Seva Kunja

In this particular forest grove also called Nikunjavana, Krishna massaged Radharani’s lotus feet and decorated them with red yavaka (vermillion). Krishna also massaged Her delicate limbs with perfumed oil, comb Her long black hair into braids, and applied cosmetics to Her moon-like face, and dressed Her with silken garments and gem-encrusted ornaments. After the rasa-dance was over the gopis would prepare a soft bed made of flower petals and invite Radha and Krishna to lie down together so They might spend the night entwined within each other’s arms. At Seva Kunja, one can see the actual place known as the Rang Mahal Mandira, where Krishna served the lotus feet of Radharani. One can also see Lalita-kunda that was created by Krishna just to please Lalita-sakhi, and also the rasa-mandala platform commemorating the rasa-lila pastimes
that took place here. Seva Kunja is also referred to as Rasa-sthali, because it was the site of Krishna’s most ecstatic rasa-lila pastimes with the beautiful gopis ofVraja. The rasalila or rasa-dance is considered to be the high-point of the nocturnal pastimes
between Krishna and the gopis, during which every gopi has the opportunity to
dance directly with Krishna. When the rasa-dance begins, Krishna stands alone
in the middle as the gopis dance around Him in a circular motion, while singing
songs in chorus and clapping their hands to the ecstatic beat of the drums. The
most enchanting sound was created by the jingling of the gopis ankle-bells, as
they dance in perfect unison around the rasa-mandala. Each gopi was thinking that
Krishna was looking directly at her while she performed her dance of love before Him. Then by His mystical prakash potency, Krishna expand Himself into hundreds of identical forms to dance next to each individual gopi, who could then personally enjoy His loving embraces and taste His nectar-like kisses.
The place which is presently called Seva Kunja was formerly called Nikunjavana, and
was one of twelve small forest groves of Vrindavana also called upavanas. Sometimes when the Puranas refer to Seva Kunja, it refers to all twelve of the sub-forests that form the inner-most core of the vast and expansive forest ofVrindavana. According to the Puranas, the whole area bordered by the River Yamuna, from Mohana Ter Ghata to Adi-Badri Ghata was referred to as being Seva kunja. Therefore, such places as Kaliya-Ghata, Madana-mohana, Imli Tala, Radha Damodara, Shringara Vata, Govinda Ghata, Chehana Ghata, Keshi Ghata, Nidhuvana,]hulanavana, Gopinatha, Dira Samira, Vamsi Vata, Gopishwara, Brahma-kunda, Govinda-kunda and Govindaji Yogapitha, are also considered to be different lila-sthanas within Seva Kunja. The Puranas also refer
to these twelve small upavanas or sub-forests that surround the Govindaji Yoga-pith like petals of a lotus, as the ‘Garden of Vrindavana’.
The twelve upavanas of Vrindavan and their approximate locations are as follows;
Viharavana- surounding Krishna Balarama Mandira and Radha Kupa
Gocharanavana- surrounding Varaha Ghata and Go Ghata
Kaliyadamanavana- surrounding Kaliya Ghata
Gopalavana – surounding Gopala Ghata (Karauli Ghata)
Nikunjavana – surrounding Seva Kunja
Nidhuvana – next to the Radharamana Mandira
Radhavana – between 64 Samadhi Pitha and Pani Ghata
jhulanavana – between Ragaji Bhaga Garden and Panighata Village
Gaharavana – surrounding Pani Ghata
Papadavana- surrounding Adi-Badri Ghata
Atalavana- where the Vrindavana parikrama path crosses the Mathura Road
Kevarivana -surrounding Davanala-kunda
The Puranas say that the forest of Vrindavana encompassed a vast area stretching from
Seva Kunja to Nandagrama and included Govardhana, Radha-kunda! Varsana, and the entire region on the western bank of the Yamuna as far north as Kelanvana. In the Brihad-gautamiyatantra it says. “The forest of Vrindavana consists of five yojanas.” Five yojanas is equal to forty miles which is the distance from Vrindavana to Nandagrama and the whole on the western bank of the Yamuna as far as Nandagrama is included in the forest of Vrindavana. Therefore when considering this vast area ofVrindavana forest, the twelve small forests or adhivanas are collectively known as Seva Kunja.

This place is also called Nikuïjavana. It lies just near the temple of Çré Rädhä-Dämodara, to the south-west. A painting of Çrématé Rädhikä with Çré Kåñëa massaging Her feet is worshipped here in a small temple. The Vrajaväsés say that even today Çré Rädhä-Kåñëa Yugala perform Their pastimes here every night. Everyone therefore leaves this kuïja at dusk. Even the impudent monkeys independently leave this kuïja as the evening falls. From time to time it happens that someone stubbornly tries to remain here during the night, and in the morning is found dead. Others have by some means escaped death, but have become completely insane.
Bhakta Rasakhäna searched for Kåñëa all over Vraja but without success. Finally, he had darçana of rasika Çré Kåñëa at this very place. He has revealed this in his beautiful poetry as follows:
dekhyo duryo vah kuïj kuöér meà baiöhyo paloöat rädhikä päyan
“Standing in the doorway of the kuïja, I watch Kåñëa as He sits massaging Rädhikä’s feet submissively.” [The word paloöa here indicates that Kåñëa is massaging in the mood, “I will not go to Candrävalé’s kuïja again.”] In Sevä-kuïja, we also find Lalitä-kuëòa. When Lalitä was feeling thirsty during räsa,Kåñëa manifested this beautiful kuëòa

Until recently in Vrndavana, Vrinda-devi was worshipped in two places: Kamyavana and Vrinda-kunda. A third deity has appeared to receive wonderful service from the sincere devotees at the Rupa-Sanatana Gaudiya Math Mandir in Seva Kunja, Vrindavana. Whenever one takes the auspicious darsan of Vrinda-¬devi, he should beg for the mercy to eternally reside in Sri Vraja-¬dhama as a servant of the servant of the maidservants of Srimati Radhika-Krsnacandra

Rupa goswami’s stay and activities at Seva Kunj:-
There were no temples, only dense forests when the Goswamis first settled in Vrindavan. His Holiness Narayan Maharaj describes the situation:
“Rupa Goswami didn’t take any land or any deed. He just lived under a different tree. Jiva and Rupa used to live together in the middle of Seva Kunj. Of course, then Seva Kunj was a large area. But there were no temples, no buildings, no construction, nothing. The emperor’s landlord, who owned this area, was thinking, ‘I am so fortunate that Rupa Goswami is living here on my land.’”
Many Vaisnavas gathered at Seva Kunj to hear Sri Rupa Goswami explain the philosophy of Krishna consciousness. Living alongside the Goswamis were such famous personalities as Lokanath Goswami, Subuddhi Raya, Raghava Pandit, Uddhava das and Gopal das.
Importance of seva kunj due to presence of many exalted vaishanavas:-
With Sanatana Goswami’s disappearance in 1558, Jiva Goswami officially purchased the land to preserve Seva Kunj for the Gaudiya Vaisnavas. Seva Kunj was a special sacred place for many reasons. Here, Sanatana Goswami worshiped his beloved Deity of Madanmohan and he later entered samadhi. The Supreme Lord Damodara appeared here to accept service from Sri Rupa and Sri Jiva Goswamis. Many famous Vaisnavas lived here doing bhajan, and they attended Rupa Goswami’s realized discourses on prema bhakti. And most significantly, within Seva Kunj, Sri Shyamasundar eternally enjoys superexcellent pleasure pastimes with Srimati Radharani and the gopis.
For thirty rupees Jiva Goswami bought the plot from Ali Kant Chaudhari, Emperor Akbar’s local landlord. The original deed kept at the Vrindavan Research Institute, mentions that the tract encompassed Seva Kunj, Dan Gulli, Imli Tala, Sringhar Sthali, and Rasa Sthali. Its boundaries were marked by four trees; tamarind, banyan, pipal and kadamba.
Present condition of seva kunja:-
Today Seva Kunj appears like a small park encircled by a protective wall. But during Lord Krishna’s time, it encompassed a vast area. When Rupa Goswami came to this part of Vrindavan forest, he sat down in the middle of Seva Kunj in order to serve Radha and Krishna and write books to benefit others.