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Braja and Vrindavan
BRAJA
MANDALA Vrindavan and Mathura are the most important Vaishnava holy places in all of India. This is because Mathura is the birthplace of Lord Krishna and Vrindavan is where he had his childhood pastimes. For a spiritual tour of India, it is an extremely important and highly recommended place to visit. ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) has one of its major centers in Vrindavan called the Krishna Balarama Mandir. Other interesting temples in Vrindavan are the Govindaji, Madana Mohan, Banke Bihari, Radha-Damodara, Radha-Raman, and Sri Ranganath. In the Adi-varaha
Purana it is stated: “Any person who dies in any place within
Mathura—a holy place, a home, or even a courtyard—certainly
attains salvation. In this world Mathura is the best of all holy places.” Deities
Carved by Vajranabha The four presiding Deities of Braja Mandala are Sri Harideva of Govardhan, Sri Keshava Deva of Mathura, Sri Baladeva of Baladeo, and Govindaji of Vrindavan, who has now been moved to Jaipur. There are two Naths—Sri Nathji, who was originally at Govardhan and is now in Nathdwar, Rajasthan, by Udaipur, and Sri Gopinath, who is now in Jaipur. The two Gopals
are Sri Madana Gopal, renamed Sri Madana Mohan, who is now in Karoli
(Raj), and Sakshi Gopal, who is now in the town of Sakshi Gopal, Orissa,
near Puri. It is said that
Vajranabha first had three Deities of Krishna carved. He never saw Krishna,
so they were carved from the description of Uttara, the mother of Maharaja
Pariksit. He had three different images carved, but none of them were
perfect. Govindaji resembled the face, Madana Mohan resembled the navel
down to the lotus feet, and Gopinath resembled the trunk of the body,
from the navel to the neck. Six Goswamis
of Vrindavan They were Sanatana Goswami, Rupa Goswami, Raghunath Dasa Goswami, Gopala Bhatta Goswami, Jiva Goswami, and Raghunath Bhatta Goswami. Sri Rupa and Sanatana Goswami first came to Vrindavan in 1515 to uncover the lost places of Krishna’s pastimes. They followed the
strictest standard of devotional service or spiritual practices. Sri
xe "Raghunath Dasa Goswami" Raghunath Dasa Goswami’s
daily activities included chanting 64 rounds of japa, worshiping his
Govardhan shila, bathing thrice in Radha Kund, offering 1,000 obeisances
to Krishna, and offering 2,000 obeisances to the devotees of Krishna,
plus embracing them. He rested ninety minutes a day and some days not
at all. Throughout his life, Raghunath Dasa Goswami never ate anything
for sense gratification. Govardhan
Hill Parikrama The parikrama (circumambulation) route is 25km (14 miles). It is a form of worship to walk around Govardhan Hill. Of all the devotees of Lord Krishna, Govardhana Hill is the best because it supplies Krishna and Balarama with all types of necessities. Devotees take rocks from Govardhan Hill and worship them exactly as they worship the Deity of Krishna in the temple. After leaving the town of Govardhan, you come to the village of Aniyora. In this village there is a Balarama Temple, which is by Sankarsan Kund. Madhavendra Puri found the Gopalji Deity while staying near here. Govinda Kund is just after the village of Aniyora. This is where Lord Indra bathed Krishna, after Krishna lifted Govardhan Hill. This kund was made by the bathing ceremony. This Gopalji Deity is now known as Sri Nathji and is now worshiped at Nathdwar in Rajasthan. At the tail end of Govardhan is Apsara Kund, which is said to have been created when the seven main Apsaras came and bathed Lord Krishna. Govardhan Hill is said to resemble a peacock, so the kund next to Apsara Kund is called Punchari Kund, as this area is the tail (punch) of Govardhan. In the town of Jatipura, at Sringa Stali, at the middle of the hill, devotees pour milk over a Govardhan shila. The samadhis of Vallabha Acharya and his son Vitthala are located here. Govardhan
Town Mana means “mind” and Ganga refers to the Ganges River. Once Nanda and Yasoda, hearing of the glories of the Ganges River, had a desire to bathe in it. All the cowherd boys did not want to leave Vrindavan, though Krishna was willing to take them there despite the great distance. They wishfully said, “I wish mother Ganga would come here.” To fulfill the desires of his devotees, Krishna entered into meditation and from his mind sprung the kund known as Manasi Ganga. The temple of Chakaleswar
Siva-linga is at Manasi Ganga. It is one of the five presiding Siva-lingas
worshiped in Vrindavan. Chakra Tirtha, which was created by the Sudarsana
Chakra, is embedded in the northern bank of Manasi Ganga. The Harideva Temple, near Manasi Ganga, was established by Krishna’s great-grandson 4,800 years ago. Harideva is one of the four presiding Deities of Vrindavan. The temple is a two-minute walk from the southern bank of Manasi Ganga. The temple was built by King Bhagandas of Jaipur, whose son, Raja Man Singh, built the Govindaji Temple in the sixteenth century during the reign of Emperor Akbar. Brahma Kund is the water that collected after Lord Brahma bathed Lord Krishna. This is where Lord Brahma offered his prayers after he took the cowherd boys away and hid them to test the power of Krishna. It is located on the southern bank of Manasi Ganga. Manasi Devi Temple is located on the bank of Brahma Kund. Manasi Devi is the presiding deity of Manasi Ganga, and one of the four main goddesses of Braja Dhama. The others are Vrinda Devi, in Kamavan; Yogamaya Devi in Vrindavan; and Pataleswari Devi in Mathura. After bathing in
Manasi Ganga and taking darshan of Harideva, one goes to the parikrama
path and continues through the market. You will then come to a busy
crossing where you should turn right onto the road that goes over Govardhan
Hill, about 300m ahead. Just before reaching the top of the hill, you
will come to the Lakshmi-Narayana Temple on your left. This is one of
the 108 Divya Desam Temples mentioned by the Alwars as being one of
the most important temples in India. Just after the Lakshmi-Narayana
Temple, before the top of the hill is a left turn that continues the
parikrama of Govardhan. Nandagram is 50km northwest of the town of Vrindavan. The panda guides here are very persistent. If you talk to any of them or take anything from them, you should expect to give a donation. Pavana
Sarovara On top of one of these hills is the Larily Lal Temple (Sriji Mandir), the temple of the beloved, which is where the original Radha-Krishna Deities of Varsana reside. Vajranabha installed the Deities in this temple. There are colorful pictures on the walls and ceiling, depicting the loving pastimes of Radha and Krishna. This temple is an important place to visit. At Pila Pokhar Srimati Radharani washed her hands. Because of her touch, the kund turned a golden-yellow color. At Mayur Kutir (Mor Kutir) there was a dancing contest between Krishna and a peacock. Srimati Radharani judged their abilities. In the small temple of Mayur Kutir there is a painting of Krishna dancing as a peacock. On the hill next
to the main temple, is the Kushal Behari Temple, built by the king of
Jaipur at the turn of the century. Between
Varsana & Nandagram At Saket, midway between Varsana and Nandagram, the nighttime pastimes between Krishna and the gopis take place. Radha and Krishna first met here. There is a temple here of Yogamaya. Her temple is here because she arranges the meetings between Radha and Krishna. Uddhava Kyari is
where Uddhava met the gopis when he was sent by Krishna to pacify them.
This place is close to Nandagram. In the Talavan forest Balarama killed Dhenukasura. There is a Deity of Balarama and his consort, Srimati Revati here. At Kumudvan forest, on the bank of Padma Kund, is a small temple dedicated to Lord Kapila, who performed austerities here during Treta-yuga. Kumud means “water-lilies.” During Krishna’s time, beautiful water lilies grew here. If one takes bath here he acquires all the knowledge of the Vedic literature. At Bahulavan there is a small temple with Deities of Krishna, Yamaraja, and Bahula carved in the wall. Krishna killed
Bakasura in the Khadiravan forest. On the bank of Maduri Kund (Sangam
Kund) are the bhajan kutirs of Lokanath Goswami and Bhugarba Goswami. Lakshmi, the goddess of fortune, being desirous of attaining the position of a gopi in Vrindavan, stays in the Bilvavan forest performing austerities. There is a Lakshmi temple there. Lohavan is where
Jarasandha was defeated 18 times. There is the Radha Gopinath Temple
there. There is also the cave where the demon Lohasura lived. Krishna
killed this demon. Gokula Utkhal (“grinding mortar”) is where Krishna was tied to the grinding mortar by mother Yasoda. It is in a small hut, a km from the town of Mahavan. Nanda Maharaja’s well is across the road from here. A few km south, at Brahmanda Ghat, on the bank of the Yamuna River, is where Krishna ate dirt. When forced by mother Yasoda to open his mouth, he revealed to her the entire universe. Raval King Vrishabhanu
took the child home, but found her to be blind. Narada Muni appeared
before the king and told him that despite the child’s blindness
he should go ahead and perform all the auspicious birth ceremonies.
Nanda Maharaja brought baby Krishna along for the ceremonies. When baby
Krishna crawled before Srimati Radharani, She could smell the wonderful
aroma of his body, and at that moment she opened her eyes. The first
person she saw was her eternal consort, Sri Krishna.
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