B. Radha-Govinda: From Srila Prabhupada’s “Krishna Book,” Chapter 35, “Kamsa Sends Akrura For Krishna”:
“One demon named Aristasura entered the village like a great bull with a gigantic body and horns, digging up the earth with his hoofs. When the demon entered Vrndavan, it appeared that the whole land trembled, as if there were an earthquake. He roared fiercely and after digging up the earth on the riverside, he entered the village proper. The fearful roaring of the bull was so piercing that some of the pregnant cows and women had miscarriages. Its body was so big, stout and strong that a cloud hovered over its body just as clouds hover over mountains. Aristasura entered Vrndavan with such a fearful appearance that just on seeing this great demon, all the men and women were afflicted with great fear, and the cows and other animals fled the village.
“The situation became very terrible, and all the inhabitants of Vrindavana began to cry, ‘Krishna! Krishna, please save us!’ Krishna also saw that the cows were running away, and He immediately replied, ‘Don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid.’ He then appeared before Aristasura and said, ‘You are the lowest of living entities. Why are you frightening the inhabitants of Gokula? What will you gain by this action? If you have come to challenge My authority, then I am prepared to fight you.’ In this way, Krishna challenged the demon…”
After killing Aristasura, Srimati Radharani and Her sakhis accused Krishna of becoming impure due to the sinful act of killing a bull, the personification of Dharma. They told Krishna that unless He purified Himself, They would not be able to associate with Him. They then recommended, “If you take bath in all the holy waters, You will be relieved of the offense of killing this bull.”
Krishna agreed to do so, but said, “Instead of going to visit all these places, I’ll bring all of these waters here and will take bath in them here.” Striking His heel into the ground Krishna called the waters of all the holy places. They came in personified form, offered their prayers, and entered into that place. Krishna then took His bath in Syama Kunda. After taking bath, Krishna told the gopis that they had become impure because of having sided with a demon despite the demon’s having accepted the form of a bull, that they had to undergo purification by taking bath.
Wanting to show Krishna that They could make a kunda that was better than Krishna’s, Srimati Radharani and Her sakhis took Their bangles and began digging a hole, Their deciding to fill the hole with water from the Manasi Ganga. Krishna seeing such an extremely huge hole, then offered that the holy waters from His kunda could be used to fill Srimati Radharani’s kunda, but Srimati Radharani refused, saying that the waters from Krishna’s kunda were contaminated due to their connection with the sin of a bull’s having been killed. The gopis then made a line to the Manasi Ganga, and used gold pots to pass the water from one sakhi to another.
Wanting to render service to Srimati Radharani, in personified form, the holy waters approached Srimati Radhika with folded hands and chanted beautiful prayers in Her glorification. They then asked Srimati Radharani to grant them a boon. Srimati Radharani inquired what benediction it was they desired. In reply they told Srimati Radharani that only if She would allow them to enter into Her kunda, would their lives be successful; thus, Srimati Radharani lovingly granted their desire, and in ever-rushing and joyous mood the holy waters gushed through the banks of Syama Kunda into Radha Kunda.
Krishna immediately took bath in Radha Kunda declaring that anyone who with firm faith would take bath in Radha Kunda would achieve the same ecstatic love that Srimati Radharani had for Him. Srimati Radharani and Her sakhis then took Their bath in Syama Kunda, Srimati Radharani’s declaring that anyone who would take bath in Syama Kunda would achieve the same ecstatic love that Krishna has for Her.
Sri Sri Radha and Syama Kunda ki jaya!!!
May we be safely situated under the shelter of Srila Prabhupada’s Lotus Feet, Those of our Guru Varga, the Vaisnavas, and Sri Sri Radha and Krishna.
Dasi, B. Radha-Govinda
Hare Krishna
Speak Your Mind