Śrī Sanatana Gosvāmi’s bhajana-kuți
On the south-eastern bank of Pāvana-sarovara is the bhajanakuṭī of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s associate Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī. Sometimes, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī would perform bhajana here so as to remember the sweet pastimes of Nandagaon, and sometimes he would go to associate with Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī at his bhajana-kuṭī near Ṭer-kadamba. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī also used to come here to meet with Sanātana Gosvāmī. Even today, many Gauḍīya bhaktas in Śrī Sanātana Gosvāmī ’s disciplic succession come to this place to perform bhajana. Once, in the forest here, Sanātana Gosvāmī was very distressed in separation from Kṛṣṇa. Restlessly crying for Kṛṣṇa’s darśana, he went without eating and drinking for three days. At that time, he had no bhajana-kuṭī here. Kṛṣṇa came to Sanātana Gosvāmī as a cowherd boy carrying some milk in a clay pot, and said, “Why are you here, hungry and thirsty? Nobody remains hungry and thirsty in this place. My mother saw you in this condition and has sent this pot of milk for you. You must drink it. I will return later and collect the pot. Listen, My mother has also said that since it distresses the Vrajavāsīs to see you here in the forest like this, you should make a hut here and live in it.” Saying this, the boy left. Sanātana Gosvāmī drank the milk and immediately became restless with kṛṣṇa-prema. He cried bitterly, calling out, “O Kṛṣṇa, O Kṛṣṇa, You gave me darśana but also cheated me.” Although remaining invisible to Sanātana Gosvāmī, Kṛṣṇa pacified him and had a bhajana-kuṭī built for him through a Vrajavāsī. Sanātana Gosvāmī remained in this bhajana-kuṭī, and performed bhajana. Nearby is the temple of Pāvana-bihārī. The Vrajavāsīs in the village bathe in this sarovara in the morning and then take darśana of Pāvana-bihārī.
Nearby on the northern bank is a sitting-place of Śrī Vallabhācārya where he recited Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam for one month. In the west of Pāvana-sarovara is a kadamba-khaṇḍī, where the beauty of the kadamba trees is extraordinary. The bumble bees drink the nectar of the kadamba flowers and buzz about intoxicated. This kadamba-grove is especially dear to Śrī Baladeva, who used to enjoy many games here with His younger brother Kṛṣṇa and the sakhās. This unique kadamba-grove reminds one of Kṛṣṇa and Dāūjī’s innumerable pastimes. Even today, many saintly persons perform bhajana here.
Cakra-tīrtha
Cakra-tīrtha is on Mānasī-gaṅgā’s north side. Cakreśvara Mahādeva, currently known as Cakaleśvara, resides here. When Indra inundated Vraja with torrential rains, Mahādeva (who is Sadaśiva, and therefore viṣṇu-tattva) served Girirāja and the Vrajavāsīs by raising his trident like a cakra and protecting them. (Some devotees declare that it was on Mahādeva’s request that the Sudarśana cakra protected Girirāja Govardhana and Vraja, and for this reason, Mahādeva became known as Cakreśvara Mahādeva.)
Cakreśvara presides on Pāraṅga-ghāṭa, and it is from here that the gopīs used to cross Mānasī-gaṅgā. Śrī Kṛṣṇa would act as a boatman and, while ferrying the gopīs across Bhagavatī Mānasīgaṅgā, He would enjoy boating pastimes (nauka-vilāsa) and other pastimes with them. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has given a touching description of this boat-pastime in his prayer Śrī Govardhana-aṣṭakam (text 7):
yatraiva gaṅgām anu nāvi rādhām
ārohya madhye tu nimagna-naukaḥ
kṛṣṇo hi rādhānugalo babhau sa
govardhano me diṣatām abhīṣṭam
“Śrīmatī Rādhikā sat in Kṛṣṇa’s boat in the middle of Mānasīgaṅgā, while Kṛṣṇa, who was disguised as a boatman, tried to sink that boat. In Her fear, Rādhikā bound Śrī Kṛṣṇa in an embrace. May that Śrī Govardhana fulfil all my desires.”
Mukhāravinda
On the northern bank of Mānasī-gaṅgā is the lotus face (mukhāravinda) of Śrī Govardhana. Govardhana’s form is that of a sitting cow. His hind part is Pūcharī, or Pūṣcharī. He has turned his neck to place his lotus face near his stomach, which is the town of Govardhana. His two eyes are Rādhā-kuṇḍa and Śyāma-kuṇḍa. There is a beautiful temple here with a śilā of Girirāja’s lotus face. Every day he is given abhiṣeka and receives worship and offerings of bhoga. Festivals are also organised here on Annakūṭa and Dīpāvalī.
Śrī Harideva
Śrī Harideva, the presiding deity of Girirāja-Govardhana, is present on the southern bank of Mānasī-gaṅgā. Śrī Kṛṣṇa took one form as Giridhārī (the lifter of Govardhana hill) and held His second form, Girirājajī, on His palm.
Brahma-kuṇḍa
Seeing that Kṛṣṇa was in a good mood, Brahmā came here seeking forgiveness for his offence of stealing the calves and cowherd boys. He performed abhiṣeka of Śrī Kṛṣṇa and glorified Him with mantras from the Sāma Veda. The holy water from that abhiṣeka became Brahma-kuṇḍa, and Brahmājī bathed in it along with the other demigods.
