Govind Kund

       Govind Kund is located on the edge of Aniyora Village, about 400m after the village of Aniyora. It is a 1.85 acre rectangular tank at the foot of Giriraj Govardhan.

       This is where Lord Indra bathed Lord Krishna and offered prayers to him, after Lord Krishna lifted Govardhana Hill. This kunda was made by the bathing ceremony. Krishna’s feet were bathed with Ganges water, milk, tulasi manjaris and lotus flowers. This kunda was originally filled with these ingredients of the abhiseka (bathing ceremony.)

       Krishna as a 7 year old boy persuaded His father Nanda maharaj and other cowherd men to stop worshipping Indra, the demigod of rains, and instead worship the supremely compassionate Govardhan Hill for providing all the things necessary for the cows.

        When Indra saw that the Vrajavasis had stopped worshipping him and were worshipping Govardhana instead, he became angry. Consequently, with the intention of destroying them, he poured forth torrential rains and hurled thunderbolts upon them for seven days, but he was not successful. Finally, Lord Brahma advised him to ask for forgiveness for his offence, and so Indra performed abhisheka of Sri Krishna with the milk of Surabhi, the celestial cow, at this place. Sri Krishna was named “Govinda” because He nourishes and gives pleasure to all—the cows, the gopas, the gopis and to the land of Vraja. This place is known as Govinda Kunda because the name-giving ceremony and abhisheka of Sri Govinda were performed here. Sri Vajranabha, the great grandson of Krishna, established this kunda in memory of this pastime.

       In the purport to Caitanya Caritamrita Madhya 18.37 it is stated: “Govinda Kunda is exalted for its many spiritual activities. It was here that Indra was defeated by Lord Krishna, and Indra offered his prayers and bathed Lord Govinda.

       In the Mathura-khanda it is also stated: “Simply by bathing in Govinda Kunda, one is awarded liberation. This lake was produced when Sri Krishna was bathed by Lord Indra.”

       “In this way, Krishna was bathed by the milk of the surabhi cows, and Indra was bathed by the water of the celestial Ganges through the trunk of his elephant carrier. After this, the heavenly King Indra, along with the surabhi cows and all the other demigods and their mothers, worshiped Lord Krishna by bathing Him with Ganges water and the milk of the surabhis.” (Krishna Book, Chap. 27)

       “With humility caused by great fear, Indra took hold of the lotus feet of Lord Krishna and, in the company of a Surabhi cow, performed His coronation festival by bathing Him with the waters of the heavenly Ganga. Thus Lord Krishna’s kingship over the cows became splendidly manifest. I pray that Govinda-kunda, the lake created by that ceremonial bath, may eternally appear before my eyes.” (Stavavali, Vraja-vilasa-stava 74)

       “Lord Brahma came to be the head priest. Lord Shiva came to give his blessings, and with the permission of Shiva and the direction of Brahma, it is explained that Surabhi along with seven chaste women of the earth performed a beautiful abhishek ceremony to Lord Krishna. It was at that time that Brahma performed aarti and put a crown on His head and formerly declared that Krishna is the Supreme Indra. He is the Lord of all Universes. After the demigods completed the worship, they offered their obeisances and returned to their respectable abodes.

       “Krishna was sitting here on a beautiful throne at Govinda Kunda. At that time the cowherd boys looking for their cows, came by. They saw Krishna sitting very beautifully, and they saw all of the puja paraphernalia of the demigods. So the cowherd boys picked them up, and they started offering aartis and puja to Krishna: fanning Him and holding the umbrellas, offering incense and lamps, singing beautiful songs. When the demigods looked down and saw this, they were totally ashamed seeing the type of devotion, the simple and spontaneous love of the cowherd boys. They realized that they, the demigods, have no devotion at all. Seeing these little children worshipping Krishna with such pure love—they were dancing, they were singing so sweetly—the demigods in their heart of hearts worshipped the lotus feet of the gopas of Vrindavan.

       At that time Nanda Maharaj also came by and he saw all that was going on. He asked where all this beautiful paraphernalia came from, and what was happening? Sridama explained, ‘We were searching for our cows and we came here, and we just found all this beautiful paraphernalia.’ Madhumangal explained, ‘When we came, we saw something unbelievable. There was this cow talking to Krishna, and then we saw this man with thousands of eyes on his body offering his obeisances. Then we saw a man with four heads, and another man with five heads offering their prayers. Then we saw this big, big, big elephant pouring water on Krishna from the river Ganges. And we saw this beautiful cow giving unlimited, unlimited quantities of milk to bathe Krishna with.’ At that time a celestial voice came from the sky. It was the voice of the demigods and they told Nanda Maharaj, ‘ Just as we have coroneted Krishna as “Govinda”, you should coronate Krishna as the Lord of Braja.

       So the Brajwasis performed a beautiful abhishek for Krishna here at Govinda Kunda, and Yashodamayi offered the arti.”