Sarovars of Braj
One morning, Shri Radhika and Her sakhis came to the bank of Kusuma-sarovara to pick beli, cameli, juhi, kanera, campaka and other flowers that bloomed here. Shri Radhika saw a tree with a branch full of flowers. Knowing that she was coming to Kusuma-sarovara to pick flowers, playful Krishna had climbed that very tree. Using all His weight, He pushed the branch down and remained hidden in the foliage so that Shri Radhika could not see Him. Radhika pulled down that branch with one hand, and was absorbed in picking its flowers with the other when suddenly Krsna shifted to another branch. The branch sprung up, lifting up Radhika with it and She cried out for help. Sri Krsna leapt out from the tree and caught hanging Srimatiji in His arms. The sakhis began clapping and laughing loudly, but Srimati Radhika, released Herself from Sri Krsna's embrace and scolded Him harshly.
Once, Krishna and Radharani were sitting together. A bee zoomed near Radharani menacingly. Krishna asked a Gopa friend to chase it away. When the friend drove the bee away and returned, he said, “Madhu is gone.” Madhu means bee and is the name of Krishna as well. Radharani felt Krishna went away and she began to cry. She wept and repeatedly cried out, "Oh, Pran-nath, where have You gone? She was in Mahabhav, that she didn’t recognize that Krishna is sitting with him. Krishna tried to console her, but Seeing Radharani’s cry of separation, Krishna also forgot that She was sitting on His lap and he also began to cry, and from the mix of their tears of love, the Prem Sarovar pond emerged. When the Sakhis saw Their condition, they too became senseless. Radha Rani's female parrot began to loudly chant Shri Radha's name, and the male parrot began to loudly chant Shri Krishna's name. As They heard each other's name, Radha and Krishna regained external consciousness and gazed upon each other with great yearning. The Prem Sarovar is emerged from the tears of Separation of Yugal Sarkar, although they are together.
Location:
Prem Sarovar is located 1 km north of Barsana.
Parasauli village lies about one-and-a-quarter miles south-east of Govardhana Town in the lowlands of Govardhana. This is the place of the spring Raas Leela of Krishna and His beloved gopis. This raas continued for an entire night of Brahma. The moon in the sky had become stunned upon seeing this raas Leela and remained in the one place for the duration of the entire night. Because this raas Leela took place in the light of a brilliant full moon, this place is also called Chandra Sarovar. “the lake of the moon”. In the south-western corner of the Sarovar is the Shringar Temple where Krishna decorated Shri Radharani.
Near the Sarovar under a chakora tree is the sitting-place of Shri Vallabhacharya. The Kunda and samadhi of Surdas or Soordas, known simply as Sur-Kund and Sur-samädhi, are also in this area.
Surdas was a natural poet. His collection of poems is famous as Sur-sagar or Sur-padavali. Although he was blind, he would compose poems that beautifully described the different outfits and decorations of Shri Nath Ji. One day, the priest did not dress Shri Nath Ji and left Him completely naked. He opened the doors of the altar and asked Surdas to describe Shri Nath’s decorations. Surdas remained silent for a few moments, but the priest insisted. Surdas laughed loudly and proceeded to sing, “Aj bhaye Hari nangam nanga – today, Hari is undressed and naked.” All present were stunned to hear this.
Surdas spent his last days in Parasauli. One day, Shri Vitthalachaya, the son of Shri Vallabhacharya, asked him, “Sur, what are you thinking about?” Surdas then composed his last song: “Khanjan nain roop ras mate, atishay charu chapal aniyare pal pinjara na samate" – Krishna’s beautiful eyes are like Khanjan birds. They are full of rasa, very restless, and slightly reddened due to intoxication. My life can no longer remain encaged in this body.” Saying this, he left his body. With tear-filled eyes, Shri Vitthalachaya said, “The boat of pushti-marga has departed today.”
Location:
In the south-eastern part of Parasauli is Sankarshan-Kunda,
परसौली गाँव गोवर्धन के निचले इलाकों में गोवर्धन टाउन के दक्षिण-पूर्व में लगभग एक-चौथाई मील की दूरी पर स्थित है।
यह श्री कृष्ण की वसंत रास लीला की भूमि है और उनकी प्रिय गोपियों का प्रिय स्थान है। यह रास ब्रह्मा जी की सम्पूर्ण रात्री काल तक चलती रही । आकाश में चंद्रमा इस रास लीला को देखने पर स्तंभित रह गया था और पूरी रात की अवधि के लिए एक स्थान पर स्थित रहा था क्योंकि यह रास लीला शरद पूर्णिमा के प्रकाश में हुआ था, इस स्थान को चंद्र सरोवर भी कहा जाता है; " चाँद की झील"। सरोवर के दक्षिण-पश्चिमी कोने में श्रृंगार मंदिर है जहाँ श्री कृष्ण ने श्री राधा रानी का श्रृंगार किया था।
सरोवऱ के पास एक चकोर वृक्ष के नीचे श्री वल्लभाचार्य की आसन स्थली है जिसे सूर-कुंड और सूर-समाधी के रूप में जाना जाता है। सुरदास जी का कुंड और समाधि भी इसी क्षेत्र में है। सूरदास जी कि दिव्य रचनाओं को आज भी स्मरण किया जाता है जो एक दिव्य कवि थे। उनकी कविताओं का संग्रह सूर-सागर या सूर-पदावली के रूप में प्रसिद्ध है। हालांकि वह अंधे थे, वह कविताओं की रचना करते थे और श्री नाथ जी के रूप और श्रृंगार और सजावट कर वर्णन करते थे।
एक दिन, पुजारी जी श्रीनाथजी को वस्त्र पहनाना भूल गए, और उन्हे पूरी तरह नग्न छोड़ दिया। उन्होंने जैसे ही पट खोला और श्री नाथ की सजावट का वर्णन करने के लिए सूरदास जी से कहा, कुछ क्षणों के लिए सूरदास चुप रहे, लेकिन पुजारी ने ज़ोर दिया की आप बताइये आज उन्होंने क्या पहना है । सूरदास जी अंधे होते हुए भी श्रीनाथजी का पूर्ण दिव्य श्रृंगार देख लेते थे। सूरदास ज़ोर से हँसे और बोले, "अज भये हरि नन्गम नंगा" - आज, हरि नग्न हैं। सभी उपस्थित इस बात को सुनकर दंग रह गए थे और हसने लगे ।
सूरदास ने अपने आखिरी के दिन परसौली में बिताए । एक दिन, श्री वल्लभाचार्य के पुत्र श्री विठ्ठलाचार्य ने उनसे पूछा, "सूर, आप किस बारे में सोच रहे हैं?"
तब सूरदास ने अपना आखिरी पद बनाया :
"खन्जन नैन रूप रस माते, अतिशय चारु चपल अनीयारे पल पिनजर न समाते" -
श्री कृष्ण के सुंदर नयन खन्जन पक्षियों की तरह हैं। वे रस से परिपूर्ण हैं, बहुत चंचल हैं, और नशे के कारण लाल रंग के दिखाई दे रहे हैं । मेरे प्राण अब इस शरीर में बंधे नहीं रह सकते। "यह कह कर, उन्होंने अपना शरीर छोड़ दिया। श्री विठ्ठलाचार्य ने कहाँ , "पुष्टी-मार्ग की नाव आज चली गई है"।
स्थान:
परसौली के दक्षिण-पूर्वी भाग में शंकर-कुंड है, जिसके तट में श्री बलदेव का मंदिर भी है। परसौली गाँव गोवेर्धन में स्थित है।
Once Radharani was into a sulky mood (maan) during Raas Leela that was very difficult to subdue that She left the place of raas on Her own, crossed the Yamuna, and came to this solitary forest. Distressed in separation from Krishna, She began to cry, and the stream of tears that flowed from Her eyes created this lake, or sarovara. Shri Krishna, the topmost relisher of transcendental mellows, searched for Shriji and found Her here. Placing His flute and His head at Her lotus feet, Shri Krishna admitted His fault and assured Her that He would never act like that again.
This charming place in Braj is embellished by the dense shade of the Pilu, kadamba and tamaala trees and by the peacocks, cuckoos, swans, deer and other birds and animals. It remains visible to our eyes to this present day so as to remind us of the pastimes of the Divine Couple, Shri Radha-Krishna.
In the old temple on the bank of Maana-sarovara, a painting is worshipped of Shri Krishna offering His flute and His head at the lotus feet of Shri Radhika in an effort to break Her maana. The same painting can be seen in the image as well.
Shri Krishna is looking at Her as if to say, “Smara-Garala-Khandanam Mama Shirasi Mandanam Dehi Pada-Pallavam Udaram" – the beautiful flower blossoms of Your feet counteract the deadly poison of amorous love, and they extinguish the fearsome fire of the pain of that love, which rages within My heart. Therefore, please be kind and decorate My head with Your flower-like feet.
Radha Sarovar Prathna Mantra is as such, Oh Radhika Sarovar, The one who gratifies the demigods! Obeisance to you. This lake has the power and potential to liberate the three worlds. We bow our heads unto this delightful pilgrim.
In this lake Shree Radha and her intimate sakhis used to engage in water sports. That is why it became famous as Shri Radha Sarovar.
Location:
Radha Sarovar is located in Gehvarvan, Barsana
राधा सरोवर प्राण मंत्र है - ओह राधिका सरोवर, आप देवताओं को संतुष्ट करने वाली हैं ! आप को नमस्कार, इस सरोवर में तीनों लोकों को मुक्त करने की शक्ति और क्षमता है।
इस सरोवर में श्री राधा और उनकी अंतरंग सखियाँ जल रुपी खेल में संलग्न होती थीं। यही कारण है कि यह श्री राधा सरोवर के रूप में प्रसिद्ध हो गया।
स्थान:
राधा सरोवर गह्वर वन, बरसाना, भारत में स्थित है।
"देवकृतार्थ रूपाय श्री राधा सरसे नम: |त्रैलोक्य पदमोक्षाय रम्यतीर्थाय ते नम: ||”(बृहन्नारदीय पुराण)