Mathura Vrindavan - The Story of Lord Krishna
जय श्री कृष्ण
Page 1 of 5 | Mathura-Vrindavan Series
Lord Krishna was born in a prison cell in Mathura, carried across the Yamuna at midnight to a small village, raised among cowherds in Braj, and is now worshipped in temples across the world. The story starts in these two towns on the Yamuna in Uttar Pradesh, about 145 km from Delhi by road. This is the first of five pages. Page 2 covers temple timings, Page 3 the festivals, Page 4 how to reach and where to stay, and Page 5 checks the popular claims.
Jagad-dhitaya Krishnaya Govindaya namo namahVishnu Purana - salutation to Krishna as Govinda, the well-wisher of cows, scholars and the whole world
Why Mathura Matters
मथुरा का महत्व
Mathura is one of the Sapta Puri, the seven cities of Hinduism said to grant moksha. The seven are Ayodhya, Mathura, Haridwar (Maya), Varanasi (Kashi), Kanchipuram, Ujjain (Avantika) and Dwarka. Of these, Mathura is the city of Krishna's birth, and Dwarka is the city of his later kingdom.
The city stands on the western bank of the Yamuna. It has been a centre of pilgrimage and learning for well over two thousand years and was also an important Buddhist and Jain centre. Chinese travellers such as Faxian and Xuanzang wrote about its monasteries. Over the centuries the city was attacked and rebuilt many times, and most of the temples you see today are from the last 200 to 500 years.
Braj Bhumi is the name of the whole Krishna region: Mathura, Vrindavan, Gokul, Barsana, Nandgaon, Govardhan and the surrounding 84-kos area. The traditional Braj Parikrama (Chaurasi Kos Yatra) covers roughly 252 km. Pilgrims say the land itself is the body of Krishna.
The Birth of Krishna
श्री कृष्ण जन्म
The story begins with a prophecy. King Kansa of Mathura was told that the eighth child of his sister Devaki would kill him. He imprisoned Devaki and her husband Vasudeva and killed their first six children. The seventh, Balarama, was transferred by divine intervention to the womb of Rohini. Then came the eighth.
Krishna was born at midnight on Ashtami, the eighth day of the dark fortnight, under the Rohini nakshatra. The guards fell asleep, the chains opened and the prison doors unlocked on their own. Vasudeva carried the infant in a basket across the flooded Yamuna, which parted for him, while the serpent Shesha spread his hood over the child. In Gokul he left Krishna with Nanda and Yashoda and returned with their newborn daughter. When Kansa tried to kill her she rose into the sky and warned him that his destroyer was already alive.
The birth site today. The traditional spot is inside the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi complex in Mathura, where a small shrine called the Garbha Griha marks the prison cell. Entry rules and timings are on Page 2.
Childhood in Vrindavan
वृंदावन की लीलाएँ
Krishna and Balarama grew up in Gokul and later in Vrindavan, a forested area on the Yamuna about 12 km from Mathura. Stories from these years are the ones children in India grow up with: stealing butter (Makhan Chor), breaking the pots of curd (the origin of Dahi Handi), and playing the flute by the river so sweetly that cows, birds and gopis stopped to listen.
The sacred grove where, tradition says, Krishna dances the Raas Leela with the gopis every night. The twisted trees are the main sight. The grove closes at sunset and visitors are not allowed to stay inside overnight.
A garden shrine associated with Radha and Krishna's night-time leelas. Like Nidhivan, it is closed to visitors after dusk.
The bathing ghat linked with Krishna's victory over the horse-demon Kesi. It is the main ghat of Vrindavan and is lit with lamps during the evening Yamuna aarti.
The place where Krishna is said to have danced on the serpent Kaliya's hoods and cleansed the river of its poison.
To watch the temple and the daily darshan live, use the player below. It plays the latest live stream from Shri Banke Bihari Ji temple in Vrindavan, and shows earlier streams when the temple is not live.
Live darshan from Banke Bihari Ji temple, Vrindavan. If the player shows no video, open the live streams on YouTube.
Radha and Krishna
राधा-कृष्ण
Radha is the central figure of Braj devotion. In the Bhakti tradition she is not just Krishna's companion but his own power, and her love is the model of a devotee's love for God. This is why many Vrindavan temples carry her name first, such as Radha Raman, Radha Damodar and Radha Vallabh.
Most local tradition places Radha's home at Barsana, about 50 km from Mathura, where the Shriji (Radha Rani) temple stands on a hill. Other texts mention Raval, near Gokul, as her birthplace. Nandgaon, about 8 km from Barsana, is where Krishna lived with Nanda Baba, and the Lathmar Holi is played between these two villages (see Page 3).
Govardhan - The Hill Krishna Lifted
गोवर्धन
The people of Braj used to worship Indra for rain. Young Krishna asked them to worship Govardhan Hill instead, which fed their cattle. Angry Indra sent seven days of storm, and Krishna lifted the hill on his little finger to shelter the villagers and their herds until Indra relented.
Govardhan is about 25 km from Mathura. Pilgrims walk the roughly 21 km Govardhan Parikrama around the hill, many of them barefoot. The hill is now low, a long ridge a few tens of metres high, and tradition says it is slowly shrinking. Govardhan Puja is celebrated the day after Diwali (see Page 3).
The Return to Mathura
कंस वध और द्वारका
When Krishna was still a young man, he returned to Mathura with Balarama, defeated Kansa's wrestlers, killed Kansa and freed his parents. He restored Kansa's father Ugrasena to the throne rather than taking it himself. Later he moved his people to Dwarka on the Gujarat coast. Devotees say that his heart stayed in Vrindavan, and that this longing for Krishna is what Braj is made of.
Why Vrindavan Has So Many Temples
वृंदावन के मंदिर
Vrindavan is commonly said to have around 5,000 temples and shrines, and the figure of 5,500 is often quoted. The number is an estimate that includes small neighbourhood shrines. After Krishna's time the sacred groves were forgotten for centuries. In the 16th century the followers of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, known as the Six Goswamis (Rupa, Sanatana, Gopala Bhatta, Raghunatha Bhatta, Jiva and Raghunatha Dasa), came to Vrindavan to rediscover the places of Krishna's leelas and build temples there. With support from Akbar's court, including Raja Man Singh of Amber who built the Govind Dev temple in 1590, Vrindavan became the great temple town it is today. The Bhagavata Purana (tenth canto) and Jayadeva's Gita Govinda (12th century) are the main texts that carry the story.
The Braj Map at a Glance
ब्रज का नक्शा
Krishna Janmabhoomi, Dwarkadhish Temple, Vishram Ghat on the Yamuna.
Banke Bihari, Radha Raman, Prem Mandir, ISKCON, Nidhivan and thousands of smaller shrines.
Krishna's infancy with Nanda and Yashoda. Brahmand Ghat and Nanda Bhawan are here.
Radha's village. The Shriji temple on the hill. Famous for Lathmar Holi.
Krishna's home with Nanda Baba. Nand Bhawan temple on the hill.
The sacred hill, Manasi Ganga and the 21 km parikrama.
Distances are approximate road distances and vary with the route. Hotel booking link is an affiliate link and costs you nothing extra.
Frequently Asked Questions
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले प्रश्न
Why is Mathura sacred in Hinduism?
Mathura is the birthplace of Lord Krishna and one of the Sapta Puri, the seven cities believed to grant moksha. It lies on the Yamuna and has been a pilgrimage centre for over two thousand years.
What is Braj Bhumi?
Braj Bhumi is the region linked to Krishna's life. It includes Mathura (birth), Gokul (infancy), Vrindavan (childhood), Govardhan, Barsana (Radha's village) and Nandgaon (Nanda Baba's village). The traditional circuit around it is the 84-kos Braj Parikrama of about 252 km.
How many temples are there in Vrindavan?
Vrindavan is commonly said to have around 5,000 temples and shrines, and the figure of 5,500 is often quoted. It is an estimate that includes small neighbourhood shrines. The best known are Banke Bihari, Radha Raman, Prem Mandir, ISKCON Krishna Balaram Mandir and Radha Vallabh.
Where exactly was Krishna born in Mathura?
Tradition places the birth in a prison cell on the site of the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi complex in Mathura. The Garbha Griha shrine marks the spot. It is free to visit, but security is strict. See Page 2 for timings and rules.
How far is Vrindavan from Mathura?
Vrindavan is about 12 km from Mathura. An auto-rickshaw or taxi takes 25 to 35 minutes depending on traffic.
Which places should I visit in a short trip?
In Mathura, Krishna Janmabhoomi, Dwarkadhish Temple and Vishram Ghat. In Vrindavan, Banke Bihari, Radha Raman, Nidhivan, ISKCON and Prem Mandir. Page 4 has a ready 2-day plan.
Was Radha really from Barsana?
Barsana is the dominant tradition in Braj and the one pilgrims follow. Some texts name Raval near Gokul instead. See the fact check on Page 5.
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