Question : A friend of mine said that Krishna never returned to Vrindavana after the battle of Kurukshetra. Yet, Caitanya-Caritamrta says that it was Vishnu who went to Mathura and that Krishna never leaves Vrindavana. Then there is Ratha Yatra, which is celebrating Krishna’s return to Vrindavana. Could you please shed light on this?
Answer by Romapada Swami:
Yes, Krishna never takes even one step out of Vrindavana. Those manifestations of Krishna outside Vrindavana, in Mathura, Dvaraka etc., are plenary expansions of Krishna. Krishna who appears in Mathura as the son of Devaki is understood to be Vaasudeva Krishna, one of the four `catur-vyuha’ expansions (Krishna’s first expansion is Balaram who then expands into the catur-vyuha viz. Vaasudeva, Sankarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. From the catur-vyuha emanate all other expansions come.)
Our acharyas explain how this Vaasudeva-Krishna then transcendentally merged into the body of Yasoda-nandana Krishna, when Vasudeva brought Him to Vrindavana in the dead of the night. Even within Vrindavana, the pastimes of killing demons were not performed by `svayam-bhagavan’ Krishna, but by this portion of Vaasudeva Krishna. When Krishna apparently left for Mathura with Akrura, it was Vaasudeva Krishna who departed, while `svayam bhagavan’ Krishna entered the Yamuna and into the hearts of the
residents of Vrindavana and remained there inconspicuous as the Vrajavasis were relishing Krishna’s association in the highest ecstasy of love in separation.
The general narration we find is that Krishna never performed the pastime of again `returning back’ to Vrindavana from Dvaraka. However, the selected following quotes from Srila Jiva Goswami’s Sankalpa Kalpa-druma indicate the scriptural references that indicate otherwise. Other of our vaisnava acarya’s indicate a similar conclusion, again based upon similar scriptural references. You will find one of these references in
the BBT’s purport to SB 10.78.16, which clearly indicates with ref. to Padma Purana that Krishna entered Vrndavan after killing Dantavakra.
In addition, the residents of Vrindavana had the opportunity to meet Him during the solar eclipse at Kurukshetra. At that time the gopis, being unable to bear seeing their beloved Krishna in royal attire and surrounded by royal paraphernalia, wanted to take Him back to the forests of Vrindavana. In that mood they started pulling His chariot. Ratha yatra
signifies this attempt by the gopis to bring Krishna back to Vrindavana.
SRILA JIVA GOSWAMI’S SANKALPA KALPADRUMA: PART ONE
Chapter One: Janmadi Lila. Lord Krishna’s Birth and other Pastimes
12. Sri Krishna, the son of Nanda, who, although He hides from the Vedic rituals and is not in the Vedic mantras, does happily appear before some persons in this world….
226. …who returned to Vraja, as the people of Dvaraka explained in the prayer recorded in SB 1.11.9…(“O lotus-eyed Lord, whenever You go away to Mathura, Vrndavana or Hastinapura to meet Your friends and relatives, every moment of Your absence seems like a million years. O infallible one, at that time our eyes become useless, as if bereft of sun.”)
227. …who grants His auspicious presence to the people of Vraja eternally, as is described in the Padma Purana, Uttara Khanda…
228. …who, staying in Vraja, assumed another form and went to Dvaraka, this action clearly recorded in the scriptures…
229. …about who Uddhava said “Krishna will very soon return to Vraja” (in SB 10.46.34), who must have returned to Vraja, for otherwise Uddhava would have spoken a lie…
257. …who said in the Brhad Gautamiya Tantra “I, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all the demigods, never leave the forest of Vrndavana…
258. …who said in the Brhad Gautamiya Tantra “Millennium after millennium I appear in Vrndavana and then again I disappear, Vrndavana cannot be seen with material eyes”…
260. …whose words “I never leave Vrndavana” may be interpreted in two ways: either “I am always present in Vrndavana, even when it seems I have left” or “If somehow I leave Vrndavana I always quickly return”…
261. …who eternally stays in His two cities (Mathura and Dvaraka) as SB 10.1.28 explains “The city and district of Mathura are very intimately connected with Krishna, for Lord Krishna resides there eternally”
266. …killed Dantavakra on the open road, and then returned to live in Vraja. King Nanda and the other people of Vraja went to Him like hungry cakora birds gazing at the moon.
267. Seeing His father and the people of Vraja were withered and dry from not having seen Him, Lord Krishna splashed them all with the nectar of His presence. Pretending to stand with the hairs of their bodies erect, the trees that were the cowherd people again and again sprouted new shoots of joy.
268. Then Lord Krishna, showing the same features as before, approached the doe-eyed gopis. Wondering whether Lord Krishna had actually come before them, the gopis were bewildered, not bewildered, and bewildered again, moment after moment.
269. As He entered Vraja the people offered arati to Him with many jewels, showered Him with flowers, called out “Jai! Jai!” and greeted Him with auspicious words.
270. Pleasing them with graceful and humble words, Lord Krishna gave His association to the people of Vraja. Then, to shower His mother with happiness, He quickly entered His home.
271. For a long time He pleased her. Then, with her permission He lay down on a splendid bed and, surrounded by all His friends, slept at night.
272. Rising from bed, glorious Krishna brought great happiness to His eternal friends. His lotus face blossoming with happiness, He began a great festival of nectar for the bumblebee eyes of His friends.
273. Day after day the people of Vraja loved Krishna with a love greater than before. Day after day they saw that Krishna’s handsomeness was greater than they had seen before.
274. Yearning to see King Nanda after some days, Lord Krishna took Rohini, Uddhava, and many others and quickly went by chariot to Vraja.
275. Goddess Yogamaya created a Deity form of Krishna. The beautiful-eyed gopis who yearned to marry Krishna worshipped that Deity with the honey of their passionate love.
276. When Lord Krishna assumed a different form and went to the city of the Yadavas, His original form was visible only to the people in the glorious village of Vraja. O mind, please always think of that form of the gopa Krishna.
