Bhadravana

This pastime place, situated two miles south-east of Nanda-ghāṭa and across the Yamunā, is one of the places where Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Śrī Balarāma go to graze the cows. The forest of Bhadravana is named after Śrī Balabhadra (Balarāma). Places of darśana here are Bhadra-sarovara and Gocāraṇa-sthala.

Bhadra-sarovara

yajña-snāna svarūpāya rājyākhaṇḍa-prade
tīrtharāja namas-tubhyaṁ bhadrākhya sarase namaḥ

Bhaviṣya Purāṇa (Uttara-khaṇḍa)

“O Bhadra-sarovara, O Tīrtharāja, my greetings to you. You are the personification of sacrifices (yajñas), and you bestow that post that is never destroyed (akhaṇḍa rājyapada).”

That person who bathes in this sarovara obtains unlimited wealth and enjoyment, and is finally successful in attaining premabhakti to Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Śrī Baladeva.

Bhāṇḍīravana

Bhāṇḍīravana, where Śrī Kṛṣṇa performed a variety of sweet pastimes, is prominent among the twelve forests. In this forest there are many pastime places to visit, such as Bhānḍīravaṭa, Veṇu-kūpa, Rāsa-sthalī Vaṁśīvaṭa, the place of wrestling, the temple of Śrīdāma, Śyāma-talaiyā, Chāherī-gaon and Āgiyārā-gaon.

That place where all kinds of tattva-jñāna fully manifest and where pastimes that are filled with opulence (aiśvarya) and sweetness (madhurya) manifest is called Bhāṇḍīravana. Some of these pastime places are described here.

Bhāṇḍīravaṭa

This vaṭa (banyan) tree is famous in Bhāṇḍīravana as the site of many different pastimes of Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Yugala. At the time of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s manifest pastimes (prakaṭa-līlā), a huge banyan tree stood here full of long branches that spread in all directions. Nearby, Śrī Yamunā made a sweet sound as she followed her meandering course. Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Baladeva and the sakhās would cross the river by walking on the branches of this tree. Male and female parrots, peacocks, peahens, cuckoos and papīhās were always sitting singing on the tree’s profuse branches. They remained satisfied by eating its fruit. Deer, does and other forest animals drank the sweet water of the Yamunā and took rest in the cool, pleasant shade of the banyan tree.

Krsna’s Lunch Spot and The Place of Brahma Vimohan Lila

It was mostly to this Bhāṇḍīravaṭa that Mother Yaśodā and the mothers of the other cowherd boys used to send lunch with some gopas for their respective sons. While grazing the cows, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Baladeva and the sakhās used to have the cows drink the water in the Yamunā and then freely graze on the lush, green grass of the forest. The boys themselves bathed and engaged in water sports in the Yamunā’s cool water. They would then sit in the shade under this banyan tree and eat the various tasty preparations sent by their mothers. Śrī Kṛṣṇa sat in the midst of them all, and the sakhās would sit around Him in thousands of rows that extended here and there. Each and every sakhā, even if sitting at the back or far away, experienced that Śrī Kṛṣṇa was sitting right in front of him. Their eating was accompanied by laughing and joking, and they would play various games together. Brahmā and other demigods in the sky became astonished to see their festive and joyful picnics.

Gandharva Marriage of The Divine Couple

Brahmā performed the gāndharva marriage of Śrī RādhāKṛṣṇa Yugala beneath this banyan tree. According to the Gargasaṁhitā and Gīta-Govinda, Nanda Bābā once took Śrī Kṛṣṇa to Bhāṇḍīravana to graze the cows. This forest was very attractively covered with the dense foliage of the tamāla and kadamba trees and the lush creepers, and therefore it was only lit by scant sunrays. Suddenly, black clouds gathered from all directions and a raging rainstorm developed. Darkness pervaded. Nanda Bābā became frightened of the bad omen and carefully hid Kanhaiyā on his lap.

At that moment, the extraordinarily beautiful daughter of Vṛṣabhānu Mahārāja, Śrī Rādhikā, appeared there in the form of a young girl. She held Her hands out to Nanda Bābā, indicating that She wanted to take Kṛṣṇa with Her. The astonished Nanda Bābā gave Śrī Kṛṣṇa to Her. Rādhikā then took Kṛṣṇa to the inner part of Bhāṇḍīravana under the shelter of Bhāṇḍīravaṭa. Here Śrī Kṛṣṇa manifested Himself as manmatha-manmatha kiśora, a beautiful youth who bewilders even the mind of Cupid. Meanwhile, Lalitā, Viśākhā and the other sakhīs also appeared here with Caturmukha Brahmā. Knowing the desire of Kiśora-Kiśorī, Brahmā performed Their gāndharva wedding by reciting Vedic mantras. Śrīmatī Rādhikā and Śrī Kṛṣṇa exchanged beautiful flower garlands. The delighted sakhīs sang wedding songs as the demigods showered flowers from the sky. While everyone looked on, Brahmā left that place. The sakhīs also disappeared, and Kṛṣṇa again assumed the form of a small boy. Śrīmatī Rādhikā took Kṛṣṇa by hand and returned to Nanda Bābā, who was standing waiting for Him. Meanwhile, the clouds dispersed and the storm abated. Nanda Bābā now returned with Kṛṣṇa to his Nanda-Vraja.

Krsna Swallowed the Forest Fire

The following incident also took place here in Bhāṇḍīravana. One summer’s day, Śrī Kṛṣṇa and the sakhās brought the cows to drink water at the Yamunā and then let them graze freely. The boys became so absorbed in their delightful picnic that they were unaware that their cows had wandered off. The cows made their way to the completely parched Muñjavana, through which even elephants could not force their way. It was the month of Jeṭha (May–June), and the blazing sun scorched the sand. The cows could not find shade anywhere, and had forgotten the pathway out of this wild muñja forest. Dying of thirst, they began to cry out in distress. The sakhās went to look for the cows without telling Kṛṣṇa and Baladeva where they were going. Finally, they too arrived at the muñja forest in the same dire condition as that of the cows. Meanwhile, the servants of the wicked Kaṁsa set Muñjavana on fire, and within a moment the wind had spread it everywhere. The fire’s blazing flames surrounded the cows and cowherd boys, who saw no other means of rescue than to call out to Kṛṣṇa. They did so, and Śrī Kṛṣṇa arrived immediately. Telling the sakhās to close their eyes, He swallowed the forest-fire within a second. Upon opening their eyes, the sakhās saw that they were again under the cooling shade of Bhāṇḍīravaṭa, immersed in festive eating pastimes with Kṛṣṇa and Baladeva, the cows grazing peacefully nearby. The distress of the forest-fire seemed like a dream.

The place where Śrī Kṛṣṇa swallowed the forest fire is called Muñjāṭavī or Īṣikāṭavī, and in its middle is Agiyārā. We have already described this earlier. The place where Kṛṣṇa and the sakhās had festive picnics, and where, after Kṛṣṇa swallowed the forest-fire, the sakhās again began to joke and laugh while eating and the cows happily chewed grass is called Bhāṇḍīravaṭa. These pastimes are described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.19.12):

tatheti mīlitākṣeṣu bhagavān agnim ulbaṇam
pītvā mukhena tāna kṛcchrād yogādhīśo vyamocayat

“‘Okay,’ the boys said, and closed their eyes. Then Bhagavān, the controller of all mystic power, swallowed the terrible fire, thus saving the sakhās from the danger.”

Veṇu-kūpa

After killing Vatsāsura, Śrī Kṛṣṇa met the gopīs near Bhāṇḍīravaṭa and boasted His strength. The gopīs accused Kṛṣṇa of killing a cow and forbade Him to touch them. Kṛṣṇa said, “I did not kill a cow but a demon in the form of a calf.” The gopīs, however, did not accept this. Kṛṣṇa then inquired how His purity could be restored, and the gopīs answered, “If You bathe in all the sacred rivers and ponds on the earth, You will again become pure and can touch us.” After hearing the words of the gopīs, Kṛṣṇa created a beautiful well (kūpa) with His flute (veṇu) and summoned all of the earth’s sacred places to enter it. He bathed in that well and then met with the gopīs.

This well, known as Veṇu-kūpa, is situated near Bhāṇḍīravaṭa. By bathing in it, one obtains the same result as by taking bath at each and every sacred place. Even today, the women of Vraja worship this well on certain occasions. Those who do not have a child or whose child has died untimely make a vow to propitiate the deity here by their worship. Their hearts’ desires are then fulfilled.

The temple of Śrī Baladeva

Śrī Balabhadra, His younger brother Kanhaiyā and the sakhās used to come to Bhāṇḍīravana to pasture the cows. Śrī Balabhadra presides over the forests on the east side of the Yamunā, like Bhadravana, Bhāṇḍīravana, Baelvana, Gokula-Mahāvana and Lohavana. Therefore, all these places have temples of Śrī Baladeva. It is recommended that one visit the temple of Baladeva in Bhāṇḍīravana.

Chāherī-gaon

The village located between Bhāṇḍīravaṭa and Vaṁśīvaṭa is called Chāherī-gaon. After playing with the sakhās in Bhāṇḍīravana, Śrī Kṛṣṇa and His friends used to come here, sit in the shade underneath the trees, and enjoy their meals with much joy and laughter. The name Chāherī is derived from the word chāyā, which means “shade” or “shadow”. This village is also called Bijaulī.

Rāsa-sthalī Vaṁśīvaṭa

Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s place of rāsa at Vaṁśīvaṭa is situated a short distance from Bhāṇḍīravaṭa. This Vaṁśīvaṭa is a different place from the Vaṁśīvaṭa in Vṛndāvana. At the time of cow herding, Śrī Kṛṣṇa would climb this banyan tree and play His flute to call the cows. In this way, He would gather them and bring them all back home. Sometimes, on a beautiful, pleasant night, He would also call His beloved gopīs from here – “Rādhikā, Lalitā, Viśākhā!” Upon their arrival, rāsa-līlā would unfold under this Vaṁśīvaṭa.

The temple of Śrīdāma

Beneath this Vaṁśīvaṭa is the temple of Śrīdāma Bhaiyā. When Śrī Kṛṣṇa went to Mathurā, Śrīdāma Sakhā was heart-broken. He went to this solitary Vaṁśīvaṭa, where he remembered Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s sweet pastimes, filling his heart with sorrow. Many days later, when Śrī Kṛṣṇa returned to Gokula after killing Dantavakra, He again met with Śrīdāma here and took Śrīdāma with Him. One can have darśana of Śrīdāma in the temple here.

Śyāma-talaiyā

This pond (talaiyā) is situated near Vaṁśivaṭa. When the gopīs became thirsty during rāsa, Śrī Śyāmasundara made this pond with His flute and satisfied all the gopīs with its luscious water. Nowadays, this pond lies in a completely dilapidated condition with very little water, but still, people take ācamana here with faith.