Mathura-mandala Parikrama, Part 21
BY: SUN STAFF
Chaurasi Khamba -Mahavan, Mathura
Below the temple of Chaurasi Khamba, near Samudrika-kup, is Srila Sanatana Goswami's bhajan-kutir cave
Oct 01, 2011 — CANADA (SUN) — By Srila Narahari Chakravarti Thakur.
Shri Sanatana's Darshana of Madana-gopala's Pastimes in Mahavana
Then Raghava took his two followers to the holy place where Sanatana Gosvami had once stayed. The residents of Mahavana felt very fortunate to have Sanatana amongst them. While Sanatana stayed at Mahavana he obtained great happiness from the daily darshana of Madana-gopala. Madana-gopala used to play in Ramanaka, the sandy beach of the Yamuna. One day Madana-gopala came to play just like a cowherd boy with the other boys of Mahavana. As Sanatana watched the boys play various games, he thought that this cowherd boy could not be an ordinary child.
When the boys finished playing, Sanatana followed that boy home. He saw the boy enter the temple, but by the time Sanatana entered he saw only the Madana-mohana Deity, instead of the cowherd boy. Sanatana bowed before the Deity and returned to his own place without speaking to anyone. This Madana-gopala was completely controlled by the devotional love of Sanatana.
See this well which everyone calls Gopa-kupa. This place, Shri Gokula, and Mahavana are one and the same. The beauty of this place is so enchanting that gradually Upananda and other cowherd men settled here. The many childhood pastimes Krishna performed here gladdened the hearts of the cowherd men and women. O Shrinivasa, see this old tree, the beauty of which is beyond description.
Mahaprabhu's Arrival in Gokula
The inhabitants of Gokula would relieve their fatigue under this tree. Lord Gauranga also sat here. Who can describe in detail the arrival of Lord Chaitanya at this place. Mahaprabhu came to Agravana [known as Agra] from Prayaga and then went to see the ashrama of Jamadagni Muni. The Lord visited Renuka-grama which was named after Jamadagni's wife, Renuka. It is the birthplace of Parashurama. Mahaprabhu came to Gokula from Renuka via Raja-grama and sat under this tree.
The arrival of Lord Chaitanya in Gokula is described in the Chaitanya-carita as follows: "Mahaprabhu had darshana of Shri Madhavadeva in Prayaga and then danced with His followers in ecstatic devotional love. After taking darshana of Akshaya-vata, He bathed in the Triveni like a mad elephant. His eyes filled with tears of love, the hairs of His body stood on end and He gravely shouted in ecstasy as He moved from there. In due course, He crossed the River Yamuna and came to Agravana, where Renuka-grama, the birthplace of the great warrior Parashurama, is situated. After taking darshana of the Yamuna, which always flows towards Vrindavana, Mahaprabhu went to Raja-grama. At last Mahaprabhu entered Gokula and became overwhelmed with ecstatic love."
Arriving here, Lord Chaitanya became maddened with ecstatic love while performing sankirtana. As He went to see Krishna's birthplace, large crowds followed Him. O Shrinivasa, this place, where Krishna's birth ceremony was performed according to tradition, is the abode of the greatest happiness. All the elderly gopis would sing auspicious songs in great happiness here for the well-being of Krishna. Nanda Maharaja and other cowherd men would sit here and discuss various topics. After numerous disturbances occurred here, however, they all decided to shift to Vrindavana."
Raghava then pointed out the path by which the cowherd men from Gokula and Ravala used to go to Vrindavana. During their journey they had great fun crossing the Yamuna near Bhandiravana. In Sakarauli-grama they collected the cows and calves and brought them together.
O Shrinivasa see Ravala, the village where Vrishabhanu used to live happily. Shri Radhika appeared here, and by Her auspicious appearance the whole world was filled with joy.
In the Vraja-vilasa-stava there is the following prayer: "May I be filled with love for Ravala in Vrishabhanupura. The precious gem, Shri Radha, appeared there in the mine of Kirtida's womb, which is praised by the demigods, rishis, and human beings."
Who can understand the great joy in Vrishabhanu's house when Radhika appeared from the womb of Kirtida. Shri Radha's effulgent form illuminated the ten directions. Whoever sees Radha once is freed from the threefold miseries. Her body is extremely soft and Her complexion is like molten gold. Alas! How is it possible to describe the exquisite movements of Her limbs? Seeing Her beauty Her parents could not control their excitement and repeatedly looked at Her moonlike face. All the elderly gopis sang auspicious songs, and the entire universe was filled with the sound of "Jaya! Jaya!" The sounds of various instruments enchanted all, and they began dancing as they exclaimed, "Very good!" Turmeric, yogurt, and milk was scattered in the courtyard for the occasion, and the cowherd men laughed and made others laugh with their gestures. The brahmanas and the singers were offered valuable gifts and Ghanashyama [another name of Narahari Cakravarti who has written this song], although seeing this scene is unable to relish its happiness.
Seeing Radha's beauty on the occasion of Her appearance, Her parents became agitated in love and were unable to take their minds away from Her. They gave various gifts in charity for the auspiciousness of their daughter. Who can describe that scene? Only the fortunate souls can see this. Shri Radha would wander around with many other girls, and Her mother felt joyful watching Her. Vrishabhanu with his associates would sit at one place and, like this, there is no limit to the fun in Ravala.
O Shrinivasa, after coming from Gokula, Gaurachandra and His associates stayed here for sometime. He became overwhelmed with ecstatic love when He saw Ravala. What to speak of others, even Ananta Shesha cannot describe His feelings of love. People came running from all directions chanting the name of Hari and exclaiming, "O brother, see this jewel amongst sannyasis!" Everyone became maddened drinking the nectar of the Lord's moonlike face. Being greatly happy, they spoke to one another, "I have concluded that He is definitely Krishna. By His own will He is wandering throughout Vraja in this form." Someone else said, "By seeing this golden complexioned form of the Lord, I am unable to speak although I wish to."
After speaking in this way, by Lord Chaitanya's mercy the people became agitated in love and tears flowed from their eyes. After manifesting His transcendental pastimes here, the Lord along with the Sanodiya brahmana went on to Mathura. O Shrinivasa, this place, where Radhika performed Her enchanting childhood pastimes, is most secluded.
Discussing in this way they passed the night in Ravala enjoying the nectarean glories of Lord Krishna. Who can describe the ecstatic feelings of love Shri Raghava Pandita, Shrinivasa, and Narottama experienced? Whoever hears this story attentively will attain the lotus feet of Shri Radha-Krishna and Shri Chaitanya.
In the morning they crossed the Yamuna River and entered Mathura. There they saw the residence of Vasudeva, Ugrasena, and Kamsa, where Kamsa had snatched the daughter of Yashoda. He had attempted to kill the daughter in the prison cell where Vasudeva had been imprisoned. They saw a place where Vasudeva had passed urine on a stone, the path by which Vasudeva carried Krishna towards Gokula, and the way he had returned after keeping Krishna safely in Gokula. After showing Shrinivasa and Narottama these different places, Raghava explained them in detail.
