October 23, 2016 Sunday [Mayapura, West Bengal, India time]
Sri Radha Kunda avirbhava – Appearance of Sri Radha Kunda
Subject: Sri Radha Kunda avirbhava – Appearance of Sri Radha Kunda and Beauty of Radhakunda in 1945
compiled by Yasoda Nandana dasa
Srila Prabhupada reveals the glory of Radha Kunda.
vaikuṇṭhāj janito varā madhu-purī tatrāpi rāsotsavād
vṛndāraṇyam udāra-pāṇi-ramaṇāt tatrāpi govardhanaḥ
rādhā-kuṇḍam ihāpi gokula-pateḥ premāmṛtāplāvanāt
kuryād asya virājato giri-taṭe sevāṁ vivekī na kaḥ
SYNONYMS
vaikuṇṭhāt—than Vaikuṇṭha, the spiritual world; janitaḥ—because of birth; varā—better; madhu-purī—the transcendental city known as Mathurā; tatra api—superior to that; rāsa-utsavāt—because of the performance of the rāsa-līlā; vṛndā-araṇyam—the forest of Vṛndāvana; udāra-pāṇi—of Lord Kṛṣṇa; ramaṇāt—because of various kinds of loving pastimes; tatra api—superior to that; govardhanaḥ—Govardhana Hill; rādhā-kuṇḍam—a place called Rādhā-kuṇḍa; iha api—superior to this; gokula-pateḥ—of Kṛṣṇa, the master of Gokula; prema-amṛta—with the nectar of divine love; āplāvanāt—because of being overflooded; kuryāt—would do; asya—of this (Rādhā-kuṇḍa); virājataḥ—situated; giri-taṭe—at the foot of Govardhana Hill; sevām—service; vivekī—who is intelligent; na—not; kaḥ—who.
TRANSLATION
The holy place known as Mathurā is spiritually superior to Vaikuṇṭha, the transcendental world, because the Lord appeared there. Superior to Mathurā-Purī is the transcendental forest of Vṛndāvana because of Kṛṣṇa’s rāsa-līlā pastimes. And superior to the forest of Vṛndāvana is Govardhana Hill, for it was raised by the divine hand of Śrī Kṛṣṇa and was the site of His various loving pastimes. And, above all, the superexcellent Śrī Rādhā-kuṇḍa stands supreme, for it is overflooded with the ambrosial nectarean prema of the Lord of Gokula, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Where, then, is that intelligent Person who is unwilling to serve this divine Rādhā-kuṇḍa, which is situated at the foot of Govardhana Hill?
PURPORT
The spiritual world is three fourths of the total creation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and it is the most exalted region. The spiritual world is naturally superior to the material world; however, Mathurā and the adjoining areas, although appearing in the material world, are considered superior to the spiritual world because the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself appeared at Mathurā. The interior forests of Vṛndāvana are considered superior to Mathurā because of the presence of the twelve forests (dvādaśa-vana), such as Tālavana, Madhuvana and Bahulāvana, which are famous for the various pastimes of the Lord. Thus the interior Vṛndāvana forest is considered superior to Mathurā, but superior to these forests is the divine Govardhana Hill because Kṛṣṇa lifted Govardhana Hill like an umbrella, raising it with His lotuslike beautiful hand to protect His associates, the denizens of Vraja, from the torrential rains sent by the angry Indra, King of the demigods. It is also at Govardhana Hill that Kṛṣṇa tends the cows with His cowherd friends, and there also He had His rendezvous with His most beloved Śrī Rādhā and engaged in loving pastimes with Her. Rādhā-kuṇḍa, at the foot of Govardhana, is superior to all because it is there that love of Kṛṣṇa overflows. Advanced devotees prefer to reside at Rādhā-kuṇḍa because this place is the site of many memories of the eternal loving affairs between Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī (rati-vilāsa).
In Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya-līlā) it is stated that when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu first visited the area of Vrajabhūmi, He could not at first find the location of Rādhā-kuṇḍa. This means that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was actually searching for the exact location of Rādhā-kuṇḍa. Finally He found the holy spot, and there was a small pond there. He took His bath in that small pond and told His devotees that the actual Rādhā-kuṇḍa was situated there. Later the pond was excavated by Lord Caitanya’s devotees, headed first by the six Gosvāmīs, such as Rūpa and Raghunātha dāsa. Presently there is a large lake known as Rādhā-kuṇḍa there. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has given much stress to Rādhā-kuṇḍa because of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s desire to find it. Who, then, would give up Rādhā-kuṇḍa and try to reside elsewhere? No person with transcendental intelligence would do so. The importance of Rādhā-kuṇḍa, however, cannot be realized by other Vaiṣṇava sampradāyas, nor can persons uninterested in the devotional service of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu understand the spiritual importance and divine nature of Rādhā-kuṇḍa. Thus Rādhā-kuṇḍa is mainly worshiped by the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas, the followers of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
(NOI Text 9)
Krishnasyoccaih pranaya-vasatih preyasibhyo ’pi radha
kundam casya munibhir abhitas tadrg eva vyadhayi
yat presthair apy alam asulabham kim punar bhakti-bhajam
tat premedam sakrd api sarah snatur aviskaroti
“Of the many objects of favored delight and of all the lovable damsels of Vrajabhumi, Srimati Radharani is certainly the most treasured object of Krishna’s love. And, in every respect, Her divine kunda is described by great sages as similarly dear to Him. Undoubtedly Radha-kunda is rarely attained even by the great devotees; therefore it is even more difficult for ordinary devotees to attain. If one simply bathes once within those holy waters, one’s pure love of Krishna is fully aroused.” (Srila Rupa Goswami’s “The Nectar of Instruction,” by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, verses 9-11)
SRI RADHAKUNDA-ASTAKAM – Eight Prayers Glorifying Radhakunda, by Raghunatha Dasa Goswami
vṛṣabha-danuja-nāśān narma-dharmokti-rańgairnikhila-nija-sakhībhir yat sva-hastena pūrṇamprakaṭitam api vṛndāraṇya-rājñā pramodaistad ati-surabhi rādhā-kuṇḍam evāśrayo me
“May very fragrant Radhakunda, which, prodded by the gopis’ many joking words after Vrsabhasura’s death, the king of Vrndavana forest happily built and filled with His own hand, be my shelter.”
vraja-bhuvi mura-śatroḥ preyasīnāḿ nikāmairasulabham api tūrṇaḿ prema-kalpa-drumaḿ tamjanayati hṛdi bhūmau snātur uccair priyaḿ yattad ati-surabhi rādhā-kuṇḍam evāśrayo me
“May very dear and fragrant Radhakunda, which for one who bathes in it immediately creates in the land of the heart a desire tree of pure love rare even among the gopi beloveds of Lord Krishna in Vraja, be my shelter.”
agha-ripur api yatnād atra devyāḥ prasāda-prasara-kṛta-katākṣa-prāpti-kāmaḥ prakāmamanusarati yad ucaaiḥ snāna-sevānubandhaistad ati-surabhi rādhā-kuṇḍam evāśrayo me
“May very dear and fragrant Radhakunda, where, yearning to attain the merciful sidelong glance of His queen, Lord Krishna, diligently follows Her bathing attendants, be my shelter.”
vraja-bhuvana-sudhāḿśoḥ prema-bhūmir nikāmaḿvraja-madhura-kiśorī-mauli-ratna-priyevaparicitam api nāmnā yā ca tenaiva tasyāstad ati-surabhi rādhā-kuṇḍam evāśrayo me
“May very fragrant Radhakunda, which is named after a girl who is a realm of love for He who is the moon of Vraja, a girl who is like the most precious jewel in the crown of the sweet girls of Vraja, be my shelter.”
api jana iha kaścid yasya sevā-prasādaiḥpraṇaya-sura-latā syāt tasya goṣṭhendra-sūnoḥsapadi kila mad-īśā-dāsya-puṣpa-praśasyātad ati-surabhi rādhā-kuṇḍam evāśrayo me
“The mercy obtained by serving Radhakunda makes the celestial vine of pure love for the prince of Vraja, which is famous for bearing the flowers of service to my queen, sprout. May that very fragrant Radhakunda be my shelter.”
taṭa-madhura-nikuñjaḥ klpta-nāmāna uccairnija-parijana-vargaiḥ samvibhajyāśritas taiḥmadhukara-ruta-ramyā yasya rājanti kāmyāstad ati-surabhi rādhā-kuṇḍam evāśrayo me
“May very fragrant Radhakunda, on the shores of which are many splendid and charming forest groves filled with the sweet sounds of bumblebees and each named after one of Sri Radha’s friends, be my shelter.”
taṭa-bhuvi vara-vedyāḿ yasya narmāti-hṛdyāḿmadhura-madhura-vārtāḿ goṣṭha-candrasya bhańgyāpraṭhayati mitha īśā prāṇa-sakhyālibhiḥ sātad ati-surabhi rādhā-kuṇḍam evāśrayo me
“May very fragrant Radhakunda, on the shore of which, in a pleasant courtyard Queen Radha and Her friends sweetly joke with Lord Krishna, the moon of Vraja, be my shelter.”
anudinam ati-rańgaiḥ prema-mattāli-sańghairvara-sarasija-gandhair hāri-vāri-prapūrṇeviharata iha yasmin dam-patī tau pramattautad ati-surabhi rādhā-kuṇḍam evāśrayo me
“May very fragrant Radhakunda, where the passionate divine couple daily plays with Their passionate friends in the charming lotus scented water, be my shelter.”
avikalam ati devyāś cāru kuṇḍāṣṭakaḿ yaḥparipaṭhati tadīyollāsi-dāsyārpitātmāaciram iha śarīre darśayaty eva tasmaimadhu-ripur ati-modaiḥ śliṣyamāṇāḿ priyāḿ tām
“To one who is completely dedicated to Queen Radha’s service and who happily reads these eight beautiful verses describing Her lake, even in this present body Lord Krishna shows His beloved as He happily embraces”
This is the back side of the Gopinatha Mandir with Ma Jahnavis sitting place behind the blue fence. Jahnavi was the wife of Lord Nityananda. She resided here at Radha Kund and a sitting and bathing place was built especially for Her. Many of the residents in the area include a circumambulation of this sacred spot in their parikrama (foot journey) around the Kunds.
Another view of Radha Kund from the southeast corner.
Sri Krishna is killing the demon Arishtasura;
Beauty of Radhakund in 1945 ( beautiful!)
