Goddess Vakula Devi holds a significant place in Hindu tradition,
particularly in relation to the story of Venkateswara, a form of Bhagavan
Vishnu worshipped mainly in the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati,
Andhra Pradesh, India. According to certain Hindu traditions, Vakula Devi is
revered as the mother of Venkateswara, similar to how Yashoda is the foster
mother of Bhagavan Krishna.
The temple dedicated to Goddess Vakula Devi, situated in
Perurbanda village, faces the Tirupati Balaji Temple, symbolizing her close
connection to Bhagavan Venkateswara. In this tradition, Vakula Devi is
considered the incarnation of Mother Yashoda, the beloved foster mother of Bhagavan
Krishna in his avatar as a child.
Legend has it that during the wedding of Bhagavan Krishna to
Rukmini, Mother Yashoda, in her desire to witness the auspicious event,
expressed her longing to Bhagavan Krishna. In response, Bhagavan Krishna
promised her that in his future incarnation as Venkateswara during the Kali
Yuga, she would be his mother and would have the opportunity to witness his
marriage.
True to his word, when Bhagavan Venkateswara appeared in the
Kali Yuga, it was Goddess Vakula Devi who assumed the role of his mother. She
fulfilled her promise to Mother Yashoda by approaching King Akasa Raja to seek
the hand of Goddess Padmavati (also known as Alamelu Manga), an incarnation of
Goddess Lakshmi, for Bhagavan Venkateswara. Goddess Vakula Devi played a
pivotal role in arranging and conducting the divine marriage ceremony of
Padmavati and Venkateswara, thus fulfilling the longing of Mother Yashoda to
witness the auspicious event.
The story of Goddess Vakula Devi underscores the deep
familial bonds and divine relationships portrayed in Hindu tradition,
highlighting the enduring love and devotion between a mother and her divine
child across different incarnations.