Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami
From the book “Sri Vraja-maṇḍala-parikramā”:
Beautiful, thick trees and creepers surround this charming pastime place near Śyāma-kuṭī. When Śrī Kṛṣṇa herded the cows, He used to rest here at noon. The young cowherd boys (gvāla-bālas) lovingly served Him in the mellow of friendship (sakhya-rasa), and they all playfully snatched things from each other. These and other sweet pastimes have made this Bāla-pokharā (Gvāla- pokharā) famous.
In the guise of a young priest, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, along with young Madhumaṅgala, performed Śrīmatī Rādhikā ’s worship of the Sungod at Sūrya-kuṇḍa. After completing the worship, they returned here and sat down with the cowherd boys. Madhumaṅgala was carrying manohara-laḍḍūs and a golden ring that had been donated for their priestly services. He had carefully tied the laḍḍūs in his cloth. Mischievous Balarāma asked Madhumaṅgala, “Friend Madhumaṅgala, what is in this bundle of yours?”
Madhumaṅgala hesitated. “Nothing,” he answered. Baladeva gave a signal to the sakhās. Some of them caught Madhumaṅgala’s hands, one covered Madhumaṅgala’s eyes with his palms, and others forcibly snatched away his bundle. Laughing loudly, they shared the laḍḍus amongst themselves and ate them right in front of Madhumaṅgala. In the course of the tumult, Madhumaṅgala’s cloth had loosened, which made him furious. He held out his sacred thread and was just about to curse Balarāma, Śrīdāma and the other sakhās, but Kṛṣṇa was somehow able to pacify him. Madhumaṅgala began to laugh and asked the sakhās for some left over laḍḍū crumbs.
This Gvāla-pokharā still carries reminders of these pastimes. While performing parikramā of Girirāja-Govardhana, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu took rest here for a short time and remembered these pastimes.
Rajashekhara Dasa
From the book “Chaurasi-kosa Vraja Mandala Parikrama”:
The word ‘gwala’ or ‘gowala’ means a ‘cowherd boy’, and the word ‘pokhara’ means a ‘small pond’ or ‘pool’. This is where Krishna and Balarama along with the cowherd boys often ate their lunch while they were herding their cows near Govardhana Hill. From Gwala Pokhara, Krishna would often slip away unseen by the cowherd boys and meet Radharani and the gopis at Kusuma-sarovara.
