Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami
From the book “Sri Vraja-maṇḍala-parikramā”:
On the order of the gopīs, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, in the mood of Śrī Rāma, had the monkeys construct a bridge here. Even today, one can see the ruins of this bridge of rocks (setu-bandha) in the lake. Rāmeśvara Mahādeva presides north of this lake. He was installed by Śrī Kṛṣṇa when Kṛṣṇa assumed the mood of Śrī Rāma. Laṅkāpurī, as a hillock, is situated to the south of the lake across from Rāmeśvara Mahādeva.
One day, the supremely playful Śrī Kṛṣṇa was sitting in the shade under the trees on the northern bank of this lake, together with the gopīs, and was joking and laughing with vinodinī Śrī Rādhikā. At that time, many monkeys from nearby places descended from the trees, being attracted by Kṛṣṇa’s sweet beauty. They respectfully bowed at His lotus feet, sang in joy, jumped and danced. Several monkeys took very long leaps from trees on the southern bank of the lake and landed near His lotus feet, and Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa praised their bravery. Watching this amazing pastime charmed the gopīs. They began to describe the astonishing pastimes of Bhagavān Śrī Rāmacandra and said that He received help from monkeys. At that time, Lalitā said, “We have heard that in Tretā-yuga the greatly powerful Hanumān crossed the ocean in one leap, and today we are seeing with our own eyes monkeys crossing this lake in one single jump.”
Hearing this, Kṛṣṇa proudly declared, “Do you know, I was Śrī Rāma in Tretā-yuga. I performed all these pastimes as Rāma.” Lalitā praised the amazing pastimes of Śrī Rāmacandra and then said, “You are a liar. You were never Rāma. Such bravery is impossible for You.”
Śrī Kṛṣṇa smiled and replied, “You do not believe Me, but I did take the form of Rāma, and I married Sītā after breaking the bow of Śiva in Janakapurī. On the order of My father, with bow in hand, together with Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa, I roamed through Citrakūṭa and Daṇḍakāraṇya where I killed cruel and tyrannical demons. Thereafter, I wandered from forest to forest in separation from Sītā, destroyed Rāvaṇa and Laṅkāpurī with the help of the monkeys, and then returned to Ayodhyā. Now I carry a flute, roam from forest to forest tending and grazing the cows, and perform pastimes with My beloved Śrī Rādhikā in the company of you gopīs. Previously, when I came as Rāma, My bow and arrow made the three worlds tremble. Now, however, all living beings, both moving and non-moving, are becoming maddened by the sweet sound of My flute.”
Smiling, Lalitā said, “Mere words will not convince us. If You can show some valour like that of Śrī Rāma, then we might believe You. Śrī Rāmacandra arranged for a bridge to be constructed by bears and monkeys so that He could cross an ocean eight hundred miles wide with His entire army. If You can get these monkeys to construct a bridge over this small lake, then we can believe You.”
Hearing Lalitā’s words, Śrī Kṛṣṇa assembled all the monkeys in a moment by sounding His flute. He ordered them to construct a bridge over the lake using flat stones. On the order of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, thousands of monkeys immediately and eagerly started to help build the bridge, bringing stones from distant places. This occurred right before the gopīs’ eyes. Śrī Kṛṣṇa then constructed the bridge with His own hands with the stones brought by the monkeys. He installed His Rāmeśvara Mahādeva at the start of the bridge, on the northern side of the lake. These places can be seen to this day. This lake is also called Laṅkā-kuṇḍa.
Rajashekhara Dasa
From the book “Chaurasi-kosa Vraja Mandala Parikrama”:
Rameshwara Setubandha is the place in Kamyavana where Krishna enacted the pastimes of Lord Ramachandra. The word ‘setu’ means ‘bridge’ and ‘bandha’ means to ‘link-up’ or to ‘join’ one place to another. At this isolated spot on the Kamyavana parikrama path one can see a temple of Lord Shiva known as Rameshwara Mahadeva, which is a manifestation of Rameshwaram Dhama in Southern India. Setubandha is the place from where Lord Ramachandra built a stone bridge and crossed the Indian Ocean to the island of Lanka. Here in Kamyavana, the Rameshwara Mahadeva temple lies at one end of a stone bridge that runs across a small lake called Setubandha-sarovara, which is a manifestation of the Indian Ocean; the stone bridge leads to a small hill called Lanka Puri, representing the demon Ravana’s fabled city of Lanka. This shallow lake is dry for most of the year, except during the rainy season. Unfortunately, most of the stones used to make the bridge have now disappeared. There was also a small forest nearby known as Ashokavana, which was a manifestation of the Ashoka grove in Lanka where Sita Devi was kept as a prisoner by Ravana.
One day Shri Krishna was enjoying pastimes with the gopis at this spot. At that moment a troupe of monkeys appeared from the nearby forest, and due to it being a very hot summer’s day, the monkeys in order to cool off started to jump from the trees into the lake. Seeing the monkeys reminded Lalita-sakhi about the adventures of Lord Rama. She told Vishakha-sakhi, that once when the demon Ravana kidnapped Sita Devi and took her away to Lanka, the monkeys built a bridge out of large stones across the ocean and on the order of Lord Rama, all the stones miraculously floated on the water. Lord Rama and his army were then able to cross the ocean and reach Lanka by walking on those stones. Hearing the talks between Lalita and Vishakha, Krishna suddenly declared that He was that very same Lord Rama and that in His previous life He had appeared in Ayodhya as the son of Maharaja Dasaratha. The gopis started laughing at Krishna’s boasting words and Lalita informed Krishna that if He was actually Lord Rama, He should take the help of the monkeys and immediately build a bridge by floating large stones over the lake, then only would the gopis believe that He was actually Lord Rama.
Taking up the challenge of the gopis and with the help of all the monkeys, Krishna assembled many large stones and after touching them with His lotus feet they began to float on the water, much to the amazement of the gopis, and within a short time a stone bridge had been erected across the lake. Seeing this wonderful and miraculous pastime, the gopis unanimously declared Krishna to be the very same Lord Ramachandra and gave the lake the name of Shri Rameshwara Setubandha. This same lake is also known as Lanka-kunda as well as Setubandha-sarovara. It is said that Shri Krishna personally established at one end of the stone bridge, the Shiva-linga known as Rameshwara Mahadeva, which is considered to be the original Rameshwaram in Vraja. Rameshwaram in Southern India is the place where Lord Ramachandra worshiped the Deity of Lord Shiva in order to kill the demon Ravana, because Ravana was a staunch and devoted follower of Lord Shiva. From this location at Rameshwara Setubandha one gets a very good view of the Kaman fort and the palace of former king of Kaman known as the Sheel Mahal, or the ‘Eagle Palace’, which is perched on top of same hill on which the Chaurasi Khambha is also located.
