Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami
From the book “Sri Vraja-maṇḍala-parikramā”:
Rāja-ghāṭa is situated in the south-eastern part of Vṛndāvana, to the south of Ādi-badrī-ghāṭa and on the bank of Yamunā’s old course. Dressed as a boatman, Kṛṣṇa used to take Śrīmatī Rādhikā and the sakhīs across the Yamunā from here. Halfway across, Kṛṣṇa would make many excuses to delay their crossing. The gopīs would order Him to cross the river quickly, and try to scare Him by mentioning the name of Mahārāja Kaṁsa. Thus, this ghāṭa is famous by the name of Rāja-ghāṭa.
In addition to these famous ghāṭas already described, the book Vṛndāvana-kathā mentions another fourteen ghāṭas: (1) Mahāntajī-ghāṭa, (2) Nāmāovālā-ghāṭa, (3) Praskandana-ghāṭa, (4) Kaḍiyā-ghāṭa, (5) Dhūsara-ghāṭa, (6) Nayā-ghāṭa, (7) Śrījī-ghāṭa, (8) Vihārījī-ghāṭa, (9) Dharoyāra-ghāṭa, (10) Nāgarī-ghāṭa, (11) Bhīma-ghāṭa, (12) Himmata-bahādura-ghāṭa, (13) Cīra or Caina-ghāṭa, and (14) Hanumāna-ghāṭa.
Rajashekhara Dasa
From the book “Chaurasi-kosa Vraja Mandala Parikrama”:
This is where Krishna disguised Himself as a boatman to take the gopis across the Yamuna River in His boat. In order to disguise Himself from the gopis, Krishna covered Himself with a large cloak and gopis could not recognize Him. Radharani and the gopis were on their way to sell milk products in a market on the other side of the Yamuna River, but when the gopis arrived at the river-bank, they found there was only one boat owned by a very strange looking boatman dressed in a large cloak. This boatman agreed to take the gopis in his boat, but insisted that before they could ride in His boat, He would first have to bathe the feet of at least one gopi. At first the gopis objected to this proposal, but seeing no other boat in sight, they agreed to the boatman’s unusual request, asking which particular gopi’s feet the boatman wanted to bathe. The boatman, after some discussion with his boat, chose Radharani, and then very elaborately bathed Radharani’s feet with great pomp and ceremony. The boatman then sprinkled the bathing water over his head, and then over his boat, and then over the Yamuna. The gopis were then able to board the boat and the boatman started rowing towards the other shore.
In the middle of the river the boatman suddenly stopped rowing, and complained of weakness due to lack of food. The boatman suggested that the gopis feed him with some of their milk products in order for him to regain his strength so he could continue rowing. At first the gopis refused and threatened to report his behavior to King Kamsa, the powerful ruler of Mathura, but seeing no other alternative, they agreed and fed the boatman with some of their milk sweets, along with some butter and yogurt. After enjoying the milk products, the boatman once again began rowing, but due to being completely bloated by eating so many milk products, the boatman very soon slumped over and lay motionless on the floor of the boat. Radharani asked one of the gopis to see what was wrong with the boatman. Lifting the boatman’s cloak to see what the problem was, she suddenly burst out laughing while pulling Krishna’s flute from under His waistband. Having discovered the boatman’s true identity, all the gopis began laughing and clapping their hands. The gopis then rowed the boat themselves to the other shore.
