Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami
From the book “Sri Vraja-maṇḍala-parikramā”:
This place is located one mile north of Choṭī-baiṭhāna. It is called Caraṇa-pahāḍī because one can find Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Baladeva’s footprints (caraṇa cihna) here, as well as imprints made by cows and gopas.
Once, while herding the cows, Kṛṣṇa reached this place with His entourage of sakhās. The cows were grazing some distance from where He stood, and the sakhās were also some distance away. In a playful mood, Kṛṣṇa stood under a tree on top of Caraṇa-pahāḍī in His charming threefold-bending form. He played such a melody on His flute that the entire hill melted upon hearing the sound. What to speak of the cowherd boys and cows, even the deer, does and other animals and birds were allured. They quickly made their way to Kṛṣṇa, leaving imprints across the melted stones. The imprints of gopas, deer, camels and so forth are still here. These imprints all point in one direction only, because when Kṛṣṇa stopped playing His flute, the stones regained their natural state, which meant the gopas and animals left no impressions behind when they went their different ways.
Bhakti-ratnākara affirms:
eī hetu caraṇa pahāḍī nāma haīla
The word caraṇa means “foot”, and pahāḍī means “mountain”. Nearby is Caraṇa-gaṅgā, where Kṛṣṇa washed His feet.
Rajashekhara Dasa
From the book “Chaurasi-kosa Vraja Mandala Parikrama”:
Situated on top of a large hill which is considered to be a divine manifestation of Lord Shiva, one can see the lotus foot-prints of Lord Shri Krishna impressed upon a rock. In the same area, besides Krishna’s lotus foot-prints, one can also see the foot-prints of the gopis, the gopas (cowherd boys), and the cows. The word ‘charana’ means ‘lotus feet’ and ‘pahadi’ means a ‘mountain’, or a ‘hill’. Sometimes this place is also called Charana-chinnha; the word ‘chinnha’ means that the impression of the Lord’s lotus feet is ‘indented’ on the rocks. This is the most famous amongst the three important ‘Charana Pahadis’ found in Vraja, the other two being located at Nandagrama and Chota Bathain.
Lord Krishna used to come to this area for grazing His cows along with the cowherd boys. One day Krishna climbed to the top of the hill and started playing on His flute. The enchanting sound of Krishna’s flute suddenly captivated the minds of the gopis who were bathing at a nearby kunda and they immediately started to climb the hill in search of Krishna. The cowherd boys also became attracted by the sound of Krishna’s flute and they also began to climb the hill to search for Krishna. Similarly, the cows also became enchanted by Krishna’s flute playing and they also made their way to the top of the hill. At that same time the hill also became completely enchanted by the sound of Krishna’s flute and the rocks began to melt in ecstasy. The place where Krishna stood became so soft that His lotus feet became indented on the rock. Similarly, because all the gopis, the cowherd boys and their cows had also reached the top of the hill, their foot-prints also became indented on the rocks.
The Bhakti-ratnakara says, “Here is Shri Carana-chinnha on top of the mountain. Here at Krida-kunda Krishna played games [krida] in the water. Here are the five beautiful Gopa-kundas beginning with Shridama’s. See also this very beautiful Ghosarani-kunda.
Ghosarani was the daughter of Yashodara, a king of the cowherds. He arranged the marriage of his daughter here. Look at Vihvala-kunda, where Radha was overwhelmed (vihvala) after hearing the sound of Krishna’s flute.”
Surrounding Charana Pahadi are a number of sacred kundas although most are only visible in the monsoon season when they are filled with rainwater. From the top of the hill one can see Dhyana-kunda where Shri Krishna meditated on His beloved Radha. Nearby is Vihvala-kunda where Radha became overwhelmed after having heard the enchanting sound of Krishna’s flute, and Krida-kunda where Krishna played water-sports with His friends. Near Angrawali village are the five kundas named after Krishna’s cowherd boyfriends called the Pancha-sakha-kundas, also called the Gopa-kundas. These five friends are said to include: Rangila, Chabila, Jakila, Matila, and Datila. However, the Bhakti-ratnakara mentions Shridama as one of the five gopas. In the far distance looking eastwards is Luk-luki-kunda where Krishna and the gopis would play hide and seek. In the southern direction is Ghosarani-kunda, where mother Yashoda’s brother named Yashodhara gave away his daughter in marriage. It is said that the whole area on this side of Kamyavana was being ruled by mother Yashoda’s father whose name was Samukha Maharaja. It is also said that Ghosarani-kunda is also connected to the family of Yashoda’s mother whose name was Patala Devi.
