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| Nila is on the left side of Vishnu |
Nila (Niladevi) and Nappinna (Nappinnai) are the same goddess, a consort of the Hindu deity Vishnu in the form of Sri Krishna. Nila is a Sanskrit name, whereas Nappinai is a Tamil name used for the same goddess.
Nila Devi
Nila Devi is a Hindu goddess, one of the three primary consorts of Vishnu, alongside Sridevi and Bhudevi. Nila is primarily revered in South Indian Vaishnavism.
Nila is a Sanskrit word that translates to " blue. She is referred to as the Blue Goddess, the Goddess of Sky, representing senses and the Tamas guna.
There is this Sanskrit hymn which starts like this:
Nilatungastana giritati supta mudbhodhya krishnam..., sung by Andal while awakening Sri Krishna in Tiruppavai. Krishna was sleeping on her breast when Andal came to wake him up in the early hours of a morning during her Tiruppavai ritual (which incident establishes Nila as one of his beloved consorts).
Narayan (Vishnu), in his Supreme aspect, is depicted seated on the serpent Shesha with Sridevi on his right and Bhudevi and Niladevi on his left.
Nappinnai
Nappinnai is the name used for Nila Devi in Tamil literature and by the AzhvArs (saints). In her mortal avatar during the time of Krishna, she was a cowherd girl and the daughter of Kumbhaka (brother of Yashoda). Krishna married her by taming seven bulls, according to some stories.
It is believed that Niladevi took the avatar of Nappinnai, the daughter of Kumbagan/Kumbhaka. Krishna won Nappinnai's hand after conquering the seven ferocious bulls of her father as a condition for the marriage. Kumbhaka wanted to ascertain whether Krishna could protect his daughter throughout her life.
Nappinnai's brother is Sudama. He is the Kuchela of the Kuchelopaakhyaan. It tells the story of Sudama, a father of 21 children, reeling under poverty. His wife advises him to visit his childhood friend Krishna and seek help. He takes some beaten rice (poha) as a gift for Krishna, but hesitates to offer it, as Krishna was a rich person who served food on golden plates. But, Krishna, who can foresee everything, eats the beaten rice. Thereafter, when Sudama returns home, he finds his home transformed into a golden bungalow.
Andal, a South Indian saintess who sang Tiruppavai Paasurams, considering herself a gopika, mentioned Nappinnai in Paasurams 16 and 17. This mention is believed to identify Nappinnai as Radha.
In her Nachhiyar ThirumoLi, Andal mentions the three nachiyars (consorts) as Ponmangai (Sridevi), Nilamangai (Bhudevi), and Pulamangai (Niladevi).
In the name Nilamangai, nilam refers to the land or Earth. The "i" is short-pronounced.
But in the name Niladevi, the 'i ' is pronounced longer as NeelaadEvi, who is considered to be the goddess of senses. It is Niladevi who keeps his mind stable by offering him her bliss.
This establishes that Nappinnai, NiLadEvi, and Radha are the same Goddess.
Vakula Devi
VakuLaa Devi is entirely distinct from Nappinna or Niladevi. I used to confuse her with Nila.
Vakula Devi is the foster-mother of the Hindu god Venkateshwara, a form of Vishnu.
As per the legend of Tirumala, the mention of Vakula Devi dates back to the Dwapara Yuga. In the legend, Yashoda, the foster-mother of Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu, complained to him that she could not witness his wedding with Rukmini, an avatara of Lakshmi. To this, Krishna replied that he would ensure she would get the opportunity to see his marriage to a form of Lakshmi in his next incarnation during the Kali Yuga.
In the Kali Yuga, Vishnu has taken the form of Venkateshwara, and Yashoda was reborn as Vakula Devi, the foster-mother of Venkateshwara. She took care of him in the hills and, as promised by the god, she arranged her foster-son's wedding with Padmavati, the foster-daughter of Akasha Raja and Dharani Rani, who was a form of Lakshmi.
