Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami
From the book “Sri Vraja-maṇḍala-parikramā”:
janārdana namastubhyaṁ bilveśāya namostu te
Bhaviṣya Purāṇa (Uttara-khaṇḍa)
This forest is called Baelvana because, during Kṛṣṇa’s ma nifest pa stimes, t here wa s a n abundance of bael (bilva) trees here. While grazing the cows in this most captivating and pleasant forest, Śrī Kṛṣṇa and His sakhās would play different kinds of sports and relish the ripe bael fruits. This is described in Bhakti- ratnākara:
pakka bilvaphala bhuñje mahākautukete
Once, Śrī Lakṣmī heard a description from the mouth of Nārada about Vrajendra-nandana Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s sweet rāsa-līlā and the good fortune of the gopīs. An eagerness to behold this rāsa- līlā arose in her heart. No one but the gopīs has the qualification to enter rāsa-līlā, since they are the true emblem of undivided and pure prema. It is only possible to gain entrance into rāsa-līlā by receiving the mercy of Śrīmatī Rādhikā, the embodiment of mahābhāva and the crest jewel of all Kṛṣṇa’s beloveds, and by the mercy of Her true representatives, the gopīs. At that time, one can gain entrance very easily. Thus, to enter the rāsa-līlā Lakṣmī began performing severe austerities at this place, but to no avail. To this day, she is performing austerities here with this desire. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam114the wives of the serpent Kālīya refer to this pastime in their prayers to Śrī Kṛṣṇa: “Bhagavān, we are unable to understand what arena Kālīyanāga performed that He became a proprietor of the dust of Your lotus feet. It is so rare to procure this dust that even Your wife Śrī Lakṣmī was unable to obtain it, even after giving up all sense-pleasures and performing austerities for a very long time in conformity with the prescribed rules and regulations.”
Just nearby are Kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍa and a sitting-place (baiṭhaka) of Śrī Vallabhācārya. There is also a temple of Śrī Lakṣmī here.
Rajashekhara Dasa
From the book “Chaurasi-kosa Vraja Mandala Parikrama”:
This is one of the twelve sacred forests of Vraja and has an individual parikrama of around two and a half miles (3.5km) The name Bilvavana, or Baelvana as it is also known, is derived from of a large round fruit known as ‘bilva’, commonly called ‘bael fruit’ in most parts of India. This large fruit formerly grew in great abundance in this sacred forest and the cowherd boys would come here just to at the bael fruit. This fruit ripens in summer and once the hard shell is broken, the soft pulpy flesh can be eaten raw or mixed with water and made into a very cooling drink that is very popular in the summer. This fruit is also used in Ayurveda as a cure for various stomach ailments. In the Bhakti-ratnakara it says, “It was here that Balarama and Krishna ate ripe bael fruits. According to the Adi-Varaha Purana, this forest is worshiped by all the demigods and whoever visits it will also be worshiped in Brahmaloka. In Bilvavana a man can be freed from his vices by bathing in Krishna-kunda.” This sacred forest is also known as Shrivana because it is the residence of Shri Devi, the ‘goddess of fortune’. Shri Devi is another name of Laksmi Devi, the consort of Lord Narayana. Places of interest here include the famous Lakshmi Devi Mandira, and Lakshmi Bhavana, said to have been the site of Lakshmi Devi’s bhajana-kutira. There is also and a famous well created by Krishna known as Krishna-kupa and a Shiva-linga that local brahmanas say was worshiped by Parvati Devi, Lord Shiva’s consort. One can also see Krishna-kunda, which is situated in nearby Dangoli village. According to the Bhakti-ratnakara, the sacred lake of Mana-sarovara, where Radharani hid Herself when overwhelmed by jealous anger (mana), is also situated within the Bilvavana forest.
Goddess Lakshmi and Her Penance at Bilvavana
Bilvavana is known locally as Lakshmivana, because Lakshmi Devi performed austerities here in order to achieve the position of a gopi in Krishna’s pastimes. One day, while serving Her husband Lord Vishnu in Vaikuntha, she heard from Shrila Narada Muni about Her husband’s extraordinary pastimes when He appears on earth in His original form as Lord Shri Krishna in the transcendental land of Vrajabhumi where He enjoys the most intimate loving pastimes with the gopis. Goddess Lakshmi Devi became so attracted by hearing the descriptions of the rasa-lila that she decided to go to Vrindavana and take part in those wonderful pastimes.
On arrival at the rasa-mandala, Lakshmi Devi was stopped from entering by some of the gopis, who told Her that She was not qualified or in the proper serving mood (bhava) to take part in the rasa-dance. Greatly disappointed to find that she was refused entry to the rasa-mandala, She became very sad and dejected. At that moment Krishna came there and after greeting the Goddess of Fortune with pleasing words, explained that she was stopped by the gopis because, as the wife of Lord Narayana, she was situated in the mood of aishvarya-bhava, being always surrounded with the great opulence of Vaikuntha. Krishna also informed Lakshmiji that even Lord Brahma, Lord Shiva, Sukadeva Goswami, or the four Kumaras, besides many other great liberated souls, are not able to take part in the rasa-lila pastimes.
Feeling heartbroken at being rejected, Lakshmi Devi immediately returned to Vaikuntha to find out from Narada Muni why She could not take part in the rasa-lila. Shrila Narada Muni informed Lakshmiji, that in order to enter the rasa-mandala, one has to be free from any attachment to opulence, prestige, or personal satisfaction, and should desire only the absolute satisfaction of Krishna. Narada further said that the rasa-lila was the highest expression of unalloyed devotional service, and only the gopis, who had absolutely no interest in personal benefit, or even a pinch of selfish desire, who lived only to satisfy Krishna’s desires, were properly qualified. Narada also explained that the gopis of Vrindavana abandoned everything for Krishna’s pleasure, even their own husbands, their families, along with their chastity and honor, which so dear to a lady, and were even ready to sacrifice their very own lives, just to make Krishna happy. They never asked Krishna for anything, except to remain as eternal servants at His lotus feet.
Shrimati Lakshmi Devi had some attachment to the great opulence of Vaikuntha, as well as to Her position as the Goddess of Fortune and being the consort of Lord Narayana. She therefore asked Narada what She had to do to achieve the position of a gopi. Narada advised Her to perform austerities in the forests of Vrindavana in order to free Herself of all traces of attachment. Lakshmi Devi decided to stay in the forest of Bilvavana, because it lies on the northern bank of the Yamuna exactly opposite from Seva Kunja in Vrindavana, where the rasa-lila took place. Some say that Lakshmi Devi is still engaged in penance at Bilvavana even today, and a very famous festival is held at the Lakshmiji Mandira every year during the month of Pusa (Nov-Dec), when thousands of people from all over Vraja flock there to get the mercy and blessings of goddess Laksmi Devi. The Deity of Lakshmiji situated in the temple here is sitting in meditation with Her hands folded, so in this regard, She is still present here in Bilvavana in the form of Her Deity and meditating on the rasa-lila.
It is also said that when Radharani came to know that Lakshmi Devi was undergoing penance at Bilvavana to become a gopi, She requested Krishna and His cowherd boyfriends to secretly go there and build a simple shelter so that Lakshmiji would not have to suffer from the blazing hot sun in summer, the cold in winter, or the rains during the monsoon, and also to dig a well so that Lakshmi could easily get water without having to disturb Her penance. That well became known as Krishna-kupa. The cowherd boys built a simple shelter for Lakshmiji out of thatched leaves. Standing next to the Deity of Laksmiji in the temple one can see a Deity of Krishna, offering flowers to Lakshmiji, who is deep in meditation and unaware of His presence. However, according to the verse below from Vraja-riti-cintamani, Lakshmiji did actually get to meet Krishna and also talked with Him.
In the Vraja-riti-cintamani of Shrila Vishvanatha Chakravarti, the following verses are found, “When the personified Vedas saw the splendid good fortune of the vraja-gopis, they decided to follow in their footsteps and become vraja-gopis also. When Lakshmi Devi saw the charming sweetness of the vraja-gopis, she became bewildered and fainted with envy. Who can describe the transcendental opulence of this land of Vraja? There Lakshmi Devi performed severe austerities to become a gopi. Although she remained as Lakshmi and did not attain her goal, she nevertheless had the opportunity to speak to her beloved Krishna.”
