Vraja Bhoomi Govardhana - Where Sri Krishna lifted the Govardhana Hill

Govardhana Kshetra - Where Sri Krishna lifted the Govardhana Hill:

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

☗ Govardhana Hill

Choti Parikrama:
• Radha Kund & Shyam Kund
• Kusum Sarovar
• Uddhav Temple
• Mansi Ganga

Badi Parikrama:
• Giriraj Danghati Temple
• Sankarshan Kund
• Puchri ka Lauttha
• Giriraj Mukharvind Temple
(Upper Ganga Plain)

• Krishna: Sri Krishna appeared as the Deity of Govardhana before the residents of Vraja.
- Sri Krishna lifted the Govardhana Hill and gave shelter to the residents of Vraja from the fury of rain set by Indra deva.
- Giriraj Mukharvind Temple

• Sages: Sages associated with Vraja:

○ Garga: Sage Garga performed the naming ceremony of Sri Krishna in Gokula secretly within a cowshed.
- Sage Garga performed the Upanayana ceremony of Sri Krishna in Mathura before he departed to Sandipani Ashrama of Avanti.

• Saints: Saints associated with Vraja:

○ Nimbarkacharya (? - 1162 CE): Sri Nimbarkacharya is said to have lived in Vraja and preached devotion of Sri Krishna (Dvaitaadvaita).

○ Surdas (1478 - 1573 CE): Sri Surdas lived in Vraja and composed devotional songs in praise of Sri Krishna (Sur Sagar).

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

○ Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486 - 1534 CE): Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu visited Vraja during his pilgrimage and spread devotion of Sri Krishna through his Sankirtans (Gaudiya Vaishnavism).

○ Sanatana Goswami (1488–1558 CE): Sri Sanatana Goswami came to Vraja, being instructed by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to discover the sites associated with Sri Krishna.

○ Rupa Goswami (1489–1564 CE): Sri Rupa Goswami came to Vraja, being instructed by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to discover the sites associated with Sri Krishna.

○ Meerabai (1497 - 1557 CE): Sri Meerabai visited Vraja and worshipped Sri Krishna (Meera Bhajans).

○ Swami Haridas (16th Century): Swami Haridas lived in Nidhivan and practised devotion of Sri Krishna. The Banke Bihari idol was found by Haridas Thakur in Nidhivan.

वल्लभव्रजरमणं वारिजवदनं हलधरशमनं शैलधरं ।
भज नन्दकुमारं सर्वसुखसारं तत्त्वविचारं ब्रह्मपरम् ॥
- Nandakumar Ashtakam - verse 6b (Sri Krishna lifted the Govardhana Hill and gave shelter to the residents of Vraja)


(Srimad Bhagavatam)
(Garga Samhita)

▬ Sri Krishna asking the elders to worship the Govardhana Hill instead of Indra
(Srimad Bhagavatam - Skanda 10 - 24)
▬ Sri Krishna assuming the form of the deity of the Govardhana Hill
(Srimad Bhagavatam - Skanda 10 - 24)
▬ Sri Krishna lifting the Govardhana Hill and sheltering the people
(Srimad Bhagavatam - Skanda 10 - 25)

► Govardhan - Govardhan Hill
(Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh)

Sri Krishna lifted the Govardhan Hill and protected the residents of Vraja from the fury of the rains created by Indra.

► Govardhan - Radha Kund and Shyam Kund
(Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh)

After Sri Krishna killed demon Arishta, Radhanrani said that although Arishta was a demon, he was in the form of a bull. Therefore, by killing a bull at Vraja, Sri Krishna had incurred a sin. As an act of repentence, Sri Krishna should build a kund and bathe in it. Sri Krishna therefore created the Shyam Kund. Sri Krishna then told Radharani that since she is the queen of Vraja, she also had incurred the sin of his subject. Therefore she should also build a kund. Radharani thus created the Radha Kund by her divine powers. The water of this kund was filled from Mansi Ganga by a chain of Gopis.