Bhajan Kutir of Sri Rupa Gosvami – This is the place where Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu was written. This beautiful book is the topmost literature on the science of devotional service and is translated into English by Srila Prabhupada under the name Nectar of Devotion.

Ter Kadamba – this is a very important place in Vraja Mandala. This is near Nanda Grama. Anybody in the village will tell about the location of Ter-kadamba. On the day of Gopashtami, Mother Yashoda first sent Krishna to herd-grazing. She dressed Him as a prince with jeweled ornaments, beautiful turban and silken clothes. When the friends of Krishna saw Him, they started making fun of Him. They said, “Look at Him. He has come dressed, as though He has come to take care of the kingdom. He has simply come to get the calves grazed but in the dress of a King? Remove His ornaments and clothes. Let us dress Him like a perfect cowherd boy.” They then removed the gorgeous dresses and ornaments of Krishna and while making fun of Him started to dress Him with the flowers available there. They would gather varieties of colorful flowers and then adorn them on Krishna. Relishing this act of His friends, Krishna also planned to make fun of them. He saw a lake here which is called as Shyam Talaiya. Through his potency, He covered that lake with small small green floating leaves. And then pointing out towards the other side of the lake, He told His friends, “O! My dear gopas, look on that side. Many flowers are blooming there. Why don’t you all pluck them and bring to adorn on me?” Listening to Krishna’s words, all the gopas started running towards the other side not knowing they have to cross a lake in between to reach them. As they neared the lake, not noticing it, they all started falling into it, thus giving pleasure to Krishna. Ter in Vraja means ‘call’. Many Kadamba trees grow at this beautiful spot. Hence it is called as Ter Kadamba. Krishna used to put ter three times a day here.

Everyday morning after getting ready and breakfast, Krishna used to get the calves to this place for grazing. At that time, mother Yashoda used to tie lunch in a cloth and give it to Krishna. She would then send Him early with a heavy heart. Krishna when He used to come here, He would not find any gopas. So, He would climb on the Kadamba tree and call (first ter of the day) all His friends. O! Sudama, Subala, Mansukha, Dhansukha, Madhu, come soon. I am waiting for all of you to play. Please don’t delay. Hearing the ter of Krishna, all the gopas would start worrying and start walking towards ter-kadama, thinking that Krishna will be alone and will not get any pleasure without our company. Let us go and play with Him. They used to come running on Krishna’s call. After coming here, they used to tie their lunch on the branches of the trees there. Since the lunch of all the gopas would be tied on the branches that tree, the tree got bent and moreover they could easily reach out the tree if it was low in height since all of them were still very young. This tree is still lowered today. All throughout the day, Krishna would play with His friends here. While Krishna would play here, the hearts of gopis in Nandagaon would cry in the separation of Krishna. Mother Yashoda used to be so worried, so and so that she would climb to the terrace to see if the boys are fine. This she would do several times in the day and wait anxiously for the boys.

As the lunch time approached, all the boys would start feeling hungry and they all used to looked towards the Lord, Lord understanding Their hearts, would sit in the middle of all the gopas. It used to appear as though a bumblebee is sitting in the middle of the lotus flowers. All used to then open their lunch-cloths and give everything to Krishna. Sandesh, rasagullas, laddus, mithais, and other delicious varieties for the pleasure of the Lord could only fill the half belly of the Lord. His hunger was not satisfied and He was still hankering for more food. Looking at the worry of Krishna, one friend spoke, ”Krishna, we know that your belly will not be filled unless you eat the stolen butter from the gopis house.” Another said,” This place is so far, how can we get it for you?” Krishna was also feeling separation from gopis. When He was young, everyday He would go to Their houses and steal butter. This would transcendental pleasure to the gopis and they would get a chance of seeing Krishna into Their houses. Since Krishna now goes to forest, they were also feeling separation from Krishna, waiting for Him to come to His house. This actually did not feel the stomach of the supreme Lord.

Krishna then decided to call those gopis to Ter Kadamba to get butter for Him. He got onto the tree and played the sweet music of His transcendental flute, which maddened the gopis and immediately rushed to the Supreme Personality of Godhead with the butter and other more food stuff. That was the second ter of the day. The gopis would then satisfy the hunger of the Lord completely. After the lunch, Lord would again start playing at this transcendental place now also with gopis.

For the whole day Krishna would play here. As the evening approached, all the gopas would start worrying to get home. They were all worried because mother Yashoda would be waiting for them with anxiety. All the gopas considered mother Yashoda as their own mother and even she also considered them all like her own son. But in the course of the day their calves would have gone far and far while grazing. It was very difficult to gather them all since there were more than lakhs of them. They obviously used to look at Krishna’s face which would remove all anxiety and all worries. Krishna again understanding the minds of His friends would get onto the tree and start playing His flute. The sound of Krishna’s flute would go beyond the coverings of the material universe. It used to mesmerize even the residents of the heavenly planets and would break the meditation of Lord Shiva. This was the third ter for the day. He then asked His friends to close their eyes and got all the cows and calves at that place. The Supreme Lord can do anything because He is the Supreme mystic also. They all then used to start walking towards Their homes. Looking at the dust raised by walking, mother Yashoda’s jubilance knew no bounds. She would rush down, asking all the gopis to keep everything ready for the boys. She would instruct all the gopis, to keep food items ready for the boys since they would all be tired by playing.

When all the residents saw Krishna return, They would get their lives back. Such was their love for the Supreme Lord. Even a moment without Krishna’s presence seemed like yugas for them.

Sometimes during the night Krishna used to come at this place and also play His flute which would attract the gopis to come and meet Him.

This place is very very transcendental since so many beautiful pastimes occurred at this place.

Srila Rupa Gosvami’s Bhajan Kutir is situated here. Once Santana Gosvami decided to visit Rupa Gosvami to discuss Bhagavat-katha with him. He came to his kutir and started discussing about the glories of the Supreme Lord. After their discussion, Rupa Gosvami wanted to offer something to Sanatana gosvami for eating. Just few days back only he had been for madhukari to the village and thus going there would again be time consuming. Rupa Gosvami is an eternal servant of Srimati Radharani. Getting to know about his intentions, Radharani felt, this devotee does so much service for me, today let me do service to him. She disguised herself as the daughter of one Vrajavasi and took milk and rice with her to Rupa Gosvami. She said to him, “Baba, our cow is milked for the first time, hence my mother told to give you this. Please accept it.” The latter on receiving told her that what he would do with just rice and the milk. He did not have any vessels to cook them. He then requested her to make khir at her home itself and get. Being pleased by further request by her dear devotee, she got into the forest and prepared khir for him. She returned with hot khir, gave it to them and left. After receiving the khir, Rupa Gosvami offered that to Krishna and His friends. Since the khir was hot, Krishna could not hold it in His hands. He took the Kadamba leaf, made it like cup and distributed to all of His friends.

After offering the khir to Krishna, Srila Rupa Gosvami and Srila Sanatana Gosvami started honoring that. As they ate, that khir, immediately they started feeling love of Godhead into them. All symptoms of ecstasy started to manifest into their bodies. They started crying. Sanatana Gosvami said, “Dear Rupa, who has prepared this khir? It is making me go mad behind the Supreme Lord. Certainly this transcendental taste cannot come if it is prepared by any another personality. Surely this khir is prepared by Srimati Radharani herself.” Listening to this Srila Rupa Gosvami said that “No, it was given to me by a vrajavasi girl and I know her also.” They then ran to the house of that Vrajavasi girl to confirm. To their amusement they both found that she was married one year ago and now was in her mother-in-law’s house. Hearing both the brothers started crying more and more since they accepted service from Srimati Radharani. Looking at them, Vrajavasi mataji told them not to worry since it was the land of Krishna and Srimati Radharani and They would take care of devotees so nicely.

Such are the pastimes of this place. Even today, if you visit this place, you will be first given a cup of khir. I have not read this pastime in any book. One devotee there narrated this pastime on my request. It took 45 mins to narrate this pastime. And I was just amazed by hearing this. Sometimes even tears came to my eyes when I heard this narration of the Lord’s pastimes. Since this pastime was not available to devotees except those who visit there, I thought of jolting it down for the pleasure of devotees.

Next time if you go to Nandagaon, surely don’t miss this place. It is a very potent place. I would suggest, please take Nectar of Devotion and read it out there. Spend atleast 1-2 hrs here. It is really worthwhile.

Ashleshvara Kunda – This place is near ter Kadamba. This kunda is very beautiful. This is the place where Parjanya Maharaja, father of Nanda Maharaja would take bath everyday and worship Sri Ashleshvara Mahadeva on the banks of this kunda, to beget a son in His dynasty who was equivalent to Vishnu Himself.

This was my next visit for the day. This place is Vrinda-kunda. Every devotee once visited would like to return to this place again and again. Such wonderful place is this. This place is in its natural glory and thus is very captivating to the heart. At this place, the Lord performs His pastimes eternally. And it is here that Srimati Vrinda-devi choreographs the pastimes of the Lord. She has a parrot named Daksha, who in turn has on lakh disciples, who work all through out and give information about the whereabouts of Radha and Krishna to Vrinda-devi so that she can plan out the pastimes for the Lord. She sets the entire environment and arranges the things for the pleasure of the Lord. Although I have been many times before to this place, but this visit was little special. I spent two hours here chanting my rounds amidst the chirping of the parrots, cuckoos, and many other birds. Cool breeze through the leaves added to the transcendental sounds. It was so nice. I laid down under that tree on the green grass bed, to take rest for awhile. We also attended the arati of Vrinda-devi and sang Sri Vrinda-ashtakam. And frankly speaking the maha-prasadam in this place was just out of the world. We had sweet and crispy pakoras, rice, dhal, chapathis soaked in ghee, curds, puris, kachauris and khir. Just wonderful. Devotees who visit this place can also call up Sri Bhagavath Prasad prabhu at 09997225997 if at all they need to arrange prasadam for more than 3-4 people.

Parrot at Vrinda Kunda.

Gupt Kunda – A very important place again. Kundalata Sakhi, Krishna’s babhi, gets Srimati Radharani in secret to meet Krishna hence this place is called as Gupt Kunda. Gupt means secret. It is the place of eternal pastimes of Their Lordships.

As described above Krishna’s flute was so mesmerizing that it could even penetrate through the coverings of the universe. Once Krishna was playing His flute to call all His calves. He was very young at that time, a seven years old boy. By the sound of flute even the stones melted in ecstasy. Certainly the rock on which Krishna stood, melted and got imprinted with His lotus feet and the cowherd stick. This is charan pahari which is on the opposite side of the road of Vrinda-kunda.

Pavana Sarovara – Krishna used to take bath here. When He was young, mother Yashoda would get Him here for a bath. On the banks of this kunda, Radharani would cook for Krishna. Radharani had a benediction from a sage that whoever ate her cooked food would not never fall ill. Mother Yashoda knew about this and would get her to cook food.

Prem Sarovara – this is in between Barsana and Nandagaon. Here Radha and Krishna cried in separation from each other. Their tears and perspiration created kunda.

Bhajan Kutir of Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami at Sanket Vana. This is also in between Barsana and Nanda-gaon.

Mansi Ganga –Nanda Maharaja and mother Yashoda wanted to take bath in the holy waters of mother Ganga. Krishna questioned the need for them to travel so far. So he brought Ganga-devi here just by remembering her. This kunda is almost filled submerging the temple itself. It is here that the face of Govardhana is situated. There is an imprint of Krishna’s crown on one of the shilas in the mukharavinda temple here. All glories to Sri Govardhana and the Lord who lifted him.

Sankarshana Kunda – I don’t know the pastime of this beautiful pond which is over-flowing with water.

Sporting in the waters of Sankarshana Kunda.

Kusum Sarovara – Srimati Radharani with her friends would visit this place in order to collect flowers. Her intention was to actually meet Sri Krishna. Many other beautiful pastimes ocurred at this beautiful kunda.

Sri Govardhana – The form of Krishna which He Himself lifted.

Cows at Govardhana. I generally take inner parikrama marg for circumambulating the sacred hill since it has less of concrete road and one can always keep saying Govardhana on the right side while performing the parikrama. There are also many pastime places in the inner parikrama marg.

Peacock on the Govardhana Hill – it is a very unusual shot on Govardhana. Always had a desire to shoot such scene on Gaovardhana since never seen Govardhana with a dancing peacock, I mean in the photo. It is a very special photo for me.

Govinda Kunda – this is the place where Indra performed the abhisheka ceremony of the Lord with the milk of Surabhi. Here Krishna was named as Govinda. Sri Vajranabha established this Kunda in the memory of this pastime.

This is the end of my trip to Sri Vraja – the holy land of Krishna.

My prayers unto the lotus feet of Srila Prabhupada and Srimati Radharani to always keep me engaged in Their service and keep awarding me the opportunities to visit Sri Dham Vrindavana.

Let us all remember again that our all credit and gratitude goes to Srila Prabhupada alone who showed this Vrindavana Dham to us and revealed the glories to this transcendental place. And we should try to show our gratitude to him by doing something for this movement and mission of Srila Prabhupada.

All glories and glories to his lotus feet. All glories to Sankirtana movement. All glories to the mission of Srila Prabhupada – our beloved Spiritual master.

Y/s
Aishwarya Kumar