Mathura-mandala Parikrama, Part 23
BY: SUN STAFF
Akrura Drives Krishna and Balarama to Mathura
Rajasthan, c. 1570
Oct 03, 2011 — CANADA (SUN) — By Srila Narahari Chakravarti Thakur.
Shri Govindadeva and His Worship
Vrajendra's son Himself, in the form of the Deity, Shri Govindadeva, performed His pastimes in various ways according to His own desires. Worldly persons see Him as an idol, but His devotees see Him as Govinda Himself. Although as a Deity He has accepted silence, He nevertheless bestows waves of transcendental mellows upon His associates. In Vrindavana He enjoys Himself with His beloved gopis within the karnika of an eight-petaled lotus. [karnika means the seed-pod of the lotus].
In the Atharva Veda, Gopala-tapani Govinda is described: "The dark complexioned, yellow-robed, two-armed Govindadeva, His head adorned with a peacock comb, holds a flute and stick in His hands. He is nirguna [without material attributes], but simultaneously saguna [endowed with transcendental attributes]. He is nirakara [without material form], but simultaneously sakara [possessing a spiritual form of eternity, bliss, and knowledge]. He is niriha [without material activities], but simultaneously saceshta [engaged in transcendental pastimes]. In Gokula, within Mathura-mandala, is Vrindavana, where Govinda stands in the center of a thousand-petaled lotus, which has sixteen clustered petals around Him with eight clustered kesara [pollen tube]. On either side stands Radha and Candravali."
The Sanmohana Tantravakya states: "I eternally bow to the feet of Shrimati Radharani, the Goddess of the Yogapitha, who with Her wonderful gestures and postures stands alongside Govinda."
The Yogapitha in Vrindavana is supremely wonderful. Govinda's beauty is astonishing at this place.
In the Padma Purana, Vrindavana Mahatmya, Parvati asks Lord Shiva, "O ocean of mercy, please describe the extraordinary nectarean beauty of Govinda. I want to hear of it."
Lord Mahadeva answers, "There is a place in the center of Vrindavana which is decorated with mandara trees. The branches and leaves of those trees cover one yojana. This place is the abode of happiness. Bumblebees hum there being maddened by the sweet scent of the flowers. The eternal place of Govinda is that Siddhapitha, which is covered by seven veils. It is glorified eternally by the shrutis, the personified Vedas. At that place is a jewel-studded golden pavilion. Within the center of the golden pavilion, the bright and beautiful Yogapitha is situated. This octagonal pitha is lusterous and enchanting. A golden throne bedecked with bright jewels is situated there. On the throne is an eight-petaled lotus. The middle of this lotus is the favorite place of Shri Govindadeva. How can I sufficiently glorify this place? I pray to Govinda, who remains within the center of that lotus, who is always served by the gopis, and is very sweet due to His blooming youth. He is the Lord of Vrindavana, Gokulapati, and He expands His opulence unlimitedly. Lord Govinda is young and beautiful, the dearmost associate of the maidens of Vraja."
The Lord of Vrindavana, Shri Govindadeva, who is the abode of transcendental love, eternally enjoys with Radharani on that simhasana. The eight-sided Yogapitha is surrounded by natural beauty, and the jeweled simhasana situated there is beyond compare.
Within the karnika [seed-pod] of the lotus, Shri Krishna performs His maha-lila. What can be said about the maha-lila? Krishna, the eternal master of Vrindavana assumed His form as a cowherd on that mountain of maha-lila-rasa. The charming third petal of the lotus is the brightest and best amongst all desirable objects.
In the Varaha-tantra it is said: "That karnika is the favorite place of Lord Govindadeva. What can I say of its glories? I offer my obeisances to Govindadeva, who is very dear to the gopis and who is splendidly beautiful with His youthful age and charming gait. He always increases the love of the gopis and although He is the Lord of Gokula, He carefully hides His Lordly opulences there."
Also in the Varaha-tantra, Prithivi inquires about the real identity of Krishna who is the cause of all causes, the absolute entity, the everlasting master of Vrindavana, and the source of nirguna Brahma. He is known as Govinda.
Lord Varaha replied, "I offer My obeisances to Govinda, who sits on a golden throne with Radha and is most beautifully bedecked in divine ornaments. He is very soft and is the cynosure of the gopis' eyes as He stands in His threefold bending posture. Within this Yogapitha with its golden throne, reside Lord Krishna's divinely dressed beloveds such as His main prakritis headed by Lalita and His original prakriti, Shri Radhika. Lalitadevi is in front, Shyamala is positioned in the northwest, Shri Madhumati in the north, Dhanya in the northeast, Krishna's beloved Vishakha in the east, Shaibya in the southeast, Padma in the south, and Bhadra in the southwest. In the corner stands the beautiful Candravali. These eight main prakritis are the dearest of Krishna, but Radha is the Supreme Goddess, the sum prakriti of Krishna. Citravesha, Vrinda, Candra, Madana Sundari, Supriya, Madhumati, Shashirekha, and Hari Priya are also there, surrounding the Yogapitha. Vrindavaneshvari, Radha, is the head of all sixteen prakritis. Lalita is also as dear to Krishna as Radha."
In the Gautamiya-tantra a devotee prays: "I offer my prayers to Lord Krishna, who sits on a jeweled simhasana on top of a golden pavilion surrounded by kalpa-vrikshas [desire trees]."
Shri Raghava Pandita said the whole world becomes mad by the beauty of Govindadeva. Whoever sees Him even once becomes stunned and forgets everything else.
Shrila Rupa Gosvami writes in the Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu: "My dear friends, if you still have any desire to enjoy the company of your friends within this material world, then don't look upon the form of Krishna, who is standing on the bank of Keshi-ghata. He is known as Govinda, and His eyes are very enchanting. He is playing upon His flute, and on His head there is a peacock feather. And His whole body is illuminated by the moonlight in the sky."
Shri Govindadeva has an eternal form of full knowledge and bliss. His form with two arms is so enchanting that everyones' heart is attracted.
In the Gopala-tapani it is stated: "A man can free himself from worldly entanglement if he meditates on Krishna within his heart. Krishna is worshiped by the sweet cool breezes created by the waves of the Yamuna. He is situated in the center of a jewelled lotus and is adorned with divine ornaments as He stands at the base of a kalpa-vriksha surrounded by cows and gopis. Dressed in clothes as bright as lightning, the two-armed Vanamali [one who wears a garland of forest flowers], who has beautiful lotus eyes and complexion like a dark rain cloud, is the master of everything."
"O Shrinivasa, who would not offer respects at the feet of Shri Govinda, Gopinatha, and Madana-mohana in Vrindavana? The lotus feet of these three Deities are the life and soul of everyone in Vrindavana. Madana-gopala has become famous in this world as Madana-mohana."
Shri Parvati asked Mahadeva to explain the glories and transcendental nature of Govindadeva. Shri Mahadeva said, "Gopala Himself is Govinda, and He eternally performs prakata [manifest] and aprakata [unmanifest] pastimes. He exists eternally at Yogapitha in Vrindavana and is the only Lord of Vrindavana throughout the four yugas. He is worshiped by Nanda and the cowherd men in vatsalya-rasa. Even Krishna Himself is overwhelmed by attraction and glorifies His own sweet form as Govinda. He stole the garments of the gopis and thus fulfilled the goal of their vows. He is the abode of spiritual bliss, and He always resides in Vrindavana in the form of a blooming youth. He is the life and soul of Shri Radhika. His mouth is reddened by betel leaf."
There is a kunda called Brahma-kunda which is full of swans and lotuses and adorned on all sides by jewels. On the south there is a jewelled pavilion surrounded by mandara trees. That topmost place, Yogapitha, is situated in the center of that pavilion. In that place Krishna is fully enchanted by the love of the proudly smiling Shri Radhika, Vrindavaneshvari, and is completely under Her control.
