Vans Of Braj
SHRI GAHARVAN BARSANA
​Gehvar van is located in Barsana. This place is very dear to Shri Kishori Radha. The place is called Nitya Vihar, which means that Radha Krishna are always together here and there is no moment of separation here. This forest is very significant because this is the only forest in Braj which is decorated and created by Shri Radha Rani’s own hands. It is the secluded vihar site of madhur leelas of Thakur Ji and Radha Rani and they forget everything. Braj &Vrindavan is the home of God. Every second, there are new leelas happening here. Radha Rani looks Youthful & new each time when you look at her, Shri Krishn looks youthful & new each time you look at him. Priya and Priytam always stay together and each time they meet, it look like they have never met earlier. Vallabhacharya Baithak is also situated here where they have recited Shrimad Bhagwat of 108 times. Shri Hit Harivansh Mahaprabhu had experienced this as the Divine Keli Kunj where Priya and Priytam always remain in Vihar Leela. This is also known as "Nitya Vihar" sthali. Radha Krishn appeared to Shri Raskhan in the Gehvar Van, where Shri Krishna was gently pressing the feet of Radha Rani and serving her. There are very old Raas Leela sthalis here. Priya Ji along with her sakhis are always engaged in Vihar here even today. The experience of fortunate devotees as the witness to it, are the proofs. Nagridas, Kishori Ali, Swami Parimal Das are some of the Rasik saints who lived here. Location: Gehvar van is located in Barsana Dham which is 43 kilometers far from Mathura in UP.
SHRI KOTVAN
Kot Van is Thakur Ji's Cow herding place. Once upon a time, he was calling his cows, at the same time mother Yashoda reached there, she was feeling sweaty while coming from the forest. Then Thakur Ji said - Mother! Why don’t you take a bath in this cold water in the Kund? The Kund is known as Shital Kund where she took a bath.
At that time mother Yashoda desired for the darshan of Ras Leela and Thakur Ji has shown him Raas Leela at Kotvan. Kot refers to the fields where she was hidden. Also, Gopis didn’t feel awkward at that time, because she was hiding in the fields. Shri Krishna has shown Raas Leela to Yashoda Maiya and fulfilled her desire. Therefore this place is known as Kotvan.
During Braj Parikrama, Shri Chaitanya Dev also came to this place and sat here and his Baithak is also here. Also, Surya Kund, Shrinath Ji’s Baithak and Shri Vallabhcharya's Baithak is also here.
Location:
Kotvan is in-between Kosi and Hodal in the Delhi-Mathura Highway.
BIHAR VAN
This is the excursion spot of Radha Krishn. Here Shri Radhika had taken a dancing test of Krishn. Beloved Radha, holding the stick in an anger filled face of an acting instructor, giving dance training to dear Kunjvihari (Krishn). Whenever some mistake found in his fast movement dance as directed by beloved Radha, Shri Radha scolded him with her fierce look. Shri Krishn is dancing in fear to avoid further scolding. This is a very beautiful leela.
His holiness Hariram Vyas has explained this pastime in his own verse :
Hindi verse:
"piy ko naachan sikhaavat pyaari,
maan gumaan lakut lie thaadee, darapat kunj bihaaree.”
Radha Rani is standing with a stick in her hand, so that at the moment any mistake committed by beloved Krishn and she will scold him.
Hindi verse:
"vyaas svaaminee kee chhabi nirakhat, hans hans de de taaree"
Hariram Vyas in observing the beautiful leela of Radha Rani claps with lots of laugh.
MADHU VAN
Madhuvan is one of the famous 12 forests of Braj. In Satyuga, Lord Hari killed a demon named Madhu here. Because of this, He became known as Madhusudan. Therefore, this forest is named Madhuvan after the name of Lord Shri Madhusudan, because this forest is as dear and sweet as Lord Shri Madhusudan.
Madhorvanam Prathamato Yatra Vai Mathurapuri.
Madhudaityo Hato Yatra Harina Vishwamurtina.
- Aadi Varaha Purana
The present name of Madhuvan is Maholi gram. Dhruv Tila is located in the east of the village. On which the deity of child Dhruv and his worshipful four-armed Lord Narayan are seated. This is the place of Dhruv's penance. It was here that the child Dhruv worshiped the Lord with the mantra given by Sage Narad, pleased with which the Lord appeared to him and granted him the kingdom of the earth for thirty-six thousand years followed by the rulership of Dhruvalok, an eternal abode of Shri Hari within this material world.
In Tretayuga, the sages and the residents of Madhuvan were terrified by the atrocities committed by the Madhu demon. That demon had obtained a trident from Lord Shiva by performing severe austerities. No deity, demon, or human could defeat him when that trident was in his hands. He was a prince of the sun dynasty. But after falling into the bad association, he became very cruel and devoid of morality. That's why his father expelled him from his kingdom. He lived in Madhuvan. After establishing a new kingdom in Madhuvan, he started harassing everyone. King Mandhata of the sun dynasty attacked him to punish him, but he was also killed by the trident granted by Lord Shiva to the Madhu demon. Before his death, the demon gave that trident to his son Lavanasura and told him that no one can kill you as long as this trident is in your hands. Rather, the enemy will be killed by this infallible trident of yours. After getting that sword, Lavanasur became an even more fierce tyrant. Distressed by his atrocities, the sages around Madhuvan reached to Shri Ram in Ayodhya and prayed for their protection from Lavanasura. They informed about Lavanasura's might and of his infallible trident. They explained that killing him would not be possible as long as he had his trident in his hands.
Lord Ram coronated his younger brother Shatrughna as the king of Madhuvan in Ayodhya itself. Shatrughna asked Lord Ram for the powerful deity of Shri Varaha, which Shri Ram had brought from Lanka. Shri Ram gladly gave that deity to Shatrughna.
Shatrughna ji reached Madhuvan with sages after taking blessings from sage Valmiki's ashram and reached at the entrance of Lavanasura's cave at the time when he had gone to the forest for hunting keeping his trident in the cave. When he was returning to his abode carrying dead elephants, deer, and other animals, at the same time Shatrughna challenged him to battle. A fierce battle broke out between the two. The demon was trying to get his trident in some way. But, the mighty Shatrughna ji did not give him any chance to reach the cave and cut off his head with his sharp arrows. Then he re-established the desolated Madhupuri and established Lord Varahdev there. This Aadi Varahdev is still present at the same place in Mathura. Lord Madhav's dear Madhukund also lies in Madhuvan, now it is also called Krishnakund. Once upon a time while cow grazing, the cowherd friends felt thirsty, so they prayed before Shri Krishn. Then Shri Krishn built this pond with his flute. Shri Radha Krishn had bathed in this kund. Nearby is the cave of Lavanasura. Here, on the banks of the Krishna Kund, there is a deity of Lord Shatrughna ji.
At the end of the Dwapar Yuga, Shri Krishn would take hundreds of thousands of cows out to graze, walking behind them and calling out their names: "Dhauli! Dhumri!, Kalindi! ..." He would make sounds to instruct them, such as "Hiyo-Hiyo! - Come, come!", "Dhiri-dhiri! - Slowly, slowly! and "Tiri-Tiri! -Come to the river-bank to drink!" As He walked with Dau Bhaiya (Lord Balram), Krishn played His sweet flute, and laughed and joked, placing his hands on the shoulders of His friends. As the boys herded the cows, delightful uproars would break out amongst them. In this way, all of Madhuvana was showered with the sweet nectar (madhu) of love, which Shri Krishn and Shri Balram relished while grazing the cows. While walking along like this, sometimes Krishn's thirsty eyes would look with sidelong glances at the gopis who were hiding within the kunjas or on the balconies or windows of their palaces. The beautiful young ladies of Braj worshipped Krishn with their loving sidelong glances as He returned from the forest. Krishn would show that He accepted their worship by the movement of His eyes. To the young ladies of Braj, even a second in separation from Krishn would feel like millions of millenniums, and a millennium in His company would seem like a fraction of a second. Krishns cow herding pastimes in Madhuvan are as sweet as honey (madhu) and beyond description. Each year, many groups of pilgrims stop here to rest.
In Madhuvan, Dauji and the sakhas (friends) would dance as they relished the sweet nectar of this forest. This is well known. Today, one can also take darshan of the black deity of Dauji here. There is a deep secret behind the black color of this deity. After leaving Vrindavan and Mathura, Shri Krishn and Baladev resided in Dvaraka with Their relatives. When Baladev heard about the restlessness and lamentation of all of Braj in separation from Shri Krishn, He wanted to take Krishn back there, yet because this was somehow delayed, Baladev went there alone. He did His best to console everyone, but when He saw the extent of their state of separation from Krishn, He also felt intense separation from Him. Meditating upon Shyam and His pastimes in Braj, Baladev began to relish Shyam-rasa (sweet nectar), and Himself took on a Shyam (dark) complexion. This Shyam-rasa is the only honey that is truly sweet and it is eternally relished by Baladev, who thus remains perpetually immersed in the ecstasy of Krishn-Prem.
Location :
Madhuvan is located in the southwest part of Mathura, 4 km away from Shri Bhuteshwar Mahadev Temple.
TAAL VAN
​In the Talvan forest, Balarama killed Dhenukasura. There is a beautiful Deity of Balarama (3 feet tall) and His consort, Srimati Revati, here in a small temple next to the lake called Sankarsana-Kunda. The parikrama of this forest is 6 km (3 miles). There is a festival to celebrate Balarama killing Dhenukasura in the month of June-July (the bright half of Bhadra).This forest used to be filled with palm trees and was therefore given the name TaIa. Now there are only a few palm trees left. They are located near the Balarama temple.
KUMUD VAN
Kumudvan is two miles west of Talvan, which is presently called by the name Kudaravan. The kund here is called by different names as Kumudini kund, Padma kunda or Vihar kund. While herding the cows, Shri Krishna, Shri Balram and the cowherd boys wandered throughout this delightful place. Shri Krishna Himself sported in this kund with the cowherd boys and with sweet words He would summon the cows to the bank of the pond by exclaiming, “Tiri tiri!” and then with “Chun-Chun!” He would tell them to drink water. The boys decorated each other with garlands made of kumudini flowers. Sometimes Krishna hid from His sakhas, unseen by them, He sported in the water here with Radhika, Lalita, Vishakha and other Gopis. There is currently a deity of Shri Kapiladev on the bank of this kund. Lord Kapila worshipped Shri Krishna at this place.Krishna and his friends would come and play in this forest. Kumud means “water-lilies”. During Krishna’s time, beautiful water lilies grew here. Kumud is a bright red flower that used to grow in abundance here and that is why this forest got the name Kumudvan. This is the smallest of the 12 forests. It has a parikrama of 1 km (1 mile).In the Kumudvan forest on the bank of Padma kunda, is a small temple dedicated to Lord Kapila. He performed austerities here during Treta-yuga. According to the Varaha Purana if one takes bath in Padma-Kunda he acquires all the knowledge of the Vedic literature. The Kapila temple is very small (8 feet by 8 feet) with a small Deity of Kapila about a foot high. This temple is about 10 feet from the kunda.
VAHULA VAN
The charming forest of Bahulavana is full of beauty. According to the Skanda Purana (Mathura-khanda), Sri Hari’s sakhi Bahula resides here – bahula srihareh patni tatra tinthati sarvada. This place is now called Bati. It lies seven miles west of Mathura, between Radhakunda and Vrndavana. Sankarnana-kunda and Mana-sarovara are two kundas in Bahulavana.Once, when Srimati Radhika was in Her sulky mood (mana), She hid Herself in a kunja here. In separation from Her, Krsna became completely distressed. With the help of the sakhis He was able to find Srimati Radhika, and with great difficulty He pacified Her mana. It is popularly believed that any desire of a person will be fulfilled who takes bath here. In the temple on the bank of Sankarsana-kunda are Deities of Sri Krsna, a tiger, a cow, its calf and a brahmana.According to local lore, a cow named Bahula was once drinking water from this pond when a fierce tiger attacked and caught her. She assured the tiger that she would return to be eaten after she had first gone to the house of her master, a brahmana, and fed milk to her hungry calf. When she got home, she told her calf to drink milk to his full satisfaction, and told him about her promise to the tiger. However, the calf insisted on going with her without drinking any milk. The brahmana also prepared himself to go alone. He planned to leave the cow and calf at home and give himself to the tiger as food. In the end, all three approached the tiger, each willing to sacrifice himself. At that moment, Sri Krsna Himself appeared there, and the tiger underwent a change of heart. By the mercy of Sri Krsna, the brahmana returned home safely with his cow and calf.Sri Radha-kunda lies within Bahulavana. On Bahulastami it is customary to take bath in Sri Radha-kunda. Large numbers of people assemble to bathe here on that day.
KAAM VAN
This is the fifth van amongst the 12 famous vans of Vraj in Puran. Pandavas had spent the time of their exile here. In Mahabharat it is called Kaamyavan. In Saraswat kalp, this too is one Vrindavan. Till age five, Bhagwan did leela in this van.
In Kaamvan Vimalkund, Vimladevi, Madhusudan Kund, Jasoda Kund, Lanka Kund, Setubandh Rameshwar, Chakratirth, Lukluk Kund, Charanpahadi, Gaya kund, Mansadevi Kund, Gopinathji temple, 84 pillars, Shri Gokulchandramaji & Shri Madammohanji’s temple are of major attractions.
Following places are a must see at Kaamvan:
Vimalkund:
There are temples of Vimladevi & Chaturbhuj dev on Vimalkund. The kund is big & deep. It is decorated with Ghats made from stones & umbrellas made from architectural excellence. There are big tortoise here like the ones seen in Shri Yamunaji.
From here there is a bridge (setubandh) between Madhusudan Kund, Shitladevi’s darshan, Jasodakund & Lanka-Parlanka Kund.
Charanpahadi:
This Charanpahadi of Kaamvan is also counted amongst the five small-big mountains of Vraj. It is among the Girimala of Aravali mountain. Bhagwans foot prints are located here. That is why it is called charanpahadi. Steps are built to go up. Nearby there is Lukluk Kund & Lukluk Kandra. Shri Thakorji used to play hide-n-seek here with friends & used to hide in this cave. Then he used to appear on the mountain & play his flute & engross friends with surprise. Gopis used to bring chhaak (butter milk) here.
Mahodadhikund:
This kund comes after climbing down Charanpahadi & coming ahead. Shri Thakorji washed his face after eating curd (dahi)here. That is why this place is called Mahodadhi.
Chatankipanseri:
There are two stones here. They are called Chatankipanseri. Shri Thakorji used to steal butter from the houses of Gopis & eat it himself & give it to his friends & also to monkeys, then break the vessels containing butter & throw the left butter. So the gopis used to gather & go to Yashodaji to complain about Thakorji. At that time Yashodaji used to bring the weigh & tell them that she will give them double-triple of whatever her son had stolen. At this time these stones were used by Shri Yashodaji.
Ahead from here, there is a Bethak of Nandraiji. Ahead from there there are Gopalkund & Mansakund. Ahead from there comes Gyanwaadi of Lalitaji.
In Kaamvan there are huge tamples of Shri Jagannathji etc. There is one place of 84 pillars there. It is very ancient. There are many idols sketched on each pillar. Most of them are in poor state or broken. It is said that it was the courtyard of the king in ancient times.
KHADIR VAN
​This is one of the twelve sacred forests of Vraja and it is said in the Adi-varaha Purana
that whoever visits the sacred forest of Khadiravana will at the time of death go immediately to
Vaikuntha. The forest of Kadhiravana has an individual parikrama of around seven kilometers.
There is not much of the forest remaining today and presently a village called Khayara is situated
at the place where the vast forest of khadira and kadamba trees once stood. It was at this place
while herding His calves, that Krishna killed the demon named Bakasura. The word ‘baka’ means
a ‘crane’, or more specifically an ‘egret’. This demon in the form of a giant-sized crane had been
sent by King Kamsa to eliminate Krishna, and when he attacked Krishna and tried to gobble Him
up in his huge beak, the cowherd boys began crying. “Khayo rei Khayo rei” which means, “He
will eat Him! He will eat Him!” Thus the village became known as Khayara from the words ‘khayo
re’. The actual spot where Bakasura was killed is a little to the west of Khayara at a place called
Bakathara.
Situated within the ancient forest of Khadiravana is the beautiful Sangama-kunda where
Krishna enjoyed pastimes with the gopis. In the Bhakti-ratnakara it is said. “0 Shrinivasa, see this place where Krishna and His friends played many games as they tended their cows. See
here the most enchanting place called Sangama-kunda where Krishna and the gopis happily
met together”. The word ‘sangama’ means ‘meeting place’, and when Krishna was living at
Nandagrama, He would sometimes meet Radharani and the gopis here on the banks of this kunda,
which was surrounded by a very beautiful kadamba grove where Krishna and the gopis enjoyed
rasa-lila pastimes. Lokanatha Goswami, and his close friend and companion Bhugarbha Goswami,
also spent some time performing bhajana on the banks of this kunda, which is also known as
Madhuri-kunda
VRINDAVAN
Vrindavan is a town in north central India, about ninety miles southeast of Delhi. Traditionally acknowledged as the place of Krishna’s childhood pastimes, it is known as one of the holy dhamas—residences of the Supreme Being—and is one of the most frequented pilgrimage sites on the subcontinent.
Srimad-Bhagavatam describes the extraordinary pastimes Krishna performed in Vrindavan during His childhood. The Introduction to the Bhagavad-gita As It Is explains that the Vrindavan on earth is a replica of Krishna’s eternal residence in the spiritual world. And the Brahma-samhita says Krishna, the Supreme Person, is simultaneously all-pervading and eternally living in that eternal, spiritual Vrindavan.
Even today, residents of Vrindavan commonly greet each other with shouts of, “Jaya Radhe!” meaning, “all glories to Krishna’s beloved companion Srimati Radharani!”
BHADRA VAN
In the Bhadravana forest the cowherd boys would enjoy wrestling. There is Bhadrisvara Siva Temple here, which was established by Vajranabha. This forest is 35 km from Mathura and it is has a parikrama of 6 km.
It is one of the places where Sri Krsna and Sri Balarama go to graze the cows. The forest of Bhadravana is named after Sri Balabhadra (Balarama).
Places of darsana here are Bhadra-sarovara and Gocarana-sthala.
Bhadra-sarovara
yajna-snana svarupaya rajyakhanda-prade
tirtharaja namas-tubhyam bhadrakhya sarase namah
Bhavisya Purana (Uttara-khanda)
“O Bhadra-sarovara, O Tirtharaja, my greetings to you. You are the personification of sacrifices (yajnas), and you bestow that post that is never destroyed (akhanda rajyapada).”
That person who bathes in this sarovara obtains unlimited wealth and enjoyment, and is finally successful in attaining premabhakti to Sri Krsna and Sri Baladeva.
BHANDIRVAN
Bhandirvan is one of the twelve sacred forests of Vraj, located in the Mant area of Mathura district. This forest is famous for the divine pastimes of Shri Krishna and Radha Rani. Many special places in Bhandirvan remind us of these pastimes, such as the Bhandirvan Temple, Vivah Sthali (wedding site), Venu Kupa, and Vamsivat.
One of the most important events in Bhandirvan is the marriage of Shri Krishna and Radha Rani. Lord Brahma himself acted as the priest for their wedding. The Bhandirvan Temple is unique because it is the only temple in the world where Lord Krishna is shown applying sindoor (vermillion) on Radha Rani’s forehead. Every year, the festival of Phulera Dooj is celebrated here in the month of Phalguna to honor this sacred wedding.
BELVAN
Upon arriving in Belvan, Laxmi Ji sought to join the Raas, but the Gopis present there stopped her. In response, Mahalaxmi questioned the Gopis, calling them good or bad. Lord Krishna, upon hearing this, explained that these were no ordinary Gopis. They had earned the divine privilege of joining the Raas after performing intense penance for thousands of years. To be part of the Raas, Laxmi Ji would need to earn the Gopis' favor by undergoing penance herself.
Angered by this, Mahalaxmi faced Vrindavan and began her penance. During her meditation, Krishna, weary from the Raas Leela, mentioned to her that he was hungry. In response, Laxmi Ji tore a piece of her sari, made a fire with it, and cooked khichdi with her own hands to feed Krishna. Krishna, pleased by her devotion, granted her request to stay in Braj.
It is believed that since then, Mahalaxmi has been meditating in Belvan in the form of a Gopi. The place, originally known as Belavan due to the abundance of Bael trees, is located just two kilometers from Vrindavan. This story is said to be associated with the month of Paush (December-January), and every year, a grand fair is held during this time. Devotees also believe that even today, Goddess Lakshmi continues to worship Lord Krishna in Belvan.
MAHAVAN
Mahavan is situated about six miles east of Mathura. It is also called Brihadvan, because it is the largest of all the forests.It has three names: Mahavan, Gokul and Brihadvan. This Gokul is non-different from Goloka. Parjanya Gopa, the father of Goparaja Nanda Baba, initially resided at Nandgaon where he had five sons – namely Upanand, Abhinand, Nand, Sunand and Nandan – and two daughters named Sanand and Nandini.While staying in Nandgaon he gave all his sons and daughters in marriage. His middle son, Nanda, had no offspring, which caused Parjanya Gopa great concern. He worshipped Narayan with the hope that Nanda would father a child. By a voice in the sky, he came to know that a very brave son would soon be born to Sri Nanda. This son would possess all good qualities and annihilate every demon. Some time after this aerial prophecy, Kesi and other demons began to cause a disturbance in Nandgaon. Parjanya Gopa along with his family and all of his relatives moved here to Mahavan- Brihadvan. The Yamuna flows close by Mahavan. This forest is beautifully decorated with different kinds of trees, creepers and flowers, and there are lush, green meadows for the cows to graze in. Beholding this beauty, the Brajvasi gopas became very pleased and happily began to reside here. Yashoda-mayya gave birth to the twins Krishna Kanhaiya and Yogmaya at midnight, in the delivery room at Nand-bhavan in Mahavan. Krishna killed the demons Putana, Trinavart and Shakatasur here, thus liberating them. Krishna and Baldev’s name-giving ceremony took place in the nearby cowshed (goshala) of Nand Maharaja in Mahavan. It was here that Rama and Krishna started to crawl on Their knees. Mother Yashoda tied the naughty baby Krishna to a mortar, and then Krishna delivered the Yamala-Arjuna trees. The childhood pastimes of Krishna and Rama up to the age of two and half to three years took place here in Mahavan.
