Rajashekhara Dasa
From the book “Chaurasi-kosa Vraja Mandala Parikrama”:
It is said that the seven great sages known as the Sapta-rishis, performed penance at this place on the bank of the Yamuna. In the Skanda Purana it says that in the forest of Madhuvana is located Rishi Tirtha and one who bathes there achieves devotion to Lord Hari. The Bhakti-ratnakara says that one who bathes at Rishi Tirtha goes to Vishnuloka. Nearby is the hillock known as the Sapta-rishi-tila where one can see the Deities of the seven great sages who are known collectively as the Sapta-rishis. There is also another Rishi-tila on the opposite side of the Yamuna near the ashrama of Durvasa Muni where many famous rishis performed penance.
This area on the eastern bank of the Yamuna River known as tapa-bhumi, is the place where many great yogis and rishis had performed tapasya in ancient times. It is said that this was also the place where Durvasa Muni established an ashrama and where he performed meditation and severe austerities. The Bhagavatam mentions him to be a partially empowered expansion of Lord Shiva. While he was living here, one day out of anger he wrongly cursed Ambarisha Maharaja who was performing tapasya on the western bank of the Yamuna. Because of his offence against a great Vaishnava like Ambarisha Maharaja, he was consequently chased all over the universe by Lord Vishnu’s fiery sudarshana chakra until he took shelter of Ambarisha and begged for forgiveness. Just like Lord Shiva, he was easily angered as well as easily pleased. He gave many blessings to the gopis and especially Radharani, who received a boon from him, that whatever She cooked would taste like nectar and anyone who ate Her cooking would live a long and healthy life. Because of this boon, mother Yashoda always desired that Radharani should cook for Krishna and besides cooking Krishna’s breakfast, Radharani would also cook at Her home in Yavata and send it to Nandagrama so that it could be offered to Krishna.
This place is situated on the eastern bank of the Yamuna opposite Mathura and is also known as Rishi-tila. Many great personalities besides Durvasa Muni are said to have undergone penance at this place, including: Dattatreya Rishi (Durvasa Muni’s brother), the seven great sages known as the Sapta-rishis and Parashara Muni, the great sage who was the father of Shrila Vyasadeva. The Puranas also relate that Vyasadeva’s mother named Satyavati was the young daughter of a fisherman who lived near to this place. She was engaged in ferrying passengers from one bank of the Yamuna to the other in her father’s boat. One day Parashara Muni entered the boat on his way to the other side of the river and upon seeing the celestial beauty of Satyavati and realizing her unique qualities, he became overcome with desire to impregnate her with his semen; as a result of this, Vyasadeva was born. It is said that Vyasadeva took birth on a small Island within the Yamuna River near Krishna-ganga Ghata. Sometime later, Satyavati married the widowed King of Hastinapura, Shanthanu Maharaja, who was the father of Bhismadeva through his first wife Ganga. After marrying King Shanthanu, Satyavati gave birth to two famous sons named Vichitravirya and Chitravirya.
