Shyam Kunda

The sacred lakes known as Radha-kunda and Shyama-kunda are considered amongst
the holiest places within the three worlds, because these two lakes were the most confidential bathing places of both Radha and Krishna. Radha-kunda was also the place where the ‘divine lovers’ Radha and Krishna would secretly meet every day to enjoy Their transcendental pastimes on the banks of the sacred kunda. In fact, Radha-kunda was one of the principle sites of the ashtakaliya-lila or eight-fold daily pastimes that take place between Radha and Krishna and also one of the places where They performed the rasa-lila. There are six rasa-mandalas at Radha-kunda established by Narayana Bhatta that commemorate the rasa-lila pastimes. The Puranas also say that Radha-kunda is one of the important upavanas or sub-forests of Vraja and is known as Shrivana. The name Shri is another name of Radharani.

Sometime after the disappearance of Lord Krishna from the vision of the world, His
great grandson, Vajranabha Maharaja, who was at that time the king of Mathura, excavated the sacred kundas and built stone ghatas around both Radha-kunda and Shyama-kunda. Unfortunately, due to the long passage of time and the ever changing socio-political climate in India during the course of the following fifty centuries, these two sacred kunda’s were eventually forgotten and within time became covered over and completely disappeared. Then in the early 16TH Century, the sacred lakes of Radha-kunda and Shyama-kunda were rediscovered by the ‘Golden Avatara’ Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, during His historic parihrama around the twelve sacred forests of Vrindavana in the year 1515. Lord Chaitanya later sent His senior-most disciples in the form of the Six Goswamis to excavate Radha-kunda and all the other holy places connected to Lord Krishna’s transcendental pastimes in Vraja Mandala that had taken place five thousand years earlier.

The Slaying of Arishtasura and the Appearance of Radha-kunda
During the despotic reign of King Kamsa, the demon Arishtasura, who possessed the
mystical form of a fierce bull, was one of the king’s most trusted allies and was asked by Karnsa to kill the cowherd boy named Krishna. This was because on the day that Kamsa’s sister Devaki was married, Kamsa heard a prophetic voice from the sky, informing him that the eighth child born of Devaki would one day kill him. The evil hearted Kamsa firmly believed that Krishna was in fact that eighth child. Consequently, on Kamsa’s order, Arishtasura began searching for Krishna in all the pasturing grounds around Govardhana Hill and was creating great fear amongst the Vrajavasis, as he roamed around Vrindavana in a very angry mood. Hearing that the bulldemon Arishtasura was causing a great disturbance near Govardhana Hill, Krishna immediately went there along with His cowherd boyfriends to challenge Arishtasura. Coming before the gigantic demon, Krishna very nonchalantly stood there with His arm resting on the shoulder of
one of His friends and in a loud voice, rebuked the demon with very sharp words which severely pierced Arishtasura’s heart. Krishna then fearlessly challenged the bull-demon to fight.
Infuriated at being humiliated and challenged by a mere cowherd boy, Arishtasura
immediately came towards Krishna in a very angry and aggressive mood. The bull-demon
Arishtasura was so huge that he appeared just like a large mountain and his long swishing tail seemed to be touching the clouds. With a loud bellow and hot jets of steam shooting from his nostrils, the gigantic bull-demon began charging towards Krishna at great speed, digging up the earth with his hooves as he went. When the bull-demon got within reach, Krishna very cleverly caught the bull-demon by his horns and after whirling him around with great force, threw him at least one hundred meters, causing the demon to come crashing to the ground with a great bump and he momentarily lost consciousness. After regaining his senses, the bull-demon stood up, feeling somewhat disoriented and sweating profusely; the demon shook his head and once again charged towards Krishna. When Arishtasura got close enough, Krishna again caught the demon by the horns and lifted him high above His head, and after twirling him around, Krishna slammed him into the ground with such a force, the demon’s eyes immediately bulged from their sockets. Lying in a crumpled heap on the ground, the bull-demon’s legs began to shake violently and while simultaneously passing stool and urine, he died on the spot.
After Arishtasura had been slain, all the Vrajavasis came to congratulate Krishna on His
heroic exploits. However, Radharani and the gopis saw an opportunity to have some fun and criticized Krishna for having killed a bull, the symbol of religion. The gopis informed Krishna that they would not associate with Him until He had purified Himself from the great sin of killing of a bull, saying that He would have to bathe in all the holy tirthas of the world in order to purify Himself of the sin. Although Krishna tried to explain that the bull was actually a great demon, the gopis were not interested in excuses. Therefore, accepting the verdict of the gopis, Krishna selected the largest hoof impression left behind after the titanic battle with the bull-demon and then enlarged the hole by stamping His heel into the ground. Krishna then called all the holy tirthas of the world to appear there before Him, which they immediately did. Krishna then ordered them to fill the hole with their sacred waters so that He could take bath and purify Himself from the sin of killing a bull.
As the gopis simply looked on in amazement, Krishna very happily took His bath in the
water of all the holy tirthas. Then, in order to tease the gopis, Krishna began boasting about the sanctity and great beauty of His newly made kunda. Feeling stung to the quick by Krishna’s boasting words, Radharani, not to be outdone, immediately broke one of Her bangles and using it to dig, got down on Her hands and knees and began digging Her own kunda, right next to Krishna’s newly-made kunda. Seeing Radharani digging with Her broken bangle, the gopis also broke their bangles and also began digging in order to help Her. It was almost mid-night when the gopis finally finished digging and they immediately formed a human chain to bring water from Manasi-ganga in pots so they could fill the new kunda with water. At that moment, all the holy tirthas that had come there on Krishna’s order, appeared before Radharani with folded hands, and begged Her to allow them to fill Her newly made kunda with their holy water, saying it would be the perfection of their lives if they could render some humble service Her. Being very compassionate, Radharani agreed to their proposal and the holy tirthas immediately broke through the banks of Krishna’s kunda and poured their waters into the kunda dug by Radharani and the gopis. Krishna then came there and on the exact stroke of mid-night, He took His bath in Radha’s new kunda while declaring that hence forth it would be known as Radha-kunda, saying that whoever bathed there with full faith and devotion, would automatically develop love for Radharani equal to His own love. Radharani then went to Krishna’s kunda and while taking Her bath there, declared that its name would be Shyama-kunda, saying that anyone who bathed there with full faith and devotion, would automatically develop love for Krishna equal to Her own love.

The Appearance of Sri-Sri Shyama-kunda & Radha-kunda
From the puranas, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur explains the origin of Radha-kunda and Shyama-kunda in his commentary to Srimad-Bhagavatam verse 1O.36.l6. The gopis told Krsna to atone for killing a male cow (Aristasura) by visiting and bathing in all the holy places in the three world.
Sri Krsna responded by sticking the heel of His lotus foot into the ground to make a deep hole. Krsna then summoned all the holy places and rivers, who instantly appeared, filled the depression with their waters and created a bathing pond— Shyama-kunda.
After taking a purifying bath, Sri Krsna taunted the gopis with joking words. Srimati Radharani and Her gopis responded by creating Their own pond by digging out a deep depression left by the huge hoof prints of the Aristasura demon. When Sri Krsna offered to fill Sri Radha’s kunda with water from His, She flatly refused; insisting that the water of His kunda was polluted. Using a chain of gopis, Sri Radha arranged to fill Her kunda with water from Manasi Ganga, nearly five kilometres away at Govardhana Hill.
The personified sacred rivers that had joined to fill Krsna’s kunda, appealed to Radharani to be allowed to fill Her bathing pond. Radha consented, and at 11:45 P.M. on the eighth day of the waning moon in Kartika, the sacred rivers in Sri Shyama-kunda broke through the boundary wall and swiftly filled Radha-kunda.
Sri Krsna said to Sri Radha, “I will always bathe in Your pond which is as dear to Me as You.” Radharani replied, “I will always bathe in Your pond as well, and anyone who bathes here in Shyama-kunda will become very dear to Me.”
Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti give this view of the divine appearance of Sri-Sri Shyama-kunda and Radha-kunda. “I think when Radha saw Krsna, She melted in ecstasy and thus assumed the liquid state of the waters of Radha-kunda; and in the same way, when Krsna saw Radha, He also melted in ecstasy and became the waters of Shyama-kunda. In this way the two lakes bear the names and qualities of the Divine Couple” (VRC).
Shyama-kunda is surrounded by the eight kunjas of Sri Krsna1s priya-narma sakhas (most intimate principal cowerd boyfriends), like Madhumangala, Subala and Ujjvala. But the boys have surrendered their groves to Krsna’s favorite gopis. On the north western corner of Shyama-kunda is Subala’s kunja known as Manasa Pavana Ghata. Sri Radha and Her sakhis bathe here daily with great eagerness, because the water here Consists of the honey flowing from Krsna’s lotus feet. This water, therefore, is as dear to Radha as Krsna Himself.
Srila Krsna das Kaviraja concludes his description of Shyama-kunda and Radha-kunda with: “All of the incredible transcendental beauty of Radha-kunda can be seen in its real form (svarupa), by those who are favorable to Radha and Krsna’s pastimes, and by sadhakas (practitioners of Krsna-consciousness). But non-devotees see it just as a material place” (GL).
“By the shore of Radha-kunda is a grand pavilion made of gold, pearls and precious gems. In that pavilion, Sri-Sri Radha and Krsna, considering everything else unimportant, enjoy transcen¬dental pastimes as the two prime ministers of the deity of transcendental love; and they happily anoint that kingdom of love with the sandal paste of Their pastimes. I eternally worship this splendid grove by the shore of Radha-kunda” (VVS).
Sri Balarama Chants Sri Krsna’s Glories
One time at Krsna- kunda in Madhuvana, Lord found the gopis suffering from intense pangs of separation from their beloved Krsna. To alleviate their distress Lord Balarama described the wonderful pastimes and glories of Krsna, and chanted Krsna’s transcendental names. Balarama became so absorbed in chanting that His complexion assumed Krsna’s blue color. (SVMP).

Prayers to Sri Shyama-kunda & Sri Radha-kunda
“Filled with many Campaka trees, beautiful young Asoka trees, Mango trees, Bakula trees, Lavanga creepers, and Madhavi creepers; the area around Radha-kunda and Shyama-kunda is very beautiful and pleasing to the heart, and is the favorite pastime place of Sri-Sri Radhika-Krsnacandra. The delightful forest of Vrindavana, beautiful Govardhana Hill, and the nectarean arena of the rasa dance, what to speak of other places, are not equal to even a single particle of one of the atoms of Radha-kunda and Shyama-kunda. Let me take shelter of these two lakes, which are more dear to Lord Krsna then His own life’s breath” (VVS).
“When, wonderful and splendid, graceful waves from the nectar ocean of sweetness, and filling Vrindavana with a very wonderful and splendid fragrance, will the lake where Srimati Radharani enjoys wonderful pastimes, the most wonderful of all places, decorate my mouth with its glories?
“Let me take shelter of the lake that is Vrindavana’s greatest ornament; where two splendid fair and dark forms of bliss enjoy the ultimate dance of the nectar of pure amorous pastimes and where the water’s touch makes a wonderful sweetness rise in the heart.
“The hairs of His body erect in ecstasy, His crown and earrings moving, and His flute placed against the full moon of His lips, Madhava praises the delightful transcendental qualities of Radha-kunda, which is the greatest jewel decorating Sri Govardhana’s crown, and which is very dear to the queen who rules the life of the charming lotus-eyed Lord.
“Please meditate on the fair and dark youthful Divine Couple, who surrounded by Their friends, and overwhelmed with sweetness, have plunged into an ocean of nectar at Radha-kunda which arouses transcendental amorous desires without equal or superior” (VM).
Pandwas standing at bank of shyam kund in form of trees
It is incorrect to think that only during Sri Krsna’s time that some saints and devotees were living as trees in Vrindavana. Four-hundred and fifty years ago Maharaja Yudhisthira, of the famous Pandavas, appeared to Raghunatha Das Gosvami in a dream. He requested him not to cut down the trees on the bank of Shyama-kunda, because he and his brothers were residing there as trees. As a species, trees have fantastic life spans. The California red woods, for example, live up to seven-thousands years and banyan tree in the Calcutta Botanical Garden dates back thousands of years. Quite possibly then, many of the tree-bound devotees that witnessed Sri Krsna’s pastimes are still standing today

See ahead the village named ·A.rita. The pastime Krsna performed here is an enchanting story. Once Krsna killed a demon in the form of a bull [Ari~tasura]. Afterwards when He wanted to touch Radharal).I She smilingly told Him, “Even though he was a demon, he had assumed the form of a bull, by killing him You have become very contaminated. If You take bath at all the holy places,then You will be relieved of the offense of killing him.”

.. Krsna very sweetly replied, “I shall bathe in the water of all the holy places by calling th.em all here.”

Speaking these words, He then stomped on the earth and created a depression which immediately filled up with the water of all the holy places. The personification of each . holy place also appeared before Krsna introduced himself, and offered prayers. In front. of Radha and the gopis, Krsna then took a bath in the water, uttering the name of each holy place as He did. He finished His bath sometime before midnight. Even now people follow the same
system of bathing in the holy kuJ:Zt;la.Hearing Krsna speak some boastful words, Radha with the help of Her sakhis quickly dug Her own kunda. The kunda dug by Radharani was most beautiful and the sight. of it made Krsna feel very pleased. Radharat:ti thought that She would fill Her kunda with
the waters of the Manasa-ganga, which is the essence of all holy places. Understanding Radha’s desire, Krsna gave His order and the holy tirthas entered Radha’s kunda from ·syama-kunda. The personified holy places then glorified Radharani with many prayers and, cqnsidering themselves fortunate, they became very pleased.From that time on these two kundas which are surrounded by beautiful trees and plants, became the site of Radha and Krsna’s
wonderful amorous sports.

In Stavavali, Vraja-vilasa, there is the following description: “I take shelter of the. meeting place of Radha Madhava’s beloved Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda, the site of Their amorous sports.It is most charming, being surrounded by kadamba, campaka,beautiful young asoka, mango, punnaga [white lotus], and bakula tree ,as well as lavanga and vasanti creepers.’

Radha-kunda is most beautifully surrounded by the kunjas of, the eight sakhis beginning with Lalita’s. Syama-kunda is surrounded by the kundas of the eight sakhiis beginning with Subala’s. They are most beautiful and pleasant to see.
The following song describes the beauty of Radha-kund:”Krsna is enjoying the beauty of Radha-kunda. The Kunda is full of pure water and lotuses. The bumblebees hum amongst the lotuses,and the gentle wind causes small ripples in the water. Aquatics move pleasurably through the water. The banks of the kunda are decorated with different kinds of gems. The covered terrace on the bank is decorated with painted pictures. The abode of Cupid bows its head feeling inferior. The birds and peacocks sing and dance as Radha and Krsna swing on a golden gem-studded swing hanging from the tree.”

Syama-Kunda is also known as Arista- kunda Whoever bathes in Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda gets the same results one achieves by the performance of a rajasuya and asvamedha-yajna. This is confirmed in Adi-vardha Purdna .

Raghava Pandita said that according to the Purnas there is no limit to the glories of Radha-kunda. In the Adi-vardha Purna,Mathura-khanda, it is stated that if a devotee of Visnu offers a lamp to Radha-kunda during the month of Kartika, he will be able to see the entire universe.

In Padma Purdrna, Kartika Mahatmya, it is stated: “Radha-kunda is very dear to Sri Hari and is situated near Govardhana Hill. By taking bath in Radha-kunda on the eighth day of the waning moon in the month of Kartika [Bahulasatami], one can greatly please Lord Hari, who enjoys His pastimes there. This ku1J,t;la is as dear to Krsna as Radha Herself. Amongst all the gopis, She is the most dear to Krsna. It is the duty of the devotees to bathe in the Radha-kunda during the month of Kartika and thereafter worship Lord Janardana. This simple worship pleases Krsna as much as one does by worshiping Janardana on the day of Uthana-ekadasi.”
“See these two Kundas, Radha-kunda and Syama-kunda, which are surrounded by beautiful forests and which enchant the sages and demigods. After visiting the other forests . of Vrndavana,Caitanya Mahaprabhu came here and sat under this tamdla tree. He asked the residents of Arista-grama where the two kunds were, but no one could answer. The brahmana accompanying Him from Mathura also did not know.

“Being the omniscient Personality of Godhead, Lord Caitanya,carefully searched and discovered the two kundas in two paddy fields. He joyfully took a bath in whatever little water was there and glorified the Kundas in various ways. Then He rnarked His forehead with mud from the kundas.

“The villagers were greatly startled by His behavior. One of them inquired, ‘From where has this sannyasi suddenly come?’Someone said, ‘0 brother, by seeing Him I cannot understand what is happening in my body.’ Another person said, ‘He cannot be a mortal sannyasi. Seeing Him I cannot explain what is happening in my mind.’

“Someone else said, ‘Who says He is a sannyasi? He is Krsna Himself appearing in this dress and form. Just see the proof. Different birds are all coming for His darsana. The cuckoos and parrots are happily addressing Him as Krsna, and the peacocks are dancing/ in jubilation. The different sounds of the birds is very pleasing to the ears. And see the wonderful blooming of the trees! 0 brother, just see the creepers showering flowers on this person, who is disguised towards His face. All the cows are coming running from all sides with raised tails, and they also look at His face. By the tears of ecstasy falling from the eyes of these creatures we can understand that they are meeting Him after a long period of time.’
‘”0 brother, I repeatedly glorify the good fortune of these creatures, who are seeing Krsna in this form and dress. Dear brothers, let us offer obeisances unto the feet of the Lord, who has incarnated to distribute knowledge to the people. By His mercy we can now understand that these two paddy fields known as Kali and’ Gauri are actually holy kunds.’ Speaking like this amongst themselves,they all became maddened by the nectarean sight of Mahaprabhu at this most holy site. Even Lord Brahma cannot describe a fragment of Mahaprabhu’s ecstatic expression when He discovered these kundas.”

Radha Kund and Shyama Kund, some sixteen miles from Mathura. Many Gaudiya Vaishnavas consider this to be the most sacred area in the entire universe. Rupa Goswami stresses the importance of these kunds in his Upadeshamrita. When Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu discovered them, they were only small, shallow ponds in the middle of a paddy field.
Nearby, Krishna killed Aristasura, a demon in the form of a gigantic bull. The town of Aring, once called Aristagram, commemorates this pastime. After killing Aristasura, Krishna created Shyama Kund, and Radharani created Radha Kund. Today, thanks to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s acclaiming the sanctity of the kunds, a village named Radha Kund has sprung up. It is populated almost entirely by Bengali pilgrims who have settled down.
The banks of Radha Kund are made of billions of conscious, ecstatic wish-fulfilling philosopher’s stones, and surrounding the kund are hundreds of beautiful transcendental gardens and groves. All the trees and creepers in those gardens are made of coral and rubies, and the fruits they produce are diamonds and pearls. And their branches are bending down to the ground due to being overburdened with millions of these lovely gems. My small cottage shines beautifully within that most enchanting garden called Svananda Sukhada Kunja. Living here, I sing Krishna’s holy name, and greedily hanker for that time when I will get to serve Him and His associates. (Gita Mala)
It’s purifying just to hear how Radha Kund and Shyama Kund came to be. After Krishna had killed Aristasura—a demon in the form of a raging bull—Radharani andthe other gopis told Him that He would have to bathe in all the holy places to atone for the sin of gohatya, the killing of a cow or bull. Because Krishna didn’t want to leave Radharani, He decided to summon all the sacred rivers there. First, He created a hole by striking the earth with His heel. Immediately, all the presiding deities of the sacred waters appeared, and torrents gushed forth from all quarters to form the pond known as Shyama Kund.
Krishna then informed the gopis that Aristasura wasn’t a real bull at all but a demon disguised as one; therefore Radharani and the gopis should also bathe in all the holy rivers to wash away the sin of siding with a demon. Radharani became very upset at this.
“If Krishna can make a kund, then so can I,” She told the other gopis.
Radha and thousands of gopis then broke their bangles and started scraping the earth with them. Soon, the pit was completed, but it remained dry. When Krishna began to laugh and chide them, the gopis formed a two-mile line to Manasi Ganga and brought water to fill the hole.
Again, the presiding deities of all the sacred waters appeared, and they asked for Krishna’s permission to enter Radharani’s kund.
“You’ll have to ask Radharani’s permission, not Mine,” Krishna said. “In fact, I think I’ll be freed from the sin of gohatya only by bathing in Radha’s kund.”
At this, Radha forgave Him, and Krishna and all the gopis frolicked in the sacred ponds. This story is related in the Gopala Champu of Srila Jiva Goswami.
After Chaitanya Mahaprabhu rediscovered the kunds and proclaimed their sanctity, Raghunatha Dasa Goswami went to live on their banks. Each kund measured only twelve feet square during the sixteenth century. Raghunatha had the kundsenlarged because he knew that many pilgrims would eventually come to bathe.

The Dream
During the excavation of the kunds, Yudhisthira Maharaj appeared to Raghunatha in a dream.
“Please don’t cut down the trees around Shyama Kund,” he requested. “My four Pandava brothers and I are living there as trees and performing worship.”
Since Raghunatha allowed the trees to remain, Shyama Kund appears irregular today, unlike the perfectly rectangular Radha Kund.
Each kund covers about two hundred square feet. Radha Kund is separated from Shyama Kund by a retaining wall rising just above the water. This wall is topped with ornate columns. A chatra shades the pada cheena of Radha and Krishna—marble footprints molded according to scriptural descriptions—installed by Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati. Like his father, Bhaktivinode Thakur, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta stressed the importance of Radha Kund. During their day—fifty to a hundred years ago—this village didn’t exist, and the kunds must have sparkled with crystal clear water.

The well
Raghunatha Dasa Goswami dug a well so that the kunds would not be used for washing clothes and dishes, but the townsfolk do their washing here nonetheless. Their detergent creates a green scum on the water’s surface. Great slimy turtles stick their heads up from the black muck and then disappear.

Radha Kund Puja
Radha Kund Puja, a celebration in honor of the origin of Radha Kund and Shyama Kund. For Gaudiya Vaishnavas, Radha Kund is the most sanctified place in the entire Braja Mandala, and tonight is the holiest time of year for bathing there. After moonrise, thousands of pilgrims will crowd into the little town to wash away their sins.

samadhis of Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami and Sri Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami
The samadhis of Sri Raghunatha Dasa Goswami and Sri Raghunatha Bhatta Goswami are here. There is also a small Radha Krishna temple containing a Deity discovered by Raghunatha Dasa while he was excavating.

In addition to Bhaktivinode Thakur’s bhajan kutir—
a little cottage where the great saint worshiped the Lord—there’s the bhajan kutir of Raghunatha Dasa.
Once, while Raghunatha Dasa was absorbed in chanting, tigers came to drink from Shyama Kund. Then Sanatan Goswami arrived and was astonished to see Lord Krishna standing by Raghunatha. The Lord was smiling and protecting the saint from the tigers. Raghunatha was unaware of this. When the tigers left, so did Krishna. Sanatan then told Raghunatha that he should build a small cottage so that Krishna would not have to come and stand guard. It’s this cottage, or kutir, that is still standing. Beside it stands the kutir where Krishnadas Kaviraj wrote Chaitanya Charitamrita, the definitive biography of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. In that great transcendental literature, he stressed the importance of Radha Kund:
Of all the gopis, Radharani is the dearmost. Similarly, the lake known as Radha Kund is very dear to the Lord because it is very dear to Srimati Radharani. … Of all the gopis, Srimati Radharani is certainly the most beloved. In that lake, Lord Krishna and Srimati Radharani used to sport daily in the water and have rasa dance on the bank. Indeed, Lord Krishna gives ecstatic love like that of Srimati Radharani to whomever bathes in that lake even once in his life.