Shri Radha Kunda & Shri Syama Kunda Parikrama – Part I
Please note, this is one of my old videos. For complete information watch the video at the bottom of the page.
The Appearance of Sri Radhakunda & Sri Syamakunda
Radha-kunda appeared after Lord Krishna killed the demon Aristasura. The previous name of Aristasura was Dvija Sattama Varatantu. He studied under guru Brhaspati. One day while studying he was sitting in front of his guru with spread-out legs, and when his guru saw this he angrily said: “O fool! You’re sitting in front of me like a bull, so become a bull!” According to this curse Varatantu became a demoniac bull in the company of other demons.
One day this Aristasura entered in between the cows and cowherd boys while they were performing the pastime of cowherding, assuming the form of a bull. Hearing his cruel cries the cowherd boys and girls fearfully cried out: “Krsna! Krsna! Save us!” Sri Krsna then consoled them, saying: “Don’t be afraid!” This demon began to run up to Sri Krsna in great anger, but Sri Krsna caught him by the ends of his horns, whirled him around and threw him on the ground. Then He pulled out the bull’s horns and killed him with them. In this way the bull died at the hands of Sri Krsna and attained liberation.
Because Aristasura was in the form of a bull, which is considered to be the symbol of religion, the gopis told him that he had made an offence.
Also Radharani rebuked Krishna, saying that He became impure by killing a bull, the symbol of religion. She suggested that He could get purified by taking bath in the holy rivers of all sacred places.
Rather than travel to all the holy places, the Lord brought all the holy places to that spot. He struck the ground with His heel and immediately all the waters from all holy rivers appeared. This place became known as Syama-kunda. In a competitive mood, the gopis led by Srimati Radharani also created a kunda by digging the earth with their bangles. All the holy rivers then petitioned Srimati Radharani to allow them to enter Her new kunda. Thus Radha-kunda appeared. About 5,000 years later the location of Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda was unknown, then Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to Vrindavana and discovered them. Later, Srila Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami and Srila Jiva Gosvami supervised the expansion and building of the kundas to what they are today.
In the center of Radhakunda of today is small area with the wall around it called Kankanakunda (or Kancankunda). It is the area of the original pond created by gopis with their bracelets.
Radhakunda appeared at 12-th midnight on Bahulastami (the eight day of waning moon in the month of Kartika). In the autumn (October/November) at the appearance day of Radha kunda many thousands of people gather and wait for the midnight. Then they take bath in Radha kunda. It is really ecstatic and exiting event with ghee lamps shining on darkened waters of Radha kunda.
Sri Govinda Ghata
Sri Govinda Ghata is situated on the eastern bank of Sri Radhakunda. When Sri Sanatana took his bath in this Ghata he saw the swing-pastimes of Sri Radha-Govinda and realised the confidential purport of the verse ‘veni vyalangana phana” from Sri Rupa Gosvami’s ‘Catu Puspanjali’.
One day Sanatana Gosvami came to Radha-kunda to meet Sri Rupa and Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami. Upon his arrival they both got up to greet him and after respectfully seating him, they immersed themselves in discussion of the nectarean pastimes of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna. At that time Srila Rupa Gosvami was composing some hymns in praise of Srimati Radharani, collectively known as “Catu Puspanjali”. Sanatan Gosvami, while reading these, came across one verse:
nava-gorocana-gauri pravarendrivarambaram
mani-stavaka-vidyoti-veni-vyalangana-phanam
Here “veni vyalangana phanam” means that the braids of Radharani’s hair appeared very beautiful like the hoods of a snake. Sanatana Gosvami reflected, “Is that a proper comparison ‘like the hood of a poisonous snake’?”
At noon Sri Sanatana Gosvami came to the banks of Radha-kunda, and after offering prayers there, he began to take his bath. Then, on the opposite bank of the kunda, he noticed some cowherd girls playing under the shade of a large tree. As he watched them from the distance, it appeared that a black snake, hanging from the tree, was about to wrap itself around the neck and shoulders of one of those cowherd girls. Sensing some danger he called out to her, “Ohe Lali! Look out! There is a snake just behind you!” But the girls were absorbed in their play and didn’t take notice of him. So he immediately took off running to save them from the impending danger. Seeing him approaching them, Srimati Radharani and Her friends began to laugh. Then they disappeared. Sanatana was completely stunned but then gradually the understanding came to him that Sri Rupa’s comparison was appropriate.
At this Ghata is the bhajana sthali of Swami Haridas Maharaja and the temple of Banka Bihari.