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sent by bhaktin Erica
In the Caitanya Caritamrta, it is stated that Caitanya Mahaprabhu had three and a half very confidential devotees: Svarupa Damodara, Ramananda Raya, Sikhi Mahiti and Madhavi devi (the half)1. These devotees are incarnations of the gopis Visakha, Lalita, Ragalekha and Kalakeli, respectively2. All four are maidservants of Srimati Radharani.
In Lord Caitanya’s pastimes, Madhavi devi was an elderly lady who always performed austerities and was very advanced in devotional service3. She and her two brothers, Sikhi Mahiti and Murari Mahiti were “all unalloyed devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu who could not forget Him for a moment of their lives.”4 Madhavi devi is considered the seventeenth of the prominent devotees5.
It was from Srimati Madhavi devi’s asrama that Chota Haridasa had begged rice, for which he was later ostracized by Lord Caitanya. The Caitanya Caritamrta states that “Srimati Madhavidevi was a highly elevated devotee; therefore approaching her to ask for some rice to serve Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was certainly not very offensive. Nevertheless, just to preserve the regulative principles for the future, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu enforced the hard-and-fast rule that no one in the renounced order should intimately mix with women.”6 Some have said that Junior Haridasa was not at fault for having begged rice from Srimati Madhavidevi, but instead for having the desire to look at a young girl whom was serving in Madhavi devi’s asrama.
References
Caitanya Caritamrta Antya lila, Chapter 2 verses 104-105
Gaura-ganoddesa dipika verses 160, 122-124, 189. Also, Srila Prabhupada’s purport to Caitanya Caritamrta Adi-lila, Chapter 10 verses 135-13.
Caitanya Caritamrta Antya-lila, Chapter 2, verses 104-105
Srila Prabhupada’s purport to Caitanya Caritamrta Adi-lila, Chapter 10 verses 135-13.
Caitanya Caritamrta Adi-lila, Chapter 10, verse 137
Srila Prabhupada’s purport to Caitanya Caritamrta Antya-lila Chapter 2, verse 143
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