Mathura – Part 2
Please note, this is one of my old videos. For complete information watch the video at the bottom of the page.
The Prachin-Janmasthana is also known as ‘Kamsa Kara-garh’, which means Kamsa’s ‘prison-cell’. The Prachin-Janmasthana is situated in the area known as Mallapura where the wrestlers employed by Kamsa, including Chanura and Mushtaka, used to live. The wrestlers, w
ho were part of the royal bodyguard, were given the responsibility to guard Vasudeva and Devaki during their period of imprisonment.
The Chaitanya-charitamrita says the Lord Chaitanya also visited Krishna’s birthplace before going for darshana of Lord Keshavadeva. The Bhakti-ratnakara also mentions that Raghava Pandita, Srinivasa Pandita and Narottama Dasa also visited the room where Krishna was born during their parikrama of Mathura. It is interesting to note that the site presently advertised as the Janmasthana lying at the rear of the Keshava Mandira did not exist at this time. Historical records show that from around the year 1951, when the land containing the ruins of the ancient Keshava Mandira was acquired by the Keshava Mandira Trust for building a new temple, a room in an old basement next to the wall of the mosque was advertised as being the actual site of the Janmasthana where Krishna was born. Previous to this, the Prachin-Janmasthana was the place recognized by everyone as Krishna’s birthplace. Gaudiya scholars have concluded that the new ‘Janmasthana site’ behind the recently-built Keshava Mandira should be seen as a smriti-sthala (place of remembrance), while the Prachin Janmasthana should be recognized as the actual site of Lord Krishna’s birth.
Potra-kunda
After Lord Krishna’s birth in the prison cell of Kamsa, it is said that mother Devaki came to Potra-kunda to bathe and wash clothing. It is said that while filled with ecstatic love, Devaki happily washed Krishna’s baby-linen, hence the name ‘potra’, which is derived from the word ‘putra’ which means ‘son’. Some say the kunda was formerly known as Pavitra-kunda but was later changed to Potra-kunda.
KeshLordavadeva Mandira
As Vasudeva was placing the infant in a cradle and was about to depart, goddess Yogamaya was born in Vraja from Nanda’s wife. Goddess Yogamya put all the guards to sleep, unfastened the shackles and locks, and opened all the doors.
When, his head decorated with Shri Krishna, Vasudeva left, the darkness became at once destroyed, as if the sun had suddenly risen. As the clouds in the sky rained, thousand—headed Ananta Shesha, His great hoods giving protection from the torrents of rain, followed Vasudeva.
Filled with great waves and whirlpools and (its shores) filled with lions, snakes, and other wild creatures, the Yamuna, the best of rivers, gave a path to Vasudeva.
Entering Nanda’s Vraja, he placed the sleeping infant on Yashoda’s bed and glanced at Yogamaya. Picking up the infant Yogamaya, Vasudeva left the house, crossed the Yamuna, entered his prison cell, and became as he had been before.
Not knowing whether a son or daughter had been born, exhausted Yashoda-gopi slept in bed with a sleep of bliss.
Hearing the sounds of an infant, the guards went to the royal palace and told the warrior Kamsa. Overcome with fear, Kamsa rushed to the maternity room. Weeping like the most wretched person, the chaste sister (Devaki) spoke to her brother (Kamsa).
Shri Devaki said: “Now that my sons are dead, please give me this one daughter. O brother, it is not right for you to kill a girl. You are kind to they who are miserable. I am your younger sister. You killed my sons and threw me in a prison cell. O noble one, please give this beautiful daughter to me”. Bewildered, and her face covered with tears, Devaki pleased and tried to hold the child in her lap. The demon Kamsa rebuked her and grabbed the child.
Then the sinful demon Kamsa, the lowest of the Yadavas, his friends all demons, holding his sister’s daughter by her feet, threw her against a stone slab.
Form Kamsa’s hand the girl flew into the sky and entered a splendid hundred-petal-lotus chariot pulled by a thousand horses. He saw her standing on a splendid chariot with moving camaras. Then Goddess Yogamaya, served by many attendants, her glorious form splendid as a hundred suns, her eight arms holding weapons, and her voice like thunder, spoke to Kamsa.
Shri Yogamaya said: Lord Shri Krishna, the original Supreme Personality of Godhead, is already born. Where is He born? He will kill you. You torture this poor girl in vain.
After saying this, the goddess went to the Vindhya hills. There goddess Yogamaya assumed many names.