Vraja Bhoomi Mathura - Moksha Puri and where Sri Krishna incarnated

• Meditation:

अयोध्या मथुरा माया काशी काञ्ची अवन्तिका ।
पुरी द्वारावती चैव सप्तैते मोक्षदायकाः ॥
- Sapta Mokshapuri Sloka (Mathura is a Moksha Puri)

अच्युतं केशवं रामनारायणं कृष्णदामोदरं वासुदेवं हरिम् ।
श्रीधरं माधवं गोपिकावल्लभं जानकीनायकं रामचंद्रं भजे ॥
- Achyutashtakam - verse 1 (Sri Krishna incarnated in Mathura)

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

• Mathura: (Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh) → (Vraja Bhoomi) (Moksha Puri) (Divya Desam) [Thiruvadamathurai Divya Desam]

• Greatness:

• Mathura is in Vraja Bhoomi (Land of Sri Krishna) [Mathura, Gokula, Vrindavana, Govardhana, Nandgaon, Raval, Barsana]

• Mathura is a Moksha Puri (Bestower of Liberation) [Ayodhya, Mathura, Maya, Kashi, Kanchi, Avantika, Dwaravati]

• Mathura is a Divya Desam (Glorified by Alvars) [Thiruvadamathurai Divya Desam]

Incarnation of Sri Krishna slaying Kamsa

• Mathura is primarily a Krishna Sthalam (Pilgrimage of Krishna):
- Sri Krishna incarnated in Mathura as the son of Vasudeva and Devaki inside the prison of Kamsa.
- Sri Krishna also killed Kamsha in Mathura.
- Sri Krishna also defeated Jarasandha several times in battle in Mathura before moving to Dwarka.

• Mathura is also a Balarama Sthalam (Pilgrimage of Balarama):
- Sri Balarama incarnated in Mathura as the son of Vasudeva and Devaki inside the prison of Kamsa (and tranferred to the womb of Rohini in Gokula).

• Mathura is also a Devi Sthalam (Pilgrimage of Devi):
- Devi Yogamaya (sister of Sri Krishna) manifested as Ashtabhuja Durga in Mathura before Kamsa.
- Devi Ambika abided in the Ambika Vana (on the outskirts of Mathura) where the cowherd men and women worshipped her.

• Mathura is also a Yamuna Sthalam (Pilgrimage of Yamuna):
- Devi Yamuna as river Yamuna flows through Mathura and Aarti is held in Vishram Ghat.

• Mathura is also a Sant Sthalam (Place of Saints):
- Sri Nimbarkacharya (? - 1162 CE) spent most of his life in the Mathura - Vrindavan region as a devotee of Sri Krishna.

• Sacred Geography:

▬ River Yamuna flows (Aarti)

• River Yamuna Ghats:
- Vishram Ghat (Yamuna Aarti)

• Temples and Places:

• Temples and Places of Sri Krishna in Mathura:

• Sri Balarama incarnating in Mathura
(Srimad Bhagavatam - Skanda 10 - 2)
• Sri Krishna incarnating in Mathura
(Srimad Bhagavatam - Skanda 10 - 3)

Krishna Janmasthan temple, Mathura, Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh

► Mathura - Sri Krishna Janmasthan or Sri Krishna Janambhoomi
(Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh)

Sri Krishna Janambhoomi is identified with the location of the prison of Kamsa where both Sri Balarama and Sri Krishna incarnated from Devaki.

Potara Kund, Mathura, Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh

► Mathura - Potara Kund
(Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh)

Potara Kund near the Sri Krishna Janmasthan Temple is said to be the place where the clothes of baby Krishna was washed after his incarnation in prison.

• Sri Krishna showing the vision of Lord Vishnu to Akrura
(Srimad Bhagavatam - Skanda 10 - 39 to 40)

► Mathura - Akrur Ghat
(Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh)

Akrur Ghat between Mathura and Vrindavana is identified with the place where Sri Krishna showed divine vision of Lord Vishnu to Akrura.

• Sri Krishna breaking the sacrificial bow of Kamsa in Mathura
(Srimad Bhagavatam - Skanda 10 - 42)
• Sri Krishna killing elephant Kuvalayapida in Mathura
(Srimad Bhagavatam - Skanda 10 - 43)
• Sri Krishna killing the wrestlers of Kamsa in Mathura
(Srimad Bhagavatam - Skanda 10 - 44)
• Sri Krishna killing Kamsa in Mathura
(Srimad Bhagavatam - Skanda 10 - 44 to 45)

Sri Krishna killing the wrestlers of Kamsa

► Mathura - Kans Kila or Kans Tila
(Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh)

Kans Kila or Kans Tila is identified with the place where Sri Krishna killed Kamsa.

• Temples and Places of Lord Shiva in Mathura:

► Mathura - Bhuteshwar Mahadev Temple
(Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh)

Bhuteshwar Mahadev Temple is located on the outskirts of Mathura.

• Temples and Places of Devi in Mathura:

• Sri Krishna saving Nanda Maharaj from the clutches of a huge snake in Ambika Forest
(Srimad Bhagavatam - Skanda 10 - 34)

Devi Mahavidya temple, Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh

► Mathura - Devi Mahavidya or Devi Ambika Temple
(Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh)

Ambika Forest is identified with Devi Mahavidya or Devi Ambika Temple. It is located on the outskirts of the Mathura town and is situated on a hillock. On the bottom of this hillock is a Saraswati stream and Saraswati Kund.

• Temples (Summary):

• River Yamuna Ghats:
- Vishram Ghat (Aarti)

• Krishna:
- Krishna Janambhoomi
- Potara Kund
- Kans Kila
- Dwarkadheesh Mandir

• Shiva:
- Bhuteshwar Mahadev (outskirts)

• Devi:
- Devi Ambika (outskirts)
- Devi Chamunda

• Others:
- Pagal Baba Mandir
- Birla Mandir

• Puranic Events:

1. Presence of Sri Krishna in Mathura: (Srimad Bhagavatam)
(1) Sri Balarama incarnated in Mathura. (Krishna Janambhoomi)
(2) Sri Krishna incarnated in Mathura. (Krishna Janambhoomi) (Potara Kund)
(3) Sri Krishna inspired Vasudeva to exchange him with Devi Yogamaya in Gokula.
(4) Devi Yogamaya manifested as goddess Durga in Mathura.
--- Sri Krishna left Vrindavana for Mathura ---
(5) Sri Krishna showed the vision of Lord Vishnu to Akrura between Vrindavana and Mathura. (Akrur Ghat)
(6) Sri Krishna captivated the residents of Mathura.
(7) Sri Krishna broke the sacrificial bow of Kamsa in Mathura.
(8) Sri Krishna killed elephant Kuvalayapida in Mathura.
(9) Sri Krishna killed the wrestlers of Kamsa in Mathura.
(10) Sri Krishna killed Kamsa in Mathura. (Kans Kila)
(11) Sri Krishna defeated Jarasandha in Mathura several times.
(12) Sri Krishna saved Nanda Maharaj from the clutches of a huge snake in Ambika Forest. (Mahavidya Temple)

2. Presence of Sri Balarama in Mathura: (Srimad Bhagavatam)
• Sri Balarama incarnated in Mathura. (Krishna Janambhoomi)

3. Presence of Devi in Mathura: (Srimad Bhagavatam)
• Devi Yogamaya manifested as goddess Durga in Mathura.
• Sri Krishna saved Nanda Maharaj from the clutches of a huge snake in Ambika Forest. (Mahavidya Temple)

• Puranic References:

• Srimad Bhagavatam - Krishna Avatara (About Sri Krishna incarnating and killing Kamsha in Mathura)

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