Rajashekhara Dasa
From the book “Chaurasi-kosa Vraja Mandala Parikrama”:
Krishna and Balarama along with the cowherd boys used to bring Their cows to this forest for grazing. Matha which is also called Mathavana is mentioned to be one of the upavanas or sub-forests of Vrindavana Dhama. In this village one can see the Dauji Mandira which is dedicated to Krishna’s elder brother Balarama. In the Bhakti-ratnakara it says, “In Matha-grama, Rama and Krishna used to play with Their friends. The huge earthen pot of the name ‘matha’, which the Vrajavasis used to make matha (buttermilk) from curd, is the source of the name of this holy place, Matha.” It is said that Krishna and Balarama along with all Their friends, used to come here to enjoy drinking freshly made buttermilk, called locally as matha or chasa. The word ‘matha’ is derived from the word ‘manthana’ which means the ‘process of churning’. When curd (yogurt) is churned it produces both chasa (buttermilk also called whey) and purified butter, which is also called ghee. The large earthen pots known as matha or mathi were also used by mother Yashoda and are often four or five feet across and three or four feet deep. It has been said that the name of Mathura City has also been derived from this word matha.
