Rawal

[Paramananda das]

By Paramananda das

Dear devotees please accept my humble obaisences all glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Some devotees believe Varsana is the birth place of Radharani, this is a misunderstanding ,actually it is Rawal in Gokula. In the Bhakti Ratnakara chapter 5 , it is explained how Raghava Pandita took Narotama das Thakura and Srinivasa Acaray on Vraja mandal parikrama and there he is narating the glories of Rawal and how Radha appeared there and how Lord Caitanya visited this place:

Here Lord Caitanya became maddened with ecstatic love and performed san kirtan. He went with his followers to see Krsna’s birthplace. Caitanya described the various episodes of Krsna’s birth to his companions and his mind became overwhelmed. This is the place where Nanda Maharaja and other cowherd men would consult with their friends and also where elderly gopis would sing theglories of Krsna. But because the residents of Gokul frequentlyfaced calamities they decided to shift to Vrndavana. Raghava pointed out the path by which the cowherd men from Gokul and Rawal would use to go to Vrndavana. During their journey they had great fun crossing the Jamuna near Vandiravana. In Sakarali village they collected the cows and calves and all took rest. Rawal was the village of Vrishabhanu where Sri Radhika took birth to enlighten the whole world.

“Let my mind be filled with love for Vishabhanupur in Rawal where the precious gem Sri Radha appeared in the mine of Kirtida’s room for which mother was praised by the demigods, rishis and human beings.” (Stavavali) by Srila Raghunath das Goswami .

What a happy moment passed in Vishabhanu’s temple when Radhika took birth from Kirtida’s womb. Brightening the world Sri Radha vanguished the sighs and of everyone. Her body was soft as and beautifully shaped. Seeing her beauty her parents could not control their excitment and repeatedly looked at her moonlike face. A glorious sound is covering the world and the gopis are singing the Mangala Geet. Various instruments accompany the song and shouting in jubilation dancing gopis join in. Tamuk, curd and milk were brought for the occasion and the cowherd men laughed and enjoyed themselves. The brahmins and the singers were offered valuable gifts and Narahari also became joyful observing the fun.

Raghava continued to explain that seeing the beauty of Radha her parents were unable to take their minds away from her. For her well being they distributed many things to the visitors. As Radha played with her friends, her mother’s joy increased. Vishabhanu also observed the fun with his friends in Rawal.

O Srinivasa, after coming from Gokul Candra stayed here for sometime and he became overwhelmed with spiritual joy when he saw the Rawal village. Seeing this sannyasi saint people came from all directions with the name of Hari on their lips. When they saw the beauty of his face they felt that the sannyasi must be Krsna who had come to earth to enjoy himslef as a fair sannyasi. Other people were not able to express their feelings in words but everyone cried in enchantment. After performing His divine lilas in Rawal, Caitanya went to Mathura with Sanodra Brahmana.

O Srinivasa, this pleasant and place is full of the childhood lilas of Radhika.

After discussing these different holy places they passed the night in Rawal discussing the glory of Krsna. No one can describe the aesthetic feelings of love Sri Raghava, Srinivasa and Sri Narottama experienced. Whoever hears this story attentively will be blessed by Sri Radha, Sri Krsna and Sri Caitanya.

your servant Paramananda  das

[Paramananda das]

I posted this previously on Dandavats.com http://www.dandavats.com/?p=6383

[Paramananda das]

There is a description also in Garga Samhita 1 Canto chapter 8 of Sri Radha’s   divine birth: Description of Sri Rädhikä’s Birth

Text 1

Sri Garga Muni said: O Saunaka, when Bahuläsva, the king of Mithilä, who was filled witù faith and devotion to Lord Hari and who was the best of the wise, heard this, he again bowed down and spoke to the great sage Närada, the best of the devarsis.

Text 2

Sri Bahuläçva said: By giving it the narrations of Lord Hari’s pure glories you purified my materialistic family and made it auspicious. By a moment’s touch with Lord Krsna’s devotee even an ordinary person will become a saint. What more need I say?

Text 3

What did the Supreme Personality of Godhead do when He came with Sri Rädhä to Vraja? O Lord, O great sage, please tell me. O king of the sages, please save me from the three miseries.

Text 4

Sri Närada said: The family of your birth is fortunate for it was made perfect by King Nimi, who was a very great devotee of Lord Krsna. It is not surprising that a pearl is born in an oyster.

Text 5

Please hear the purifying pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord did not only come to kill Kamsa. He also came to protect the devotees.

Text 6

Then, placing Her glorious transcendental form in (the womb of) King Vrsåñabhänu’s wife, Sri Rädhä descended into a great palace in a garden by the Yamunä’s shore.

Text 7

In the month of Bhädra (August-September), on a Monday that was the eighth day of the bright fortnight of the moon, at midday, when the sky was covered with clouds, (to celebrate Rädhä’s descent) the demigods scattered flowers that had blossomed in the Nandana gardens.

Text 8

Because of Rädhä’s descent the rivers became very pure and clear, the directions became auspicious and happy, and graceful, gentle, cooling breezes carried the pollen of lotus flowers.

Text 9

Gazing at her daughter beautiful as hundreds of moons, the gopi Kirti became happy. To bring auspiciousness she gave two hundred thousand cows in charity to please the brähmaëas

[Paramananda das]

According to many Gaudiya Vaisnavas ,Radharani appeared in Yamuna from a lotusflower and was found there by Vrsabhanu Maharaja,   Dhruva Maharaja das mentions this in his book Vrindavan Dhama Ki jaya. Lalita Madhava written by Srila Rupa Goswami  has a discussion between Gargi (the daughter of Sandipani Muni ) and Purnamasi (Yogamaya personified) about the apperance of Radharani  where it describes Radharani first    appearing as the daughter of Vindhya hill and then being kidnapped by Putana and being brough to Vraja. In all cases Radharani is being glorified again as the daughter of Kirtidadevi. Raghunath das Goswami writes in his Vraja Vilasa Stava:

TEXT 90 In the city of Mukhyeravali the precious jewel known as Srimati Radharani took birth in the mine of Kirtida-devi’s womb, which is glorified by jubilant demigods, sages and human beings. I pray that when I enter King Vrshabhanu’s capitol city of Mukhyeravali-pura, populated with many gopas, gopis, and surabhi cows, I may become drowned in great flood of transcendental bliss and love

This Mukhyeravali Pura is Rawal.

Srila Prabhodananda Sarasvati has glorified Rawal also in his Vrindavana Mahimamrta:

5 Think  of Vrndavana with love. Roll in its dust.  Love it ardently. Please its moving and non moving residents.  Worship Sri Radha’s birthplace. With all your heart take shelter of Sri Vrndavana, the best of all holy places.

Srila Prabhupada wrote on sptember 13 1965 while on Jaladutta to USA:

I emphatically say to you, O brothers, you will obtain your good fortune from the Supreme Lord Krsna only when Srimati Rädhäräni becomes pleased with you.