Vraja Bhoomi Vrindavana - Where Sri Krishna performed the Rasa Leela and Vrindavana Shakti Peetha
• Meditation:
• Meditation:
- Krishna: I meditate on Sri Krishna performing the Rasa Leela in Vrindavana.
- Devi: I meditate on Devi abiding in Vrindavana as Vrindavana Shakti Peetha.
- Sages and Saints: I meditate on the Sages and Saints meditating in the Vrindavana Kshetra.
- River Yamuna: I meditate on the holy river Yamuna flowing through Vrindavana.
सुन्दरगोपालम् उरवनमालं नयनविशालं दुःखहरम् । वृन्दावनचन्द्रमानन्दकन्दं परमानन्दं धरणिधरम् ॥
- Nandakumar Ashtakam - verse 1a (Sri Krishna abides in Vrindavana as the joy of the Gopis)
एवं वृन्दावनं श्रीमत्कृष्णः प्रीतमनाः पशून् रेमे सञ्चारयन्नद्रेः सरिद्रोधःसु सानुगः ॥
- Sri Krishna and Vrindavana Forest - verse 1 (Sri Krishna delighted in the beauty of the Vrindavana Forest with the cowherd boys)
वृन्दावने केशजालमुमा नाम्नी च देवता । भूतेशो भैरवस्तत्र सर्वसिद्धिप्रदायकः ॥
- Shakti Peetha Stotram - verse 38 (Vrindavana has the Vrindavana Shakti Peetha where the Keshajaala of Devi had fallen)
मुरारिकायकालिमाललामवारिधारिणी तृणीकृतत्रिविष्टपा त्रिलोकशोकहारिणी । मनोऽनुकूलकूलकुञ्जपुञ्जधूतदुर्मदा धुनोतु मे मनोमलं कलिन्दनन्दिनी सदा ॥
- Yamunashtakam - verse 1 (River Yamuna flows through Vrindavana)
Related Festivals:
- Krishna Janmashtami: Celebrates the incarnation of Sri Krishna in Mathura
- Radha Ashtami: Celebrates the incarnation of Sri Radharani in Raval / Barsana
- Vraj Holi: Celebrates the Holi of Vraj which includes the Phool Holi
- Shravan Jhulan Utsav: Idols of Radha-Krishna are placed on decorated swings
- Yamuna Chhath (Yamuna Jayanti): Celebrates the descent of river Yamuna on Earth
- Kartik Poornima: Holy Bathing in Sacred River (Yamuna)
• Vrindavana is a Divya Desam (Glorified by Alvars) [Thiruvadamathurai Divya Desam]
• Vrindavana is primarily a Krishna Sthalam (Pilgrimage of Krishna):
- Sri Krishna performed his famous Rasa Leela with the Gopis in Vrindavana. Sri Krishna also performed many other Leelas in Vrindavana like vanquishing serpent Kaliya and stealing the clothes of the Gopis.
• Vrindavana is also a Devi Sthalam (Pilgrimage of Devi):
- Devi abides in Vrindavana as a Shakti Peetha (Seat of Shakti) [Vrindavana Shakti Peetha] (Devi Katyayani or Uma).
- Devi as Ambika abides in the Ambika Vana (on the outskirts of Vrindavana) where the cowherd men and women worshipped her.
• Vrindavana is also a Yamuna Sthalam (Pilgrimage of Yamuna):
- Devi Yamuna as river Yamuna flows through Vrindavana and Aarti is held in Keshi Ghat.
• Vrindavana is also a Sant Sthalam (Place of Saints):
- Sri Surdas (1478 - 1573 CE) composed many devotional songs on Sri Krishna in Vrindavana.
- Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486 - 1534 CE) visited Vrindavana and revealed many places of Leela of Sri Krishna there. He left some of his disciples in Vrindavan to carry his work forward.
- Sri Meerabai (1497 - 1557 CE) is said to have stayed in Vrindavana for many years singing devotional songs on Sri Krishna.
• Sacred Geography:
◍ Sacred Geography:
Keshi Ghat (River Yamuna)
▬ River Yamuna flows (Aarti)
It is said that later Sri Krishna moved to Nandgaon when the attacks by the demons of Kamsa did not stop at Vrindavana. Nanda Maharaj decided to move further away from Mathura and therefore shifted to Nandgaon. Nandgaon is around 40 km from Vrindavan and 55 km from Mathura. Nandgaon is said to be part of ancient Vrindavana, the farthest end of it.
Kaliya Ghat is identified with the place where Sri Krishna subdued serpent Kaliya and danced on its hoods. The river Yamuna has drifted over the centuries and does not flow near this ghat any more.
Chir Ghat is identified with the place where Sri Krishna stole the clothes of the Gopis. There is an ancient tree in Chir Ghat which people believe to be the same tree which Krishna climbed and hid the clothes of the Gopis.
► Vrindavan - Sevakunj and Nidhivan (Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh)
Sevakunj and Nidhivan groves are identified with the places where Sri Krishna enjoyed His pastimes with the Gopis and performed Rasa Leela. Previously both are likely to have been part of a single forest. It is believed that every night Sri Krishna and Radharani still come here to enjoy their divine pastimes. Both places have a Rang Mahal which serves as a resting place after the divine leela. Sevakunj has a Lalitha Kund created by Sri Krishna to quench the thirst of Lalitha, a companion of Sri Radha. Nidhivan similarly has Vishakha Kund. Nidhivan has the samadhi of saint Haridas who composed and sung many songs on Sri Krishna.
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.
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.
Keshi Ghat is identified with the place where Sri Krishna killed demon Keshi.
• Temples and Places of Devi in Vrindavana:
• Vrindavana Shakti Peetha: I meditate on the Vrindavana Shakti Peetha where the Keshajaala (the tresses of Hair) of Devi had fallen. The Devi there is known as Uma and the Bhairava is called Bhutesha. (Peetha Nirnaya Tantra - Shakti Peetha Stotram - verse 38)
► Vrindavan - Vrindavan Katyayani or Uma Temple (Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh)
Vrindavan Devi Katyayani or Uma Temple is identified with Vrindavana Shakti Peetha.
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.
Preserve Nature and Nature will Preserve Us,
Simplify Life and help Nature Thrive,
Plant Trees and make the Planet Green,
Connect with Earth, Connect with Dharma, Connect with Being.
• Meditation:
• Vrindavana is also a Yamuna Sthalam (Pilgrimage of Yamuna):
• Vrindavana is also a Sant Sthalam (Place of Saints):
► Nandgaon - Nand Bhavan
► Vrindavan - Kaliya Ghat
► Vrindavan - Chir Ghat
► Vrindavan - Sevakunj and Nidhivan
► Mathura - Devi Mahavidya or Devi Ambika Temple
► Govardhan - Radha Kund and Shyam Kund
► Vrindavan - Vrindavan Katyayani or Uma Temple