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THE PLACES OF KRISHNA’S PASTIMES SURROUNDING GOVARDHAN

Kamlesh Tripathi

    Krishna had performed his pastimes in many places surrounding Govardhan Parvat (Hill). Noted personage Sri Raghava took Srinivasa and Narottama (icons of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition) to see places near Govardhan where young Krishna performed his pastimes, and he described it to them one by one. It commences with Kusum-Sarovar, a famous pastime spot of Radha & Krishna. Followed by Narad-Kund, where Narad Muni fulfilled his desires by performing tapasya.

        At Ratna-simhasana, Radha is depicted sitting on a throne. Even the incident behind Krishna’s killing of the demon Sankhachuda took place here.

    Pali is a beautiful garden in which Palita-Yuthesvari (Queen Gopi) used to stay. Sri Krishna enjoyed himself with his friends in the holy place called Ata-grama. In a place called Indra-dhvaja-bedi, Nandaraja used to worship Indra. It was here that Sri Krishna would tend his cows and call each one by the melody of his flute.

    Papamochan, also known as Sankarsana-kund, is famous for its sanctity. By bathing here, a person will be freed from all vices.

    In the Parasauli-gram, Radha & Krishna enacted their Rasa-Yatra in the Vasant season. At Chandra-Sarovar, Lord Krishna took rest in his rasa-dress. In the beautiful Gandharva-kund, the Gandharvas were overwhelmed by Krishna’s beautiful songs.

    The devotional hymn from Stavavali and Goverdhan-asraya-dasaka describes how Radha danced with Krishna in the Rasa-sthali.

    In the village of Paitha, when Krishna once hid from the gopis, they all began looking for him. Soon, Krishna appeared before the gopis in his Chaturbhuja (four hands) form. But when Radha arrived, his two hands merged back into his body, signifying that Radha and Krishna were one.

    Pleasant pastimes also happened in Gauri-tirtha. The place within Gauri-tirtha is called Nipa-kund, because it is surrounded by beautiful nipa, or kadamb, trees.

     The next village, Aniyora, is situated on the Govardhan Hill (Giriraj). It is famously known as the site of the original Annakuta festival, where Lord Krishna lifted the Govardhan hill to protect the villagers and ate their offerings, demanding more by saying “Aniyora!”  

    The sacred place called Govinda-kund has many milestones to it. It is located near Aniyora village, and it was only here that God Indra bathed Lord Krishna with Ganges water and milk to seek Krishna’s forgiveness.

         Vraja-Vilasa-stava (A collection of prayers) says, Indra took hold of the lotus feet of Lord Krishna, in the company of a surabhi cow, and performed his coronation by bathing him with the waters of the Ganges River.

    The sacred lake Dana-Nivartana-kund is also located here on the right side of the Govardhana Hill parikrama path. Dana-nivartana-kunda is named after the dana-keli playful pastime, which Krishna enjoyed. It relates to the collection of taxes from Gopis. Vaishnava ascetic Madhavendra Puri stayed here under a tree, and Gopala gave darshan to him on the pretext of bringing him milk. At the end of Govardhan is the Apsara-kund. People who take a bath here are considered very lucky. There are the old palasa trees here. This secluded place is called Syama-dhaka.

    The footprint of the divine white elephant Airavata, belonging to Lord Indra, can be seen on the sacred rocks of Govardhan Parvat. After his defeat, Indra described the glories of Lord Krishna’s mercy from here.

    The Surabhi Kund is a highly revered, ancient sacred water tank and pilgrimage site situated on the Govardhan Parikrama Marg. Established by Maharaja Vajranabh (Lord Krishna’s great-grandson), it is the spot where the Surabhi cow (Kamadhenu) fed Krishna milk to appease his anger.

    Rudra-kund is another beautiful and secluded forest where Mahadeva sat in meditation. Legend has it that it was formed by the tears of Lord Shiva, who was so overwhelmed while meditating on Lord Krishna’s pastimes that he wept profusely.

    Kadam-Khandi is a sacred, secluded forest grove located in Kamyavan, Rajasthan, in the Braj region. It is a revered place for meditation and is closely associated with the pastimes of Lord Krishna and Radha. In Dana-ghati, Lord Krishna took a share of the milk products from Radha while his friends blocked her way.

        Brahma-kund is also situated in Govardhan. It is described in the Mathura-khand. After bathing here, Brahma satisfied Lord Hari. Indra and the other planetary rulers created other lakes nearby.

    On the eastern side is Indra-tirtha, on the south is Yama-tirtha, on the west is Varuna-tirtha, and on the north is Kuvera-tirtha. Krishna enjoyed his pastimes in these locations.

    In Manasa-ganga, Krishna enjoyed his ecstatic boat pastimes. Vraja-Vilasa-stava gives a pristine description of Manasa-ganga, which lies on the side of the Govardhan Parvat. The waves of the river splash against the splendid rocks, lining its shores.

    Situated 26 kilometres west of Mathura. The mere sight of Govardhan Hill and its circumambulation rids one of his material miseries. Govardhan Hill gives unlimited pleasure to Lord Krishna, who lifted the hill with his left hand to curb the pride of Indra and protect the Braj-vasis.

    The Adi-varaha Purana says, ‘Two yojanas (sixteen miles) west of Mathura is the rare teertha named Govardhan. A person who circumambulates this place, named Annakuta-tirtha, does not return to this world. After bathing in Manasa-ganga and seeking darshan of the Deity of Harideva on the Govardhan Hill, and circumambulating Annakuta-tirtha, no heart can remain unhappy. To protect the cows distressed by Indra’s torrential rains, I lifted the Govardhana Hill.’

    The Skanda Purana, Mathura-khand, says that Govardhana Hill is an incarnation of the Supreme God. When the Lord lifted the hill, all the people of Braj were saved from Indra’s torrential rains. Lord Vishnu stays eternally on Govardhan. Brahma, Siva, and Laksmi also reside there. There is no doubt about this.

Written and posted by Kamlesh Tripathi

Author, Poet, & Columnist

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https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com

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