Vraja Bhoomi Gokula - Where Sri Krishna grew up

• Meditation:
- Krishna: I meditate on Sri Krishna growing up in Gokula and performing various childhood pranks.
- Devi: I meditate on Devi Yogamaya incarnating in Gokula.
- Sages and Saints: I meditate on the Sages and Saints meditating in the Gokula Kshetra.
- River Yamuna: I meditate on the holy river Yamuna flowing through Gokula.

कृष्णाय वासुदेवाय देवकी नन्दनाय च ।
नन्दगोप कुमाराय गोविन्दाय नमो नमः ॥
- Krishnaya Vasudevaya (Sri Krishna abides in Gokul as the son of Devaki and Nanda)

मुरारिकायकालिमाललामवारिधारिणी तृणीकृतत्रिविष्टपा त्रिलोकशोकहारिणी ।
मनोऽनुकूलकूलकुञ्जपुञ्जधूतदुर्मदा धुनोतु मे मनोमलं कलिन्दनन्दिनी सदा ॥
- Yamunashtakam - verse 1 (River Yamuna flows through Gokul)

Gokula Kshetra - Where Sri Krishna grew up:

- Gokul (Vraja Bhoomi) (Divya Desam)
(Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh)

Sacred Geography:
- Gokula is the place through which the holy river Yamuna flows.
▬ River Yamuna flows → Gau Ghat, Brahmanda Ghat (Aarti)
• Yamuna Temple
• Yashoda Ghat (Gokul)
• Gau Ghat (Gokul)

• Brahmanda Ghat (Mahavan)

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Krishna & Gokula:
(Srimad Bhagavatam)
- Gokula is identified with two regions: Gokul or New Gokul and Mahavan or Old Gokul.
- Gokula is the place where Devi Yogamaya incarnated as the daughter of Nanda and Yashoda.
- Gokula is the place where Sri Krishna grew up as the child of Nanda and Yashoda and performed many childhood Leelas.
• Nand-Yashoda Bhavan (Gokul) → Krishna appearing in Gokula
• Putna Uddhar Sthal (Gokul) → Krishna killing Putana
• Yashoda Ghat (Gokul) → Krishna showing universe

• Nand Bhavan or Chaurasi Khamba Temple (Mahavan) → Krishna appearing in Gokula
• Putna Temple (Mahavan) → Krishna killing Putana
• Brahmanda Ghat (Mahavan) → Krishna showing univers to Yashoda
• Ukhal Bandhan (Mahavan) → Yashoda tying Krishna

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Devi & Gokul:
(Srimad Bhagavatam)
- Gokula is the place where Devi Yogamaya incarnated as the daughter of Nanda and Yashoda.
• Yogamaya Temple (Mahavan) → Yogamaya incarnating in Gokula

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Shiva & Gokul:
- Gokula is the place where Lord Shiva came to see child Krishna.
• Darshaneshwar Mahadev Temple

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Garga & Vraja Bhoomi:
- Mathura is the place where Sage Garga performed the Upanayana ceremony of Sri Krishna before he departed to Sandipani Ashrama of Avanti.
- Gokula is the place where sage Garga performed the naming ceremony of Sri Krishna secretly within a cowshed.

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Nimbarkacharya (? - 1162 CE) & Vraja Bhoomi:
- Vraja Bhoomi is the place where Sri Nimbarkacharya is said to have lived and preached devotion of Sri Krishna (Dvaitaadvaita).

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Surdas (1478 - 1573 CE) & Vraja Bhoomi:
- Vraja Bhoomi is the place where Sri Surdas lived and composed devotional songs in praise of Sri Krishna (Sur Sagar).

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Vallabhacharya (1479 - 1531 CE) & Vraja Bhoomi:
- Vraja Bhoomi is the place where Sri Vallabhacharya lived for sometime and preached devotion of Sri Krishna (Pushtimarga).
- Govardhana is the place from where the Image of Srinathji emerged. Sri Vallabhacharya built the first temple of Srinathji in Govardhana and performed the seva of the Lord.

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Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486 - 1534 CE) & Vraja Bhoomi:
- Vraja Bhoomi is the place where Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu visited during his pilgrimage and spread devotion of Sri Krishna through his Sankirtans (Gaudiya Vaishnavism).

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Sanatana Goswami (1488–1558 CE) & Vraja Bhoomi:
- Vraja Bhoomi is the place where Sri Sanatana Goswami came, being instructed by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to discover the sites associated with Sri Krishna.

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Rupa Goswami (1489–1564 CE) & Vraja Bhoomi:
- Vraja Bhoomi is the place where Sri Sanatana Goswami came, being instructed by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to discover the sites associated with Sri Krishna.

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Meerabai (1497 - 1557 CE) & Vraja Bhoomi:
- Vraja Bhoomi is the place where Sri Meerabai visited and worshipped Sri Krishna (Meera Bhajans).

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Swami Haridas (16th Century) & Vraja Bhoomi:
- Vraja Bhoomi is the place where Swami Haridas lived (in Nidhivan) and practised devotion of Sri Krishna. The Banke Bihari idol was found by Haridas Thakur in Nidhivan.
• Nidhivan → Practised devotion

► Gokul - Mahavan Yogamaya Temple
(Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh)

The Yogamaya Temple of Mahavan (Old Gokul) is identified with the place where Devi Yogamaya incarnated in Gokul.

► Gokul - Gokul and Mahavan
(Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh)

Gokul is identified with two places.
1. Gokul or New Gokul. (with Nand-Yashoda Bhavan or Nand Mahal)
2. Mahavan or Old Gokul (with Nand Bhavan or Chaurasi Khamba Temple).

► Gokul - Gokul Nand-Yashoda Bhavan or Nand Mahal
(Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh)

The Nand-Yashoda Bhavan of Gokul (New Gokul) is identified with the house of Nanda where Sri Krishna and Sri Balarama grew up.

Within the Nand-Yashoda Bhavan are Images of:
1. Sri Balarama (Sri Balarama was transferred from the womb of Devaki at Mathura to the womb of Rohini at Gokula)
2. Devi Yogamaya (Devi Yogamaya incarnated as the daughter of Yashoda in Gokul)
3. Sri Krishna (Sri Krishna was exchanged by Vasudeva with Devi Yogamaya)
4. Nand and Yashoda

► Gokul - Mahavan Nand Bhavan or Chaurasi Khamba Temple
(Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh)

The Nand Bhavan or Chaurasi Khamba Temple of Mahavan (Old Gokul) is also identified with the house of Nanda where Sri Krishna and Sri Balarama grew up.

► Gokul - Gokul Putna Uddhar Sthal
(Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh)

The Nand-Yashoda Bhavan of Gokul (New Gokul) has a room where Putna Uddhar (Moksha) is depicted.

► Gokul - Mahavan Putna Temple
(Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh)

Mahavan (Old Gokul) has a Putna Temple where Putna Uddhar (Moksha) is depicted.

► Gokul - Gokul Yashoda Ghat
(Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh)

The Yashoda Ghat at Gokul (New Gokul) is identified with the place where Sri Krishna showed mother Yashoda the entire universe inside his mouth.

► Gokul - Mahavan Brahmanda Ghat
(Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh)

The Brahmanda Ghat at Mahavan (Old Gokul) is identified with the place where Sri Krishna showed mother Yashoda the entire universe inside his mouth.

► Gokul - Mahavan Ukhal Bandhan Ashram
(Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh)

The Ukhal Bandhan Ashram at Mahavan (Old Gokul) is identified with the place where Sri Krishna was tied by mother Yashoda to a Ukhal (Mortar). Sri Krishna also liberated Nalakuvara and Manigriva in this place. So this is also known as Yamalarjuna Uddhar Sthal.