Radha Kunda
Glories
of Radha Kunda Appearance
of Radha Kunda in the Material World
Lord Chaitanya Rediscovers Radha and Syama Kundas
Raghunatha dasa Goswami Excavates Radha and Syama Kundas
Bathing at the Kundas Goswami
Temples at Radha Kunda
Ma Janava's Sitting Place Raghunatha
dasa Goswami's Samadhi
Krishna dasa Kaviraja's Bhajan Kutira
Panca Pandava Ghat
Srila Bhaktivinode Thakur's Bhajan Kutira
The Sangam
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's Sitting Place
Giriraja Maharaja Mandir and Caran Cinha
When the inhabitants of Vrindavana heard that Krishna had killed the terrible
Aristasura demon (who appeared in the shape of a bull) they all rushed to the
spot in a jubilant mood. Srimati Radharani and Her girlfriends also arrived at
the scene and upon hearing that Krishna had killed a bull, became very upset and
refused to associate with Him. Krishna pleaded with Radharani that since
Aristasura was actually a demon in the disguise of a bull, there was no sin in
killing him. Radharani informed Her beloved Syamasundara that in order to purify
Himself from cow-killing, He would have to take His bath in all the holy places
of the universe and then only would She associate with Him again. Krishna agreed
to Radharani’s proposal, but instead of taking the trouble of traveling to all
the holy places in the universe to take bath, Krishna informed Her that He would
instead call all the holy places in the universe to Vrindavana.
Striking
His heel into the ground, Krishna made a very large impression and then called
all the holy places of the universe to pour their sacred waters in to the
newly-made kunda.
One
by one all the holy places arrived in their personified forms. Offering their
prayers to Krishna they all poured their waters into the kunda and filled it up. Just to please Radharani, Krishna took His
bath in the newly formed kunda that
then became celebrated as Syama-kunda.
Exhibiting
transcendental arrogance in having created such a beautiful pond, filled with
the sacred waters of all the holy places in the universe, Krishna began teasing
Radharani and the gopis. He said that
because they were only simple village girls they must have never performed any
religious duties in this world for the pleasure of the demigods. Krishna also
informed them that because they sided with the demon Aristasura, in the form of
a bull, they would have to share the sin of cow-killing, and must also take bath
to purify themselves.
Feeling
the pinch of Krishna’s joking words, Radharani suddenly exhibited Her
transcendental anger and seeing a deep impression of Aristasura’s hoof print
nearby, broke one of Her bangles and using it as a digging instrument, started
to dig in the soft earth. Upon seeing this, the gopis also broke their bangles and started digging. Within a short
time a large kunda had been created
right next to Syama-kunda.
Krishna
was amazed to see the large pond that Radharani and the gopis had created and made an offer to Radharani that the sacred
waters from His kunda could also fill
Hers. Radharani flatly refused Krishna’s offer, saying that the waters of Syama-kunda
were now contaminated due to the sin of cow-killing. She further said that Her
many girlfriends would form a line and bring pure waters of the Manasi-ganga in
golden pots to fill her kunda.
Upon
hearing the words of Srimati Radharani, the holy places personified approached
Her with folded hands and while chanting beautiful prayers in glorification,
humbly asked Her to grant them a boon. Radharani inquired what kind of boon they
desired. The holy places personified informed Her that their lives could only be
successful if they were allowed to pour their sacred waters into Her kunda
also. Being ever compassionate to all those who sincerely approach Her,
Radharani while glancing at Syamasundara through the corners of Her eyes,
happily agreed to their proposal. In a joyous mood the holy places personified
forcibly broke through the banks of Syama-kunda
and poured their sacred waters into Radha-kunda.
Krishna
then immediately took bath in Radha-kunda
and declared that henceforth, anyone who with firm faith took a bath on that day
in Radha-kunda, would achieve the same
ecstatic love that Radharani had for Him. Radharani and Her girlfriends then
took bath in Syama-kunda. Radharani
declared that anyone who takes bath in Syama-kunda would achieve the same ecstatic love that Krishna has
for Her.
This
pastime occurred at 11:45 pm on the eighth day of the waning moon in the
auspicious month of Kartika. Each year on this day, thousands of devotees flock
to Radha-kunda for the ardha-ratri-snana
(midnight bath). First they bathe in Syama-kunda
and then again in Radha-kunda. This
festival, held on the appearance day of Radha-kunda
is known as Bahulastami. Radha-kunda
is the only place in the world where a holy bath is taken at midnight.
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