Raval

What is the meaning of Vraja? Vraj is the root word of vrajati which means “to go”, “to move” or “to wander”. The residents of this place were always moving and going to places where there was fresh grass for their cows.

Before the appearance of Srimati Radhika and Sri Krsna, Nanda Maharaja and Yasoda-maiya were staying in Gokula Mahavana and Vrsabhanu Maharaja was staying here in Raval.
The word raval means zamidar, landlord, a great personality or chieftain. Thus, Raval is named after Vrsabhanu Maharaja.

After Radha’s and Krsna’s appearance Krsna’s parents moved from Gokula to Chatikara, to Dig, to Deravali, to Kamyavana and finally to Nandagaon.

Vrsabhanu Maharaja’s family also moved from place to place, always nearby to the places where Sri Krsna lived.

Early one morning, Vrsabhanu Maharaja went to the Yamuna and discovered a very beautiful golden-complexioned girl playing in the center of a lotus flower. He brought Her home and put Her in the lap of Kirtida-maiya.
It is not possible, however, to attain the darsana of Krsna without first receiving the merciful glance of Srimati Radhika.
Therefore, we have come first to Raval.

Where is Raval
Raval is 9km from Mathura on the other side of the river. It is just 30 minutes side excursion from the way to Gokul.

What is Raval
Raval is the birthplace of Srimati Radharani.
There is a small temple here called the Larily Lal Temple with Radha Krishna Deities, close to the bank of the Yamuna.
The Deity of Krishna is said to have been established by Vrajanabha.
Also located here is Radha Ghata.

The Appearance Place Of Srimati Radharani

By the mercy of Sri Guru and Vaisnavas, we have come to the appearance place of Sri Krsna’s svarupa-sakti, Mahabhava Svarupini Srimati Radhika. Due to differences in different kalpas (millenniums), the pastimes of Srimati Radhika’s appearance manifest in different ways.

vrsabhanudadhi-nava-sasi-lekhe!
lalita-sakhi guna-ramita-visakhe!

[“Just as the moon was produced from the churning of the Milk Ocean, You have arisen like the new moon from the ocean of Vrsabhanu Maharaja’s affection for You. O dearmost friend of Lalita! O You who have captivated the heart of Your intimate sakhi Visakha with Your charming (lalita) qualities of friendship, kindness and loyalty to Krsna.” (Sri Sri Radhika Pada-Padme Vijnapti verse 3)]

Srimati Radhika is very near and dear to Sri Vrsabhanu Maharja. Therefore, most people call Her Vrsabhanu-nandini, the beloved daughter of Vrsabhanu Maharaja. Very few people call Her Kirtida-nandini. The word raval means “great landlord”, and therefore this place is named after Vrsabhanu Maharaja.
One early morning he went to the Yamuna to bathe, and there he saw a very effulgent thousand-petal lotus flower. In the middle of the lotus was a very attractive baby girl – Srimati Radhika. With great affection he took that girl to his house, gave Her to Kirtida-sundari, his beautiful wife Kirtida, and they adopted Her.

Sometimes Srimati Radhika appears directly in Varsana. There, Sri Vrsabhanu Maharaja went to Vrsabhanu Kunda early in the morning and, just as here, he found Srimati Radhika there on a thousand-petal lotus.

Understanding that the Supreme Lord, sarva-saktiman (the all-powerful) Sri Krsna had already appeared on Earth, Sri Narada Muni concluded that His svarupa-sakti, His complete internal potency, Srimati Radhika, must have also appeared somewhere. He went to the house of Vrsabhanu Maharaja and, after receiving his obeisances, asked him if he had any children. Vrsabhanu Maharaja replied, “Yes, I have a son named Sridama.” Rsi Narada asked, “Do you have a daughter?” Vrsabhanu Maharaja replied, “Yes we have one daughter.” Rsi Narada said, “I want to see Her, to give Her blessings and read Her future.”

Vrsabhanu Maharaja became very happy that Sri Narada Muni wanted to see his daughter. Sri Naradaji asked him to quickly bring some paraphernalia for the worship and for Srimati Radhika’s receiving blessings. As soon as Vrsabhanu Maharaja went outside, Narada Muni began to pray to Srimati Radhika’s lotus feet, “Kada karisyasiha mam krpa-kataksa-bhajanam? – O Srimati Radhika, when will You bestow Your mercy upon me?”

Srimati Radhika then displayed Her kisori form – Her ever-present, eternal form as a thirteen and a half year-old girl – along with Lalita, Visakha and all the asta-sakhi gopis. At that time Sri Narada Muni felt very happy. That is why he is always present in Vrndavana – to get the darsana of Srimati Radhika.

Our hope is that by coming to this place, by hearing the hari-katha from the lotus mouth of Sri Guru, and by touching the dust here, this appearance place of Srimati Radhika may also appear in our hearts and give us mercy and inspiration. Our hope is that Her nearest and dearest, Sri Guru, will pray for us so that we will one day become Her maidservants.

How Vrisabhanu found Radharani
King Vrishabhanu and Queen Kirtida are the father and mother of Srimati Radharani.
Once King Vrishabhanu went to the Yamuna River to take bath. He saw a golden lotus flower that shone like a million suns in the middle of the river.
In the middle of the lotus flower was baby Srimati Radharani. Lord Brahma appeared before King Vrishabhanu and told him that in his previous life he and his wife, Kirtida, had performed great austerities to get the consort of Lord Vishnu as their daughter.

King Vrishabhanu took the child home, but found Her to be blind.
Narada Muni appeared before the king and told him that despite the child’s blindness he should go ahead and perform all the auspicious birth ceremonies.
Nanda Maharaja brought baby Krishna along for the ceremonies. When baby Krishna crawled before Srimati Radharani, She could smell the wonderful aroma of His body, and at that moment She opened Her eyes. The first person She saw was Her eternal consort, Sri Krishna.

Raghava Pandita on Raval

In the fifth wave of Sri Bhakti Ratnakara, Narahari Chakravarti Thakur glorifies the birthplace of Srimati Radharani. In this first excerpt, he quotes Raghava Pandit’s discussion with Srinivas Acharya while touring various places in Vraja.

ahe srinivasa dekha e ‘ravala’-grama
etha vrishabhanura vasati anupama

sri-radhika prakata ha-ila eikhane
yahara prakate sukha vyapila bhuvane

O Srinivas, just see Raval, the village where Ma-haraja Vrishabhanu happily resided. Sri Radhika appeared here and by her auspicious appearance the whole world became filled with joy. (5.1809-1810)

gandharvaya jani-manir abhud yatra sankirtitayam
anandotkaih sura-muni-naraih kirtida-garbha-khanyam
gopi-gopaih surabhi-nikaraih samparite ’tra mukhe
ravalyakhye vrisharavi-pure priti-puro mamastam
[Srila Raghunath Das Goswami, in Vraja-vilasa-stava, text 90, prays as follows:] Praised by jubilant devas, rishis, and human beings, the womb of Kirtida is like a mine from which the precious gem Sri Radha appeared. May I be filled with love for Raval — the place of Maharaja Vrishabhanu, which is surrounded in all directions by surabhi cows, cowherd boys and gopis.

Seeing Radha’s beauty on the occasion of her
appearance, her parents became agitated in love and were unable to take their minds away from her. Desiring auspiciousness for their daughter, they gave various gifts in charity. Who can de scribe this scene? Only fortunate souls can see.
Sri Radha would wander around with many other girls and her mother felt joyful while watching her.
Maharaja Vrishabhanu and his associates would sit and watch her. In this way there was no limit to the happiness in Raval.
O Srinivas, after coming from Gokula, Gaurachandra and his associates stayed here for some time. He became overwhelmed with ecstatic love when he saw Raval. What to speak of others, even Ananta Sesh cannot adequately describe his feelings of ecstatic love for this place. When Lord Gaurahari was here, people came running from all directions, chanting the holy name of Lord Hari and exclaiming,
“O brother, see this jewel amongst the sannyasis.”
Everyone became mad while drinking the nec tar of the Lord’s moon-like face. Greatly happy, they spoke to one another, “I have concluded that he is definitely Krishna. By his own will, he is wandering throughout Vraja in this form.”
Someone else said, “By seeing this golden complexioned form of the Lord, I am unable to speak, although I wish to.”
After saying these things, by the mercy of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu the people became agi tated in love and tears flowed from their eyes. After manifesting his transcendental pastimes here, the Lord, along with the sanodiya brahmana, went on to Mathura. O Srinivas, this place where Radhika performed her enchanting childhood pastimes is most confidential.
Narahari Chakravarti Thakur also composed a song in this connection:

aju ki ananda vrishabhanura mandire
janmila radhika-devi krittika-udare

Who can understand the great joy in Vrishabhanu’s house when Radhika appeared from the womb of Kirtida?

disa dasa kare alo-rupera chataya
ye dekhe bareka ta’ra tapa dure yaya

Sri Radha’s effulgent form illuminated the ten directions. Whoever once sees her is freed from the threefold miseries.

sukomala tanu jini kanaka-lavani
aha mari! kiba prati angera balani

Her body is extremely soft and her complexion is like molten gold. Alas! How is it possible to describe the exquisite movements of her limbs?

janani-janaka-dhriti dharite na pare
kata sadhe candamukha dekhe bare bare

Seeing her beauty, her parents could not control their excitement and repeatedly looked at her moon-like face.

jaya jaya kalarave bharila bhuvana
gaoye mangala-gita gopanari-gana

All the elderly gopis sang auspicious songs and the entire universe became filled with the sound of “Jaya! Java!”

bajaye vividha badya parama rasala
nacaye sakala loka bale, — bhala bhala

The sounds of various instruments enchanted everyone and people began dancing as they exclaimed, “Very good! Very good!”

dadhi dudha haldi angane chadaiya
hasaye hasaya kata bhangi prakasiya

Turmeric, yogurt, and milk were scattered in the courtyard for the occasion and the cowherd men laughed and made others laugh with their gestures.

vipra, vandi-gane dana kare nana bhati
dekhi ghanasyama o na ranga sukhe mati

The brahmins and the singers were offered valuable gifts and Ghanashyam (Narahari Chakravarti Thakur), says that although he is seeing this scene, he is unable to relish its happiness.

—Sri Sri Bhakti-ratnakara. Bagh Bazaar, Calcutta. Gaudiya
Mission. 1987. (Bengali)
—Sri Sri Bhakti-ratnakara. English translation by Kusakratha
Das. Ras Bihari Lal and Sons. Vrindavan.

What to do there

After circumambulating the altar and offering prayers to Radharani one can climb to the roof and see the Yamuna river, exactly at the point where Maharaja Vrinshabhanu found infant Radha.
Not many devotees go to see Raval.

 

 

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#vraja
#radharani

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