Rajashekhara Dasa
From the book “Chaurasi-kosa Vraja Mandala Parikrama”:
In the Bhakti-ratnakara it is said, “Krishna had many pastimes at Svarnahara, which is also known both as Sonar and Sonhera. The happiness enjoyed by Krishna as He used to herd His cows around the mountain is impossible to describe.” It is said that the village was so named due to its proximity to the mountain known as Suvarnachala, which means the ‘Golden Mountain’. The words ‘svarna’, ‘sonar’ and ‘sonhera’ all refer to gold. Another reason for the name of this village being Swarnahara, is because of a fabulous golden necklace that Radharani was once wearing while performing worship of Lord Shiva at this place. The gopis often worshiped the demigods like Shiva and Durga simply to get Krishna as their husband. Therefore, because the goal of worshiping the demigods was only to achieve Krishna’s pure devotional service, it is not considered to be on the mundane material platform. Needless to say, such activities should not be imitated by devotees not on the same level as the gopis of Vraja. Some say that the ashta-sakhi gopi named Champakalata was born in this village and in Chaitanya-lila she appeared as Lord Chaitanya’s close associate Shivananda Sena. The twin sisters Sudevi and Rangadevi were born in nearby village of Bhajera.
