Vishram Ghat

Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
After accepting the sannyasa order in 1510, Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu stayed at jagannatha Puri where He performed sankirtana every day, but He always had the ardent desire to visit Vrindavana and see the places of Krishna’s transcendental pastimes situated around Vraja Mandala. Lord Chaitanya also wanted to rediscover all the pastime places that had been lost over time and also reestablish the important deities of Vrindavana that were previously installed by Krishna’s great grandson, Vajranabha Maharaja. It is said that Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu arrived in Vrindavana Dhama in the month of Ashwina corresponding to around the middle of September in the year 1515, and on arrival at Mathura, He first bathed in the Yamuna River at Vishrama Ghata and then went to Krishna’s birthplace and also had darshana of Lord Keshavadeva. Lord Chaitanya stayed in Mathura for a few days and besides visiting all the holy places within the city, He also bathed in all the twenty four sacred ghatas along the banks of the Yamuna River.

The Vraja Mandala Parikrama that Starts from Vrindavana
All Gaudiya Vaishnavas who reside in Vrindavana traditionally start Vraja Mandala
Parikrama from Vrindavana itself, in order to show proper respect to this most important amongst the twelve sacred forests of Vraja. Resident devotees of Vrindavana start their Vraja Mandala Parikrama by first performing the parikrama of Vrindavana while also taking darshana of the ‘Seven Goswami Temples’. There is also a tradition amongst Vaishnavas that before starting the Vraja Mandala Parikrama, they should first take a vow (sankalpa), promising Lord Krishna that they will complete the full Vraja Mandala Parikrama once they have started it. Although this sankalpa is generally taken at Vishrama Ghata, where devotees other than residents ofVrindavana start their Vraja Mandala Parikrarna, the Vrindavana devotees generally take their sankalpa at the Madana-mohana Mandira, and then take a holy bath in the Yamuna River at Keshi Ghata.

After completing the Vraja Mandala Parikrama by visiting Mahavana and Ravala, the
devotees from Vrindavana including Iskcon devotees, complete their Vraja Mandala Parikrama at Vishrama Ghata in Mathura, where they end their parikrama by bathing in the Yamuna River.

V.2 Varaha Ghata
It is said that this is where Krishna showed His form as Lord Varaha, the boar incarnation
of Vishnu to the gopis, and one can see a very rare deity of Lord Varaha in the temple here. There is also another place about two kilometers north of here on the old bank of the Yamuna known as Varaha Grama, (Barahara), where Krishna showed His form of Varaha to the cowherd boys. Lord Varaha is one of the presiding deities of Vraja Mandala and His eternal residence is at Saukari Vateshwara (Batasar) just south of Agravana on the southern petal of the lotus of Vraja. After killing Hiranyaksha and lifting the earth from the Garbha Ocean, Lord Varaha rested at Mathura’s Vishrama Ghata where He spoke the Adi-varaha Purana to Bhumi Devi, mother earth.

The famous Viçräma-ghäöa is the principal ghäöa of Mathurä.
According to the Saura Puräëa, this sacred place is named Viçräntitértha
for the following reason:
tato viçränti térthäkhyaà térthamaho vinäçanam
saàsära maru saïcära kleça viçräntidaà nåëäm
“Wandering throughout the desert of material existence, living
entities suffer the threefold miseries of life. They are without
shelter in all respects, and become thoroughly exhausted by
many kinds of afflictions. When they bathe in the waters
of this eminent place of pilgrimage, which have bathed Çré
Kåñëa’s lotus feet, they experience tranquillity (viçräma).
For this reason, the name of this sacred place is Viçränti or
Viçräma-ghäöa.”
It is said that after the Supreme Lord Çré Kåñëa killed the mighty
Kaàsa, He had Kaàsa’s funeral rites performed at Dhruva-ghäöa.
Çré Kåñëa, as well as His relatives and friends, then bathed at this
holy ghäöa, and rested here. In His human-like pastimes, Çré Kåñëa
may need to rest, but that Çré Kåñëa who is the Supreme Lord, who
has an eternal form, full of knowledge and bliss, who is full of all
the six opulences and who is endowed with all potencies that can
make the impossible possible, never needs any rest. This Viçrämaghäöa
serves as a place of rest for the distressed living entities who
have strayed from the Lord and are immersed in the endless and
bottomless ocean of birth and death.
Every year, before starting Vraja-maëòala parikramä, hundreds
of thousands of devout pilgrims bathe, perform äcamana and then
take vows at this eminent place of pilgrimage. They also complete
their parikramä here.
On the day of Yama-dvitéyä (or Bhaiyädüja), the second day
after the night of the new moon (Amävasyä) in Kärtika, many
faithful and pious people from far-off places come to bathe at
this place. According to the Puräëas, Yama (Dharmaräja) and
Yamé (Yamunä) are twins. Soft-hearted Yamunä could not endure
seeing the various suffering of the living beings, and wished for
a way to alleviate them. On her birthday she invited her brother
to a meal of many delicious preparations and sweetmeats. Pleased
and fully satisfied, Yama told her to ask for a boon. Yamunä said,
“Brother, please grant those who bathe in my waters with faith
on this day, relief from the clutches of birth and death and from
the variegated threefold miseries.” Hearing this, Yama Mahäräja
replied, “So be it!”
Although it is very glorious to bathe anywhere in Çré Yamunä, it
is especially glorious to do so in Vraja, and even more so at Viçrämaghäöa
on the day of Yama-dvitéyä. Therefore, every year on this
day, thousands of brothers and sisters come here to bathe.

It was here that Lord Varaha rested after lifting the earth from the nether regions. At that time, Lord Varaha spoke the Adi Varaha Purana to the Godess Earth. It was here also that after killing Kamsa, Lord Krsna came to rest. At the present time Visrama-ghata is kept in very good condition, being entirely covered by marble. Each evening at 7 o’clock aratika to the Yamuna is performed.

Text 157
viçranti-samjïakaà térthaà
purva-patre vyavasthitam
yaà dåñöva tu naro yati
muktià nasty atra saàçayaù

viçranti – Viçränti; samjïakam – named; tértham – holy place; purva – eastern; patre – on the petal; vyavasthitam – situated; yam – whom; dåñöva – having seen; tu – indeed; naraù – a person; yati – attains; muktim – liberation; na – not; asti – is; atra – here; saàçayaù – doubt.

A person who sees Viçränti-tirtha on the eastern petals of this lotus attains liberation. Of this there is no doubt.

Texts 164 and 165

sarvaà taptaà tapas tena
sarvaà danaà ca taiù kåtam
yaiù kåtaà mathuraà gatva
bhadreñöamyaà vasundhare
snatva viçranti-tértheñu
pujanaà me ‘valokanam

sarvam – all; taptam – austerities; tapaù – performed; tena – by him; sarvam – all;
danam – charity; ca – and; taiù – by them; kåtam – done; yaiù – by whom; kåtam – done; mathuram – to Mathurä; gatva – having gone; bhadreñöamyam – on auspicious Janmastami; vasundhare – O earth; snatva – having bathed; viçranti-tértheñu – at Viçränti-tirtha; pujanam – worship; me – of Me; avalokanam – sight.

All austerities are automatically performed and all charity automatically given by they who, going to Mathurä during Janmastami in the month of Bhadra, bathe in Viçränti-tirtha, worship me, and see My Deity-form, O earth-goddess.

Text 219

udaye mamakaà tejaù
sada viçranti-saàjïake
madhyahne mamakaà tejo
dérgha-viñnau vyavasthitam
keçave mamakaà tejo
dina-bhage caturthake

udaye – at sunrise; mamakam – My; tejaù – splendor; sada – always; viçranti-saàjïake – at Viçränti; madhyahne – at midday; mamakam – My; tejaù – splendor; dérgha-viñnau – in Dirgha Viñëu; vyavasthitam – placed; keçave – in Keçava; mamakam – My; tejaù – splendor; dina-bhage caturthake – at the fourth portion of the day.

At sunrise My splendor rests in Viçränti-tirtha. At midday My splendor rests in the Deity of Lord Dirgha-Viñëu. In the evening My splendor rests in the Deity of Lord Keçava.

Text 225

atha viçranti-mahatmyam. skande

tatra térthaà maharaja
viçranti-loka-viçrutam
bhramitva sarva-térthani
viçrantià yanti sattvataù

atha – now; viçranti – of Viçränti;mahatmyam – glorification;. skande – in the Skanda Puräna; tatra – there; tértham – holy place; maharaja – O king; viçranti – Viçränti; loka – in the world; viçrutam – famous; bhramitva – having wandered; sarva-térthani – to all holy places; viçrantim – to Viçränti-tirtha; yanti – attain; sattvataù – the devotees.

The Glorification of Viçränti-tirtha
In the Skanda Puräëa it is said:

O great king, this holy place is famous in the world as Viçränti-tirtha. After traveling to all holy places, the saintly devotees rest in Viçränti-tirtha.

Text 226

tatraiva badaré-mahatmye

viçranti-térthe vidhivat
snatva kåtva tilodakam
pitån uddhåtya narakad
viñnulokaà prapadyate

tatra – there; eva – indeed; badaré – of badari-tirtha; mahatmye – in the glorification; viçranti-térthe – in Viçränti-tirtha; vidhivat – following the rules; snatva – having bathed; kåtva – having done; tila – sesame; udakam – and water; pitån – to the pitäs; uddhåtya – lifting; narakad – from hell; viñnulokam – Viñnuloks; prapadyate – atain.

In the same scripture, in the Badari-mähätmya, it is said:

A person who, following the rules of the scriptures, bathes at Viçränti-tirtha and makes an offering of sesame seeds and water, lifts his ancestors from hell and makes them enter Viñëuloka.

Text 227

yadi kuryat pramadena
patakaà tatra manavaù
viçranti-snana-matreëa
bhasmé-bhavati tat-kñaëat

yadi – if; kuryat – does; pramadena – out of foolishness; patakam – sin; tatra – there;
manavaù – people; viçranti – at Viçränti-tirtha; snana-matrena – simply by bathing; bhasmé-bhavati – becomes ashes; tat-kñanat – at that moment.

If a person foolishly commits a sin, by his simply bathing at Viçränti-tirtha the sin will be at once burned to ashes.

Text 228

saura-purane

*tato viçranti-térthakhyaà
tértham aìgho-vinaçanam
saàsara-maru-saïcara-
kleça-viçranti-daà nåëam

saura-puraëe – in the Saura Puräëa; tataù – then; viçranti-térthakhyam – Viçränti-tirtha; tértham – holy place; aìghaù – sins; vinaçanam – destruction; saàsara – of birth and death; maru – in the desert; saïcara – wandering; kleça – suffering; viçranti-dam – giving rest; nåëam – to people.

In the Saura Puräëa it is said:

The holy place named Viçränti-tirtha destroys sins and gives rest from the pain of wandering in the desert of birth and death.

Text 229

tatra térthe kåta-snano
yo ‘rcayed acyutaà naram
sa mukto bhava-santapad
amåtatvaya kalpate

tatra – there; térthe – in the holy place; kåta-snanaù – bathed; yaù – one who; arcayed – worships; acyutam – Lord Acyuta; naram – person; sah – he; muktaù – liberated; bhava-santapad – from the sufferings of material existence; amåtatvaya – for immortality; kalpate – becomes qualified.

A person who, bathing at this holy place, worships Lord Acyuta, becomes free from the sufferings of repeated birth and death and qualified for liberation.

Text 230

padme yamuna-mahatmye

kalinda-parvatodbhede
mathurayaà tatha puré
pratyaì-mukhyaà ca çaukaryaà
bhagérathyaç ca saìgame

padme yamuna-mahatmye – in the Padma Puräna, Yamunä-mahatmya; kalinda-parvata-udbhede – from Mount Kalinda;mathurayam – in Mathurä; tatha – so; puré – the city; pratyaì-mukhyam – turning; ca – and; çaukaryam – to varäha-tirtha; bhagérathyaù – with the Ganges; ca – and; saìgame – in meeting.

In the Padma Puräna, Yamunä-mähätmya, it is said:

Flowing from Mount Kalinda to Mathurä City, and then west to Ädi-varäha-tirtha, the Yamunä eventually meets the Ganges.

Text 231

phalaà uttara-kuloktaà
tat-kalindyaà çatadhikam
tad eva koöi-gunitaà
viçrantau kathyate budhaiù

phalam – result; uttara-kula – northern shore; uktam – said; tat-kalindyam – in the Yamunä; çata-adhikam – a hundred times greater; tad – that; eva – indeed; koöi-gunitam – millions of times more; viçrantau – at Viçränti; kathyate – is said; budhaiù – by the wise.

The wise say the pious result of bathing in the Yamunä is a hundred times greater on its northern shore and millions of times greater at Viçränti-tirtha.

Text 232

adi-varahe

viçranti-saàjïakaà nama
térthaà trailokya-durlabham
yasmin snato naro devi
mama loke mahéyate

adi-varahe – in the Ädi-varäha Puräna; viçranti-saàjïakaà namatértham – Viçränti-tirtha; trailokya – in the three worlds; durlabham – rare; yasmin – where; snataù – bathed; naraù – a person; devi – O goddess; mama – My; loke – in the abode; mahéyate – glorified.

In the Ädi-varäha Puräëa it is said:

O goddess, a person who bathes in the holy place named Viçränti-tirtha, which is difficult to attain in the three worlds, is glorified in My own abode.

Text 233

gaìga-çata-gunaà proktaà
yatra keçi-nipatitaù
keçyaù çata-gunaà proktaà
yatra viçrantito hariù

gaìga – the Ganges; çata-gunam – multiplied 100 times; proktaà yatra – where; keçi – Keçi; nipatitaù – died; keçyaù – than Kesi-tirtha; çata-gunam – a hundred times more; proktam – said; yatra – where; viçrantitaù – rested; hariù – Kåñëa.

The place where Keçi was killed is said to be a hundred times more sacred than the Ganges. The place where Lord Hari rested is said to be a hundred times more sacred than Keçi-tirtha.

Text 234

tatha

ardha-candrad viçeño ‘sti
térthe viçranti-saàjïake
dahadi-karane tatra
gardhabho ‘pi catur-bhujaù

tatha – so; ardha-candrad – from Ardhacandra-tirtha; viçeñaù – specific; asti – is; térthe viçranti-saàjïake – inViçränti-tirtha; daha-adi – beginning with a forest-fire; karane – cause; tatra – there; gardhabhaù – an ass; api – even; catur-bhujaù – four arms.

It is also said:

Near Ardhacandra-tirtha is Viçränti-tirtha, where there was a forest-fire and where an ass-demon became a four-armed resident of Vaikuëöha.

Text 235

vasudevo vasen nityaà
tasmin sthane nåpottama
viçrantià kurute yena
tena viçranti-saàjïakam

vasudevaù – Lord Väsudeva; vaset – lives; nityam – eternaly; tasmin sthane – in that place; nåpottama – O great king; viçrantim – rest; kurute – does; yena – by whom; tena – by Him; viçranti-saàjïakam – named Viçränti-tirtha.

O king, Lord Väsudeva resides eternally in this place. He rested (viçram) here and therefore this place is named Viçränti-tirtha.

Text 236

puranantare ‘pi

kalpa-koöi-çatenapi
viçrantau roma-romasu
kñaura-karmani dahe ca
punar-janma na vidyate

puraëa-antare – in another Puräëa; api – also; kalpa-koöi-çatena – hundreds of millions of kalpas; api – even; viçrantau – in Viçränti; roma-romasu – in the hair; kñaura-karmaëi – shaving; dahe – in a fire; ca – and; punar-janma – birth again; na – not; vidyate – is.

In another Puräëa it is said:

Shaving one’s head at Viçränti-tirtha is a great fire in which hundreds of millions of kalpas of future births perish.

Text 237

atha gataçramadeva-mahatmyam. adi-varahe

sarva-tértheñu yat snanaà
sarva-tértheñu yat phalam
tat phalaà labhate devi
dåñöva devaà gataçramam

atha – now; gataçramadeva – of Lord Gataçrama; mahatmyam – glorification; adi-varahe – in the Ädi-varäha Puräna; sarva – all; tértheñu – in holy places; yat – what; snanam – bath; sarva-tértheñu – in all holy places; yat – what; phalam – result; tat – that; phalam – result; labhate – attains; devi – O goddess; dåñöva – having seen; devaà gataçramam – Lord Gataçrama.

The Glorification of Gataçramadeva
In the Ädi-varäha Puräna it is said:

O goddess, the pious result of bathing at all holy places is attained by seeing the Deity of Lord Gataçrama.

Text 238

kala-trayaà tu vasudhe
yaù paçyati gataçramam
kåtva pradakñiëaà bhéru
viñëulokaà sa gacchati

kala-trayam – three times; tu – indeed; vasudhe – O earth; yaù – who; paçyati – sees;
gataçramam – Gataçrama; kåtva pradakñiëam – circumambulating; bhéru – with reverence; viñëulokam – Viñëuloka; sah – he; gacchati – goes.

O earth-goddess, a person who sees Lord Gataçrama three times (morning, noon, and night) a day and circumambulates Him with awe and veneration, goes to Viñëuloka.

Text 239

athardhacandra-sthitani yamuna-térthani catur-viàçatiù. adi-
varahe

avimukto naraù snatva
muktià prapnoty asaàçayam
tatratha muïcati pranan
mama lokaà sa gacchati

atha – now; ardhacandra – at Ardhacandra; sthitani – situated; yamuna – on the Yamunä; térthani – holy places; catur-viàçatiù – 24; adi-varahe – in the Ädi-varäha Puräna; avimuktaù – not liberated; naraù – a person; snatva – having bathed; muktim – liberation; prapnoti – attains; asaàçayam – no doubt; tatra – there; atha – then; muïcati – gives up; praëan – life breath; mama – My; lokam – planet; sah – he; gacchati – goes.

Glorification of 24 Holy Places at Ardhacandra on the Yamunä’s Shore

In the Ädi-varäha Puräëa it is said:

A person who bathes there attains liberation without doubt. A person who dies there goes to My planet.

Text 240

viçranti-saàjïakaà nama
térthaà trailokya-viçrutam
yasmin snatva naro devi
mama loke mahéyate

viçranti-saàjïakaà nama tértham – Viçränti-tirtha; trailokya-viçrutam – famous in the three worlds; yasmin – where; snatva – having bathed; naraù – a person; devi – O goddess; mama – My; loke – in the abode; mahéyate – glorified.

This holy place is famous in the three worlds as Viçränti-tirtha. O goddess, a person who bathes here is glorified in My abode.

The Padma Purd!J.a, Yamuna Mahatmya, states: “The Kalindi flows from the mountain Kalinda and lows through Mathura. The Ganges at Sukaratala flows westwards. The confluence of the Yamuna and Bhagirathi is known as the sangarh. By bathing at any of these places one achieves highly pious results. But by taking bath in the Yamuna one can achieve a hundred times these results and, according to scholars, Srt Visranti-tirtha can bestow millions of times these results on people.