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Radha Kund Pastimes

Killing of Aristasura
“One demon named Aristasura entered the village like a great bull with a gigantic body and horns, digging up the earth with his hoofs. When the demon entered Vrindavana, it appeared that the whole land trembled, as if there were an earthquake. He roared fiercely and after digging up the earth on the riverside, he entered the village proper. The fearful roaring of the bull was so piercing that some of the pregnant cows and women had miscarriages. Its body was so big, stout and strong that a cloud hovered over its body just as clouds hover over mountains. Aristasura entered Vrindavana with such a fearful appearance that just on seeing this great demon, all the men and women were afflicted with great fear, and the cows and other animals fled the village.

“The situation became very terrible, and all the inhabitants of Vrindavana began to cry, ‘Krishna! Krishna, please save us!’ Krishna also saw that the cows were running away, and He immediately replied, ‘Don’t be afraid. Don’t be afraid.’ He then appeared before Aristasura and said, ‘You are the lowest of living entities. Why are you frightening the inhabitants of Gokula? What will you gain by this action? If you have come to challenge My authority, then I am prepared to fight you.’ In this way, Krishna challenged the demon, and the demon became very angry by the words of Krishna. Krishna stood before the bull, resting His hand on the shoulder of a friend. The bull began to proceed towards Krishna in anger. Digging the earth with his hoofs, Aristasura lifted his tail, and it appeared that clouds were hovering above the tail. His eyes were reddish and moving in anger. Pointing his horns at Krishna he began to charge Him just like the thunderbolt of Indra. But Krishna immediately caught his horns and tossed him away, just as a gigantic elephant repels a small inimical elephant. Although the demon appeared to be very tired and although he was perspiring, he took courage and got up. Again he charged Krishna with great force and anger. While rushing towards Krishna, he breathed very heavily. Krishna again caught his horns and immediately threw him on the ground, breaking his horns. Krishna then began to kick his body, just as one squeezes a wet cloth on the ground. Being thus kicked by Krishna, Aristasura rolled over and began to move his legs violently. Bleeding and passing stool and urine, his eyes staring from their sockets, he passed to the kingdom of death.” (Krishna Book)

Story of Radha Kunda
The story of Radha Kunda is that one demon named Aristasura, in the body of a bull, was killed by Krishna. The gopis (cowherd girls) told Krishna, “that for killing a bull, the symbol of religion, He had to purify Himself by visiting every single holy place in the three worlds. If you take bath at all the holy places, You will be relieved of the offense of killing him.”

Krishna then said, “Why should I visit all these places, I will just bring the water from all these places here and then bathe in them.” Krishna then struck His heel on the ground and all the waters of all the holy places entered into Syama Kunda. Krishna then bathed in Syama Kunda. He finished his bath sometime before midnight.

After bathing, he said that the gopis had become impure because they had sided with a demon, even though he had been in the form of a bull. The gopis led by Radharani then dug another pond nearby with their bangles. There was no water in the hole, so the gopis formed a line to Manasa Ganga and began to fill the hole they dug by passing water from one gopi to another. Then a representative of all the sacred places told Radharani, “Our lives would be successful if we could enter Your pond.” The holy waters from Syama Kunda then flowed into Radha Kunda with the permission of Radha. So Radha Kunda is the holy waters from all the sacred places.

Description of Radha Kunda in the Spiritual World
Radha Kunda is surrounded by kadamba, campaka, asoka, mango, punnaga (white lotus) and bakula trees, and lavanga and vasnati creepers. The banks are decorated with different kinds of gems. Radha and Krishna swing on a gold gem-studded swing, hanging from a tree.
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur gives a description of Radha Kunda in his book, Gita Mala. The banks of Radha Kunda are made of desire-fulfilling touchstones. There are hundreds of beautiful transcendental gardens surrounding the lake. The trees and creepers of the gardens are made of coral and rubies and the fruits they produce are pearls and diamonds.

Krishna Dasa Kaviraja in his Sri Govinda-lilamrita and Sri Visvanatha Cakravarti in his Sri Krishna Bhavanamrita describe Radha Kunda in the spiritual world. On the four sides of Radha Kunda are jeweled stairways leading to jeweled bathing ghats. A jeweled bridge connects Radha Kunda with Syama Kunda. On either side of the ghats are pairs of swings. There are jeweled platforms around the stairs of the ghats, flanking gem-studded cottages.

There are many shade trees and flowering creepers. These flowering creepers have unlimited flowers. On all side of Radha Kunda are kalpa-vriksha (wish-fulfilling) trees. The bathing ghats are surrounded by various kunjas (forest groves or gardens).

Copyright ©2001 John Howley and Spiritual Guides