Gopadma Vrata

When to perform?

This is the Vrata observed by Sumangalis for 4 months from the first day of Chaatur Maasya Vrata.

Who Taught this vrata?

This was prescribed by Lord Krishna to His sister Subhadra devi.

Where to draw?

Select a place in pooja room or near tulasi and Draw the Go padma with complete dedication and concentration

How to perform?

After drawing the Rangoli, Pooja to the figures of Cow, Calf and other Devatas with Arisina, Kunkuma etc., Do Pushpa Archana and Do Sakkare (Sugar) neivedhya
Do 33 Pradakshinas and Namaskaras
next perform six Pradakshina and six Namaskara to Mohini. The six Padma Rangoli on the body of the cow represent six Mohini Devatas.
Do aarathi
Do Arghya separately for first 33 devatas separately:

Arghya mantra Asta dravya samaayuktam swrna paatra sthitam jalam |
arghyam grahaana devesha bhaktaanaam abhayapradam ||

Go Antar-gata, Sakala Devata Antargata Bharati Ramana Mukhya Prana Antargata Sri Gopala Krishnaa-ya Nama-h. (Idam Arghyam)

Then separately perform arghya for 6 mohin devatas in a separate pela.

Bharati Ramana Mukhya Prana Antargata Rukminee Satya Bhama Sameta Sri Krishnaaya Nama-h. (Idam Arghyam)

Read Go-Padma Vrata Katha after offering Arghya.
Offer Akshata + water in pela, as a mark of Sarva Samarpana. And pray to the Lord to forgive Aparadhas in the performance

What if you are not able to o pooja on one or two days?

If you had missed this pooja previously for a day or two due to any reason(illness or periods), you can complete it next day or on any day convenient. The missed days should not exceed seven days.
If unable to do this Puja daily, you can do it 2-times next day; 3 times on 3rd day complete the balance in that way. The gap should not exceed 7 days. You can not do tomorrow’s puja today
When you do pooja in accumulated fashion, one time arathi and neivadhyam is enough

Why missed days should not exceed 7?

We all know through Bhagavatha Shri Krishna lifted up Govardhana Parvata and held it on his little finger and stood for seven days. Based on this, there is a Niyama that Go-Padma-Pooja should be continued for 7 days and the missed days should not exceed 7 days. If you miss it for any reason, resume puja within 7 days and continue for 7 days.

When it gets completed?

Go-Padma Vrata gets concluded on Uth-thaana Dwadasi day.

Dana details:

First year pooja:

Payasa Dana is offered that day as a mark of conclusion.
Payasa in Kanchina-Lota, with Taamboola, 33 coins Dakshina, Tulasi Dala,Gopi Chanda and Janivara. Offer it to the Lord first and then to the Brahmana.
In this way, first year Pooja is completed.

Second year pooja:

On Uththaana Dwadasi day 2nd year Dana is 33 Adhirasa (cooked in ghee). Offer, this along with the brass plate, with 33 coins Dakshina+Tulasi Dala. Offer it to the Lord first and then to the Brahmana

Third year pooja:

Elai Appam 33

Fourth year pooja:

Four kinds of Laddu all put together 33.

Fifth year pooja:

33 Holige (obbittu), along with the brass plate (every year), In a plaintain with 33 coins. Go-Padma-Vrata is for five years only and it is complete on 5th year

Dana to own Brothers:

One’s own brothers are the first eligible persons to receive the above said Dana. In their absence, give it to other eligible person.

Why Dana to Own Brothers?

This is a Vrata observed by women.
Krishna-Preeti is the ultimate aim in this Vrata.
Subhadra Devi undertakes this Vrata. The Lord who is our ultimate aim, is the Anna, (the elder brother) of Subhadra.
He is the Anna to each and every woman. Keep this in mind when you give this Dana to your own brother.

Why Sweet Bhakshana Dana?

The dana items are (1) Payasa, (2) Adhirasa, (3) Elai Appam, (4) Laddu and (5) Holige. All these are sweet items liked by young boys.

According to a story in Bhagavata, these are the items which Yagnya Patnis offered to Krishna and his playmates when Yagnya was still going on. (Skandha 10)

Why this number 33 is significant?

The cow (or Go) is our Prat-yaksha Devata. 33 Koti Devatas are present in the cow. We cannot give so much of Danas. As a token, as a symbol, we offer 33 items of Danas with 33 coins.

Ekadashi & Dwadashi:

Only on Ekadashi day, You can draw another set of Go padma for dwadashi count. But Remember Arghya and Neivedhya should be done only on Dwadashi day. However Pradakshina and Namaskara can be finished on Ekadashi itself

Go padma vrata story:

Once the beautiful dancer Rambha was dancing in Indra’s cour. Music, dance and everything was perfect and wonderful. Suddenly a drum cracked and the rhythm went wrong. Indra requested Yama, the god of Death, to get the drum reconstructed using the skin of a living being who never practised a vow. So Yama and his men were on the lookout for people on the wrong side of worship. His men came back and told him – Ganga has a rangoli, Gauri has a rangoli, Savitri,anushya, dropuathi, arunthadhi and Sarasvati too. But there is no rangOli at Krishna’s sister Subhadra’s place. He ordered to bring back Subhadra, cut her skin and fit it to a drum.

After waking up in the morning, Krishna went to Subhadra’s house and asked her why she had not drawn a rangoli in front of her house and not observing the vrata.” I have brothers like Indra and Chandra, a husband like Arjuna, parents like Vasudeva and Devaki and of course you, Krishna.Why should I do ? ” Subhadra replied. Krishna told her that inspite of all this, she must draw a rangOli that had the eagle, the feet of Vishnu, Sankha, chakra, mace, lotus, svAstiaka, brindAvana, flute, lute, drum, cow, calf and thirty-three (is it a numerical symbol for the thirty-three crore gods) lotus symbols, Rama’s cradle, Sita’s saree end, tulasi leaf, elephants and guards. This must be drawn in cowsheds, where sacred rivers and ponds are, in front of God’s images and tulasi brindAvana. Then she obtained hard rock from a hill and mixed it with pearls and corals and made powder of them and drew the rangOli. She also offered turmeric, kuMkuma and other offerings. She drew all rangOlis due for five years in just one year.

Subhadra escaped the punishment of gods and they finally found an elephant calf that was sleeping with its head towards north. They took the skin from the back of the animal and made their drums.