behaved boy, listening appreciatively but never touched him. Sri Krishna would personally give Bilvamangala prasadam and lead him to a safe resting place. Because he was blind, Bilvamangala didn't know the identity of this sweet Brajvasi boy. Then one-day Krishna played his captivating flute for the blind man. Suddenly, Bilvamangal became mad with the desire to behold the beautiful sweet form of Syamasundar. 

Puna Prasaannendumukhen Tejasa Puronvateernsaya Kripamahambudhe.
Tadev Leelamuralirvamritam Samadhivighnay Kada Nu Me Bhaveta.

- Shri Bilvamangal, Shri Krishna Karnamritam (34)

When, again, will the Ocean of Mercy be manifested before me with the beneficent brightness of a fullmoon face and interrupt my meditation with the nectar of melody from His divine flute play.
Realizing that the "Brajvasi boy" was actually the Lord of his life and the love of his heart, he reached out to touch Krishna. Playfully Gopal touched Bilvamangal's hand, laughed mischievously and ran away. Singing, Bilvamangal said -

Hastam Akshipya Yato Smi Balat Krishna Kim Adbhutam.
Hridayad Yadi Niryasi Paurusham Ganayami Te.
- Shri Krishna Karnamritam (3.97)

“Casting off my hand, O Krishna, You’ve run away–what is so wonderful about that? I’ll consider You strong only if You can escape from my heart!
Shri Bilvamangal stayed under a tree in Brahma Kund, Vrindavan for 700 years using his yogic powers.

Compositions

Bilvamangal wrote many verses and songs full of love of Krishna. Krishna Karnamritam, his most famous work, was one of the first authentic books to reveal the supreme position of Shri Radharani in Shri Krishna’s Vrindavan Madhurya Lila.

Apart from Krishna Karnamritam, Bilvamangal Thakur wrote Govind Damodar Stotra which consists of 71 verses glorifying Shri Krishna.

Disappearance

Shri Bilvamangal’s year of disappearance is not known. His Samadhi is situated in Gopinath Bazar in Vrindavan.

 

Shri Shri Bilvamangal Thakur ki Jai!!

Jai Jai Sri Radhey!!

Jai Gurudev!!