Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami
From the book “Sri Vraja-maṇḍala-parikramā”:
Vatsavana lies four miles south-west of Nanda-ghāṭa. Because Brahmā stole the cows and cowherd boys here, it is known as Vatsavana or Bacchavana. The names of this place derive from the words vatsa and bachḍā, which both mean “calf”. The present name of the village is Basaī-gaon. Places of darśana here are the temple of Śrī Vatsa-bihārījī, the place of Gvāla Maṇḍalī, Gvāla-kuṇḍa, Haribol-tīrtha and Śrī Vallabhācārya’s sitting-place (baiṭhaka).
Once, while Śrī Kṛṣṇa and the cowherd boys were grazing the calves on the bank of the Yamunā the calves came to this forest. Kṛṣṇa and the sakhās played all kinds of games in the soft sand of the Yamunā. Four-headed Brahmā had been astonished to see Aghāsura’s soul enter Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet and become liberated. Desiring to see more of Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s sweet pastimes, he stole the calves when they entered this forest and hid them in a cave.
Kṛṣṇa and the cowherd boys became filled with anxiety upon noticing that the calves were nowhere to be seen. Leaving the sakhās here, Kṛṣṇa went out alone to search for the calves. Unable to find them, He returned to the bank of the Yamunā where He had left his sakhās. In Kṛṣṇa’s absence, Brahmā had also hidden away the sakhās. Śrī Kṛṣṇa is all-powerful and full in the six opulences and He therefore understood Brahmā’s actions. Personally assuming forms identical to His calves and cowherd boys, including their sticks, clothes, flutes, horns and so forth, He continued His pastimes as before. This went on for one year. Even Baladeva could not understand the mystery of what had occurred. Finally, after one year, Baladeva, who had observed some extraordinary occurrence, was able to understand that Kṛṣṇa had expanded Himself as the cows and cowherd boys and was performing a pastime. At that same time, Brahmā was amazed to see that the same calves and cowherd boys that he had put to sleep in a cave were now performing pastimes with Kṛṣṇa just like before. He was completely astonished. Śrī Kṛṣṇa then removed Yogamāyā’s curtain of bewilderment. When Brahmā realized the supreme godliness (bhagavattā) of Śrī Kṛṣṇa and saw His astounding activities, he offered prostrated obeisances at His lotus feet and began to recite prayers and glorify Him. Brahmā prayed to take birth in Vraja-Gokula and to bathe in its dust.
Rajashekhara Dasa
From the book “Chaurasi-kosa Vraja Mandala Parikrama”:
This is one of the places where Krishna and Balarama and Their cowherd boyfriends would bring their calves for grazing. One day the cowherd boys headed by Shridama and Madhumangala informed Krishna that they were feeling extremely hungry and requested Krishna to arrange something nice to eat. Krishna, the Supreme Mystic, who is also known as Yogeshvara the master of all yogis, sat beneath a kadamba tree and began to play on His flute. Suddenly pots containing all kinds of tasty preparations started to appear in front of Him. There were pots containing: sweet rice, fresh cream, yogurt, butter, lassi, paya, rabari, burfi, laddus, and many other delectable items, the cowherd boys therefore enjoyed a wonderful picnic in this forest. There are a number of kundas at this place celebrating Krishna’s pastimes including: Rabari-kunda, Vimala-kunda, Adavara-kunda, Rama-kunda, Sankara-kunda, Jnana-kunda, Sahasra-kunda and Kanaka-kunda (Kanaka Sagara). It is said that anyone who bathes in any of these kundas will be freed from all the sins of his previous lives. There are also two temples known as Vatsa-bihari Mandira and Makhana-chora Mandira.
It has been said that Nanda Maharaja used to keep his grown-up calves here. These calves no longer suckled milk and were kept separated from their mothers. The words ‘vatsa’ as well as ‘bachhra’ means a ‘calf’ and ‘vana’ means forest. Therefore the name ‘Vatsavana’ can mean ‘the forest of the calves’, or ‘the forest where calves enjoy grazing’. Although this particular Vatsavana is different from the one near the village of Sei where Brahma stole the calves and cowherd boys, they are both connected to the same pastime. During the year that the calves and cowherd boys had gone missing, (having been stolen by Brahma), Krishna, unknown to anyone, had expanded Himself to become all the calves as well as the cowherd boys. One day, when Krishna and Balarama were grazing Their calves near Vatsavana, the elderly cowherd men were grazing their cows on top of Govardhana Hill. As soon as the cows on top of Gavardhana Hill noticed their calves in the valley below, mooing loudly they started running down the hill towards them, much to the chagrin of the herdsmen. On reaching their calves they started to lovingly lick their bodies while exhibiting uncommon affection towards them. When the herdsmen arrived there and suddenly saw all their young cowherd sons, they forgot their chagrin and also became overcome by affection and began to lovingly embrace their sons.
Observing the whole scene along with Krishna, Balarama was completely struck with wonder at the ecstatic reunion going on between the cows and their calves, and between the cowherd men and their sons. Balarama began to reflect on what He had seen and concluded that such an exalted level of ecstatic love and affection, shown by both the cowherd men and the cows, could only be shown towards Krishna and no one else, and therefore He concluded that all the calves and the cowherd boys must be direct expansions of Krishna. Once Balarama had solved the puzzle, Krishna explained to Him all the facts regarding Brahma stealing the calves and cowherd boys, because on that day Balarama did not go to the pasturing grounds as it was His birthday. Because the pastime concerning the calves and their mothers occurred here, this is another reason why this forest is celebrated as Vatsavana.
