Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami
From the book “Sri Vraja-maṇḍala-parikramā”:
This place lies on the bank of Yamunā, two miles east of Śergarh. Its present name is Obe. Baladeva performed rāsa-līlā here.
Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma had been living in Dvārakā for a long time. The Vrajavāsīs’ distress, caused by their separation from Them, was so great that Śrī Kṛṣṇa sent Śrī Baladeva to Vraja to console them. At that time, Nanda-Gokula, where they resided, was here. Baladeva spent the two months of Caitra and Vaiśākha in Nanda-Vraja, and tried His utmost to console His parents, the sakhās and the gopīs105.
In the end, to alleviate the agony of the gopīs’ separation, Baladeva performed rāsa here, complete with dancing and singing.
At that time, Varuṇadeva induced divinely fragrant Vāruṇī, a sweet nectar found in trees, to start flowing. Baladeva and His beloveds drank this Vāruṇī and, becoming intoxicated, enjoyed the rāsa. To sport in the water and to quench the thirst of gopīs, He called Yamunā, who was flowing some distance away. When she did not come, however, He dragged her over to them with His plough. He and the gopīs then sported in the Yamunā’s water. Even today, the Yamunā leaves her natural course and flows by Rāma-ghāṭa.
A doubt may arise as to how Baladeva could perform rāsa with Śrī Kṛṣna’s beloved gopīs. This would be wholly improper from the perspective of rasa. It also seems improper for Baladeva to have dragged the Yamunā with His plough, since she is a manifestation of Viśākhā, and therefore a beloved of Kṛṣṇa. Such doubts, however, arise only in the minds of those who lack knowledge of the Absolute Truth. Ordinary people cannot understand the real nature of transcendental rāsa. Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s and Balarāma’s rāsa does not contain even the slightest trace of material licentiousness or desire for lusty enjoyment. Furthermore, Baladeva performed rāsa only with His own group of beloved gopīs. This is clear from Śrī Murāri Gupta’s Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya-carita106.
Yamunā is Viśākhā herself. She is a beloved of Kṛṣṇa and one of the main girlfriends of Śrīmatī Rādhikā. The Yamunā that flows into the sea is a manifestation of this Yamunā. It was this manifestation, not Yamunā herself, the beloved of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who Baladeva dragged with the nose of His plough. In this way, one’s doubt on this subject can be dispelled.
Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu came here during His tour of Vraja- maṇḍala. When He took darśana of this place, He became absorbed in transcendental ecstasy. Near the temple of Balarāma is an aśvattha tree, which is known to be a sakhā of Balarāma. It was here that Balarāma’s rāsa-līlā took place.
Rajashekhara Dasa
From the book “Chaurasi-kosa Vraja Mandala Parikrama”:
This is the celebrated place near the banks of the Yamuna where Lord Balarama once dragged the River Yamuna with His celebrated plough weapon known as haladhar. This happened during the time when Lord Balarama was performing rasa-lila pastimes with His cowherd girlfriends at this place. One can see the temple of Dauji (Balarama) known as Khencha-Dauji Mandira. The word ‘khencha’ means ‘to drag’ or ‘to pull’ and refers to Lord Balarama having dragged Yamunaji with His plough at this place, and the word ‘dauji’ means ‘Krishna’s elder brother’. Rama Ghata is a prominent pastime place of Lord Balarama and it is also mentioned in Vraja-bhakti-vilasa as one of the upavanas (sub-forests) of Vrindavana Dhama. It is said that a sakha, or cowherd boyfriend of Lord Balarama took birth as an ashvata-vriksha (peepal tree) here at Rama Ghata and that ancient tree can still be seen even today.
After Krishna and Balarama’s departure from Vrindavana, the Vrajavasis were always feeling the pangs of acute separation and on Krishna’s advice, Balarama came from Dwaraka to spend time with the Vrajavasis and help soothe their feelings. On His arrival at Nandagrama, Balarama met everyone including mother Yashoda, Nanda Maharaja, the gopis and the gopas, and spent many long hours talking with them and was able to somewhat pacify them with His soothing words of heartfelt encouragement.
In the Bhakti-ratnakara it says, “O Shrinivasa, this is Rama Ghata. Balarama, the son of Rohini, performed His rasa-lila here. Knowing that He would perform His rasa-lila with His dear lovers, Balarama happily came to this place. This pleasant spot, situated near the Yamuna River, was always filled with scented air. The flowers of the gardens were in full bloom and the sky was bright from the full moon. The humming of bumblebees and the sweet singing of various birds surcharged the atmosphere. Millions of male and female peacocks danced and many deer played in the garden. As Balarama relaxed beneath a tree, the gods in heaven sang the glories of Rohini-nandana whose beauty and posture fascinate the world.”
“O Shrinivasa, who can keep his composure seeing the splendor of Baladeva? It was here that Rama (Baladeva) sat on a jeweled throne in a festive dress. The beauty of Baladeva conquers that of millions of Kamadevas and every movement of His charms the munis and Indras. The glory of His body which brightens the three worlds can defeat the pride of a million moons. The silky black curly hair covering His head is decorated with a jewel-set crown and He wears a flower garland. His lips are as red as bimba fruit and His teeth sparkle like pearls. A garland of Vaijayanti dangles from His powerful neck.”
“All glories to the powerful hero, Rohini-nandana. The white conch, kunda flowers, camphor, and the silver-white mountain, all bow down to Balarama’s bright white complexion. The wavy locks of His lustrous hair, curling around His forehead and His bright tilaka steals the young maidens’ hearts. His lotus eyes are restless and His eyebrows dance like black bumblebees near His bright earrings. With a pointed nose that defeats the beauty of Garuda’s beak and His face which conquers the splendor of the moon, it appears as though nectar pours from His body. His arms are decorated with bangles, and jeweled necklaces adorn His strong chest. His thin waist breaks the lion’s pride. He is wearing an exquisite blue dress and His wellshaped knees are very pleasing to all who see Him. The reddish color of the soles of His feet defeats the sun and the brightness of His nails conquers the darkness.”
“I am unable to describe the beauty of Baladeva as there is no comparison to Him in this world. In this way the Puranas give Baladeva’s descriptions which the fortunate must always see. In this place Rohini-nandana, Balarama, stood in a threefold bending form and blew joyfully on His horn, the sound of which moved the heart of Brahma and others. O Shrinivasa, with only one mouth how can I describe the beauty of Balai’s pastimes? Here in this moon-lit Yamuna-upavana, Balarama engaged in pastimes surrounded by millions of gopis.”
During the period of Balarama’s two months stay in Vraja, many new gopis were lamenting before Him that they were far too young at the time to take part in His Vrindavana pastimes. There were also those girls who in their former lives had been the daughters of the Naga king who became gopis by the blessings of Lord Sesha Naga. In order to fulfill the desires of these various gopis to enjoy conjugal love, on the occasion of the full-moon night, Balarama invited them all to Rama Ghata and along with all His former girlfriends after drinking varuni nectar, a type of honey liquor, Lord Balarama engaged in the most ecstatic rasa-lila pastimes.
After many long hours of rasa-dancing, Balarama was feeling a little fatigued and desired to relax in the cooling waters of the Yamuna. Feeling too intoxicated to walk to the river, Balarama called Yamuna Devi to bring her soothing waters to where He was resting, so that He might refresh Himself within the river. Thinking that Balarama was simply too intoxicated with varuni liquor to know what He was saying, Yamuna Devi mistakenly ignored His request. Realizing that Yamuna had ignored His order and refused to come there, Balarama became suddenly very angry and His eyes turned a fierce red color. Picking up His personal weapon the celebrated plough (haladhar), He immediately began to drag the Yamuna towards the arena of the rasa-dance. Realizing her great mistake, Yamuna Devi immediately came before Balarama and throwing herself at His lotus feet, begged for forgiveness. Balarama’s anger was thus pacified by Yamuna’s prayers and He entered the river to relax in the cooling water with His many girlfriends. In the Gopala-champu it says that during that full-moon evening, Balarama married all the gopis that came to dance with Him in a special marriage ceremony known as gandharva-vivaha, solemnized simply by the exchange of flower garlands.
Lord Nityananda also visited Rama Ghata during His pilgrimage to Vrindavana and stayed here for a few days absorbed in the mood of a cowherd boy. In the Bhakti-ratnakara it says, “During His pilgrimage, Shri Rasa-vilasi Rama, Nityananda Raya, passed some days here. He played with the cowherd boys and ate curd, milk, roots, and fruits whenever He felt hungry. He was perplexed, trying unsuccessfully to conceal His identity as Baladeva. The local people said, ‘this must be Rohini-nandana traveling in Vraja as an avadhuta.’ Seeing Nityananda’s divine performance, all the people, young and old alike, were bewildered.” Raghava Pandita also showed Shrinivasa and Narottama the sakata-vriksha (Sakata tree), a twig from which Nityananda used to clean His teeth. The Bhakti-ratnakara continues, “At Rama Ghata there was a brahmana who could not live for a moment without the thought of Baladeva. To satisfy his devotee, Nityananda gave him darshana as Baladeva. Here also Kalindi, (Yamuna Devi), offered her prayers to Nityananda. Even the demigods could not restrain their tears of ecstasy as they watched Nityananda sporting at this place. When Nityananda slept on a bed of dust beneath the trees He would call out again and again in His dream, ‘When will the emancipation of these wretched souls take place? When will the Lord of Navadwipa advent Himself? I will go and see Him with My own eyes.’ No one could understand the meaning of His words.”
