Radha kunda, Syama kunda (Part 2)
This is a very tranquil and peaceful place. It is considered by Gaudiya Vaishnavas to be the most holy place in the Braja area. It is a very important place to visit. There are two holy tanks here, right next to each other. The town here is also known as Aristavan.
In this village, the demon Aristasura was killed by Krishna. Radha Kunda is 26 km (16 miles) west of Mathura. For years Radha Kunda and Syama Kunda were lost and no one knew exactly where they were located. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu came to Vrindavana in 1515, He rediscovered these two important kundas. Part of the parikrama of Govardhana Hill is going around Radha and Syama Kunda. Radharani and Krishna have their midday pastimes at Radha Kunda. When Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami first stayed at Radha Kunda, Radha Kunda and Syama Kunda were only 4m (12 ft) by 4m (12 ft) in size. At that time one rich man named Sampanna went to Badrinath to offer Lord Narayana a large donation. In a dream, Lord Krishna told him to go to Radha Kunda and give the money to Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami to renovate the kundas, which he did. Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami and Jiva Gosvami supervised the expansion of the kundas around 1554. In the center of Radha Kunda is a small walled-in area called Kancana Kunda.
This kunda is said to mark the location of the original kunda that Srimati Radharani and the gopis dug with their bangles. It is said that Vajranabha built a bathing tank at Syama Kunda to commemorate the place where Krishna killed Aristasura. When there is water in Syama Kunda this kunda cannot be seen. When Syama Kunda is empty, you can see a wall encircling a small deep kunda in the center of Syama Kunda. This kunda is called Vajranatha Kunda. Syama Kunda is also known as Arista Kunda or Krishna Kunda. In the eight directions surrounding Radha Kunda are the kunjas (garden groves) of Sri Radha’s asta-sakhis (eight main gopis). They are the kunjas of Lalita Devi, Vishakha Devi, Citra Devi, Indulekha Devi, Campakalata Devi, Ranga Devi, Tungavidya Devi, and Sudevi. Sri Ananga Manjari’s kunja is in the center of Radha Kunda. Radha Kunda appeared at 12 midnight on Bahulastami, the eighth day (astami) of the waning moon, in the month of Kartika (Oct-Nov). On that day, thousands of people come and bathe at 12 midnight in Radha Kunda. It is an ecstatic and exciting event “Mathura is superior to Vaikuntha because Lord Krishna appeared there.
In the Adi Varaha Purana it is said that by bathing in Radha Kunda the sin of killing a cow, man or a brahmana is immediately removed. According to the Adi Varaha Purana, by bathing in Radha Kunda and Syama Kunda one attains the result of performing a rajasuya and asvamedha yajna. “The bathing tank called Radha Kunda is as profoundly dear to Krishna as Radha Herself, who is the dearest gopi. Who then will not reside at Radha Kunda and, surcharged with ecstatic devotional feelings, render loving service to the divine couple Sri Sri Radha Govinda. Those who execute devotional service on the banks of Radha Kunda are the most fortunate people in the universe.” (Upadesamrita, verse 10)
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