Vamsi Vata

The word ‘vamsi’ means ‘flute and ‘vata’ means a ‘banyan tree’. This is the famous banyan tree under which Krishna stood and by playing on His flute, He would call all the gopis of Vraja to join Him in the forest of Vrindavana. Upon hearing the enchanting music emanating from Krishna’s flute, regardless of what they were doing, the gopis dropped everything and ran to Vamsi Vata, knowing that Krishna wanted to enjoy Himself in their company. So intense was their love for Krishna, that they were ready to abandon their homes, husbands, children, and even their reputation as chaste women, in order to satisfy Krishna’s desires. After reaching Vamsi Vata, Krishna and the gopis would spend the entire night enjoying amorous pastimes in the various groves of the sacred forest.
The Bhakti-ratnakara says. “Please see the wonderfully beautiful Vamsi Vata on the bank of the Yamuna, the shade of the Vamsi Vata tree removes the distress of the world. Lord Gopinatha eternally enjoys His pastimes here. His attractive dress enchants the world and His movements are flawless as the sound of His flute attracts the gopis.” In the Chaitanya-charitamrta it is said. “Lord Gopinatha, who originated the transcendental mellow of the rasa-dance, stands on the shore in Vamsa Vata and attracts the attention of the cowherd damsels with the sound of His celebrated flute. May they all confer upon us their benediction.” At Vamsi Vata one can see the offshoot of the original banyana tree that was growing here during Krishna’s pastimes as well as a simhasana and rasa-mandala commemorating the rasa-lila that took place here.

This is the place where the Youthful Couple Çré Rädhä-Kåñëa together with the sakhés performed their pastimes of räsa as described in Çrémad-Bhägavatam, the pure and faultless scriptural authority. To bestow the result of the Kätyäyané-püjä upon the young, unmarried gopés, rasika-bihäré Çré Kåñëa granted them a boon. To fulfil this boon, He played a sweet tune on His flute on a full moon night. Hearing the wonderful flute-song, the gopés, intoxicated in prema, came here. Çrémad-Bhägavatam (10.29.4) describes this as follows:
niçamya gétäà tad anaìga-vardhanaà vraja-striyaù kåñëa-gåhéta-mänasäù äjagmur anyonyam alakñitodyamäù sa yatra känto java-lola-kuëòaläù
“The young women of Vraja heard the sound of Kåñëa’s flute. This sound, which reinforces amorous feelings, captivated their minds. Each unknown to the other, they went to where their lover Kåñëa waited. Because they moved so quickly their earrings swung back and forth.”
On the pretext of correcting the gopés transgression of righteous conduct, rasikendra-çekhara Çré Kåñëa gave His surrendered gopés many reasons why they should return home to serve their husbands, but the clever gopés easily refuted all His arguments. Kåñëa’s autumnal räsa (çäradéya-räsa) with countless gopés took place here. One Kåñëa danced between two gopés or one gopé was dancing between two Kåñëas. In this way, räsa took place with astonishing dancing and singing. The other gopés became proud of their good fortune (saubhägya-mada) and Çrématé Rädhikä entered into a sulky angry mood, mäna. Seeing this, rasika-çekhara Çré Kåñëa disappeared from that place in order to soothe Çrématé Rädhikä’s mäna and to remove the pride of the other gopés. Thereafter, the gopés, suffering separation from Kåñëa and crying loudly, began to sing, jayati te ’dhikaà janmanä vrajaù… .6 Hearing their singing, Çré Kåñëa again appeared, and at this place He expressed His gratitude to the gopés in sweet words: “You have performed an extraordinary deed: you have given up everything for Me. For this sacrifice, I am eternally indebted to you and can never repay you.”7 This is the place where räsa-lélä was performed, and thus it is the crest jewel among all places of pastimes. Çré Kåñëa’s great-grandson Çré Vajranäbha Mahäräja planted a tree here in remembrance of this place of räsa, but after some time the Yamunä flooded that place. More recently, five hundred and fifty years ago, Çré Mädhu Paëòita, a disciple of Çré Gadädhara Paëòita, took one of its branches and planted it here, and that branch transformed into a vast tree. Çré Mädhu Paëòita found the deity Çré Gopénätha here while engaged in bhajana. There are four very small temples in each of the four corners of the quadrangular wall of Vaàçévaöa. The deities of Çré Rämänujäcärya, Çré Madhväcärya, Çré Viñëusvämé and Çré Nimbärkäcärya were established within them. Nowadays, some other deities have replaced them. Gauòéya Vaiñëavas used to serve here, but then Brahmacäréjé, the spiritual guide of a king of Gväliyor, bought this place. Since then, it has been in the care of the Nimbärka sampradäya.

During autumn’s full moon night, Sri Gopinatha stands attractively beneath the branches of the banyan tree at Vamsi vat. Krsna beckons the eager gopis with the sweet mellow tunes of His flute. Then Sri Gopinatha commences the celebrated rasa dance on the sparkling soft sands along the Yamuna river. “Although the entire shore-line of the Yamuna shines with love of Krsna, I think the area of Vamsivata, not only shines, but actually dances in ecstatic love”(VRC).
May Gopinathaji, who attracts all the gopis with the song of His flute, and who has begun the most melodious rasa dance on the bank of the Yamuna in Vamsivata, be merciful to us” (CC Madhya 1.5v.).