RADHA KUND MID NIGHT BATH ON AHOI ASHTMI

Radha Kund October 15 (IANS)

 

More than a lakh devotees of Sri Krishna-Radha are expected to take a holy dip on "Ahoiyee-Ashtmi" starting Wednesday evening till Thursday, in the twin ponds Krishna Kund and Radha Kund.

 

It is believed that all the " holy water bodies of various teerths of Hindus" descend on these two holy ponds on Ahoiyee-Ashtmi and whoever takes a dip is blessed by Vishnu himself. A large number of women take the ritualistic mid-night bath in the hope of bearing a child with the blessings of Ahoiyee Mata whose temple is nearby.

 

Mathura's SSP Manzil Saini visited the two ponds and reviewed the security arrangements. The local town area committee has stationed four boats with trained divers and provided for diesel generators around the pond to ensure uninterrupted lighting in the night. High mast lights have also been installed. A huge crowd is expected on two days, 15 and 16 October. This year a large number of foreign devotees are also doing the parikrama of the holy Goverdhan hill which little Sri Krishna lifted on his finger to save Braj Basis from the wrath of Indra Dev.

 

A local panda Vishnu Dev told IANS "if husband and wife together take a snaan at mid-night after the puja ritual they would be blessed with a child with the kripa of Krishna and Radha." Before the bath, women have to formally apply to the Ahoiyee Mata at the temple nearby and express their wish to have a child.

 

Bhakts of Radha Rani, consort of Sri Krishna believe Radha Kund, 22 kms from Mathura is superior to Vaikunth. Associated with Radha Rani who the founder of ISKCON Prabhupada says "is dear to krsna. Everyone is trying to love Krsna, but Krsna is trying to love Radha. Just imagine how great she is? Krsna prem is so valuable but Krsna is after Radha Rani. She is so great."

 

Radha Kund is situated around 150 kms from Delhi, 22 from Vrindavan and 26 from Mathura in the foot of the holy Goverdhan parbat.

 

According to the locals Radha Kund was created by Sri Krishna when after killing a devil, Radha asked him to take bath in the Ganges and other holy rivers. Krishna with his heel dug a hole in the earth and invited all holy ponds and rivers to come there and fill up the pond. When Radha saw the Krishna Kund she felt jealour and with her "sakhies" friends dug up a spot adjacent to the Krishna Kund and asked Mansi Ganga in Goverdhan to fill it up. Watching the lively quarrel, the sacred rivers and ponds prayed to Krishna to allow them to fill up Radha Kund too. Krishna said ask Radha ji, "if she permits, go ahead."

 

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"So at 11.45 P.M. on the eighth day of the waning moon in karttik (Damodar, October-November) the rivers personified broke the walls of Syamakund and entered to fill Radhakund. Shri Krishna then took bath in Radhakund and announced that to whomever takes bath in Radhakund on this day of the year or any day in future, the seed of intense love (Prema-Bhakti) which Shrimati Radharani has for Him would be given. Similarly, Shrimati Radharani took bath in Syamakund and announced that to anyone who takes bath in Syamakund, She would also give the seed of love that Shri Krishna has for Her. Presently, thousands of pilgrims desiring love for Shri Shri Radha-Krishna come to this holy spot on the occasion of Ardha-Ratri-Snan (Midnight bath) to take bath in a reverential mood, bathing first in Shri Radhakund, then in Shri Syamakund, and then again in Shri Radhakund. This is the only place of pilgrimage where an auspicious bath is taken at midnight."