Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami
From the book “Sri Vraja-maṇḍala-parikramā”:
Nanda-ghāṭa is situated two miles south of Gopī-ghāṭa and one mile south-east of Akṣayavaṭa.
Once, Mahārāja Nanda performed an Ekādaśī-vrata and took his bath here on Dvādaśī night. This was an inauspicious time to bathe, and therefore the servants of Varuṇa captured him and brought him before their master. News of Mahārāja Nanda’s disappearance in the Yamunā so distressed the Vrajavāsīs that, upon seeing their crying, Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma went to Varuṇa- loka to look for him. When Varuṇadeva saw Kṛṣṇa before him, he offered prayers to Kṛṣṇa and glorified Him. He then presented Him with gifts of various ornaments made of pearls, jewels and precious stones. He begged Kṛṣṇa to forgive him for arresting Nanda Bābā. When Śrī Kṛṣṇa returned with His father, they met again with the Vrajavāsīs at this place.
Once, in a discussion on the scriptures, Jīva Gosvāmī defeated a digvijayī paṇḍita, a scholar who is victorious in debate all over the world. This scholar had wanted to edit the writings of Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, but the young Jīva Gosvāmī was unable to tolerate this and defeated him at the Yamunā in Vṛndāvana. The scholar then approached Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī to find out who this boy was, greatly praising the boy’s erudition. With great humility, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī said, “He is my brother’s son as well as my disciple.” Understanding that Jīva had debated with the scholar, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī addressed Jīva as soon as the scholar had gone: “Jīva, could you not even tolerate an event as insignificant as this? Since you desire prestige, please leave this place at once.”
Dejected upon hearing the harsh disciplinary words of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Jīva Gosvāmī left Vṛndāvana for Nanda-ghāṭa. There, on the bank of the Yamunā, in a dense and desolate forest, he lived in a crocodile hole. He maintained his life here somehow or other with great difficulty. Feeling intense separation from his Gurudeva, sometimes he would drink flour mixed with water, and sometimes he would just fast. His body gradually dried up and became very thin. At that time, on the pretext of performing parikramā of Vraja, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī came to Nanda-ghāṭa. He heard from the mouths of the Vrajavāsīs the abundant glories of the young Bengali sādhu and his severe austerities. He went to Jīva Gosvāmī, consoled him, and took him back to Vṛndāvana. Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī then went alone to meet with Rūpa Gosvāmī, leaving Jīva in his bhajana-kuṭī. At that time, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī was speaking to a group of Vaiṣṇavas about bestowing mercy upon the jīvas. Midway through this discussion, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī asked, “You are instructing others to show mercy to the jīvas, but why are you not showing mercy to Jīva himself?” Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī understood the hidden meaning behind the enigmatic words of his elder brother and spiritual master, and called for Śrī Jīva. He saw to it that Jīva received medical care and engaged him in his service once again. It was while he was living at Nanda-ghāṭa that Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī composed his famous work known as the Ṣad-sandarbhas. Even today, the place where Jīva Gosvāmī lived is known as Jīva Gosvāmī’s cave.
Rajashekhara Dasa
From the book “Chaurasi-kosa Vraja Mandala Parikrama”:
The Bhakti-ratnakara says, “Here at Nanda Ghata, Nanda and the other cowherd men took their bath in the Yamuna River. After fasting on the Ekadashi, Nanda was entering the Kalinda (Yamuna) to take his bath on the Dvadashi. While bathing, a servant of Varuna abducted Nanda, but Krishna easily rescued him. As Nanda had become afraid in this place, Krishna’s great grandson, Vajra, the son of Aniruddha, named this place Bhaya.”
This is the famous ghata on the Yamuna River where Nanda Maharaja was arrested by the servants of Varuna Deva, the demigod of the waters. It so happened that on the occasion of Ekadashi, Nanda Maharaja, Krishna’s father, had fasted the whole day and the following morning, the day of Dwadashi, he decided to take an early morning ritualistic bath in the River Yamuna before breaking fast. Unfortunately, he arrived at the river bank before the appointed hour and as soon as he entered the water to bathe, he was immediately arrested by the servants of Varuna Deva, who accused him of bathing at an improper time and took him away to the court of Varuna to be punished. The moment that Nanda Maharaja was arrested, Nanda’s companions immediately informed Krishna and Balarama about the sudden turn of events. The two transcendental brothers could immediately understand the situation and straight away left for the abode of Varuna to rescue their father Nanda Maharaja.
As soon as Krishna and Balarama arrived at the abode of Varuna, They were welcomed with great respect. Varuna Deva humbly addressed Krishna and Balarama by saying that it was his great fortune to be able to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead present before his eyes, and because of seeing Them, he would not have to take birth again. Varuna also said that because he was personally seeing Krishna and Balarama before his eyes, his life was now perfect. Varuna Deva also apologized on behalf of his servants, who he said had inadvertently arrested Nanda Maharaja and informed Krishna and Balarama that They could now take Their father back home. Varuna further said that it was only by the will of providence that this whole incident had been allowed to take place.
Nanda Ghata is situated near the village of Baigram sometimes called Bhogoan, which are corruptions of the ancient name Bhaya Grama, the name given by Vajranabha Maharaja. The word ‘bhaya’ means ‘fear’ and the village was so named because both Nanda Maharaja and the cowherd men experienced great fear at this place after Nanda had been arrested by the servants of Varuna. There is a temple here containing the Deities of Nanda Maharaja and mother Yashoda along with Krishna and Balarama.
