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Sri Radhe-Krsna's playful pastimes (vihara) - Jogiya-sthala

Mahadeva Sankara worships Krsna here, and therefore this place is also known as Mahadeva's sitting-place (baithaka). Once, Mahadeva Sankara, desiring to have Krsna's darsana, was wandering throughout Vraja like a madman, but his repeated attempts bore no success. Sometimes, Krsna would be sleeping when he arrived and sometimes He would be sucking the breast of His mother. Also, Mother Yasoda did not want to show her baby Krsna to this strange yogi, whose hair was matted, who was adorned with a neclace of serpents, and who was riding a bull and carrying a trident in his hand. She thought that he might give her son the "evil eye".

Finally, a defeated Sankara sat down at this very spot firm in his decision not to leave until his desire was fulfilled. He started to beg by invoking the name of God, loudly calling out,"Alakha niranjana, alakha niranjana!" ang playing on his damaru drum. Inside Nanda-bhavana, baby Krsna also started to bawl just as loudly as Sankara was calling out and playing his drum. The drum playing did not stop; nor did Krsna's crying. Finally the clever elderly gopis advised Yasoda,"This must be the work of that yogi. He certainly knows some mantras, so why not call him to pacify the child?" They went to the yogi and said,"O yogi, come, Nandarani Yasomati is calling you to Nanda-bhavana." Hearing this, Sankaraji became so happy and made his way to Nanda-bhavana, where he took some mustard seeds and salt in his hands, touched the head of baby Krsna and blessed Him. When touched by the hands of Sankara, Nanda-lala immediately stopped crying and began to make the sounds of joy. Seeing the yogi's wonderful act Nandarani(Yasoda) became very pleased with him and gave him her pearl neclace in charity, saying,"Yogi, you should stay here at Nanda-bhavana and whenever my lala cries, you should pacify Him by your darsana."

Suradasa has described this pastime in the follwing poem:

cal re jogi nandabhavan mein yasumati tohi bulave
latkat-latkat sankar avai man mein mod bhadave

nandabhavan mein ayo jogi rai non kar lino
bar pher lalake upar hath sis par dino

vitha bhai ab dur badan ki kilak uthe nandalala
khusi bhai nandajuki rani dini motiyan mala

rahure jogi nandabhavan mein braj ko baso kijai
jab-jab mero lala rovai tab-tab darsan dijai

tum to jogi param manohar tum ko ved bakhane
(siv bole)budho baba nam hamaro sursyam mohi janen