Nandagram – Part I
Please note, this is one of my old videos. For complete information watch the video at the bottom of the page.
When Sri Nanda Maharaja was staying in Mahavan (Gokul) Kamsa sent many demons there to kill Sri Krsna, but none of them were able to hurt Him. Out of great parental love Sri Nanda Maharaja became afraid and brought Sri Krsna here from Mahavan, for His own safety. Because Sri Nanda Maharaja lives here this place is called Sri Nandagrama.
Nanda Maharaja, who was the king of the cowherd men, built his palace known as Nanda Bhavana, on top of the hill known as Nandishwara Parvata and is said to be an expansion of Lord Shiva. Nandishwara is the name of Lord Shiva meaning that Shiva is the Lord of Nandi, the famous bull carrier of Lord Shiva. Once Lord Shiva, after having undergone penance for a very long time, prayed to Krishna to be allowed the opportunity to witness His transcendental pastimes, by taking the form of a hill in Vrindavana. Lord Shiva was hoping that Krishna and the gopis would walk on top of him and he could receive the dust of their lotus feet on his head. Having heard Shiva’s request, Krishna agreed to his proposal and told Lord Shiva to appear as a hill in the vicinity of Nandagrama.
Pavana Sarovara
This lake is located at the bottom of Nandisvara Hill. Mother Yasoda used to bath Lord Krishna here. This is said to be one of Lord Krishna’s favorite lakes. Nanda Maharaja and the male members of the family would take bath here. Krishna would come here after the cows would return from grazing and give the cows a bath and drink this water. Pavana means “something that purifies.”Radharani would come to cook for Krishna every morning On the bank of this kunda. There is a well here from which Srimati Radharani drew water, then She would cook for Krishna.
Because She had received a benediction from Durvasa Muni that whoever ate Her cooking would never become ill, mother Yasoda would always try to arrange that Srimati Radharani would cook for her son.
One day, Nanda Maharaja was planning a pilgrimage to Prayag for bathing in the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati, known as the Triveni Sangama. Not wanting His father to leave Vrindavana, Krishna requested him to go the next day as it would be Akshaya-Tritiya, and an auspicious day for pilgrimage. Waking early the next morning, Nanda came to Pavana sarovara to take his bath after which he was planning to leave for Prayag. When he reached the lake he saw a very black complexioned stranger of large build taking a ritual bath in Pavana sarovara. Not having seen the black complexioned stranger at Nandagrama before, Nanda Baba enquired from him his name, to which the stranger replied that his name was Prayag Raja. Still confused Nanda Baba asked him from which place he had come. Prayag Raja explained that he was the king of ‘tirthas’ and was from Prayag, which was situated at the confluences of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati. He further explained that because all the pilgrims went to Prayag to wash off their sins, he himself was forced to come to Pavana-sarovara to bathe and cleanse himself of all those sins that had been left behind by the pilgrims.
Astonished at what he had just heard, Nanda Baba was completely taken-aback. Prayag Raja then informed Nanda, that because this day was Akshaya-Tritiya, all the holy places of Barata Varsha would assemble at Pavana-sarovara to wash of the sins left behind by pilgrims at their respective tirtha’s. Looking around the banks of Pavana-sarovara, Nanda Baba suddenly noticed so many beautiful looking ladies with blackish complexions coming down to the banks of the lake to take a ritual bath. He than realized that they were the holy rivers like the Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Gandaki, Gomti, Godavari, Tapti, and Kaveri, who were also accompanied by so many other tirthas. Nanda Maharaja was struck with wonder at what he had just seen and heard, and decided there was no value in going to Prayag to take a holy bath, as Prayag Tirtharaja himself was coming to Pavana-sarovara to take his own purifying bath. Nanda Maharaja very humbly returned to his palace full of praise for Pavana-sarovara.
Ter Kadamba
Standing beneath the Ter Kadamba, Shri Krishna would call out to the cows by their respective names. Till date the Goswamis of Nandgram celebrate this utsav on Gopashtami.
Ter Kadamba is a small forest close to Nandagram. It is said that Krishna would sit here and play His flute, attracting the cows. Krishna would take the cows grazing here. It is said that Krishna would sit here and count the cows when they came back from grazing. It is also said that Radharani would walk by this place from Javat, when she would come to cook for Krishna at Pavana Sarovara.
This is the place at Ter Kadamba where Shrila Rupa Gosvami performed his bhajana, remembering Krishna’s sweet pastimes. He also composed many of his treasured books here. Whenever the sentiments of deep separation from Radhika, who is comprised of mahabhava, manifested in his heart, verses of separation would emanate from his mouth. At that time, all the leaves of the kadamb tree here would dry up in the fire of separation, and fall to the ground. And when the meeting of the Divine Couple manifested in his heart, he recited verses of Their meeting, and the kadamb tree would sprout new leaves.
One day, Srila Sanatana Gosvami came to meet with Rupa Gosvami. Rupa Gosvami desired to offer some sweet rice to Sanatana Gosvami, but he had no ingredients in his bhajana Kutir to prepare it. Sri Radha Thakurani, who is always eager to fulfil the desire of Her pure devotee, understood the will of Rupa to serve Sanatana, and so She went to the bhajana kutir of Rupa Gosvami dressed as a simple village girl, with rice, sugar, and milk. She said to Rupa, “O Gosvamiji! What kind of bhajana are you doing the whole day in your kutir? Why have you not gone for collecting your madhukari? Never mind! I have brought some ingredients for you to make sweet rice.”
Rupa Gosvami had been wondering how he would make the sweet rice. Radha Thakurani said, “If you like, I can prepare sweet rice very soon,” and within no time at all She had prepared a very delicious sweet rice. The whole kutir filled with the nice smell of that sweet rice. As soon as the cooking was finished, Sri Radhika immediately disappeared from there. When Rupa Gosvami came back, he saw that the girl had gone and he was somewhat surprised. He offered that sweet rice to Lord Govinda, and then served Sanatana Gosvami.
Immediately Sanatana Gosvami experienced ecstasy and lost himself in the transcendental taste of the ambrosial preparation. He said to Rupa Gosvami, “Who has prepared such tasty sweet rice?” Rupa explained in detail about the cowherd girl who had brought all the ingredients, and who had cooked the rice herself. Sanatana Gosvami immediately understood that no one could cook such tasty sweet rice except his most worshipable Srimati Radha Thakurani. He thought to himself, “It is not proper that Sri Radharani comes to cook for Rupa.” Then he warned Srila Rupa that he should never do like this again. “Whatever work you might have you must go out for madhukari and collect your own food. Because you did not do this, Srimati Radharani come to you. It is not proper that Radha Thakurani, who is so tender, must walk all the way here and serve you!”