Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami
From the book “Sri Vraja-maṇḍala-parikramā”:
The temple of Dīrgha–Viṣṇu lies close to Bharatapura Gate. When Kṛṣṇa, Baladeva and Their cowherd friends were proceeding to Kaṁsa’s wrestling arena, Śrīdāma and other sakhās asked Kṛṣṇa, “Friend, are You going to the wrestling arena? Your body is small and tender. How will You kill the mighty Kaṁsa?” Śrī Kṛṣṇa then displayed His huge (dīrgha) form, carrying a conch shell, disk, club and lotus flower. Thus, the sakhās were convinced that their Kanhaiyā could do anything by the mercy of Nārāyaṇa, and that Nārāyaṇa sometimes manifested through Him. Happily, they danced towards the wrestling arena with Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
Rajashekhara Dasa
From the book “Chaurasi-kosa Vraja Mandala Parikrama”:
This temple contains the Deity of the four-armed Dirgha Vishnu. The word ‘dirgha’ means ‘huge’ and refers to the very large form that Krishna showed to the cowherd boys because they doubted Krishna’s strength and ability to fight with the powerful King Kamsa and his men. After Krishna manifested this form of Dirgha Vishnu, the cowherd boys were no longer in anxiety about Krishna’s welfare and His ability to defeat Kamsa. Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu also visited this temple during His parikrama around Mathura.
